That is just the way it is ...

This morning's reading (Romans 1-4) was from a letter that has often been referred to as a summary of Christian beliefs. It is the letter of Romans in the New Testament. It speaks of subjects such as God the Father, Jesus, Spirit; chosenness; righteousness; sin; grace/mercy; justification; and sanctification.

The writer of Romans is at least wrestling with the "how-to's" of salvation -- what it means to be made right with God. On this subject, the human side of the writer wants to keep saying, 'It all depends on how well I do in the sight of God'. And the divine guidance in my own words to the human writer keeps on encouraging this thought -- 'You are not loved by God based on your works no matter how good they may be, but rather you are loved by God only because God wants to love you (even if it is in spite of yourself).'

Verses that stuck out to me were as follows. As a background to them, Abraham has always been seen as the father of Israel kind of like George Washington is seen as the father of the United States.

For if Abraham was justified by works,

he has something to boast about, but not before God.

For what does the Scripture say,

"Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due.

But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly,

such faith is reckoned as righteousness"

Romans 4:3-5

(bold & italics added)

The aim of the Judeo-Christian life is to be made righteous/holy/good/upright/godly/right by God. But it can only be a work by God on me and God's work on me enables me to work for God. Sounds so odd, but for all that is just the way it is.

I was waiting ...

Wednesday night of this past week (11/26/08), I arrived home as the sun was beginning to set so I hurriedly got out the lawnmower to chop up the leaves in the back yard. I did not put as much gasoline in the mower to be sure and burn up all the gasoline before putting it up for the winter. Nevertheless, after the back yard was finished, the lawnmower kept running so I cut the side and front yard again. And even with all of that the mower kept running so I cut the back yard again for it was stacked high with leaves before it was cut the first time. When it was all cut, some twice, the mower just kept running so I finally put up the mower with a bit of gasoline in it! There are still a couple of trees with leaves so my plans are to cut under them again to finish burning up the gasoline.

In my life I try to look back at events to see if there is any evidence of the presence of God. One way that I see this event is God may have walked beside me laughing as I tried to use all the gasoline. Another way I see this event is that God just wanted me to get more exercise. Perhaps also God wanted to remind me of one of the themes of the Advent/Christian Season which awaits God's coming as I was waiting to run out of gasoline. Could it have been the timing for the moment I walked in the house after cutting the yard I was hearing of the captives in India over the television?

I does help me in experience to try to see God so I take the time.

See you tomorrow at Arlington UMC.

Another reason for Thanksgiving

I have just read the final chapter of the gospel of Matthew. Admittedly, it begins with one of the favorite times of day I have which is sitting up and watching the light gradually increase as the sun rises. In that scene colors begin to gradually appear as the light increases. So it must have been in Matthew for, as the sun was rising, there were women on the way to Jesus' tomb.

As I picture this scene, I wonder how fast are they going, and what is their posture. Are they silent? Are they talking? Are they moping along with uncertainty? Or do they walk with a purpose in their steps?

"Suddenly there was a great earthquake". And an angel, literally "messenger", of the Lord appeared to them. And he announced that the executed Jesus had been raised from the dead, and he invited them to see the empty tomb where the night before Jesus' dead body lay.

My mind stops right there as I imagine the scene. The women looking at each other with eyes wide open, eyebrows raised, and jaws dropping. Some of them are looking directly into the messengers face while others are dropping to the floor with fear. Although there is no reference to any verbal reply in Scripture, I can easily imagine them saying phrases like: "What?"; "You've got to be kidding!"; "I can't believe that!"; "Do you believe?" or "You mean..."

Irregardless of their reply suddenly the risen Jesus appeared to them and said, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me" (Matthew 28:10b).

The resurrection of Jesus and the hope it gives us to share with those around us is now another reason for thanksgiving.

Setting the mood for Thanksgiving ...

The following comes from a book written by one of the members of Arlington United Methodist Church. Her name is Susanna Lahde, and presently she is in heaven. These words of hers are drawn from her reflections on Psalm 106:1-3, 48. I see them as fitting to read aloud and set the mood or theme of a Thanksgiving prayer or meal. This may even be used for a prayer. Copies of her book are available at AUMC.

LOVE

His love endures.

His love endures forever.

Thanks to the Lord for he is good.

Bless those who maintain justice, doing right.

Praise the Lord from everlasting to everlasting.

Proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord; declare his praise.

Praise the Lord from everlasting to everlasting.

Bless those who maintain justice doing right.

Thanks to the Lord for doing good.

His love endures forever.

His love endures.

LOVE

May your Thanksgiving Day be a God-centered celebration of hope and renewal.

Honestly, rough language for me to hear ...

Today, there are religious leaders who have different purposes. That is, there are Deacons in the United Methodist Church who are in such service as physicians, nurses, teachers, business administrators, musicians in every respect, Christian education directors and ... Such honors our God-given gifts.

There are also Elders whose purpose is in "word (proclamation), sacrament (Baptism and Holy Communion), and order (bringing order to the life of the church)".

During Jesus' life there were also religious leaders with particular tasks. There were "Scribes and Pharisees". Among other responsibilities the main work of the scribes was to hand write copies of the Hebrew Bible. And the Pharisees were responsible for its interpretation to daily life.

Jesus was toughest on the religious leaders of his day. Even though I believe in the mercy of a forgiving God, I confess that is a scary thought for me. The gospel of Matthew places emphasis on this side of Jesus when in chapter 23 of that gospel this phrase appears five times ...

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!"
(Matthew 23:13, 23, 25, 27, 29)
[in verse 16 they are referred to as 'blind guides'!]

From this I sense a call again to an outward holiness that others may see and an inward holiness (attitudes, thoughts, etc) that only God can see in each of us.

May I request this? Pray daily for today's scribes and pharisees, our religious leaders, for my hunch is that God's judgment on us will be the toughest. Pray that God's guidance, God's love, and and God's mercy will surround us as well as be delivered through us.

And, of course, pray for yourself.

Jesus said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?"

They said to him,
"Lord, let our eyes be opened"
(Matthew 20:32b-33)

Even though I am not physically blind, there is always a chance that I may not be seeing life as God sees it. That is always true and for that reason the story of Jesus healing the physically blind can give me hope that he will heal spiritual blindness that is not seeing things the way he sees them. With that in mind I remember an event from this past Sunday.

On Sunday, November 23, 2008 from 8:00 to 9:30 AM we had what is called a "Charge Conference". For United Methodist local churches "charge conferences" are at least one annual 'business review' meeting . The word "charge" refers to the place of an appointed minister. Even though we had good attendance at our charge conference (about 30% of our active attendees) I wish there had been more for this reason: it would have been a good opportunity for more of the people of our local church to hear the testimony of how God has been working through us. I have decided that in the weeks after Thanksgiving I will motivate our staff and laity to publicize what ministries for those outside the Arlington Church have occurred in the last year through at least our newsletter, website, and verbally in worship.

The whole point here is God is a very personal God who seeks to work through people to change the world. And maybe, just maybe, during this Advent and Christmas season he will use me to change a few people at a time toward goodness. From my perspective with all of us seeking to do so such can change the world.

May God continue to open my eyes to how God can work through me! And may God do so for you as well!

Jesus' coming

On Monday of this week, I will be looking forward to the coming of our heat and air conditioning service. Our heat is not working so last night our house temperature dropped to the lower fifties. The repairman's coming will no doubt repair our system.

Just as the heat and air conditioner service will come for repairs to our heating unit, so the coming of Jesus had this purpose to repair us in both our individual and community lives.

Advent is the Christian season before Christmas and it is a Latin word that means "coming". In long-standing Christian tradition Advent begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas which this year that will be November 30, 2008. It recalls that before Jesus came the people of God believed that he was coming. Advent also looks forward to the day when Jesus Christ will come again at the end of time.

During Advent my family does little things to remind us of Jesus' coming. For example, we will place a nativity scene in our sight and will not place the statue of the baby Jesus in the scene until Christmas that celebrates the birthday of Jesus. May your Advent and Christmas season be Christ centered.

If you are further interested in celebrating Advent in your own home here is a good site that has given us good ideas ...

http://www.gbod.org/ministries/children/articles.asp?item_id=8405

S.O.A.P.Y.

Scripture: They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish". And Jesus said, "Bring them here to me". (Matthew 14:17-18)

Observation: This scene has another similar story in Matthew (15:32-39). Both stress a common theme -- Jesus receives our gifts that are far too little for his work through us and multiplies them to complete his work in, through, and, if necessary, around us. And both have a common situation -- Jesus takes insufficient gifts of food and feeds thousands with them.

Application: Imagine Jesus multiplying your individual and community gifts for his work. With this multiplication possible, what is now your dreams for a three-year future? And considering what Jesus has given you, what can you do now to make that future more of a reality?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, multiply my (our) gifts solely for your work in, through, and around me (us).

Yield: More toward delegation.

What a belief!

Can you imagine selling every thing you owned (house, furniture, cars, clothes, and ...) just to buy one thing? Yet, this is how Jesus presents the value of the kingdom of heaven, or the Kingdom of God -- the time and place in life when we allow God to rule.

"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field,

which someone found and hid;

then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field"

Matthew 13:44

Wow! Letting God have his own way with us is worth all that we have!

One preacher's confession ...

The leaves of some trees can really be beautiful this time of year with various colors like orange, red, yellow, or gold. Some of the leaves are falling. We have two types of Maple trees in our yard, one type has their roots all below ground and the other has roots partially going along the surface. The ones with roots below hang on to somewhere around 20% of their leaves until the spring, the other two are in a process of soon losing all of their leaves.

I see in the two Maple trees that are 'stubborn' about losing their leaves not just hope but also determination for the spring. In a real sense every individual and group go through a seasonal process, and I believe that such can happen each day. A process where the new behavior (even if such is a small change) pushes out the old (that which used to work well). Sometimes the new creative leaves, or behavior, must be repeatedly done so that the new healthy actions push out the old habits that are no longer effective.

What got my mind on this was a mixture of sitting where I can look out the window at the trees and reading some of Jesus' words from Matthew,

"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;

therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest"

Matthew 9:37b-38

Today, every local church including the one I serve, and me, is in need of constantly changing the way we reach people for Jesus. The old leaves/methods are for now trying to hang on when they are no longer producing. Such calls for the courage to experiment with new leaves that will revitalize the tree.

Before you are covered under ...

This morning I have not yet looked over the daily tasks for today. Such is following through with how I have given myself a bit more time over the last few days to slow down and determine what the important areas are for God in my life. Christmas is approaching and there will be less and less time for such as odd as that may sound when the center of the season is God in the flesh.

Within the next few minutes I will look again into my mission and values, my weekly compass/objectives, and possibly revise my daily tasks.

In my scripture reading for today a healthy rule from Jesus tuned in with my mission, etc, ...

"In everything do to others as you would have them do to you;

for this is the law and the prophets"

Matthew 7:12

It is my hope that such will remind me of my value-sentence I struggle to live by: "I am one whose first focus is how I can serve God, neighbor, enemy and self".

The invitation is before you are covered under with the things to do for Christmas, take some time to slow down and determine the important areas of your life that you can center your actions upon.

This morning I was reading one of the books about Jesus called Matthew that is a book in the Bible. His first four chapters take the reader through ...

• the genealogy of Jesus with those Matthew chooses and omits for emphasis (there are any from high quality to questionable character!);
• the story of his mother, Mary, who became pregnant before marriage, and how God shaped her husband's response in a loving way;
• how a king executed babies under the age of two in the hope to murder Jesus;
• how years after the birth of Jesus a man named John called people to turn toward God and pointed to Jesus as the source of hope;
• Jesus' temptations;
• his withdrawal for a while after John's arrest and then his return;
• his choosing of some fishermen to follow him;
• and a brief summary of his ministry in Galilee.

What do we do with all of this? For me it is enough to say that God will use anyone ... any one God chooses such as the fishermen who later become major leaders in the church. Such a message Matthew opens with while after chapter four his focus definitely shifts to centering upon Jesus. Why, for the next three chapters all that is written is Jesus' words!

Again, I see the Scriptures as sort of like life. For me, this day began a bit self-centered but as it flowed it has become more and more Christ-centered. If only every day would just be Christ-centered!

I hope a Christ-centered day is for you...

Help given and received ...

Early yesterday morning, I just hung around the house and did little things that are very important. I helped make up the beds, pick up, and swept the kitchen floor. Kathy boiled eggs and we had breakfast together as we talked over the work that we would be doing that day. Two of our grandchildren had spent the night so we got one of them who caught the school bus ready for school and the other one we carried to his day care.

When we are doing such it is helpful to remember,

Our help is in the name of the Lord,

who made heaven and earth.

(Psalm 124:8).

For me, I hear these words in two ways ...

• the help we give is in the name of the Lord; and,
• the help we receive is in the name of the Lord.

In a real sense the Lord helps us in both ways.

Blessings on your day ...

I rejoice ...

Yesterday, I preached on the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. If you would like to read it,the text was 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. It is clear in that letter that Paul, who wrote it, was wrestling with when Jesus would return.

I don't play with the dates of Jesus' return. Such has been played with for millenniums. My thought in that area is just this. If I knew Jesus would be returning today would I do anything different? Such is like the question, if you knew you were going to die today, would you do anything different?

And the answer for me is, "No".

Deep down I just strive to do what I believe is important for Jesus, the love of God in the flesh. Am I perfect? No way. I just strive, struggle, wrestle, aim to be so.

My hope is that the words of Paul to the Corinthian Church is a bit similar to Jesus' words to me each day.

"I rejoice because I have complete confidence in you"

2 Corinthians 7:16

Again, not that I am doing it all right, but that I strive to do so.

I rejoice and I have complete confidence in you ...

Sabbath ... rest

Friday I took a Sabbath. That is healthy, and in confession I do not do so enough.

It was good. I did some work at home but such is relaxing to me because you can immediately see the results. And then I read ... one thing I love to do. I relaxed. A lot of times when I do this my mind wanders back to writing my dissertation. I discovered that if I would just leave it alone two or three days and come back to it my mind would catch things like saying a thought twice that was over fifty pages apart when such was not required. Or in the planning world such helps me separate the urgent, that which must be done now, from the important, that which has a long-lasting effect that may take a while to patiently accomplish.

I have a hunch that even Jesus may have had quite similar experiences for he, too, took time to be alone with God. That he, too, was avoiding the temptation to be here and there with other people when God the Father and Spirit was reminding the Son that it was time to be alone!

I am trying as much as possible to even take a Sabbath today (Saturday). By the grace of God so I will do.

Take some time to be alone with God. In spite of what you are (or I am) thinking such is possible. After all, the whole Sabbath (day of rest) concept has a belief that ultimately it is God who completes our work.

Thanks while in trouble ...

At the uncertain times we have whether it is our national economy, friends that are dying, or just uncertainty in what is the best next step, it helps for me to hear from a man named Paul. He wrote a number of letters included in the Bible. If the reader of these letters keeps in mind that Paul was constantly being arrested, beaten, and whipped for being a Christian it helps to keep this in mind as you read words like these from one of his letters:

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not peddlers of God’s word like so many; but in Christ we speak as persons of sincerity, as persons sent from God and standing in his presence.

(2 Corinthians 2:14-17)

Thanking and praising God in the midst of trouble! It is times a challenge for me, but I constantly make up my mind to do so.

If you will, join me.

I will see you tomorrow ...

A new song ... a joyful noise

I have been in music all my life. My mother has just retired from teaching piano. My sister excels in piano, my brother in guitar, my sister-in-law is a flutist, and my brother-in-law and all the rest of us sing.

Music is seen as a grand way in which we worship God. My own belief is music is central to worship, perhaps even more so than preaching for music is more universal in participation.

So a Scripture verse that I read today was at home for me.

Sing to the Lord a new song,

his praise in the assembly of the faithful"

(Psalm 149:1)

Not everyone are musicians, not everyone can sing well. That is fine! Another passage of scripture says, 'make a joyful noise to the Lord'. The key in this is the new and joyful part of music/noise.

The Lord rejoices in the joyful new, in us giving in to him, in us praising him, in us just seeking to imitate his incessant love.

Today, my inner self is singing. Join in the song (or if you cannot sing well, the joyful noise)!

Superb words ...

"Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends."

(1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)

No addition...

Again, s.o.a.p.y.

Scripture: "Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the deer?" (Job 39:1)

Observation: Job has been constantly complaining to God, and many of us would say that he had a lot to complain about--loss of children, loss of property, loss of health. And, for these reasons he was demanding God to answer the tough question, "Why did all this happen to me?" And God's answer in the concluding chapters of Job is like the Scripture for today. For me, all God's answers to Job revolve around this question: "Can you understand as well as I (God) understand?" And, of course, the answer is always, "No". Such is all God answers to Job's question, "Why?"

Application: To keep moving from asking the question,"Why?" to asking this question: "Now that this has happened, what does God want me to do?"

Prayer: Lord God, keep me focused upon my call -- what you want me to accomplish irregardless of what occurs. Amen.

Yield: Stay focused upon God.

A second assignment ...

"I can do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings."

(1 Corinthians 9:23)

Daniel Goldman in his research discovered that even though some individuals would have exceptionally high IQ scores they still may not be able to relate well with other people. He called these necessary relational qualities Emotional Intelligence (EI) which became the title of his first book.

I had been told by a few leaders I respected that having one's emotional intelligence measured could add to one's quality of leadership. In response I went to a workshop on EI at Louisville Seminary in Kentucky on July 21-25, 2008. As preparation for the class persons selected from the groups of managers, peers, laypersons, family, and others evaluated my EI. From their evaluations, my major EI strengths are in the areas of social responsibility, empathy, self-actualization, problem-solving, and optimism and a low spot is in the area of independence. And because I focus upon using my strengths, I use them to work upon this one area of weakness.

I would recommend an emotional intelligence evaluation (also known as an EQ-360) for those who want to walk toward serving God in a higher quality.

Let each of you ...

In my Scripture lessons for today, one of them had these words,

"... let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned,

to which God has called you"

(1 Corinthians 7:17)

For me, these words blended in with an article in the business section of the Tennessean of Saturday, November 8, 2008. It was entitled "Five Ways to Survive, Thrive at the Office" written by Marcus Buckingham. I have read and applied two of his works: First, Break All the Rules and Go, Put Your Strengths to Work. A third work of his was being advertised as a guide for young professionals entitled The Truth About You. His works have been very beneficial for my planning and executing actions.

First, Break all the Rules identified and described the five major strengths I have been given. They are in the areas of Maximizer (I focus upon the strengths of both myself and others); Connectedness (I believe that things happen for a reason and that it is not healthy to live in isolation); Responsibility (I have a tender conscience); Learner (I love to read, research, and learn); and Achiever (this explains my drive). And Go, Put Your Strengths to Work added to this by giving a set of how-to's in strength-based planning.

My belief is that we all can be helped to determine God's assignment on us or call for us by determining the strengths God has given unto us. If you have not done so, my advice would be to make that your first assignment, yet my experience sees a second assignment as well. I will get to that tomorrow.

Blessings ...

Wrestling ...

Paul was a top of the line religious man, rated top of the line by the world but not necessarily by God. When he met Jesus on the road of his life one day, he gave up all his top of the line respectability in order to follow Jesus. The result of that was going from being a respected leader to a persecuted follower of Jesus, from being a man who followed all the rules to one who challenged many of the rules. After doing so, Paul writes ...

To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day. (1 Corinthians 4:11-13).

Paul, in essence, was following Jesus who gave up all that it means to be God to become human. With this thought in mind I am considering what must I give up this day in order to better follow God?

Such is wrestling with God.

Polishing our temple ...

There are huge churches in the world. Some with tens and even hundreds of thousands in worship attendance. I have been to some of them such as Willow Creek Church in Chicago with 20,000 plus per week attending their worship celebrations. Unreal! I attended the Billy Graham Crusade as a helper when he was in the Nashville Titans stadium -- every seat filled with some standing! Unreal!

I have also been the pastor of churches where the maximum shoulder to shoulder seating is around seventy-five.

The place of worship I read of today is even smaller. And that place can be of aid in helping us worship God. And that is our very self! Particularly, our very experience can become a place for worship. From my own experience it helps me to have a few moments now and then to consider what just occurred. Such reflection just may help me see how God was in the middle of it.

I imagine one of Jesus' followers named Paul had this in mind when he wrote,

"Do you not know that you are God's temple (place of worship) and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

My own question is what can I personally do to polish my own temple, myself, for God?

See you tomorrow! Worship at Arlington UMC is at 10:00 AM.

Our freedom to be a slave ...

This past week we, as a nation, have used one of the basic freedoms of our nation -- to elect persons to our local and national government. This is but a part of human freedom that we are designed to have.

Another freedom that for me that is crucially important is to be what some people consider quite odd for freedom -- to freely choose to be a servant, or in more serious biblical language to be a slave. Jesus even referred to himself as a slave. As Paul writes of him,"he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness ..." (Philippians 2:7). It is almost unreal for me to imagine the everlasting divine Son of God choosing to become human so that through him all between me (us) and God would be set right. But such occurred.

With this in mind the apostle Paul writes,

"For freedom Christ has set us free.

Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery ...

For you were called to freedom brothers and sisters;

only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,

but through love become slaves of one another.

For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment,

'You should love your neighbor as yourself.'

(Galatians 5:1, 13-14).

Today I will seek to do so, and I invite you to as well.

God's love ... to be my sole motivation ...

My thoughts for today comes from a devotional resource I use entitled Life Journal that daily follows the five step process below for a Scripture lesson I have chosen from the readings.

Scripture: "Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?" (Galatians 3:5)

Observation: Here Paul, who knew and strove to do good works by just following the laws of God and humans inside, outside, up, down, around and through, discovered that the love of God was only because God loved him irregardless of what he would do. When he realized this, the constant love of God became Paul's motivation for doing his good works of love for God, friends, neighbors, enemies and all creation.

Application: Let God's love be my sole motivation.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I praise you today for the love-relationship you constantly offer free of charge. Today, I pray that your free love will motivate every thought, emotion, decision, action, and word in and through me. Praise to you today! Amen.

Yield: I will strive to love as God has loved me!

* for those interested Life Journal may be found at www.lifejournal.cc

Following election day ...

This was written on November 3, 2008 as a prayer for the winning candidates ...

Grace to you and peace from

God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,

who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age,

according to the will of our God and Father,

to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

(Galatians 1:3-5)

Irregardless of the winners ...

• I want the grace, or mercy, of God to surround them.
• I want the peace, or wholeness, of God to guide and strengthen their decisions.
• I want their decisions to support and expand the freedom God desires for us and, as much as is possible, for all the world.
• I want them and us to act according to the will of our God for in the end his is the glory!

Today is Election Day, so pray and vote

The United States is one of the best countries around in the freedom it provides. Here is an appropriate prayer for today ...

God of life and wisdom another election day is today. Such will use the freedom that has been bought for us by sacrifice. Forgive us for those times when we do not appreciate our freedoms. Give our nation your wisdom this day so that our decisions will be based on the ethical values each candidate represents. Help us, Lord God, to move out of our comfort zones into the risk-filled political world. As we vote, as much as is possible, aid us to be your representatives. And take the one who wins election to just do your will of love, justice and service. Representing Jesus Christ I (we) pray. Amen.

Reading and candy ...

On Halloween, in between 'trick or treaters', I completed a book by Bill George entitled Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets in Creating Lasting Value. In short for him an authentic leader has purpose, value, heart, relationships and self-discipline. As I was reading it these were, for the moment, easy to determine.

Purpose: answer the door and give out the Halloween candy;
Value: stick with my purpose;
Heart: smile, laugh, tell the children how beautiful, handsome, looking just like _____, or scary they look (dependant upon costume);
Relationships: Love your neighbor as yourself;
Self-discipline: buy the candy, be ready to hand it out, have the candlelit pumpkin, have the front door open, read when you get a chance, and avoid eating the candy.

Of course, George went much, much deeper than this. Effective business he presented as mission/purpose driven and values-centered. From his observation, such organizations also had motivated employees, product innovations and superior customer service, increased customer satisfaction, revenue and profit growth that provided reinvestment in innovations and customer service as well as shareholder value increases.

Arlington UMC is in the process of nailing down our God-given vision. That is the mission that God has set AUMC apart to accomplish. At its highest quality in action this vision will help the members of AUMC realize that they are not the customers but the 'employees of AUMC' who are motivated to bring the world to Jesus Christ. And the way to do so in George's language is innovations, service, satisfaction of the customers (those who are attracted to and come in to AUMC), as well as adding value to the lives of those who are a part of AUMC (the shareholders).
It is worth the reading.

Job the wrestler ...

Job wrestles with life like I do. After disaster he is searching for God and he says,

If I go forward, he (God) is not there;
or backward, I cannot perceive him;
on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him;
I turn to the right, but I cannot see him.
But he knows the way that I take;

when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold.
My foot has held fast to his steps;
I have kept his way and have not turned aside.
I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;
I have treasured in his bosom the words of his mouth.
But he stands alone and who can dissuade him?
What he desires, that he does.
For he will complete what he appoints for me;
and many such things are in his mind"
Job 23:8-14

These words of Job who feels as if God is absent say a lot to me. The words in italics emphasize the way Job feels. Feelings are important -- they are indicators of where we are at the moment. Yet feelings are not the only measuring stick of our experience and Job recognizes this truth. His words that are in bold for me make clear that he is bouncing back and forth from his feelings to his memory of the moments when he had experienced God's presence.

Job will keep bouncing back and forth between his negative feelings and positive memories. As a matter of fact, the very next words of Job will go back to his negative feelings. Such is life. No wonder God has given us the capacity to remember so that as we day by day wrestle with life we will remember the times when God was present in the middle of it.

In your tough moments, what would it help for you to remember?

Wrestling with communication ...

Some of the puzzles are amazing to me. One is Rubiks Cube. It is made of a cube with different colored squares, nine on each side, with the challenge to get all the ones of the same color on the same side. I was eating breakfast at Steak and Shake this week when the waitress there worked through the Rubiks Cube puzzle using her algorithm to solve it as I had set it up. As I watched her aligning the colors I noticed just two of the solution patterns.

There are times when just living out the day is a like me playing Rubiks Cube. That is, I may know some but not all of the necessary patterns of the solutions that are needed. My belief is that realistically there is no one human being outside of Jesus that has all the answers for none of us know all the patterns or rhythms needed for the answers.

I am willing enough to admit such. For me, the best leaders do so. It has become a puzzle for me in what are the best ways to bring people into a love-relationship with God, neighbor, enemy and self. A good part of it is because of the rapid ways that communication have been changing. As an example, I have moved from just house to house visits to adding phone calls, postage mail, emails, text messages and the use of blogsites and local church websites to help make people more aware of Jesus Christ. Fortunately and unfortunately, all of this is necessary in today's world. And because the world is constantly changing more rapidly every year I am expecting that challenges to communicating well will continue to escalate.

I am seeking to become more and more open to the necessary changes for myself in today's world. My ears are open.

Any suggestions, particularly from those who do not attend church,

about effective ways to communicate?

See you tomorrow.