Even when life stinks ...

"... it is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the LORD."

(Exodus 29:18b)

This comes from a biblical scene of the time before Jesus when God called for burning sacrifices. Specifically, this scene is one of burning a ram offered for the sins of Israel. I picture myself at that scene of a burning sarifice. I see it burning. I hear the crackling of the fire. My eyes burn from the smoke. But as I smell the sacrifice what I smell is burnt meat ... not the best smell in the world. Yet, to the nostrils of the LORD this is a "pleasing odor"!

The point is obvious for me. An action that may not smell good to me while it is a pleasing smell to God for God sees the intent.

Thanks be to the LORD who uses human actions for the good in spite of how they smell.

Back to S.O.A.P.Y.

Scripture: Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.’ (Acts 6:3-4).

Observation: The Church of Acts, here, realized at least two areas: the needs of the community of faith; and, that God has a call for each of us. The call of the apostolic leaders included to preach the rule of God, and teach the community of faith how to follow Jesus, to serve the sacraments of baptism and Holy Communion, and to oversee the ordered life to the church. In the United Methodist Church these are called "elders". The Acts Church also had what is part of the Scriptural foundation for deacons -- those who serve in areas such as congregational care, music, worship, church business administration, teaching, and other forms of servanthood. In this specific scripture lesson these are those who are "full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task" of caring for those who had lost loved ones.

Application: Realization that each of us have specific calls from God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the call or purpose(s) you have for each of us.

Yield: I will yield to God's call on me today. To help verify that call I wills see what makes me the most uncomfortable to do for from my own experience God calls me into actions that are good but which may well make me uncomfortable.

The demanding love of God ...

When you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey going astray, you shall bring it back.

(Exodus 23:4).

God is One who demands a lot from me. Exodus 23:1-9 is but a small illustration of God's demands. In my own setting, God calls me to love, to treat, my enemies (including those who make me ill) as if they are my best friends. To do so helps me to recall that irregardless of my actions God has always loved me.

Perhaps it will help you as well to love the unlovable by remembering that God has always, and will always, love you.

A prayer ...

Our food pantry at Arlington United Methodist Church helped thirty-two people on Thursday, January 22, 2009. Of course, such brings prayer of both thanksgiving that we had enough because of gifts that had been given unto us from both laity and local businesses; and tension over our nation's current economic condition.

With that in mind, a couple of Scripture readings caught my attention ...

‘Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan, I will now rise up,’ says the Lord; ‘I will place them in the safety for which they long’ (Psalm 12:5).

And ...

"There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means ‘son of encouragement’). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet" (Acts 4:36-37).

For me, such demonstrates making these words of Jesus alive ... "love your neighbor as yourself".

Thank you Lord for those who has given us the food to have enough. Now may we also feed their hunger for love not only from us, but also from you by sharing the good news of Jesus.

May you give the Lord thanks as well for what he has provided you.

But Moses’ hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the sun set.

Exodus 17:12

Strange things happen sometimes. For example, in this scene as long as Moses holds up his hands giving praise to God Israel is strong in battle. And when his arms grow weary, and begin to slip down, they begin to lose. This verse gives praise to God for victory for holding up one's hands is an expression of praise to God.

And, at the same time, this verse gives another call for teamwork as Aaron and Hur helps Moses hold up his hands.

As this new year is just weeks old this text pushes me again to focus on the teamwork of the church. What team work is God calling me to be a part of? And, if it helps, what teamwork is God calling you to be a part of?

Just be still ...

But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the Lord will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.’
Exodus 14:13-14

I cannot help but think of the movie The Ten Commandments. This movie tells the story of God's deliverance of Israel from their slavery in Egypt. The movie scene of Exodus 14 is what comes to mind. For the days in which the movie was made the videographics excelled. You see, the deliverance that God delivered to Israel was the parting of the Red Sea for them to walk through to their freedom and for the Hollywoood visual effect of the parting sea Jello was used. It is worth seeing -- the whole movie was a high quality style.

Well, perhaps God has not parted a sea for you, but how has God pulled off a stunt just to make things right for moments in your life? Such reflection is a good way to start a day.

By the round about way ...

"So God led the people by the round about way ..."

Exodus 13:18a

I love this phrase of God's leadership: "... by the round about way ...". Now in this specific situation of Exodus, God was leading Israel in the round about way to the land he had promised them in order to protect them from the mighty army of the Philistines. And if the reader of Scripture takes in mind that God's earliest commitment to leading the descendants of Abraham, Israel, to a promised land that occurred in about 2000 BC took right at 700 years! Such was definitely God's round about way!

When I consider the round about ways of God I have seen in my own life this thought helps: humans have always been given the freedom to resist God so for God's promises to have the right setting it just may take a while.

In invite you to reflect upon your life. What round about ways has God been leading you?

An invitation

Then he (Jesus) led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
(Luke 24:50-53)

The beginning of Luke 24, the final chapter of Luke, tells the story of Jesus' resurrection from the dead and two of the other scenes in which the risen Jesus appears. The chosen words for today are the final verses of Luke's gospel. (His book of Acts continues by telling the story of the early church).

The earliest of their response was "they were continually in the temple blessing God".

As always I invite you to find a place of worship tomorrow and the doors of Arlington United Methodist Church are open.

(arlingtonum.org)

1360 Murfreesboro Road (between Briley Parkway and overhead airport runway)
Nashville, TN 37217
(615) 361-4896

Slow down and ponder ...

On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

(Luke 23:56b)

Plan on taking a day of rest. And, please, take a bit of time to just consider ways God may have shown his love for you in the past few days. Such can be as small as a polite person you encountered or a relief from a headache.

Mission, Vision, Visionpath again ...

The people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had given heed to the Israelites and that he had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshipped.

(Exodus 4:31)

My closest identification to this is when I slow down in order to just ponder what the Lord has done and try to imagine what the Lord is doing. I have found that such is so necessary for me. A part of that is the inner joy that comes even in those moments when I allow myself to get thrown into a panic when the overload light is blinking in my life. At such times it is good to take deep breaths and, if possible, take a brief pause and, if necessary reset priorities based upon one's mission and vision.

As Exodus 3-12 gives witness a man named Moses had to keep asking for the Egyptian Pharaoh to set the people of God free from their slavery there. And the Egyptian response was downright fussing.

And even though Pharaoh kept on refusing to set them free the Mission of Moses remained the same -- Cooperate with God who will give Israel their freedom. And the God-given Vision for Moses remained the same -- Voice the message of God to Pharaoh, Egypt and Israel by word and deed.

But the vision path, how the vision was acted out would change from one action to another with all the various words and actions having the same mission and vision. In today's rapidly changing world such change on the way we flesh out our vision is required. Such was asked of Moses in just a few days.

May God give me the will and power to change as need be to make his mission and vision a reality which is for God to rule over the free choosing human race.

God's choice ...

The setting of the second book of the Bible, Exodus, is centered upon God setting the Israelites free of their slavery to Egypt. (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were the 'family' from which Israel came).

Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to God. God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them.

(Exodus 2:23-25)

In times of trouble it is always good for me to see God as one who can identify with me as he has always done with this people. Now my own suffering is next to nothing compared with an enslaved nation. It is nothing when compared to people across the world such as children whose parents have died in war or violence, such as persons who have been kidnapped and abused into prostitution, or who with their people are dying of starvation.

My experience has shown that it is true that God hears our cry. And there have been times when God directly helped me, but more often God has helped me through other people such as he helped set Israel free by choosing a man named Moses to be his agent of freedom.

And, who knows but God? He may choose me to be a 'moses'. And so he may choose you as well.

A prayer for our incoming president ...

Irregardless of how we voted, our president, as well as all leaders are in need of our prayers. The reason for this is even when times are exceedingly well, leadership gifts are rarely, if ever, born in us, but developed by a maturing process that occupies time and experience. So I invite you to join me in this prayer today:

Lord, you sustain and provide for people everywhere. Please help our new President, Barak Obama, as he guides and leads the people of this nation. O most loving God, keep him close to you and his family. Let the wisdom of his great ancestors and past leaders stir in his heart to help turn this troubled nation around in the face of untold hardship. As our President serves this nation and the larger global society as a fresh sign of hope, intellect, courage, and change give him abilities like David and Joshua. Strengthen him to rid us of the giants that plague us as we work together toward a stronger economy, affordable and available health-care, viable schools, and sound ethical and moral values. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

this prayer was adapted from

http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=47233&loc_id=733,1151,55

A call ...

Calls come from various experiences. That is, calls to do or say or even more deeply to be something. My call to become a preacher came on the front porch of the church that I attended while I stood there and listened to our preacher while looking through the open doors.

So Martin Luther King, Jr experienced a call as well. At the time he was a preacher (who had a Ph. D. degree in theology so he could have well taught in seminaries) and he wrestled again with the way to fulfill his call. The place for his wrestling was a night in his kitchen while he was drinking a cup of coffee. And it was that night he received a call from God to take on the struggle for equal rights of all people. And with accepting this call his life in following God was for ever changed.

God has calls to all of us. At least I believe so. That call can be as small as just to do one particular, specific act for God today. Or it can be as huge as to do the impossible all our life. A call when it is received from God changes us for as long as it takes to fulfill that call and maybe even for eternity.

From tragedy to triumph ...

As I have been reading Genesis, the first book of the Bible, I am remembering that about my seventh year in full-time ordained ministry I realized for the first time that chapters 12-50 of that book are the story of Abraham and Sarah's family! We do learn from Scripture every time we read, or reread it. That learning experience around 1987 brings a chuckle today.

The part of the Abraham-Sarah family I read for today's blog site is part of the story of their great-grandson named Joseph. The setting of the verses I have chosen today occur after Joseph had been sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, and he ends up in Egypt at first as a slave. Now Pharaoh had a difficult dream to understand and, you might know, the imprisoned Joseph gave the correct interpretation -- there would be seven years of unbelievable crop production followed by a seven years of severe famine. And so Pharaoh made Joseph his second in command of the national food production and storage so that Egypt would be well prepared for the coming famine.

The famine arrived and Joseph's brothers went down to Egypt because they heard of the stored food. But they didn't know, or even recognize, their brother, but he recognized them! He could have had with Pharaoh's support all the vengeance imaginable on his brothers. But instead he said to them when he no longer wanted to 'conceal' his identity: ‘Come closer to me.’

And they came closer.

He said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt.

And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves,

because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

(Genesis 45:4-5)

Wow! Admitting that there are times when God uses an individual's tragedy caused by other humans for the benefit of a nation and a world!

I have seen such true in my own life. And my prayers are that if there has been tragedy in your life that somehow or another it will be of benefit to those with suffering similar to your own suffering. I have found that such is true if I don't ask the question, "Why?" but do ask the question:

"Now that this has happened, what does God want me to become and do?"

From weeds to trees...

What is the Kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?

It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden;

it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.

(Luke 13:18-19)

A mustard seed is a very, very small seed. And actually, the mustard seed plant is more like a weed and than it is a tree. Yet, in these words, Jesus tells a parable (which is a story with an unexpected theme or topic) that has to do with the impossible becoming possible, the unreal become reality, the hopeless becoming insanely hopeful -- such is the story of a weed becoming a tree!

Such gives me hope that in the times the results of my life feels more like weed-production for Jesus Christ, that through the work of the Holy Spirit in me and in us, Jesus can turn our 'weediness' into a tree full of life.

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

If you have any 'weeds' in your life, may you see such being transformed into trees of life by Jesus Christ!

The Word of God

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

John 1:1

This past Sunday I was walking down the hallway overhearing lessons and conversations in our Sunday School classes. The conversations were pulling from Scripture lessons, reflections on life, teachers raising questions for discussion, as well as how people were considering how the written word has been, or should be, shaping their lives. In the midst of it all I heard laughter, talk of how God reaches out to all people, and in the distance I heard music being sung. For me all of this can represent valid ways to respond to the word of God.

In my own experience I look for various ways from which God may well speak to me. The primary way I believe God speaks to me is as the Spirit of God speaks in, through and around Scripture that is known as "the written word of God". For me, God's voice is in or around that written word that if I allow it, God will shape me by helping to mold my own decisions and actions.

As I write these words I am hearing the copying machine across the hall, and so my prayer is: "God by your grace and mercy, may I be a living copy of your word."

And my prayer will be that you will be the living copy of God's message of love today.

Just so, I tell you ...

God is my shield, who saves the upright in heart.

God is a righteous judge, and

a God who has indignation every day.

(Psalm 7:10-11)

"Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven

over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine

righteous persons who need no repentance"

(Luke 15:7)

I confess that the sin of too many pastors including myself is to be so centered on local churches that we find it more difficult to be centered upon Jesus Christ. Now there is no doubt that Jesus attended local places of worship in his day called 'synagogues'. Coming to places of worship and centering upon God Almighty is a vital part of worship, but at the close of every worship experience in the house of God we are invited to go out into the world and win others for Jesus Christ. We are to do so by good deeds and words of innovative love. Most churches I have been a pastor of has served the Lord in good deeds, while failing to make connection between their good deeds and the word or message of Jesus love for those they helped.

Luke 15 records three stories told by Jesus. The first two tell of some things that were lost and then found. And the third tells of a father's constant love for his two lost sons, one that ran away and one that was with him every day. The celebration of all three stories revolved around the lost being found.

Right now the reason I see of the lack of joy I have predominantly seen in local churches is we (including the laity) focus far two much on "ninety-nine persons who need no repentance" and far too little on the "one sinner" to whom God is calling us to go.

So my focus is striving to move more outside the local church.

Will you do so as well?

And you will be blessed because ...

"And you will be blessed because they cannot repay you,

for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous"

(Luke 14:14)

Traditionally, our extended families have big meal celebrations for Thanksgiving and Christmas. And as I look over the years the times when we have had friends over, who otherwise would not have had a celebration, were when we were closest to being the kingdom, or rule, of God.

Others, I personally know, have gone further than this. One churched couple I remember would take church guests out to lunch after church. Another couple had two homeless brothers spending part of the winter in their own home. A senior adult lady would go to the grocery store and receive goods that were fixing to be thrown away in order to cook them for both a homeless ministry and to give canned food away to those who required such grace or mercy.

So this week I will keep searching for opportunities to give myself away to those who cannot repay.

And, as always, you are invited by the Lord to do so as well.

Mission, Vision, Visionpath

"Lead me, O LORD, in your rightesousness"
(Psalm 5:8a)

My plans are this week to take the time to shape my own personal and relational 2009 Vision and Visionpath. I began this process in the final quarter of 2008 but, in my own words, it was a 'wild and crazy' quarter packed full of year-end work.

I will begin with what I consider the mission of my life. Honestly, that comes basically from imitating Jesus whose lifestyle is often summarized as teacher, preacher and healer. He taught the 'how-to's" of following God, preached of God's rule, and was a way that God the Father brought all types of healing (physical, emotional, social, relational, spiritual, etc).

Such is my Mission as well: To teach by word and deed ways to follow Jesus, to preach the rule of God, and to be a means of God's healing grace, or mercy.

My overall lifetime Vision is: “Walking with the Lord every day, I will seek to win people over to him, and to teach them how to follow Jesus and win people over to him as well,” so this is still in effect in 2009. In short my personal Vision is "Walk with the Lord every day".

So in the coming days I will, definitely with the help of God the Spirit, be envisioning the 2009 Visionpath that are the ways I will work, in cooperation with God, to make my vision a reality.

And because I believe that God may also speak through God's people my Vision and Visionpath will be presented to the Staff-Parish Relations Commitee (which is the overseeing group of staff in a local United Methodist Church), and our District Superintendent who is our representative of our bishop who discerns where God is sending us.

OK, what are your plans in following God for 2009?

Thanksgiving again ...

God has answered another prayer in my life. And I am thankful to God, to the organizers and administrators, leaders, and volunteers of the Congress on Evangelism, and to the staff and laity at Arlington United Methodist Church (AUMC).

You see, my prayer was for five people from AUMC (including myself) to attend the 2009 Congress on Evangelism at Opryland Hotel in Nashville. The location is only ten miles from AUMC. The Lord called six people, including myself, to attend. My prayer was answered and so I say, "Praise the Lord!"

People get confused about the simple meaning of evangelism for it just means "to tell the good news". So when you are sharing good news (such as being hired on a job, finding a love for your life, having a child, or telling how a headache was relieved) you are an 'evangelist'.

The deeper meaning of being an 'evangelist' is simply telling others the good news of how God helped you find a job, find a love for your life, have a child, or gave you relief to your headache.

For me this morning the good news is the inner peace I was given at the congress on evangelism. For me, my inner assurance from God was simply God telling me in my own words, 'Hey John, you are mine ... that is enough for now.' God gave me that inner peace through the good news of Jesus proclaimed in songs, sermons, conversations, lessons, reflections, and friendships, some of which are long-term and others are just beginning.

Thanks be to God.

Now, how did God help you last week? What is the good news for you to share?

Lighting a lamp ...

How important light is! This morning I experienced it for before the sun had brightened the sky I was working at Panera Bread next to the windows and I did not realize how much I was depending on the external lights over the sidewalk for reading. And then they turned off. Even though I enjoyed being next to the windows I had to move in order to read. It helped me to have that in mind as I read,

‘No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar, but on the lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light; but if it is not healthy, your body is full of darkness. Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.’

(Luke 11:33-36)

This reading calls me to my own self-reflection on how well I am allowing the light of God that is full love shine through me.

On this day, I invite you to do so as well.

Reflections on Luke 10 ...

Jesus' followers had gone out under his instruction. They relied on the little they had, allowed their peace/wholeness to rest upon others, ate what was set before them, cured the sick, and said, 'The kingdom (rule) of God has come upon you'.

At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’

(Luke 10:21-22)

May Jesus, the Son of God, so rejoice with the Holy Spirit and praise God the Father over the work that I do today!

May Jesus so rejoice today over the work you do as well!

The Right Place at the Right Time ...

I read today of the death of a mother named Sarah in Genesis 23. Afterward, her husband named Abraham sent a servant to find an Israelite woman for his son, Isaac, to marry. That is just the way they did it back then. So off Abraham's servant went to the city of Nahor, and when he arrived he stopped at a well for water and prayed that God would send there the lady that he wanted to be Isaac's wife. While there a lady named Rebekah came to the well and she was God's chosen. And so the story ended in marriage (Genesis 24).

Such put my mind on how my wife and I met thirty-six years ago. I was sixteen. My family attended Bordeaux United Methodist Church. My wife to be was singing in the choir. And later I learned that her extended family had three generations in that local church. Our first date was on the tennis court of the local high school there. As teenagers, we were in the United Methodist Youth Fellowship together. Our families got to know each other. And four years later we married -- May 21, 1976.

Even though our experience is quite different from the marriage arrangement with the families of Isaac and Rebekah, the common factor is in the work of God. After Abraham's servant met Rebekah and by her actions God assured him that this was God's chosen mate for Isaac, he said to her family and I say this day of meeting my wife and our marriage:

"... I bowed my head and worshipped the Lord ...

who had led me the right way ..."

(a portion of Genesis 24:48)

When you are thrown out ...

The couple, Abraham and Sarah, are seen as the parents of Israel. And they were right at 100 when their child was born. Sarah had a boy, and because she laughed when an angel-messenger of God told them she would have a child at their age, the angel-messenger said, 'You will name him "Isaac" which, by the way, means "laughter"'!

The birth of Isaac is good, but right now my mind goes to his older half-brother born by Abraham and Sarah's servant named Hagar. You see, in those days it was common for a wife who could not have a child to allow her husband her female servant to conceive so that there will be an heir. So it occured and Hagar gave Abraham an heir called Ishmael.

Later Isaac was born and at that point Sarah put her foot down and said to Abraham, "Get rid of Ishmael". After that God spoke to Abraham in a dream telling him that all would end up fine even with Hagar and Ishmael if he did so. And so Abraham sent them away and so it was written in Genesis:

God was with the boy (Ishmael), and he grew up;

he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow.

He lived in the wilderness of Paran;

and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

(Genesis 21:20-21)

It helps for me to remember Hagar and Ishmael when things don't look so good, and so I invite you to remember Hagar and Ishmael when your times are rough.

God provide for them and so he continues to do so.

Who is Jesus?

Whenever people are extremely challenged by the action(s) of another we will often hear or ask the question, "Who does that person think he/she is?" Such happened to Jesus quite a lot. He challenged what people thought about both God and people. My own thought is that one central way that Jesus challenged other people was by personally taking on too much authority. Here are a couple of examples -- Jesus forgave sins when only God could (and at this point Jesus was just seen as a human); and, he crossed barriers and limits such as hanging out with all the wrong people.

Here is the scene for this morning. Jesus is eating at a Pharisees' house. Now a Pharisee was a well-respected religious leader. And in the middle of the meal "a woman in the city" does a very beautiful act. She brought an alabaster jar full of ointment, wept, washed Jesus' feet with her tears and hair, and anointed them with oil. Now the well-respected religious leader was very troubled about this while Jesus recognized her welcoming love for him. Jesus even announced that her sins were forgiven. So Jesus used her welcoming love to challenge this religious leader (as well as today's religious leaders). Afterwards, the religious leaders asked, "Who is this (Jesus) who even forgives sins?" (Luke 7:49b).

If you want to read this whole story it is in Luke 7:36-50.

Who is Jesus? Well, if nothing else he is the one who has the audacity to say to me, "Hey, John, your sins are forgiven".

Such is true for you as well.

The Day of Epiphany

Epiphany comes form a Greek word that means "to manifest or show" so what this day celebrates is that Jesus, the Son of God, manifested or showed the world God in the flesh. The key biblical story for this is Matthew 2:1-12 for in it those who visited Jesus were non-Israelites acknowledging that Jesus came for all the world (including me ... us). His story goes like this ...

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him,

‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Becuase today celebrates a daily affair that is God's appearance, I will be especially watching for how God will manifest or show God's own self to me today. And it just may be that God's appearance will be such as this, "OK, John, this is what I have for you to do ..." God's appearance may well be in the words of a friend or stranger.

I invite you to look for God's appearance today. God's appearance may be in your heart or in a face.

Going to where I don't want to go ...

But he said to them,

‘I (Jesus) must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also;

for I was sent for this purpose.’

Luke 4:43

Officially, the twelve days of Christmas continues that celebrates the coming of Jesus through January 5, today! As I continue to celebrate his birth I read Luke 4 this morning, and there Jesus voiced his purpose--to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God.

For Jesus proclamation was by both loving words and loving, care-filled, deeds.

It was good news that God receives the most unexpected people into his kingdom (the least and last the believing community expects!). So the reference to "other cities".

And ultimately such was Jesus purpose!

The phrase "kingdom of God" means "the place where God rules". For Jesus, these places were those that the religious avoided at all cost. I strive to keep that in mind as I plan my time by asking, "Where is the place I really would rather not go?" and then to go there.

Such may well be your call today as well.

God's axe

Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees;

every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’

Luke 3:9

The words above comes from a man named John who was pointing to the coming of Jesus. He was also known as John 'the baptist'.

His message in Luke 3:1-17 focused upon baptism as a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. Going further such was preparing for the coming of Jesus that would change every last thing! For me to better understand what he was thinking about repentance, that literally means to change one's personal direction, it helped me to listen to him. For example, he

• called people to 'bear fruits', that is to act, as repentant people that seek to do as God desires (3:7);
• to realize that just because my parents have a good relationship with God does not mean I have a good relationship with God (3:8-9);
• to be fair and helpdul to other people (3:10-14);
• to know that even when we are 'overloaded' with the good works we perform we are no where near the goodness of Jesus (3:15-17).

I have chosen verse nine above because it is helpful for me to see all of our lives as trimmed by the axe. That is, God uses his 'axe' to help each of us clear out the unloving part of our lives. God doesn't just swing his 'axe' -- we must request such help as we seek to be fully loving. God's axe is our 'natural' conscience that God can sharpen.

Worship God!

Worship God!

(a part of Revelation 19:10)

For me the two words above are the central message of not only Revelation but all of Scripture. Scripture sees the need for worship to be a daily experience.

Historically, this became especially important in Israel's history when their central place of worship, The Temple of Jerusalem (where animal, plant and other sacrifices were given to God), was destroyed in the Babylonian invasion of Israel. Their Temple-less setting reminds me of a conversation I had with a German professor of Christian theology. I asked him why most Christian theologians (thinkers) are from Germany. And to that he said, 'Because through the centuries war destroyed so many local churches that we had to sit at home and think about God'. So, for me, a part of our daily worship is to take time to 'think' about God. Such is reading Scripture, prayer, and asking, 'OK, God, what do you have to say for yourself?'

Another way worship is a daily experience for me is to pay attention for the moments of encountering God each day. Such can be most anything. Sitting at our table and playing Monopoly with our grandchildren. Having a phonecall from our children. Sitting with my wife. Counseling with a couple preparing for marriage. Listening to one who has experienced the death of a loved one. Being in conversation with those who are dying. Or sitting at a bar drinking a cup of coffee and talking with those at the bar.

Worship, for me, is just living for without my worship of God there is nothing.

Our worship time is every day, every moment, yes. Our coming together to worship God is on Sunday morning at 10:00 AM.

See you then ... arlingtonum.org

For me ...

For me, Revelation can be interpreted in various ways. For example, it can be seen as a prediction of the end of time when all that is standing with God will win over all that is opposed to God; and it can be also be seen as an interpretation of the present where good struggles against evil. For me, both of these give me hope that irregardless of what occurs the good will win. And so the writer or Revelation writes no doubt with these themes in mind,

"Here is a call for the endurance of the saints,

those who keep the commandments of God

and holds fast to the faith of Jesus."

Revelation 14:12

In my own words, this verse is as follows ...

Stick with doing good irregardless of what happens to you!

That is, love God, neighbor, enemy, self,

and finally depend upon Jesus' faith (trust) in God to set you right with God!

Just Reflections ...

See, I am making all things new.

Revelations 21:5a

Jesus Christ has made me new in a number of different ways. The first, of course, was marriage. Then there was the birth of our children, grandchildren, the deaths of grandparents, and one of our parents. And then there is simply the passage of time that changes all.

One of the professors I had was Kennon L. Callahan (KLC) who began by writing Twelve Keys to an Effective Church. I recall that these words of Revelations 21:5 were on his lips usually as a final lecture of each of his classes. He was one of the first who voiced to me that strength-based planning was a critical part of being a good leader. As I have reflected upon that theme I see that it fit me well for my parents also influenced me in strength-based living . From the business world, KLC pulled from such people as Peter Drucker and Robert Greenleaf. And from the biblical world he pulled from God's work that focuses upon using the strengths of people not only for the benefit of serving others but to make them new as they learn new ways to use their strengths.

In my more recent experience those who have reinforced this theme are Marcus Buckingham's emphasis to focus on our top five strengths, my EQ-360 experience (that also included realization of my weaknesses as well as working on strengthening one of these), and Peter Senge's Fifth Discipline that both acknowledges a group's resistance to change and calls the leaders of change to be consistent, understanding of all sides, and patient in the change process. (This is a very, very short synopsis of Senge's extensive work).

So my short reflection on the first day of this year is on the many and various ways God has prepared me for 2009.

I invite you to take a bit of time to answer these questions:

How has God been preparing you for 2009?

And, does God's preparing of you convey any messages about what God would like you to focus upon in 2009?