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The Entrepreneurial Challenge

May 14, 2024 / / 0 Comments

By definition and entrepreneur is someone who starts things. And starters are essential to keeping a society growing! Whether it’s a new business, church, school, or just about any other new thing you can imagine without the starter types we’d be stuck in a rut!

But there’s a problem that happens in these start up scenarios that often causes them to fail. And if we’re honest with ourselves, it in a way is the starter’s fault. Many starters can’t make the transition to the roles needed to keep an organization or business sustaining .

You see it takes a special breed of individual to start something. But often the kind of person who starts something isn’t the same skills needed to keep it going.

Another term for this is the founder’s trap. The person who founded the organization keeps functioning like the starter when the organization is well beyond the founding stages.

You see when a new business or even nonprofit is started, the founder plays a lot of roles. Pretty much the founder does everything!

I remember when I started a church. I was the janitor, set up guy, tear down guy. I changed the lightbulbs and made sure the bathrooms were fully stocked. I vacuumed the carpets. I sometimes even pulled the trailer. I did the powerpoint set up and picked the songs we’d sing. I had my hand in just about every part of the church.

Now this is not to say no one was there to help but as the founder or starter I was kind of expected to be in all the things of the church. And that can’t last forever. The longer I let myself stay in the founder or starter seat, the harder it was to get out of that chair. The more things I did, the more things were expected of me. The starter needs to figure out a way to transition from the everything chair to the leadership chair and quickly give some authority away.

Entrepreneurs are wonderful people! I have some of those entrepreneurial tendencies to this day. I love to get a new thing going. But what I’ve learned, with some age and experience, is to give things away sooner rather than later.

Now here’s a little piece of experiential wisdom. The person you give it to likely won’t do it exactly the same way you do! And you have to be ok with that. If there’s a system, then they have to stay within the system. But if you give them the task of making it their own, you have to be willing to give it up!

I get asked questions a lot about things I have no control over anymore. I have given things to other people trusting that they will do the job to the standards we have set up. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t. When they do it is applauded and I know very little about it. When things don’t stay within the framework of our structure or move toward the targets we have set up, then things go off the rails quickly and I have to get involved in areas I don’t want to touch anymore!

If you’re a starter kind of person, then find people you can trust and hand things over to them. Hand over tasks to people who can only handle tasks. But to those people who’ve proven themselves responsible, give away the authority that is need to get the job done. The more authority you can give away, the more work gets done and the more effective and efficient the organization becomes.

It’ll be ok

May 13, 2024 / / 0 Comments

I hate that phrase. It’ll be ok. It’ll all work out if you just have faith. Are you serious? I have to be honest, Christians say some really dumb and insensitive things!

One thing I wish people would learn is that if you don’t really know what to say, then it’s very much ok to keep the mouth closed! The worst is when people take things out of context. Grab that favorite bible verse and spit it back at someone who’s struggling or you think needs to hear just this little tidbit. If you’re going to do that make sure you have the whole story please!

This week we talked about one of those often out of context verses. It’s from Romans 8:28 and goes like this. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

I know what that verse sounds like. And to be honest I’ve heard people take that verse and use it in situations where it just does not apply! Times like when someone is really hitting a wall with depression or loss. When someone is struggling with the weight of illness or relationship pains is not the time to throw that verse out! So if that’s not what it’s about, then what is it?

One thing we need to do before we speak is to make sure we know the context. What did Paul mean in these words? To whom was he speaking? What comes right before this? What comes right after it? These are just a few questions that help us make sure we’re appropriately applying a given verse.

In this particular case, Romans 8:28 isn’t about just sucking it up and trusting that the cancer will go away or that the divorce was for the better or whatever scenario we come up with. It’s about looking at the struggles in our lives through a different set of lenses.

Our struggles in life, yeah even the really crappy ones that no one wants to relive at all, are there because in the midst of them God is up to something. Not that we should grin and bear it. But that God is doing a hard thing in us to help us better reflect him to the world around us.

The point of our struggles isn’t that we have a lesson to learn or we’re being punished for a particular wrong doing. The struggles we face often are there to help us live out the purpose for which we were created. And that purpose is to reflect the image of Jesus everywhere we go.

This is the point of discipleship. If you’ve been with us here for any length of time, then you likely have heard me say that discipleship is the process of being transformed into the image of Christ for the sake of others. This is exactly what our struggles and pains are all about. Forming and often reforming that image of Christ in us.

Look – your struggles are going to flat suck some days. You’re not going to want to get out of bed they’re going to be so rough. You’re going to want to throw in the towel some days. You might even collapse on the floor in your bathroom unable to keep food down, laying in a puddle of your own tears not knowing how you’ll ever face tomorrow. But that struggle, as horrible as it is, is part of something way bigger than that moment.

Paul reminds us earlier in the chapter that when we compare our struggles to our good days, we won’t be able to handle it. But when we compare our hardships to the amazing grace and goodness of God that awaits us in heaven, then these struggles will eventually pass. When we keep our eyes stayed on the true and perfect cross of Jesus, then we begin to see past our struggles and find the glory of God that will one day be our reality.

So will it be ok? I really don’t know. It’s going to hurt. I can’t take away the pain. No one can. But I can help you see past the pain to the one who will be there long after the pain is gone. That’s even more powerful than knowing it’ll be ok.

Truth

May 10, 2024 / / 0 Comments

I was taught as a child that telling the truth was important. As a matter of fact, as I grew up, telling the truth became a sign of who you are as a person. Perhaps another post for another day will be on integrity and hypocrisy, but for now we’ll stick with something that should be simple – tell the truth.

To get started we probably should make sure we’re all on the same page. There is a ton of misinformation swirling around about what truth even is. So what is truth? According to the dictionary truth is defined as the property of being in accord with fact.

Did you get that? For truth to be truth, it has to be true and based on fact. Unfortunately, we live in a day and age when the common understanding of truth is that which is true to me. But that my friends is not truth. Truth is not relative to your circumstances. Truth doesn’t change just because you don’t like or you don’t agree with it. You can’t erase truth or cancel it just because it hurts your feelings!

Think of the truth of gravity. Say one day you don’t like the idea of gravity. You think it is restrictive and oppressive to have to live your life with your feet planted on the ground. Some people seem to be able to defy gravity because they can jump higher or longer than you. It’s just not fair and it makes you feel bad about yourself. So you one day decide you no longer believe gravity to be truth.

It doesn’t work that way! Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean you can get rid of it. Erasing gravity from a text book doesn’t mean it’s not real! Getting rid of a person or place or historical period because it infringes on your personal beliefs and happiness quotient is like trying to erase gravity just because you don’t like it. Can’t do that and you know it.

Ok so what do you do when you don’t like what’s going on around you? There are really only two options. You can suck it up buttercup and deal with the harsh realities that sometimes life sucks and try to do something positive with it. Or you can mope around retelling your particular version of truth to make yourself feel better. Neither will feel great in the moment but one will make you stronger on the other side. And if you need a hint, burying the truth won’t make you stronger. It will just let you live in denial a little longer – and no I don’t mean the river in Africa!

Look sometimes the truth hurts. It hurts to tell. It hurts to hear. And often it hurts to have it applied to you. But it’s the truth, which means it’s what really is or has happened! You can’t change that any more than you can change gravity.

I’m not a fan of liars. Actually, lying is one thing I just can’t stand. If you’re on my staff and I catch you lying, you won’t be there long. My kids know that I’d rather them tell me the hard truth than me catch them in a lie. I’ve walked away from friendships with people who just can’t tell the truth.

So be a truth teller. Be honest. Even if you don’t like the message or what it means could/should happen to you – the truth is the truth and your raw emotions don’t have the right to spin a truth to make your feel better.

A Day Off

May 6, 2024 / / 1 Comment

We love our weekends don’t we! You do the whole 9-5 thing and by the time the weekend hits, you’re just ready to catch up on the lawn, run the kids where they need for practice or game time, or just take it slow. Many of us will spend some extra time sleeping in on these weekend days.

I’m not necessarily that guy however. I don’t care for those full days of nothing to do. I’m kind of keep on moving kind of guy. I like a good project to keep me busy. Whether it’s a remodeling job or some lawn work or tending the garden, I’m a fan of filling my day with some kind of activity.

As many know, my full time gig is to pastor a church. With that comes a bit of a different schedule. My Sundays are kind of go time. And there are often Saturdays mixed in when I have things that just have to be done. So what about that weekend? Trust me this is not a complaint by any means.

One thing that’s kind of thrown at me from time to time is the idea of sabbath. For those who are not familiar with the term, Sabbath is a day of rest. It was taught in the Bible and was grasped by several cultures around the world as part of their rhythm of life.

But the sabbath probably isn’t what we all think it to be. There are likely tons of things written on the formal ways to observe the sabbath. There were restrictions on how many steps you could take in a day or what you could cook or buy and many other things to be honest. But they all presupposed one thing…working.

You see many will go all the way back to the book of Genesis when God created the heavens and earth and then rested on the 7th day as evidence that we need to take it easy and rest. But when did that day of rest happen? On the 7th day. After he had worked 6 days.

As a matter of fact, the way the sabbath was taught in ancient Jewish culture was in just that way. You were to take your sabbath rest after doing 6 full days of work. I know many people who will work some of those 60 hour weeks for a stretch and need some down time. I would agree that this is important! But if you’re not working 6 days then the sabbath isn’t what we’re after technically.

Look I’m not sayin the sabbath is bad or your five day week packing 60 hours isn’t hard work. I’m just saying that the details behind the sabbath presumed a 6 day work week. I don’t know if they tracked hours in ancient cultures like we do. I don’t know if they touted their long work week back then? Not sure that was the point. I think they worked until the job was done then they moved on. When it was time to stop to rest, well they stopped to rest. It was pretty much that simple.

Maybe we could try a little game in the weeks ahead. Work when you’re supposed to be working. I mean really give it your all. No social. No texting the friend for the weekend plans. No side gig on work time. No searching recipes or home reno designs on Pinterest. Just work. All in while you’re there.

Then when you get home, turn it off! Don’t handle work things on home time. When you’re with the family, be with the family. I’ve learned that it’s easy to allow a little work to creep in here and a little there until we’re pretty much working from home constantly.

I don’t think that a sabbath will solve the problem. I personally think we need to get a better handle on the way and time and locations of our work. I think we need to reestablish healthy rhythms and we’ll find mini sabbaths all through our day.

So find your pause button. Hit it from time to time. Leave your work at work and your home at home. I bet you’ll be able to find that day off or two already nestled in your current week you just had it spread out over a 7 day span of time.

Hammocks and Jesus

April 29, 2024 / / 1 Comment

Have you ever laid in a hammock? Some people love them. Basking in the sun on a warm summer day. A light breeze blowing. The birds are chirping in the trees. Every once in a while you hear an airplane doing a pass above the skies. And as you take a deep breath you smell the aroma of fresh cut grass.

Man almost takes you to a different place doesn’t it? Some people just love a good rest in a hammock! But I’m not one of those people. There’s something about hammocks that cause me trouble. You need to be able to sit still. And if you know me, I don’t sit still very well.

For some hammocks are a wonderful moment of rest and relaxation. For people like me, they’re a death trap waiting to throw you to the ground and laugh at you while they spin around in an untamed fashion.

Ok so maybe I’m slightly over exaggerating here. Still I’m not a fan. I’m also not a beach fan or nap fan either. But that’s not the point.

Even though I don’t do hammocks, I think they can teach a little bit about Jesus. As I was reading through Romans 8 recently, I got a bit of an image run through my mind. I think in pictures if you didn’t know.

I started to see the image of a hammock. And instead of the hammock representing a nice summer rest, I saw it as a picture of my salvation in Jesus. I started to think of the reasons I don’t care for hammocks. I have a hard time laying still so they tend to throw me out.

Then it hit me. That’s kind of like salvation. Not that Jesus throws me out when I don’t rest. It’s the fact that the more I struggle and fight and work for my salvation, the harder it is to appreciate and live in it.

When I struggle in a hammock I fall out and hurt myself. When, instead of resting in what Jesus did for me to save me, I try to be a good enough person to earn God’s love or work hard to somehow help God save me, I find myself falling out of love with God. When I see my work as something that helps God save me, I never find rest. I fight against the hammock. And while I can’t make God love me any less, I sure can lessen the power of God’s salvation in my life.

I guess the point here is that no matter what you personality we all need to rest in the finished work of Jesus. Anytime we try to add anything, even our own good works or loving efforts, to what Jesus did we set ourselves up to fall out of that hammock. Jesus plus anything is nothing.

Today, find yourself a hammock. A real one or a figurative one. A place to rest and just revel in the wonders of God’s love for you. Let him hold you. Let him be the one who has today under control. Enjoy the love and mercy of a God who has even this day in his hand.

There Is A Better Way

April 26, 2024 / / 1 Comment

It’s no secret, many churches in the United States are declining or dying. I could spit out some statistics but as soon as I type them it feels like they are invalid. The landscape is changing so rapidly and many don’t know what to do or how to do it.

The social dynamics of our culture have shifted so far and so fast that many don’t even see the church anymore. Someone can drive past a dozen churches in their day and they’ve become largely invisible. And that my friends is not a good thing but it’s our own fault (for the most part).

Now I’m going to say a few things that some are going to want to take out of context. And yes I know the thought here is a tad edgy for some, but stick with me and I really think you might be able to understand where my heart really is.

The world around the church has shift to a different course. It’s like a ship going through the open waters. You turn that wheel just ever so slightly and in a hundred nautical miles, you’re on a totally different course. It doesn’t take much at all to get a large ocean liner off course and totally miss its destination.

The world has shifted its views on marriage, sexuality, medical care, the concept of benevolence, race, gender, and family just to name a handful. What once was unheard of now is the norm in our society.

In the midst of all of this shifting and moving and realignment, where is the church? Largely it’s in the same place it was 60, 70, even 100 years ago. And if I’m being honest that’s terrific and terrible at the same time!

We most certainly need to hold to some never changing truths. We call those the Bible by the way. That we can’t change. That is constant and forever and frankly the only thing we really can count on being consistent. But the way we do church and approach the world and talk to people and interact in our communities…those are all up for grabs.

Now I know some might disagree. Some are likely to think the way we do it needs to look different than how the world goes about living. But I would disagree. I’ve done the church planting gig once upon a time. We gathered in a local watering hole and watched football just like the rest of the guys. I had my seat at the bar where everyone knew my name. I had my regular waiting for me when I sat down on Monday nights. They just knew. I was one of them but at the same time I wasn’t.

It took me a while to earn my seat at that table, or in this case bar. But once I did I was in. And it wasn’t some weird bait and switch tactic either. I genuinely wanted to know the people around me. I cared about their kids and marriages and jobs. And this is where I think we’ve fallen off the rails as the church. We’ve done two things that have gotten us here.

We’ve started caring more about ourselves than those around us. Yep I said it. The church has become in many ways one of the most selfish institutions around. We see people hurting and try to make them believe what we believe before we care for them at all. It’s something Jesus even warned against in the parable of the Good Samaritan. We’ve forgotten what it means to be someone’s neighbor.

Jesus said to love your neighbors. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, aka do you wrong. I don’t hear a lot of that from the church today. I hear a lot of complaining and grumbling and wanting the world to conform to its way of thinking, but loving the world in tangible ways isn’t really a prevalent theme.

We’ve become known more for what we’re against than what we’re for. We have a litany of things that are not acceptable behaviors for those who are in Christ and we believe the world should mirror those good behaviors. And we’re right. But we’re also wrong.

We have elevated some of our pet sins to get greater screen time than others. You can likely find the ones I’m talking about without thinking too hard. I don’t want to spend a ton of time on this but could you imagine what would happen if we spent time helping people find where their real identity is found instead of condemning them?

If we look at the life of Jesus we see that he was compassionate toward the woman caught in adultery before he told her to change her life. He does this over and over again. Loves the person. Then he shows them a better way. If the church would live the better way, love the outcast, confused, challenged, broken people it really wouldn’t matter how far to one direction or another the world went. We’d be able to love them and stay relevant in their lives.

Look I know this sounds like I’m saying the church has it all wrong so let me end with this. We have the greatest message the world can use right now. We’ve just communicated it in a way that is less than helpful. Why not instead of waiting for the world to come to us, we go to them? Why not instead of making people believe what we believe before we make them feel welcome, we help them gain a sense of belonging then help them understand more fully what we believe?

If you’re a pastor or a church leader or church member, I’d love to chat about specific ways your church can reconnect with its community. There are some practical steps that can be made that won’t compromise your beliefs or confession at all. Would love to connect!

Pie Slinging Problems

April 24, 2024 / / 1 Comment

The tendency, when we face a problem, is to look outside of us for the problem and inside for the solution. We do it all the time actually. It’s the blame game. Something goes wrong and it’s generally someone, or something, else’s fault.

You get to work late, so it’s traffic’s fault. You oversleep. It surely has to be that your alarm didn’t even go off. You can’t stick to a diet. Well it must be that the other people in your house don’t diet the same way you do so you give in just to make them feel better.

This is not a healthy approach to problem solving and it stems from a significant internal issue. There is a better and healthier way to look at things. The problem generally is inside of us while the solution is outside of us.

When we identify the problem as being someone else’s fault, we tend to think we are our own right answer. Going to be late for work? Instead of getting up a little earlier, which often means going to bed a little earlier, we drive a little faster. When the problem is cast onto someone else then the solution is sought by deeper resolve or greater effort.

But what happens if we flip the script on this? What happens when we admit our fault in the problem? Instead of throwing the pie of blame at someone else, we belly up to the table and eat the pie we baked with our own actions.

I unfortunately see this in my life as a pastor as well. It actually happens more often than I’d like to admit. We feel a little dry in our spiritual life. We aren’t getting anything out of church. We feel like the music is meh at best. We don’t like that style or the way he dresses. We don’t like the preaching style or the way she confronted me about that issue (even though I know I’m wrong).

Whatever it is, we all too often react the same way. We cast blame on the other party and leave. We feel like the worship isn’t what we want, so we leave for greener pastures elsewhere. Or we walk away because they are obviously the problem.

The issue is that problem will follow us. The issue is we’re doing it for the wrong reason, with the wrong heart. Maybe it’s not the worship that’s dry? Maybe it’s that our heart isn’t in the right place! Maybe it’s not that we were offended by the way we were called out for something? Maybe it’s that we actually feel guilty. And instead of repenting of these things, it’s easier to just turn and walk away.

But walking away from our brokenness won’t fix it. Blaming someone else for something that really is our problem, won’t make the problem go away. It might delay its effects. It might elongate the time between the problem and the explosion in our lives. But it won’t make it go away.

Isaiah really drives this home in his letter in the Bible. Look some don’t like the Bible because it’s all churchy, whatever that really means. But the Bible is massively practical. Even if you’re not a religious person, I’m sure you can get something very practical out of the things found in the Bible.

Isaiah walks through the life of Israel. He talks about their problems and the many issues they’ve faced in life. Then around chapter 43-44 he starts to show how it’s not that God is the problem. It’s that their heart is the problem. They were offering sacrifices but didn’t really care about them. They were showing up for worship and getting nothing out of it. They were there but not really present.

They were going through the motions! And so do we at times.

Isaiah’s answer…repent and come back. If you’ve run from the problems in life, blaming everyone along the way, then it’s time to stop running. It’s time to turn around, repent/apologize and make amends. It’s time to claim your piece in the pie so you can healthily move on.

If you’re a pie slinger, then you’re really missing out. Some of this pie might be a little bitter, but I can promise you that if you take time to claim your piece of the pie your relationships will be stronger and your life will actually be more fulfilling.

The Heart of Missional Living

April 23, 2024 / / 0 Comments

In today’s rapidly changing world, the concept of missional living has never been more relevant or necessary. At its core, missional living is about embodying the love and teachings of Jesus in our daily lives. This is done through a focus on serving others. It’s not just about attending church on Sundays; it’s about living out our faith every day, wherever we are.

The Foundation

The foundation of missional living is love—love for God and love for neighbors. Jesus himself emphasized the importance of love when He said, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself – Matthew 22:37-39.

This love goes beyond mere words; it requires action. It calls us to step out of our comfort zones, to reach out to those in need, and to make a tangible difference in our communities. When we truly love God and our neighbors, our lives become a living testimony of God’s love and grace.

Don’t overthink this whole love idea. It can be as simple as sitting with a person who’s hurting, feeding the hungry, clothing the homeless, cooking a meal for a set of new parents in the neighborhood. Loving is way easier than you think!

Living with Purpose and Intentionality

Missional living is also about living with purpose and intentionality. It’s about being intentional in our interactions, seeking opportunities to share the gospel, and making disciples. It’s about recognizing that every encounter, every conversation, and every act of kindness can be an opportunity to reflect God’s love and point others to Him.

Living missionally means being attuned to the needs of those around us and responding with compassion and grace. It means being present in our communities, listening to people’s stories, and offering hope and encouragement where it’s needed most.

The goal of missional living is not to get them in the door of the church. The goal is to live for Jesus that those around you might see His love for them in you.

Transformation

One of the most powerful aspects of missional living is its potential for community transformation. When individuals come together with a shared vision and purpose, incredible things can happen. Communities can be transformed, lives can be changed, and the kingdom of God will be advanced.

Missional living invites us to be a part of something greater than ourselves—to join hands with others and work towards a common goal. It’s about building bridges, breaking down barriers, and creating spaces where everyone feels welcomed, valued, and loved.

Recently we did this by simply bringing a meal to some storm victims in our community. It wasnt’ anything super extravagant. We placed an order for the food. We gathered volunteers and drove over to the neighborhood. Then we set up and served anyone and everyone who came to eat. We loved them and left them changed by that love.

Enduring

Living on mission isn’t always easy. It requires courage, persistence, and a willingness to embrace the journey, with all its ups and downs. It means we have to endure! There will be challenges along the way, but there will also be moments of joy, growth, and transformation.

As people on mission, we are called to lead by example, to inspire others to join us on this incredible journey of faith. We are called to be ambassadors of Christ, shining His light in a world that desperately needs it.

The heart of missional living lies in our love for God and our neighbor, our commitment to living with purpose and intentionality, and our passion for transformation. It’s about embracing the call to love, serve, and make disciples, wherever God leads us.

As we continue to walk this path of missional living, may we be reminded of Jesus’ words: “Going therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Where will His mission take you this week?

The Struggle Is Real

April 22, 2024 / / 1 Comment

Ok so I should start by saying I have been a tad out of routine lately and these haven’t been nearly as often as I’d like. Got a bit busy but think we’re on the right track again.

This Sunday we landed the plane on chapter 7 of the book of Romans. It’s a chapter all about how the life of the follower of Jesus is not as easy as we would like to paint it at times. We have a tendency to think of the Christian life as some kind of surreal experience. It’s like once we “commit to following Jesus” everything in life starts going “better.” Which if you’re a follower of Jesus you know that isn’t true. In the least. The struggle is real!

Romans 7 is a raw and honest assessment of the life of the believer in Jesus. We’re at war…constantly. But not at war with one another or the world around us like we tend to display in our social media posts. We’re at war with ourselves.

If we’re honest, truly honest, with ourselves we’ll have to admit that we don’t always do the things we know we should be doing. We make up our minds about something and then get distracted. We have the best of intentions but fail in our attempts to actually do the thing we know we should be doing.

Paul, one of the rockstars of the Christian movement in the New Testament, admits to this struggle as well. And if he struggles then we should pretty much be ready for the struggle as well.

Here’s my favorite verse from this section. The good I want to do, that I do not do. But the evil I do not want to do, that I end up doing. Can you relate? I sure can.

For the longest time, it seemed as if the church portrayed the image of come inside with us and your life will be better. I don’t think that’s the message of the Bible. It sure isn’t the message of Paul here in Romans. And it is not the reality that I’ve faced in my own life.

I guess if we were more accurately to describe the life of the follower of Jesus it would be something like…come inside just as you are and realize what real love feels like. I mean seriously! If you knew everything there was about me, you would not like me at all let alone love me! But God in all his infinite wisdom, knows every little thing about me (past, present, future) and still loves me. We’ll talk more about that in the weeks to come.

I have people that are friends, or were friends(?), that just can’t see past the flaws in my character. I guess that makes one wonder if they were ever really friends to begin with or just coming alongside me for something they could gain from me? It doesn’t really matter, because even though people in this world have messed up priorities with regard to relationships God still loves me unconditionally.

Paul goes back and forth in this whole section about just how bad things really are. The struggle and the pain of trying to live for Christ only to realize the more I know Jesus the worse I see my own intentions and actions. Then he ends with what hope is there?!?!

He’s seemingly exasperated and overwhelmed. Wretched man that I am! he says! What hope does he have? What hope do we have? It’s one and the same. Jesus. Yeah I know you were expecting that answer but do you know why?

Jesus knew your past. Knows your present. And sees your future. He knows every little thing about you. And that’s why he came. When he went to the cross and said Father, forgive them for they know not what they do, he was talking about me and you. He saw the bad decision I made. He saw the website you clicked and lingered on just a little too long. He knows the lie you told or the hate in your heart for that neighbor who’s a real pain. He knows all of it! And that’s why he did what he did.

He went to the cross. He took all of those bad choices and challenging moments and nailed each one individually to the cross. They didn’t kill him. But he willingly gave his life to free you from each of those moments. It’s like taking that cool cleaner stuff to a whiteboard and removing all evidence that it was ever written on before! That’s what the cross has done.

So the struggle we face isn’t about pleasing God or having a perfect life. The struggle is the sin vs salvation fight in my heart. We’re 100% sinful but at the same time 100% saint. We’re not going to be perfect and God knows that! But we’re called to live a changed life. Coming back to Jesus for forgiveness when life goes off the rails. Then get back on track and start moving again.

I know the struggle is real but the salvation God offers in Jesus is even more lasting!

Death Is Blind

April 15, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Tall or short. Fat or skinny. Rich or poor. Black or white. Old or young. Popular or unknown. It really doesn’t matter. Death doesn’t care about any of these things. When it shows up, it’s blind to all of these peripheral matters.

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been in the presence of death more than I really care to be. From responding to emergency calls as a chaplain with the Sheriff’s office to pastoral care at life’s end for members of the church I serve, I’ve stood toe to toe with death the past two weeks on more than one occasion.

Death doesn’t care what time of day it arrives or who it comes to claim. It just shows up when the time has come. Some are prepared for it whatever that means. While others are totally blindsided by its presence on the doorstep.

One of the calls I received was a total shock to the family while the other was somewhat predicted. One was devastating and heartbreaking, while the other was filled with hope and joy for what was to come. One was calm and peaceful while the other was anything but peaceful. One was young and the other was a life well lived.

The two scenarios couldn’t be much different actually! But they still had something in common. Death came knocking and death seemingly won, at least for the moment.

In life we try to do everything we possibly can to prepare for every possible scenario. We squirrel money away for retirement. We stockpile food for a catastrophe. We have security systems to keep us safe. We even buy life insurance in the event we can’t outrun death when it does show up.

We try so very hard to control the outcome of our actions. We diet and exercise. We get good sleep and have mindfulness times throughout our week. We take vitamins or use those voodoo oils (yeah I said that for some friends but I really mean those essential oil things).

We can be healthy in every aspect of life medically speaking but when death knocks sometimes there’s nothing you can do to stop it. And it really doesn’t care.

The most recent couple of times death has come knocking it hasn’t even been during daylight hours. It wasn’t in the middle of the day when I could break away. It was overnight and interrupted sleep. Death just doesn’t care who it impacts or when or where.

Death is blind, but we don’t have to be. The most recent death I experienced was for a woman who lived a very long life. She died at 104 years old. Just a few months shy of 105 actually! And while death at any age or time really stings, she was ready. She wasn’t blind to death even though it was blind to her.

She was ready, but what does that even mean? You don’t pack a bag to get ready to die. You don’t typically put it in your day planner. But she was ready. She prepared for this day for most of her life. She did it by knowing what death meant for her.

She was a church person, as am I. She knew that death was never meant to be part of her story. But she also knew that since death was one day going to come and find her, she needed to arm herself with the only thing proven to beat death. What beats death? What beats a blind and indiscriminate killer of all?

She knew the only thing she could arm herself with was the promise of the one who died willingly and rose powerfully to give us hope unceasingly. She would always say that her life was mostly good and that the only way life could be fully good was when she was with Jesus. She knew that Jesus was her death defeater. So now she’s not just mostly good. She’s more than mostly good. And I bet she even gave death a little sassy grin because she knew what death forgot. In Jesus, life always wins and that’s more than mostly good!

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