A Stumbler's Walk | RUN

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.

--Luke 15:1 

Ponder that statement. The worst of the worst were drawn to Jesus. Why? Because they were quietly aware of a nagging deep in their core. 

They were inadequate. They lacked. 

Additionally, they had a hopeful sense that the one standing in front of them was the answer to their need. So they came. They came, and they listened... and they believed.

The establishment didn't like it. They couldn't understand Jesus' openness to the undeserving. More than that, they were offended by it, and by him.

So Jesus tells three stories to describe God's heart. A sheep is lost. A coin is lost. A son is lost. Then each is found. And in each case, the finder throws a party and calls everyone around to join in.

The story of the lost son (better known as the Prodigal Son) has long been a favorite. I've always been impacted by the father's reaction; and how, against all cultural decorum he ran to his son. As a father I can understand it. But it is difficult for me to conceive that the God of the universe runs toward the lowly, the undeserving, the repentant.

God, I run to you, will you please run to me.

For now...

D

A Stumbler's Walk | FORMULA FAITH

But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath...

--Luke 13:14

When faith becomes formula, it loses purity. Here, a religious leader's preconception caused him to lose sight of three things: 1) A miracle took place right in front of him! 2) A woman who had suffered for 18 years instantaneously and radically had her life changed! and 3) The Miracle-Maker was three feet away! Dude: fall down and worship!

It is easy to be distracted and lose sight. It is natural to want things to work according to our plans and formulas. But Jesus isn't interested in working himself into our plans. Instead, he calls us to himself, to his plan, to the kingdom of God.

Patrick Swayze famously said, "Nobody puts Baby in the corner." Don't try it with Jesus either. It won't work. God doesn't want a segment or a portion of our lives. He wants US. In exchange he gives us HIS life, which is true and eternal.

God, help me to recognize the Miracle-Maker is close and he is still all about changing lives.

For now...

D

A Stumbler's Walk | GREATEST GRACE...

An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.

-- Luke 9:46 

We must always remember grace. Always. 

If we lose sight of the fact and gift of God's grace ugly things happen - inside us and in our relationships.

How could those closest to Jesus get into a petty argument over who the best speaker was? Or who the best pray-er was? Or who the best feeder of 5,000 was? And think about this: they had the argument right in front of Jesus. C'mon!

Conversely, an awareness of grace brings right perspective and humility. And with humility comes power; because the humble heart is completely dependent on God. 

Your opportunity, and mine, to truly be the people we were designed to be is completely dependent on the grace and power of God. Humility and availability before God will always trump any argument we can make for greatness.

God, thank you for your amazing grace!

For now...

D

PAST IS... (well...) PASSED!

Not that anyone in my little circle needs wisdom from me... (Truth be told, my wisdom pool runs pretty shallow.) But on the off chance it's encouraging, this is what I'm thinking through today. (Partially plagiarized, partially original - kind of like the hundreds of sermons I preached over the years).

I AM NOT DEFINED BY MY PAST...

Today I am thankful that my past does not define me.

I am more than the culmination of my decisions and circumstances.

My past is just that... past (Passed); it does not dictate my present, nor my future.

I am not defined by my past: I learn from it... I grow because of it... I find in it both joy and pain. 

But I am more than my past. I am present... and I have a future.

Don't believe me... then take it up with the Creator!

“I have come that you may have life, and have it to the fullest.” 

~ Jesus

“I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. 

“Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, 

plans to give you a hope and a future.” \

~ Father

Forgetting and forgiving the past, I look forward to what lies ahead.

~ Paul

For now...

D

A Stumbler's Walk | TRIALS... STAND!

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead,

even though you must endure many trials for a little while.

- 1 Peter 1:6, NLT

It has been a bit since my last post. A little ironic (coincidental? - I always confuse the two), the topic I was working on was that of trials. 

We all have trials. They are inevitable. I've heard preachers quip (and have been guilty of such myself), "You are either in the storm, have just come out of the storm, or are about to enter the storm." Quippy... but it usually proves to be true.

For many of you, like me, the skies have been or are looking a little stormy. But in the immortal words of Donna Summer (and a loose transliteration of the Apostle Paul), I will survive! And so will you. 

To do so, we need the imminent presence of the Holy Spirit, the support of the community of faith, and some old fashion guts. 

At times we cannot move forward. We feel like we cannot advance. Paul writes, ...having done everything to stand... stand firm. (Ephesian 1:14). 

SO STAND!

More to come on trials. (There may be a ray shining through the clouds.)

Since I've already broken all reverence with a disco quote, I'll end with an 80's Elton John lyric: I'm still standing!

God, I will stand... by leaning on you (and those you put in my path).

For now...
D

A Stumbler's Walk | STUMBLING...

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling...

- Jude 24

The older I get, the more stumbling hurts. I stuck my toe in some deep carpet while walking through a convention hall a while back. The resulting stumble was minor - imperceptible to anyone who might have been watching - but the back pain was immediate and lasting. 

Stumbling hurts. And though I am being literal at the moment, it is also true metaphorically. 

Stumbling brings pain into our lives, and often to those around us. 

A problem though: We all stumble in life; missed steps and missteps, bobbles and trip-ups that don't usually result in full face-plants. They are painful nonetheless. 

We casually gather ourselves, look around to make sure no one noticed, and limp away as gracefully as we can muster. 

When we stumble, it is usually not due to a lack of willpower (and I am speaking of life/faith stumbles). Most of our stumbles result from a lag in relationship. 

There is One who goes before us, who walks with us, who shows the way. He is a light to our path and a compass to our course. He points out the rocks and roots (and carpet monsters) that might catch our feet. But we must follow. Striking out on our own will lead to stumbles... and pain. 

Now a dose of reality: We will stumble - probably sooner than later. (This blog is, after all, entitled A Stumbler's Walk!) We will face-plant. We will at times wobble and drunkenly stagger. But there is grace in the One who points out the path. He is also the One who steadies the falling and picks up the fallen. He is the duster of hands and knees. The cleaner of muddy faces. The healer of bruises and the bandager of cuts and scrapes. 

He is the one who says, "Follow me... walk with me..." And with a smile he leads - while he nods and points out a carpet monster. 

God, direct my footsteps according to your word (Psalm 119:133), that I might not stumble.

For now...

D

A Stumbler's Walk | NAILED IT! (Pt.2)

This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

-- Colossians 2:14

(This is part two. For context, please first read part one. To help distinguish, I cleverly titled them Pt.1 and Pt.2)

In the last post we addressed BEING guilty and the incredible depth of grace that removes our guilt. There is however, another and deceptively dangerous side of guilt - FEELING guilty.

When we are redeemed by Christ we are completely free. Our guilt is removed. Our debt has been paid.

Whom the Son sets free, is truly free.

-- John 8:36

And yet, from time to time many (most) of us struggle with a sense of guilt. The shadows of our past close in. Or recent failure draws the curtains blocking the sunshine of grace.  

Guilt. 
It is an ugly word. 
Guilt can burden. 

It can oppress. 
Guilt can shut us down...

Guilt and fear are cousins. We feel guilty when we fear we do not measure up; when we fear we are not worthy; when we fear we are not loved; when we fear our failure will cause God and others to turn their backs. 

The self-defeating insidiousness is that we sometimes find pseudo-comfort in our guilt. (That was a weird sentence, but may be worth a re-read.) The outward whimsical expressions: "Well, that's just how I am..., I'm no saint..." or "I just suck," are simply covers that lay like a tattered blanket trying, and failing, to bring some kind of warmth to the pain beneath. They fail. We are not designed to live feeling guilty. 

There is a sorrow according to the will of God that produces repentance without regret, 

leading to salvation. But the sorrow according to the world produces death.

-- 2 Corinthians 7:10

True freedom is found in living beyond regret - without being weighed down by guilt. When Jesus nailed our record of debt to the cross, he crucified guilt. It is only we who choose to resurrect it. 

As a redeemed person you are a saint; albeit, usually a messed up saint. You are free, though you sometimes stumble. Your guilt list, past present and even future is overwritten in the blood of Christ with the words:

I love you.
Debt paid.

It is finished.

Freedom!

And the record of wrongs written beneath is no longer legible through the scarlet words of love. 

God, you nailed it! And I am free...

For now,

D