THANKS

Thanks... for the next 500 breathes that I'll be blessed with before this post is finished (I'm stepping out on faith and assuming I'll breathe to the end).

Thanks... for children. My children are my blessing. But all children are incredible.

Thanks... for sunflower seeds, the staple of my diet.

Thanks... for friends; all friends, but especially the I've got your back no matter what kind.

Thanks... for the pain of a hurt heart. Only love can leave that brand of scar. And it reminds that there has truly been (and will be) love.

Thanks... for The United States of America. Troubled? Yes. But I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Thanks... for the shoulder pain when I sleep on my right side. It reminds me of the way I could once throw and run and enjoy a kid's game.

Thanks... for my old Golden, Max. It has come down to just him and me in the house a lot more and a lot more quickly than I could have imagined. And he always thinks I'm the biggest deal.

Thanks... that at 50, I feel better (other than said shoulder) and fitter than I've been since my 20's.

Thanks... for the fact that if I listed everything for which I should give thanks, this blog post would expand to a novel. Whole chapters would be dedicated to names and faces, blessings and struggles; all conduits of hope, joy and growth.

Thanks... for the abiding sense that it's all going to work out in the end.

Thanks... for... EVERYTHING!

One might wonder why I wrote it this way; Thanks..., instead of, I'm thankful for... 

It's a good thing to be thankful. It's healthy and adds perspective. However, when I say thanks, it reminds me that my thankfulness is object-oriented. In other words, I'm not just thankful; I'm thankful to SOMEONE.

Thanks... for closing the gap of your goodness and my badness through the gift of your SON (Oh... and Happy Birthday in a month!)

Hey... still breathing! (Psalm 150:6)

For now...

D

A Stumbler's Walk | CHRISTIAN?

And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. - Acts 11: 26 

What does it mean to call ourselves Christian?

A better question: "What does it mean to BE Christian?

The first is much easier than the second. To say I am something, or that I believe (in) something, is really no challenge. To BE something requires life validation. To BE the thing we claim, we must deeply believe (in) that thing, with the requisite life-change and lifestyle.

Interestingly, it was not Christians that first called themselves "Christian." They were so designated by others. People in Antioch began to use the term for followers of Jesus; the far away prophet who had been killed and, as the spreading stories reported, had been resurrected. 

The word literally means followers of Christ. In the common vernacular it was derogatory, and carried a tongue-in-cheek sarcastic meaning of, little Christs. Though the believers originally rejected the term, eventually the sense was, "Followers of Jesus, little Christs, we can live with that." They were called Christian because they lived like Christians; because they were Christians.

Christian (the word) has lost much of its authenticity and power in our culture. We have Christian music, Christian restaurants, Christian comedy, Christian theme parks," ad infinitum. And that's all fine. But there is really no such thing as a Christian sandwich. There are only Christian people - followers of Jesus. 

The transformed (and transforming); those who have joined him in his mission. Jesus said the overarching distinguishing characteristic of his followers would be love for one another (John 13:35). The people of Antioch noticed it.

So the question: Is there anything distinguishing about me? Not some fake, "Look at me while I do religious stuff," kind of distinguishing. Is there authenticity, love, and to go back a couple chapters, grace and power?

We need to self-evaluate. But we need not be self-critical. Remember we are all works-in-progress. That is the transformING part of being transformed. We need to see ourselves the way God sees us. And how is that? As Christians, little Christs. Those who have the Spirit of the living Jesus alive in us.

God, I want to BE Christian.

For now...

D

A Stumbler's Walk | GRACE POWER EQUATION

And Stephen, full of grace and power…

Acts 6:8 

There is no power without grace first. We must come to the understanding that "Every good and perfect gift comes from above," (James 1:17), and that God has "Given us everything pertaining to life and godliness," (2 Peter 1:3).

Our job is not to act so that we receive. We are to receive so that we can act. (I need to stop and soak these concepts in - you?) 

Power to live the spiritual life is not in proving to God our faith and fortitude. Power for living is a gift of God to be received and acted upon - even when we don't "feel" like we've received. And that's the rub. Faith is "…the confidence in what we hope for, the assurance about what we do not see," (Hebrews 11:1).

Powerful grace doesn't come in a Price is Right sized package with candy-striped wrapping paper and neon bow. It is quiet; nearly silent. It is in the whisper of God as we spend time with him and join him in his mission. It is filling us; infusing every part of our soul and mind and heart.

"…EVERYTHING pertaining to life and godliness."

We can't live looking backwards, though many try… and stumble. However, it is good time-to-time, to stop and take a look down the path we've walked. What we notice, is that when we thought we could not take one more step; we did. When we thought our circumstance was the final straw; it wasn't. There was power for life. There was grace.

There is Grace and Power.

God, fill me with your grace and power. I will act, even if I'm unsure.

For now...

D

 I have no silver or gold, but what I do have I give to you.

--Acts 3:6

God doesn't ask of us what we don't have. It might be more accurate to say he doesn't require from us what he has not already given to us. And in an incredible and divine way, he matches our gifts, talents and resources specifically to meet the needs of someone else.

On the other side of the equation, we often don't know what we really need. God has a way of sorting past our wants and addressing the deep need.

Two disciples are going about their day when they come across a man who had never to this point in his life walked a single step. He asked them for money; as he did everyone on the way to the temple. It was what he knew. It was his life. It was what he thought he needed. He had a deeper need.

Peter and John didn't have any money that morning. What they had however, was what the man needed. "…in the name of Jesus… rise up and walk!"

He did.

Today, you and I will find ourselves on both sides of the equation. We will have the opportunity to be the touch of God to someone. It may require looking past the surface. Additionally, we have needs God will meet today, through the touch of someone else. It may require allowing them to look past our surface. Authenticity is difficult, but necessary. And beautiful. 

God will not ask of us what we don't have, but he will ask everything of us.

God, help me to meet a need today...
God, I need…

For now...

D

A Stumbler's Walk | WHAT DO YOU WANT?

 "What do you want me to do for you?"

--Luke 18:41

A blind beggar with no status, no means and no hope screams for Jesus' attention. He won't shut up, even though some who think they have the right, try to shut him up. 

He is making everyone uncomfortable. Everyone, that is, except Jesus.

Now the blind man stands before Jesus, and is asked, "What do you want me to do for you?" It seems obvious, doesn't it? (Paraphrasing now) "I want to see!" Jesus: "OK… see."

What if God asked you the question; "What do you want me to do for you?" How would you answer? Not genie-in-the-bottle stuff. Not lotteries and looks. What are your deep needs? What is your deepest need… hurt… desire?

Jesus again, "… your faith has made you well." We get a warped sense of faith from some celebrity preachers. The blind man's belief THAT he could see didn't give him sight. He could believe all day that he possessed sight; and still be blind. Biblical faith is not just belief. It is belief "IN". Belief in a person. His name is Jesus.

Notice that the (formerly) blind man, when hearing Jesus was approaching, "…cried out…," and then, "… cried out all the more..." (vv38,39) When deep need mixes with faith it cries out all the more. 

Chapter 18 begins, "And he (Jesus) told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart." In other words, mix need and faith and cry out all the more.

Sorry, this is getting long. So let me just ask: What if God IS asking you this question? Right now! "What do you want me to do for you?" What will be your answer?

God, I'm blind, I want to see!

For now...

D

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