We have a beagle and a dauchsund. Every morning when they come out of their crates they must have a personal time with each of their humans. It seems to be like a canine "quiet time" with their masters. If either Judith or I are behind a closed door they will lay at the door and whine until they get that "one on one time." I wish I had their same enthusiasm every day to spend early morning time with my master, but they also exhibit some traits I don't want to copy.
When I say "one on one time" well, it is hardly that. They are really after a good petting but they cannot be content with just getting one, they each have to try to push the other out of what they see as the prime petting zone. If one is getting a belly rub the other will lay down to get one too. Then after a few moments it appears to one or the other of them that the belly rub is really being done better by the other hand at the place where the other dog is so one dog will try to displace the other. They take turns doing this, never seeming content with what they have because it always appears that someone else is getting a better deal.
It is much like this when we come home at the end of the day. They will be there at the door waiting for us to speak to them and pet them. We do, but the same thing happens, just like in the morning, that other dog is getting a better deal. So it often happens that this time that they have come to see us ends up being a time they cannot take their eyes off each other. Soon they end up in a wrestling match at our feet. We give up the petting and walk away and often they continue the puppy pushing and shoving for a while after we are gone.
I wonder if we ever seem like that to God when we come to worship Him? We have this desire to be with our master and to hear from Him and know His love but our eyes drift from Him to that person we have a difference with and we get caught up in watching them. What are they saying? What kind of attention are they getting? Are they going to act in a way that offends us again? We just have to watch to see if they are. Are they going to say or doing something new about which I can find offense? We dare not take our eyes of them. Are they getting a better deal than what they deserve? Are they getting some of the things that I deserve?
And in those moments, we lose touch with our master and miss what He has for us. I wonder if sometimes He just walks away and we are so caught up in our pushing and shoving that we don't even realize He is no longer there? Can we really come "together" and meet with God? Paul gives us a good look at that in Ephesians 4:1-6. I hope you will read that before Sunday and then meet with me as we come to worship God - together. And by the way, don't expect or look for anyone else to receive a belly rub.
For the journey...
Tim
Friday, October 28, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Band Aides
I cut the tip of my right thumb while carving up an apple. It is not a bad cut just a very annoying one that really likes to bleed. I need to keep a band aide on it and that causes its own problems. It is very hard to text with an iPhone with a band aide on your thumb, it is kind of like boxing with one hand tied behind your back - well maybe not that painful just frustrating and ineffective. Then there is the question I get every time I shake some one's hand, "What happened to your thumb?" At least this week I can tell people that have to read my blog to find out. It is easier to say that than to say I did something dumb while I was in a hurry.
My wife saw a brand of band aides this week that have answers to the inevitable question written on them, but instead of saying "I was cutting up an apple" these bandages have labels that say, "Shark bite," "Knife fight,"or "Ninja attack." It sounds a whole lot cooler and they may actually make the injury hurt less, especially when answering questions when you did something stupid.
It made me think about how we handle people who come into church who have obvious wounds; not the band aide type but the 'see it in their eyes' type. What kind of questions do we make them answer? Do we label them with band aides that say "Fell to temptation," "Lost my job," or "Divorced?" What do we do when we come to church hurting? Do we try to put a light hearted spin on it so it doesn't seem like we are weak or that we don't make mistakes. Would our band aides say, "Not hurting that bad," "I'm not really that dumb" or "I will be better soon?"
How would it be if we could come to church just as we are and even if we are hurting, know that someone there would give us a band aide with out questions and with out labels? The truth is, that is what God does when we really connect with Him in worship. He helps our hurts; He knows our pain and its causes. We cannot hide from Him and so He does not need to label us.
Now comes the obvious question, "Ok, how do we connect with Him that way?" Well, just like I have been telling people who ask about my thumb to read my blog, for the answer to that one, you have to hear my sermon this week. See you Sunday, band aides and all.
For the journey...
Tim
My wife saw a brand of band aides this week that have answers to the inevitable question written on them, but instead of saying "I was cutting up an apple" these bandages have labels that say, "Shark bite," "Knife fight,"or "Ninja attack." It sounds a whole lot cooler and they may actually make the injury hurt less, especially when answering questions when you did something stupid.
It made me think about how we handle people who come into church who have obvious wounds; not the band aide type but the 'see it in their eyes' type. What kind of questions do we make them answer? Do we label them with band aides that say "Fell to temptation," "Lost my job," or "Divorced?" What do we do when we come to church hurting? Do we try to put a light hearted spin on it so it doesn't seem like we are weak or that we don't make mistakes. Would our band aides say, "Not hurting that bad," "I'm not really that dumb" or "I will be better soon?"
How would it be if we could come to church just as we are and even if we are hurting, know that someone there would give us a band aide with out questions and with out labels? The truth is, that is what God does when we really connect with Him in worship. He helps our hurts; He knows our pain and its causes. We cannot hide from Him and so He does not need to label us.
Now comes the obvious question, "Ok, how do we connect with Him that way?" Well, just like I have been telling people who ask about my thumb to read my blog, for the answer to that one, you have to hear my sermon this week. See you Sunday, band aides and all.
For the journey...
Tim
Friday, October 14, 2011
Who are My Brothers?
The story intrigues me. While Jesus was speaking to a crowd he was told that his mother and brothers were waiting to speak to him outside (Matthew 12:46-50). Why had they come? Why were they waiting to speak in private? Had they come to talk to him about some family matter? Had they come to convince him to come home and come back to his rightful place as the head of the family and family business as the first born son? Had they come to talk some sense into his head about this "son of man" stuff?
We have no record of them following him as disciples until after the resurrection. Can you imagine how hard it was on them to be the mother or brother of Jesus? What did the neighbors say? What did they say in their family? Jesus never said he would bring peace to a family if anything, he said there could be conflict in families because of him. Matthew 10:34-36 "Do not suppose I have come to bring peace..."
Is that what was happening? A family was about to deal with conflict? Is that why they came that day? When Jesus spoke the words of Matthew 10, was he speaking autobiographically? What we do know for sure is that Jesus wanted to bring a new dynamic to the family and he wants each of us who follow him to know a deep, real, family bond with him. I must confess that I have not fully grasped that. Jesus wants me to know him as a brother. He wants me to have a family connection with him and with all who follow him. "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." Matthew 12:50.
It is easier to accept that family connection with Jesus than to make that family connection with everyone else who follows him but that is our charge if we follow Jesus. There is an old saying that you get to pick your friends but you don't get to pick your family. I think that is what Jesus is saying. I need to work on that today. We will all have a chance to work on it Sunday.
For the journey...
Tim
We have no record of them following him as disciples until after the resurrection. Can you imagine how hard it was on them to be the mother or brother of Jesus? What did the neighbors say? What did they say in their family? Jesus never said he would bring peace to a family if anything, he said there could be conflict in families because of him. Matthew 10:34-36 "Do not suppose I have come to bring peace..."
Is that what was happening? A family was about to deal with conflict? Is that why they came that day? When Jesus spoke the words of Matthew 10, was he speaking autobiographically? What we do know for sure is that Jesus wanted to bring a new dynamic to the family and he wants each of us who follow him to know a deep, real, family bond with him. I must confess that I have not fully grasped that. Jesus wants me to know him as a brother. He wants me to have a family connection with him and with all who follow him. "For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." Matthew 12:50.
It is easier to accept that family connection with Jesus than to make that family connection with everyone else who follows him but that is our charge if we follow Jesus. There is an old saying that you get to pick your friends but you don't get to pick your family. I think that is what Jesus is saying. I need to work on that today. We will all have a chance to work on it Sunday.
For the journey...
Tim
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Misspelled Blessings
One of the neat things about Pastor Appreciation Month is that I get to hear from the kids as they send handmade cards. Since I was sick last Sunday, I got some combination Pastor Appreciation/Get Well cards. Here is how a few of them from Kindergarten/1st grade went:
"hay paster tim hope you feal better."
"thank you for teching us."
"Hi Bastor tim it is me"
"thank you four being our paster and four being in ferunt of the cherch"
Now what did I do with those cards? Did I get upset over kids spelling these days? Should I have marked the misspelling with red ink and returned them to the class asking that they be corrected and then sent back to me? Did I write a letter to the parents saying their kids should spell better?
Of course not, their imperfections make them more precious. These are heart felt expressions from kids who are not trying to put on a show, just tell me thanks. I would be poorer man without them. I know someday they will send me letters that are correctly spelled or maybe text messages that have even stranger spelling. Either way they will grow. What they did, where they are is a blessing.
Too bad a lot of people don't see that God sees us that way. Our first stumbling prayers for someone else, our first faltering attempts to witness to someone, our mangled attempts at scripture memorization, our poorly worded prayers of repentance or thanks are a blessing to Him. He finds great pleasure in them despite the imperfections. He meets us where we are.
Too many times I have heard people say they just can't pray, can't witness, can't sing praise as if their efforts at these would be met with lots of red ink correction and the indignation of a perfect God. He is perfect but not unreachable, even by the imperfect. He delights in our stumbles in the right direction. Trust Him. Join His work.
The mission of Northside Baptist Church is to meet people where they are...
Can you finish the rest? Will you stumble in the right direction?
For the journey...
Tim
"hay paster tim hope you feal better."
"thank you for teching us."
"Hi Bastor tim it is me"
"thank you four being our paster and four being in ferunt of the cherch"
Now what did I do with those cards? Did I get upset over kids spelling these days? Should I have marked the misspelling with red ink and returned them to the class asking that they be corrected and then sent back to me? Did I write a letter to the parents saying their kids should spell better?
Of course not, their imperfections make them more precious. These are heart felt expressions from kids who are not trying to put on a show, just tell me thanks. I would be poorer man without them. I know someday they will send me letters that are correctly spelled or maybe text messages that have even stranger spelling. Either way they will grow. What they did, where they are is a blessing.
Too bad a lot of people don't see that God sees us that way. Our first stumbling prayers for someone else, our first faltering attempts to witness to someone, our mangled attempts at scripture memorization, our poorly worded prayers of repentance or thanks are a blessing to Him. He finds great pleasure in them despite the imperfections. He meets us where we are.
Too many times I have heard people say they just can't pray, can't witness, can't sing praise as if their efforts at these would be met with lots of red ink correction and the indignation of a perfect God. He is perfect but not unreachable, even by the imperfect. He delights in our stumbles in the right direction. Trust Him. Join His work.
The mission of Northside Baptist Church is to meet people where they are...
Can you finish the rest? Will you stumble in the right direction?
For the journey...
Tim
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
