My dad collected names. Not just any names, but funny, unique names. His list included characters like Luther Orange Lemon, Molly Kuel and Sarah Bellum. But most interesting was a guy named Gorry Hogg who reportedly named his daughter Ima and Ura (since proven not to be completely factual). Still, I always wondered what it would be like to be a first grader when a teacher asked you your name and you respond, "Ima Hogg." Poor kid. Do you think growing up with that name just might result in some issues later in life?
Some people have very ordinary names, like Jim Smith, Mike Brown, or Sally Jones. Others have been named with a name nobody every heard of or can pronounce. That would have to be a joy having people butcher your name all through life, wouldn't it?
And still others were named a pretty ordinary name that later became well known. One such guy was born a long time ago. He was the 10th of 12 children, and only two of those children lived past the age of three. Tragic. Later he was known as the Patriarch of Liberty and Father of the American Revolution. He was a good and godly man. And yet as great as all that was, his name is associasted these days with a popular beer. His name was Sam Adams.
Names may help us (Trump) or hinder us (Ima Hogg). Or maybe we are one of a million people with the same, plain, boring name (Joe Smith). But names really can't determine who we really are or what we become. That is, unless we allow them. As a child of God, as one of God's chosen, we are unique. No name, regardless if it's ordinary or outrageous can change how God sees us. He says this about us:
God calls you His friend (John 15:15), God is love and God loves you (2 Cor. 13:11), and God knew you before you were born, even as you were knitted in your mother's womb (Is. 43:7). But maybe most importantly, God says in Isaiah 48:12: "Listen Jacob. Listen Israel - I'm the One who named you. I am the One." (MSG)
When I am feeling fairly unworthy, unimportant, or really plain and boring, I need to remind myself that God created and named me. I am His. And frankly, He thinks I'm pretty special. He feels the same about you. Thank you Lord for giving me my identity.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Power of P.I.B.W.I.B.
When my sons were growing up, I, like many parents, would get tired of telling them again and again to pick up their toys. So I made up a word that would say it all without wasting words. The word was PIBWIB. It stood for, "Put It Back Where It Belongs." Over time they came to really dislike that word.
But when I think about it, so much of what is wrong with us, our families, our churches, and our world has to do with people, leaders, governments taking things that don't belong to them and not returning them to the place where they belong.
It might be borrowing a tool from a neighbor and not returning it. That causes him to think poorly of us and deciding he won't be lending tools to us or anyone else for that matter. Or it could be when an adult takes a child's innocence, causing lifelong emotional scars. A wife may take a husband's trust when she has an affair causing him to go through life not trusting in a woman again. A man may take his family's faith by refusing to take them to church and turning his back on God. People and organizations, businesses and governments seem to be so much about taking, that they often fail to realize the long-term harm they are doing, many times spanning generations.
There are many words for such actions. "Greed" certainly rises to the top of the barrel. Wouldn't it be great to be able to show all those greedy people the damage that they've done? And wouldn't this world be a better place if they could catch a glimpse of it and decide to return what they took? Couldn't the "Power of PIBWIB" restore many lives, families, churches, organizations, and businesses? But even if people never return what they took, our God does not do the same. Isn't it just amazing that we can count on Him to give to us what he never took in the first place?
Truth be told, as I write this, I recognize a few things I took from people and need to put back. How about you? What are you waiting for?
1 Peter 5:10 - And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.
But when I think about it, so much of what is wrong with us, our families, our churches, and our world has to do with people, leaders, governments taking things that don't belong to them and not returning them to the place where they belong.
It might be borrowing a tool from a neighbor and not returning it. That causes him to think poorly of us and deciding he won't be lending tools to us or anyone else for that matter. Or it could be when an adult takes a child's innocence, causing lifelong emotional scars. A wife may take a husband's trust when she has an affair causing him to go through life not trusting in a woman again. A man may take his family's faith by refusing to take them to church and turning his back on God. People and organizations, businesses and governments seem to be so much about taking, that they often fail to realize the long-term harm they are doing, many times spanning generations.
There are many words for such actions. "Greed" certainly rises to the top of the barrel. Wouldn't it be great to be able to show all those greedy people the damage that they've done? And wouldn't this world be a better place if they could catch a glimpse of it and decide to return what they took? Couldn't the "Power of PIBWIB" restore many lives, families, churches, organizations, and businesses? But even if people never return what they took, our God does not do the same. Isn't it just amazing that we can count on Him to give to us what he never took in the first place?
Truth be told, as I write this, I recognize a few things I took from people and need to put back. How about you? What are you waiting for?
1 Peter 5:10 - And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered for a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Say What?
Sometimes I am amazed at some of the language that comes out of people’s mouths. Often, if they are church-goers, I have asked, “Do you take communion with that mouth?” That usually causes them to pause and think.
I have been out looking for a car to buy. According to some car salesmen I talk to, there isn’t a bad car on the lot. They were all driven by old ladies who drove it to church. One actually tried that on me today. A few have felt compelled to add some crude language into their sales pitch with one of those, “this is between us men” winks. I smirk and let them know I am the new pastor at Cornerstone. After that they often gulp and refuse to make further eye contact. Not sure why.
And while car salesmen have often gotten a bad reputation for their stretching of the truth, many are good, upstanding, honest guys who want to help us find a car. But what about we people of faith? How does our talk and our walk go together? I once had a guy in my church who was just a great guy who taught class, worked with the youth, helped in worship. And then he entered into his “public life.” I was told often that as a coach he would talk down to the kids, curse at the umpires, and generally make a fool of himself.
Sadly, I’ve even had pastor friends who, when alone, would tell crude jokes, talk sensually about females, and think it’s OK. Paul Wetstone said, “Never separate the life you live from the words you speak.” Pretty clear. Right to the point, huh? But do we do it?
Luke 6:45 says, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”
I need to remind myself that nothing get’s past God. My speech, my actions, even my thoughts. And before I speak, I better be sure that my language not only pleases God, but glorifies Him as well.
I have been out looking for a car to buy. According to some car salesmen I talk to, there isn’t a bad car on the lot. They were all driven by old ladies who drove it to church. One actually tried that on me today. A few have felt compelled to add some crude language into their sales pitch with one of those, “this is between us men” winks. I smirk and let them know I am the new pastor at Cornerstone. After that they often gulp and refuse to make further eye contact. Not sure why.
And while car salesmen have often gotten a bad reputation for their stretching of the truth, many are good, upstanding, honest guys who want to help us find a car. But what about we people of faith? How does our talk and our walk go together? I once had a guy in my church who was just a great guy who taught class, worked with the youth, helped in worship. And then he entered into his “public life.” I was told often that as a coach he would talk down to the kids, curse at the umpires, and generally make a fool of himself.
Sadly, I’ve even had pastor friends who, when alone, would tell crude jokes, talk sensually about females, and think it’s OK. Paul Wetstone said, “Never separate the life you live from the words you speak.” Pretty clear. Right to the point, huh? But do we do it?
Luke 6:45 says, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”
I need to remind myself that nothing get’s past God. My speech, my actions, even my thoughts. And before I speak, I better be sure that my language not only pleases God, but glorifies Him as well.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Sneakers That Talk
I love new things. New pants, new golf clubs, new jobs. And definitely new shoes. Especially tennis shoes. That pristine, white, clean look is sweet. And as I get ready to pack up and head to a new church to take on a new job, I paused this week to glance at my old sneakers. They’re old, torn, dirty, worn, scuffed, and ugly. But as I thought about it, I realized there are lots of stories in those shoes. They were with me on walks and bike rides. They guided my steps on the job at the mission. They were on my feet when I moved to a new apartment. The stepped in puddles, snow, and on green, lush grass (which I have not seen since November). How can I possibly get rid of them? They are a part of me.
Aren’t we kind of like those shoes? We love to come across as clean, having it all together, ready, and willing to shine. And maybe we start that way. But life happens. We get torn, betrayed, broken, worn and weary. And we start to wonder if we really can be of any value to God. We make mistakes and stumble, and like the old shoes, think maybe God would be better off to just toss us aside and use someone else.
“…he that sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.’” Wow! How cool is that? I take from that passage that God is NEVER done with us. He never turns his back. He will take what we have to offer, regardless of how puny we think it is, and make something really great out of it. God is not in the trash business. He is in the restoration business. And I am so thankful for it.
I encourage us all, in faith, to give God whatever we’ve got and then stand back and watch Him work a miracle with our offering…our life.
Aren’t we kind of like those shoes? We love to come across as clean, having it all together, ready, and willing to shine. And maybe we start that way. But life happens. We get torn, betrayed, broken, worn and weary. And we start to wonder if we really can be of any value to God. We make mistakes and stumble, and like the old shoes, think maybe God would be better off to just toss us aside and use someone else.
“…he that sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.’” Wow! How cool is that? I take from that passage that God is NEVER done with us. He never turns his back. He will take what we have to offer, regardless of how puny we think it is, and make something really great out of it. God is not in the trash business. He is in the restoration business. And I am so thankful for it.
I encourage us all, in faith, to give God whatever we’ve got and then stand back and watch Him work a miracle with our offering…our life.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
False Starts
Watching the Olympics, occasionally you’ll see everyone ready to start a race, the gun fires, and then fires again, meaning someone left early. It’s called a false start.
I was thinking how true that is of my life. Maybe yours too. We get all ready to run the race and can’t wait to start, and before God says, “go” we take off. We hope, unrealistically, that God will catch up to us doing our thing so He can bless what we are doing. But it doesn’t work that way. At least not for me.
About two years ago I came through a really tough time that caused me great pain, distress, and despair. Maybe “good Christians” don’t have those moments, but I do. And I did. Many aspects of life cracked and broke. And I was left on the side of the road in a heap. I cried out to God to save me. I wanted to be out of the pain and get back on my feet and back into the race. But God hadn’t pulled the trigger yet. There was more to learn, more exercises to make me stronger and ready for the bigger race that was ahead.
Slowly God helped me up (through some good friends, prayer, and His Word), dusted me off, cleaned me up, strengthened me, and said, “Get ready.” And even still, it was months before the next race would begin. He finally opened a door to a new ministry opportunity that was so much more than I could have dreamed or imagined. He finally pulled the trigger for this new, wonderful, exciting race to begin. And I feel strong, ready, and extremely honored that He chose me to run this race at this time.
What did I learn? Not to be too hasty to ask God to get me out of my hurt. Maybe that’s exactly where He can mold me into what I need to become. Second, trust Him and be patient. It will happen in His time and His way. Finally, when the gun finally is fired, be ready to run with reckless abandon until God tells me to stop running.
What an awesome God we serve!
I was thinking how true that is of my life. Maybe yours too. We get all ready to run the race and can’t wait to start, and before God says, “go” we take off. We hope, unrealistically, that God will catch up to us doing our thing so He can bless what we are doing. But it doesn’t work that way. At least not for me.
About two years ago I came through a really tough time that caused me great pain, distress, and despair. Maybe “good Christians” don’t have those moments, but I do. And I did. Many aspects of life cracked and broke. And I was left on the side of the road in a heap. I cried out to God to save me. I wanted to be out of the pain and get back on my feet and back into the race. But God hadn’t pulled the trigger yet. There was more to learn, more exercises to make me stronger and ready for the bigger race that was ahead.
Slowly God helped me up (through some good friends, prayer, and His Word), dusted me off, cleaned me up, strengthened me, and said, “Get ready.” And even still, it was months before the next race would begin. He finally opened a door to a new ministry opportunity that was so much more than I could have dreamed or imagined. He finally pulled the trigger for this new, wonderful, exciting race to begin. And I feel strong, ready, and extremely honored that He chose me to run this race at this time.
What did I learn? Not to be too hasty to ask God to get me out of my hurt. Maybe that’s exactly where He can mold me into what I need to become. Second, trust Him and be patient. It will happen in His time and His way. Finally, when the gun finally is fired, be ready to run with reckless abandon until God tells me to stop running.
What an awesome God we serve!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
