Awesome!

Human beings are arrogant. There, I said it! I got it off my chest and feel a little better. Well, sort of. I don’t like the thought of being arrogant, but I cannot escape the reality. I have the tendency to look at the world and think that all I see is all there is. Perhaps this is one reason I enjoy the education process, exploring the world and learning new things. It’s an exciting, and again, humbling experience.

I was scanning the Internet this morning in my daily quest for knowledge and information. I take seriously the advice from well known theologian, Karl Barth, to preach with a Bible in one hand a newspaper in the other. I read an article about how a previously unknown species of crustacean was discovered in an undersea lava tube off the coast of Africa. Friends, this amazed me! I have to admit that it’s almost inconceivable to me that there could be things in this world that have yet to be discovered. With all the advancements humanity has made in terms of science, it amazes me that we’re still making discoveries. And speaking of intellectual arrogance, my guess was if humanity can place lava tunnels under the seafloor, or walk on the moon, it stands to reason that we’ve seen it all. But then the awareness of how little we really do know comes to bear, and I am brought back to the awareness that there are mysteries of life and creation I’ll never be privy to. That’s awesome and it excites me!!!

Let’s face it: we live in a mysterious world. We want to think we know it all, have seen it all and done it all, but the reality is we’ve barely scratched the surface. There is more to this world, and the God who created it than we’ll ever know. I can almost hear the voice of my 7-year-old say when discovering something new and cool, “Awesome!”

We throw that word, ‘awesome,’ around quite easily these days. We describe toys, games, movies, music, sports plays, and all sorts of other things by saying they are awesome, but that word has an entirely different meaning. The word, awesome, literally means, holy. I’m serious. It really does. When we discover something nifty and new, and declare that it’s awesome, we are, in a sense, acknowledging the awe of God. Our task as God’s children, therefore, is to share God’s total awesomeness in the world and with the world. We need to step aside and allow our hearts and minds to be filled with the awesome mysteries of God and share them with others.

Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, “Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.” (Ephesians 3.8-9)

God’s world is indeed a mystery and isn’t it a beautiful thing!?!? There are so many things we do not know and so many things we won’t be able to know until we are united with Him in heaven through the grace, mercy, and love of Jesus Christ! Paul also wrote in his letter to the Colossians, “[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (1.15-17)

Despite all the things we don’t know and likely will never be able to learn, we can place our faith and hope in Jesus, the most awesome person who has ever lived and lives today. He is holding all things together; not the least of which being you and me! It’s awesome to think about and awesome to share! As we have seen God create, and acknowledge his presence and activity in daily life, we, too, can see just how awesome it is.

Be awesome and have an awesome rest of the week!

A Thought On GOD & Love

I ran across a thought-provoking quote this morning regarding GOD and love (the topic for this week's Sunday's message).

"We become truly personal by loving God
and by loving other humans...
In its deepest sense, love is the life,
the energy, of the Creator in us."
~ Kallistos Ware

In essence, we come closer to reaching our potential when we love ... loving God and others. This love becomes our life, giving us God's energy, which we desperately need if we are going to continue living lives of love.

Let's face it, love under our own strength becomes tiring. It requires us to give, and give, and give. If we are only living for self, then we have the propensity to get a little selfish and wonder, "What's in it for me?"

This is contrary to GOD's nature and it needs to be contrary to ours, too! GOD wants us to live lives of love and service, helping others know of GOD's eternal love. GOD is also giving us the opportunity to participate in creation -- and re-creation -- as we acknowledge who we are and our role in the world.

So how are you living? Is GOD's love the energy for your life? Is it the motivation for what you do? Is it the essence of how you relate to God and others? This love is how we come to fulfill our humanity and become who we are created and called to be. This cannot be done under our power, for we are called to live in the flow of GOD!

Dear friends, since God so loved us,
we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God;
but if we love one another, God lives in us
and his love is made complete in us.
(1 John 4.11-12)

Birthdays Are Fun, But They're Meant For More Than One

Birthdays are fun, aren’t they? Well, at least for most. I remember being a kid and counting down to my birthday, which is in December, just a couple weeks before Christmas. The magic and excitement of that time made me want to pop as I thought about all the toys and surprises that awaited me. I loved the attention and couldn’t wait until “my day!”

As I became older, however, my anticipation for my birthday began to change somewhat. It isn’t so much about getting older, that’s never really been an issue for me, but I think now it has more to do about the attention. I enjoy it, don’t get me wrong, but I also realize that my birthdays aren’t just about me.

I remember when this new mindset came to bear; I was a freshman in college and turning 19 years old. The girl I was dating at the time broke up with me (ON MY BIRTHDAY) and I was devastated. As my parents were determined not to let it ruin my day, they ended up calling my closest friends who came over with just a few hours notice to help me celebrate “my day.” What started out to be a wretched evening turned into one of the finest days of my life.

As I processed what my friends and family did for me, it occurred to me that my birthdays aren’t really just for me. They are an opportunity for the people who have loved me, nurtured me, cared for me, and attended to me throughout my life to celebrate the common bond we share.

This coming Thursday, The Lighthouse UMC celebrates its 3rd Birthday! I am excited as I think about how far this church has come in three years time. It has certainly had its ups and downs, but as we prepare to throw the church a party, it isn’t about bricks and mortar (and that’s a good thing since we don’t have any!) as much as it is about the hearts that have been touched and lives that have been changed – I count myself in that number many times over. As we gather on Sunday to celebrate, we will do so joyfully for the common bond we share in Jesus Christ! I am reminded of the words from 1 Peter 2.9-10a, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God…”

As we gather for a wonderful party this coming Sunday, commemorating what has been accomplished and what lies ahead, we aren’t just celebrating an entity’s birthday…we are also celebrating the lives of those who make Lighthouse the church that it is past, present, and future. I cannot wait to be in worship on Sunday, singing, praying, worshipping, meditating, and I’m sure shedding a tear or two for all that God has done and is doing. But as we gather, I acknowledge this isn’t just about a church with a name, as much as it is about the people that make it so special. And as we gather, may we also commitment to stand together for many more years of ministry, impacting the world beginning in our own back yard. For God’s people gathering and joining together for a celebration of life is the best way I can think to celebrate three years of ministry – serving, sharing, and shining in Coweta and Fayette counties and abroad!

Happy Birthday, Lighthouse!

Back To School With The Golden Rule

The dog days of summer seem to get shorter and shorter, don’t they? Since the local school systems made adjusts to the calendar, students get out earlier but go back earlier, too. This really hit me one day last week while doing a little grocery shopping.

I was passing by the stationary and office supply aisle when my attention was caught by a noticeable buzz. There was a sort of feeding frenzy taking place as parents and children were rustling through bins and baskets to pick out the best folders, pencils, crayons, and paper. It brought back all sorts of memories of picking out the tools that would accompany me into a new campaign in the classrooms of my local school. I wanted to be well equipped.

There was one year in particular as I prepared for a new year by perusing the school supply list when I got excited. The math teacher had asked every student to come prepared with a ruler. To me, that meant we were going to be getting into some cool stuff where I would need to be able to measure and draw a straight line. It was not until later in life that lesson really began to hit home.

School is a vital aspect of young people learning to become adults. School is so much more than just reading, writing, and arithmetic; it is about facing challenges, persevering, making friends, and accomplishing the seemingly impossible. So when we think about measuring up and keeping a straight line, a ruler is a huge help! Beyond the centimeters and inches, we need to make sure we are sending our children and their teachers in to a school year with the best possible chance for success. They need a standard, a “ruler” if you will, to help provide an answer in a world that is slow to give them.

Jesus gives some timeless advice that I am sure you have heard before. “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6.31) Many know this as the “Golden Rule” and work to live their life by this timeless principle. It helps when we think of the potential consequences of our actions and how we might personally be impacted if those same consequences were to come our way. Thinking this way can help prevent quick tempered and shortsighted reactions to very real circumstances.

If we were able to completely follow this golden rule, the world would be a different place, let alone our local schools. Treat others like you would want to be treated whether you are in the classroom, lunchroom, bathroom, locker room, music room, or art room. Wherever you might come face to face with someone else, remember Jesus’ timeless advice. You could do much worse than to arm yourself with this powerful piece of wisdom and advice to make a difference in the world around you.

We are not but just a few days from a new school year. There is no doubt it will present all sorts of challenges. But if we can remember to treat our neighbors as we would want to be treated ourselves, then we are making great strides toward a wonderfully constructive and educational experience. We need all the help we can get to measure up and keep a straight line. So as you pack your backpacks and briefcases for another day, remember to pack one item you can stand to have in abundance: The Golden Rule!

Have a great school year.