OPEN Thanksgiving, 2011

Wow! Can you believe the Holidays are upon us? It is unfathomable for me that Thanksgiving is just a matter of hours away. Just think, with just a few turns of the hands on the clock, turkeys will be cooked and devoured; sweet potatoes will be mashed and inhaled; enough dressing will be baked to feed an army; and the spreads of cakes, cookies, and pies will be so plentiful that even the most modest of appetites will be tempted! Thanksgiving is indeed here!

From humble beginnings, Thanksgiving has become a mega-event for many families. I know personally, on a good year, Thanksgiving will be the only opportunity I will have to see cousins, aunts, and uncles clear on the other side of the state (sad, isn’t it?). It will be a day where others who are too separated by distance will spend time on the phone or perhaps even on a videoconference over the Internet—eat your hearts’ out Pilgrims! And then there is the family tradition I have only garnered a glimpse since marrying into my wife’s family: “The After-Thanksgiving Shopping Extravaganza!”

Thanksgiving has practically become synonymous with unbelievable bargains and shopping galore. I have been seeing signs the last several weeks advertising “Unbeatable Sales!” “Lowest Prices of the Year!” “We Won’t be Undersold,” and “Bargains Beyond Compare!” But perhaps my favorite sign of all came from a marquee not too far from my home that read, “Open Thanksgiving!”

I allowed my mind to dance a little after reading that sign. The more I played with the wording in my mind, the further I moved away from thinking about stores, shopping, and extraordinary shopping deals. It was not long before I moved from “OPEN Thanksgiving” to “Open THANKSGIVING.”

If you’ll bear with me a minute, the difference might seem subtle, but I think it’s worth exploring. When we can look beyond even the greatest of deals and back into the meaning of the holiday, I think we do ourselves some justice. You see Thanksgiving is about exactly what it says, giving thanks. Though we do not need to set aside one day a year to be thankful, it makes for quite a special day when we do pause and show gratitude for our blessings and those we love. But when we can “Open Thanksgiving” in our hearts and minds, perhaps we find that we are more thankful than we ever thought possible.

When we open our hearts and minds—just like when we open windows and doors in our homes—all sorts of things can find their way in. Like a gentle breeze carrying the aroma of a fire from a neighbor’s fireplace, if we are open to the things that swirl around us outside of just what our eyes can see, then we will discover there is so much more to be thankful for than what is right in front of our noses. We live in a wonderful creation that nurtures and cares for us. We have people around us who we’ll never see that protect our wellbeing and that of our families. And we have a God who loves us so much He made the greatest sacrifice in Jesus to make us His own!

So I want to encourage you to have an “Open Thanksgiving” this year. Hug your loved ones. Express gratitude for the blessings from those who you might never see. And above all, from the Thanksgiving feast to the very end of the day, remember what life really means and, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1)

Ablaze with Enthusiasm

There was a quote that became important for the group that attended the FOCUS Youth Fall Confirmation Retreat this past weekend. I roughly remembered it Saturday morning before we had lunch and then we were to tour the Methodist Museum at Epworth by the Sea on Saint Simons Island. My paraphrase was pretty much butchering one of my favorite things that John Wesley said. Fortunately, this quote was mentioned during our visit to the museum, so we were able to enjoy it the way Wesley intended it to be. The John Wesley quote: “Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.”

I used this quote to talk to the students about their enthusiasm for GOD. It is easy to have a blazing enthusiasm for GOD while on an event like a retreat…we’re isolated from the world (truly so on this trip, because the students were not given access to their cell phones during the weekend – they survived, but just barely), spending a lot of time in the Bible and talking about GOD’s love for them. Fortunately, there is a bit of a carry-over that occurs for a day, maybe two, after returning home from such a retreat. But by now (Wednesday), real life has crept back in as the students have likely had to manage stress with, friends, family, school, and for some, work. It is times like now when it is important to remember Wesley’s quote and be encouraged to keep our enthusiasm ablaze in the face of life’s trials and tribulations – both the major and the benign.

OK, pastor, so how do you do that? Well, one thing is to stay connected to GOD and His family, the church. I have observed through my years of ministry that frequently when the going gets tough, we tend to flee our support systems. Some of this is because we need to retreat for a bit and lick our proverbial wounds. Another reason is we lack the desire to have to hear and answer numerous questions about what is going on and how we are doing when in the midst of a struggle. This is somewhat natural to human behavior because we seek to protect ourselves from having to rehash our difficulties every time we turn around. The only problem is that when we pull away from our church and/or our support system, we find it harder and harder to deal with our burdens. The Bible is very clear that those who are stronger at any given time need to use their strength to help those in need (Galatians 6.2). Those who are in need, however, need to allow them! As opposed to isolating ourselves from our struggles, we need to allow those who love and care for us to fulfill their commandment to love and help bear those burdens.

Staying connected to the Body of Christ is essential. As you stay connected through life’s trials and tribulations, the next step is to stay active. You do this by praying, attending worship, participating in a small group, reading your Bible, and serving GOD by serving others – even when you might now want to! The bottom line is that your faith-life blazes for others who see you exercising your faith in the midst of your struggles. Knowing that GOD is the flame power for your life in good times and bad is an enormous example of faith in the midst of struggle…your struggle…your faith!

I hope you have been praying for the students who participated in this past weekend’s retreat. Now is the time when their work will begin to show forth as real life kicks back in. As their church family, it is our responsibility to support them in their faith and in their walk. Should they encounter tough times they thought would not come as a result of their newly found faith, it is incumbent upon us to not let them fall away. So this week, as we see a brand new enthusiasm for GOD, may it rekindle our faith as well, and remind us of the power of enthusiasm. It can change a life, beginning with your own!

On Perspectives & Priorities

I make no bones about being a fan of the University of Georgia Football Team (pun intended). Both of my parents went to UGA, and in fact met at the Georgia-Florida game in Jacksonville, Florida! Needless to say, red and black runs through my veins!

I have been guilty in the past of letting my football fanaticism play a disproportionately important role in my life. There have been times when I allowed the outcome of a football game to dictate my mood and my willingness to engage others in the world with a smile or a scowl. Becoming a dad has tempered a lot of that, but I still love my Dawgs. I can honestly say, however, that I have left my brethren who ascribe to the notion that college football isn’t a matter of life or death…it’s much more than that. I know, I know…you might not agree with me here. And my position might be a tad different come Sunday when I have to face my fellow football fans should UGA not defeat Auburn “between the hedges” on Saturday, but all-in-all, I strive to make sure I keep my football fandom in its proper perspective.

I am not the only one who strives for this. If you did not happen to catch UGA’s Head Football Coach Mark Richt’s press conference this week in advance of the Auburn game on Saturday, he made some comments that truly inspired me. He talked about the perspective he keeps in life between faith and football. Here is the excerpt to which I refer:

“I know you never know what tomorrow is going to bring, so it's not like we've arrived or anything like that. But we have played well lately and we've won lately so that's a big deal. Quite frankly, I love the game of football. I love my job. I love Georgia. But what I do is not who I am. I've said that before. I think sometimes if we become what we do, and then things aren't going just right, then all of a sudden our entire world falls apart. I've got a faith in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and I know that God loves me and is going to take care of me. I just truly believe that. When all the games are done and all the life is lived, I know where I'll be for eternity. Not to say I don't care about what happens in this world because that's not true. Colossians 3:23 says 'whatever you do, do your work heartily as unto the Lord,' so that's what I was doing on a daily basis. I was doing my job as best I could and trying to do it for His glory and try not to worry about anything else. That's kind of how I navigated that time and there will be more tough times I'm sure. That's the way life is."

It takes a lot of courage to put your faith on display in such a public forum. Coach Richt takes seriously, however, the admonition that Paul mentions in Colossians 3 to do everything as though you’re doing it for the Lord. This is the way he conducts himself with his family, with his players, with his church, with his University, and with his God. Sure, he might run upon some criticism when his team is not winning football games, but I also think that it to be expected. He knows it. You know it. I know it. But one thing Coach Richt did not say that I think bears mentioning is found in the other part of Colossians 3.23. You see, Paul said that we do our work for God and not human masters. Wow! That’s impressive.

I know not everyone who reads this is a fan of Georgia Football like I am. I know you might not proudly display your red and black after the outcome of Saturday’s game, but one thing is for sure, Coach Richt appears to be a man who has in priorities in order. Regardless of what our job or role is in life, we can follow this example to make a true difference for Jesus Christ wherever we are! When life is all we hoped it would be, we can let our light so shine for Jesus. When life gets tough, we can also let our light so shine for Jesus. So whatever you do, and wherever you go, “…work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3.23-24)

An Eternal Cheering Section

Today, the first of November, is All Saints Day. We will celebrate All Saints Day during worship in all three services this coming Sunday, November 6. All Saints is the day in the church when we remember those who have gone to be with the Lord in the past year. Though we most frequently focus on those who we have lost in the past year, it is certainly appropriate to remember all those who have been united with God in heaven.

All Saints services can be quite emotional, but this is a good thing. It causes us to come to grips with our hope in faith as we wait to come face-to-face with our Savior. We call names, light candles, and offer prayers for those we see no more, but still embrace with the beating of our collective hearts. It is indeed powerful to pause in worship and remember the sting of death, but declare with all cosmic authority that death is not the end, and thanks to Jesus, the grave does not get the last word!

There is another aspect of All Saints Day that I will be embracing this year. Though it has been a few years since I lost an aunt, uncle, three grandparents, and my dad, I cannot participate in an All Saints service without thinking of these loved ones in my life. I am even called to think about those who have departed my life that I never got to see their faces or hold in an embrace, and know that God has a place for us all in Heaven. And since we cannot separate our lives today from the loved ones we no longer see, there is a powerful image that the Bible gives us to help us through each All Saints Day and every day in between; I like to call this, Our Eternal Cheering Section!

In Hebrews 11 and 12, the writer talks about how many faithful people have gone on before us, names like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, David, and Samuel. Hebrews talks about how these faith heroes persevered through good times and bad, remaining true to the plan and purpose God had for their lives. Hebrews then goes on to talk about how we, too, must complete our journey, using the image of a road race to help us visualize something beautiful taking place. Hebrews 12.1-2 says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Think of it this way: as you are running your life race, there is a great cloud of witnesses standing on the sidelines cheering for you! Think about that for a moment – saints like, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Moses, David, and Samuel are standing on the sidelines of life, cheering your name, and urging you on to the finish line. And standing there with them are saints of a more modern vintage, calling your name, clapping their hands, and encouraging you to keep on going, even when it’s tough. So your parents, children, spouses, friends, neighbors are joining ranks with the heroes of the faith to cheer you on so you will not lose heart. And at the end, you have our greatest cheerleader beckoning you home…Jesus Christ!

Friends, I know personally just how hard it is to lose a loved one. I have grieved terribly and cried the loudest and longest tears, but there is something stabilizing to know that those who have gone on before us are standing side-by-side with other saints and our very own Lord to encourage us to not lose heart or sight of what lies before us. So on this All Saints Day, may you be encouraged by knowing none of us are alone – we have a loving church family, urrounding us and supporting us through our loss. And our loved ones who have gone on before us have joined your eternal cheering section, standing just down the way from Jesus, calling your name, clapping their hands, and cheering you on until you reach your finish line. We are indeed surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, so keep your eyes fixed firmly on Jesus standing at the finish line, even if it’s hard to focus through all the tears.

Your eternal cheering section is shouting your name. Can you hear it?