Assembled

This past Sunday we explored the nature of the church and the critical role we each play. The spiritual gifts we are given by God must be used to benefit the church as the church works to benefit the world with Jesus. This model of replication and multiplication is important for us to understand: we are designed by God to be assembled into the church so the church can assemble with other churches to impact the world for Jesus. Through our combined efforts, others are assembled into the church, the church keeps developing and deploying disciples, and the process continues until the whole world hears of God's great love. 

God's great love is the model for how we are to live with each other as we are assembled into the church. Our assembly into the Body of Christ, therefore, is ensconced with need...both ours and the church. 

We are assembled to need each other. None of us is an island unto ourselves. We simply cannot be everything for everyone. So if we are to be successful, and if the church is to be effective, then we must recognize we need others and others need us, too. The bottom line is the church needs us as much as we need the church.

We are assembled to respect each other. This isn't always easy, especially when we bump into each other from time to time, but it is critical. The reality is that being Christian doesn't mean we never experience conflict, but it does mean we must deal with it  — and others! — differently. The way we conduct ourselves in the midst of conflict is one of the most poignant ways we can show the world how people of faith live differently. 

We are assembled to sympathize with each other. One of the greatest lessons about what it means to be assembled to the Body is contained in 1 Corinthians 12:26, "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." It is a powerful testament to our love of God and others when we can authentically share concern with others when they are down, and celebrate with others when they are up. It's all about doing life together, with all its highs and lows. 

We will explore these concepts further on Sunday as we consider what Paul referred to as "the more excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31). I have to warn you, though, it's a four-letter word that has the potential to grab everyone's attention. I hope to see you in worship Sunday, but in the meantime, remember we all need each other, must respect each other, and share in life's highs and lows together. 

God Bless,

Pastor Mark

Restless Heart Syndrome

I got a FitBit fitness tracker for Christmas, and I really enjoy it. These kinds of devices are not necessarily new for me, because I have used a pedometer for years to track my steps and activity. What I like about my FitBit is in addition to tracking my steps, it tracks my heart rate and sleep patterns. 

It’s been years since I wore a watch, but I find the little device to be quite motivational. It urges me to add some movement and motion to my day when I otherwise might sit at my desk, or do what the Swiffer commercial calls, “deep couch sitting.” In fact, just a couple days ago, I was nearing my 10,000 steps per day goal, but it was getting late, so I did a number of laps around the kitchen to make sure I crossed my threshold. Tracking my steps is pretty neat, but I think the most eye-opening stat it gives me is for sleep. 

Sleep is critical for us. When we are young, sleep is when we grow. Sleep also is crucial for recovery and healing, both physically and emotionally. Experts recommend that children get some ten to twelve hours of sleep, and adults six to eight. If you are anything like me, though, that seems more like a goal than a recommendation. There is no doubt the world we live in — from the high value of busyness and connectivity, to the blue light we receive from our mobile devices and flat screen televisions, to the stress and anxiety that bombards us from all directions — makes it increasingly difficult to get the recommended amount of sleep we require. This, I suppose, is why the sleep tracker on my FitBit is my favorite part of the overall experience. 

Each morning upon waking, I sync my FitBit to check my sleep pattern. The trends I notice since I got the device for Christmas are not terribly encouraging. Even though I aim to sleep the eight hours recommended, I typically get about six-and-a-half to seven hours of sleep; I wake up once or twice a night; and I am restless about every fifteen minutes. Not the best of reports. 

There are some tried and true recommendations I am incorporating into my evening routine. I try to limit my snacking after dinner. I try to limit the use of my iPad and iPhone for the last hour or so before bed. I try to go to sleep with white noise (which my parents started me on when I was a baby) while keeping the television turned off to avoid politics and even sports just before bed, both of which rev me up. We keep our room cool at night (the optimum sleeping temperature, from what I understand, is 67-degrees). I also use a sleep mask to experience total darkness. I try to utilize all the tricks, but still find myself restless. 

There is no doubt many of us are restless. It might seem circumstantial, but I think this is more or less the default position for human beings. The great theologian, St. Augustine, wrote in his famous book, Confessions, about the human relationship to God: “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” I think this sums up my life pretty well. My theological diagnosis? Restless Heart Syndrome. 

Do you have RHS, or Restless Heart Syndrome? You know the side effects. Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep; frequently waking up in the middle of the night; racing heart rate; staring at the ceiling for hours on end; midnight trips to the kitchen for a snack; pacing the floor; overwhelming wonder about when you’ll be able to go to sleep. I’ve had them all. And I found a pretty good antidote I want to share with you.

Prayer. 

Yep, prayer. It seems so simple, doesn’t it? Yet there are admittedly times when we are up in the night, that prayer is one of the last places we turn while wondering and worrying about what tomorrow holds. This brings to mind the line of the great hymn, that we might not know what tomorrow holds, but we do know who holds tomorrow. I know this works. I have the evidence. 

The other night I was anxious about a heavy schedule the following day. After some time of experiencing the main side effects of RHS, I took to prayer. In my prayer time, I asked Jesus to go with me into the stressful appointments. And I heard an answer. Really, I did. Wanna know what Jesus told me? He said this, as plain as the FitBit on my wrist…

“I’m already there.”

That is 100% true. Every word of it. I promise. But it’s not really my promise, now, is it? It is God’s. 

“Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you…It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 & 8, NRSV)

Beautiful, isn’t it? And profound. For me, I knew God would go with me, but hearing God tell me he was already there put a smile on my face. It helped me face the day with confidence and grace. And as I tracked each and every step thanks to my FitBit, I knew that I might as well be able to count every one twice, because it wasn’t just me who was walking through the day, but it was Christ with me. It’s amazing how knowing you don’t have to go through anything alone helps tend to RHS, or Restless Heart Syndrome.

Is your heart restless? Turn to Jesus. If you are anxious about what tomorrow holds, know that Jesus holds tomorrow. And he isn’t just holding it, he is holding you, too. For whatever you have to do, and wherever you have to go, if you are doing it for the Lord, he is already there waiting for you. And that makes me smile.

May you have a smile on your face and a spring in your step, knowing that Jesus is with you. Always.

My, How it Flies!

Our subdivision recently had a speed study conducted on the main thoroughfare. Our community swimming pool, clubhouse, playground, recreation area, and a major school bus stop sits in the valley of two relatively modest hills. Even though there is a posted 25 MPH speed limit, it is rarely (if ever) observed. Sure, some drivers in the neighborhood blatantly ignore it and travel at speeds of their choosing. Needless to say, this frightens many people — Tiffany and me included — whose children frequent those common areas to congregate and recreate. I certainly am one of those known to shake a fist and grumble about those who drive waaaay too fast on that stretch of road; yet admittedly, I’ve done the same at least once or twice in the 9+ years we’ve lived here.

Some concerned residents contacted the City of Newnan to conduct a speed study. The results were eye-opening, and as a result, the city posted a new speed limit sign with radar to alert drivers of their speed as they travel this oft-congested stretch in the subdivision. The goal is awareness, so hopefully drivers will be more cognizant of their speed entering or exiting the neighborhood.

The new sign works, at least for this driver. The other day, I was taking Ethan for a youth group activity and I traveled at a speed I felt was normal for that stretch. As I approached that new sign, it was blinking at me to inform and warn me that I was over the speed limit. And I wasn’t just over the speed limit, I was waaaay over the limit! Like, by a lot! The sign did it’s purpose. I was informed and I’m certainly more aware of my speed in the subdivision.

Now that we’re celebrating the New Year, I couldn’t help but think about how fast things can sneak up on us without realizing it. Granted our family’s 2015 was such a grand, yet strange, year, but I look back and wonder where it went. The changes last year brought to us are head-spinning, so when we say that 2015 seemed to fly by, we’re not kidding. Sure, there were signs along the way flashing at us as though to say, blink and you’ll miss this, yet due to circumstances — many of our choosing and to our delight — we were looking ahead to where we wanted to be and not as present in the moment. As a result, the year blew by us at an astonishing rate.

Time does fly, doesn’t it? Even in the moments when it seems to crawl, we reflect in the aftermath and wonder where it went. This is so true for us as we waited on word to travel to China, because it seemed to never come. Yet the night before we left, we didn’t sleep, because there wasn’t enough time to get everything done. While we were in China for two weeks, it seemed like we’d never get home. Looking back, though, there are things we miss and wish we could have made more memories with Mia in her homeland. Then getting home, and dealing with the challenges of illnesses and sleep deprivation, we couldn’t wait for things to normalize. But today, we think back and wish we could have some of those days and nights back to do things differently for Mia. And all the while, we look back over Ethan’s 13+ years and wish we could get the 3-year-old version of him back to parent him then with what we know now.

And therein lies the rub, doesn’t it? Too often we take this same approach to life — if I knew then what I know now, I’d do it differently. Well, a New Year provides us with a version of that every time we change our calendars. Was last year’s Valentine’s Day, birthday, anniversary, or Christmas gift a flop? You have a chance to do better this year. Didn’t adequately prioritize family and friends in the face of other demands? Use the rhythms of last year to plan better for this year.

       

Didn’t take advantage of spiritual seasons and opportunities to connect with God and others at a deeper level? Make and stick with a plan to spend time with God daily, worship weekly, and service regularly. However you might look back at 2015 with an eye to 2016, remember that life is so much more than the tyrannically urgent demands that seem to gobble up our precious moments.

As I begin 2016 with all the challenges and opportunities it will deliver — from those I know of, to the possibilities I’m aware of, and the surprises I can’t even begin to fathom — I want to resolve to be more present in the moment…for those dwindling trips I’ll have to drive Ethan to school or church; for those moments I’ll have to cuddle a little toddler yearning for trust and predictability in her new family; for those times I can surprise my bride with a hug, a kiss, and maybe a flower to let her know she’s loved and  cherished; for those moments I get to walk with families during times like weddings, funerals, and other watershed events; and for those times when I get to take advantage of the opportunities to pause, rest, and be alone with God, even while other things seem to distract my attention.

Time flies…my, how it flies…and we all have moments we’d give anything to get back. As we begin a New Year, maybe your prayer is like mine, to better enjoy the moments you’re in, so this time next year there’s more to celebrate and less to want back. Let’s aim to be present in every moment for those that are truly most important, and be available for God to use us fully, so 2016 can be a year unlike any other.

Happy New Year, and Love Always,

Pastor Mark