Nunc Dimittis 2008

Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace;

Because my eyes have seen thy salvation,

Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples:

A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

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So, here we are at the end of another year. We stand at the edge of a new year that promises to be exciting, challenging and dangerous in many ways. I am always amazed at some of the unexpected places that I find myself to have been when I look back over the last 364 days. There could not have possibly been as many unexpected places as there was this year. How could you even begin to know what adventure and mystery God will reveal in the coming year? He does that for a reason, you know. Because, many times, if we knew what was in store, we surely would do something to mess it up. I cannot possibly begin to explain anything about this year and how amazing and unpredictable it was. But I do know one thing about this year and it is this: Jesus meets us in unexpected places, in unexpected ways and is plainly calling us to act in unimaginable ways to love as He did. However many times we are busy doing stuff having convinced ourselves that is what we are supposed to be doing. And so Jesus calls us sometimes with some really big challenges and stretches us out in ways we could never imagine. We sometimes doubt our ability to measure up to the task and wonder why we have been chosen. As I have said many times, the ability of ordinary people to do extraordinary things when empowered by God is truly mind boggling. All through the entirety of the Bible, God repeatedly issued calls to ordinary and sometimes reluctant people to become leaders. Why? Simply, this is what really glorifies God and is a powerful witness to redemption and transformation of lives only half lived. As we contemplate the possibilities of the coming year and review the last, certain truths reveal themselves. We serve a good and loving King and are living in a kingdom and that places us in a unique position to live in ways we cannot plan looking at a calendar. Our obedience to the call that God has placed on our lives will take us in many unexpected directions this coming year. Yes, God calls us to seemingly challenging and terrifying tasks and sometimes to unexpected and unanticipated physical places but He is ALWAYS there. Sometimes our desire for safe, mundane and normal can rob us and others of some amazing and powerful blessings. We are called to live outside what is normal and safe. We are called to be disciples and agents of the kingdom of God and that simply means we carry and spread the message everywhere we go and in everything we do. We are called to engage the world in new and unexpected ways whether on bicycles or on our jobs. We are called as citizens of a kingdom to go beyond simple thoughts and prayers. We are called to go out rather than reach out. The challenge for this coming year is to hear how God is calling us to act within our communities both individual and global. How will this be done? A simple act of compassion is a place to begin or activist campaigns like BLOOD:WATER MISSION who is bringing hope to villages in sub Saharan Africa. Wherever we find ourselves on our journeys this coming year look in the unexpected places for unexpected opportunities to change lives and there you will find the unexpected Jesus calling…

Ho, HO, Whoa...

“So this is Christmas
and what have you done
another year over
and a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young…”
-John Lennon
So, a striking reminder came to me today, while watching Jentzen Franklin, of what Christmas really is all about. It is a joyous season of giving but sadly many of us are pursuing the wrong kind of giving and we become focused to the point of obsession on giving the perfect gift. It is widely reported that the majority of holiday stress and depression is based on buying and giving holiday gifts. I am no different from many others who want to give things instead of do things. But, I am really trying to do better about this. I am learning to be intentional and thoughtful instead of irrational and impulsive. This is where the stores try to use their magical power to appeal to our emotions and create a false sense of the joy of giving. For many, there is no joy because we worry needlessly about THE right gift. We may not even be able to afford a gift, or are limited in the amount of gifts we can buy. I am reminded of “The Little Drummer Boy” when he said “I have no gift to bring that’s fit to give the King”. It is only natural that we want to give good and fitting gifts to those we love. Jesus was no different and freely gave gifts that were not even asked for. In Luke 11:11-13, Jesus said, “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” Maybe the bigger question to ask is what gifts will I be giving to Him this year? What gift can I bring? What do I have to offer? Maybe we don’t because we feel our gift is so insignificant and not fit for the King, like the little drummer boy. So he used what he had and played the drum. And then what happened? ”then He smiled at me”. So, I really pondered, and have been this entire holiday season, this idea of how I can give gifts from the heart and not necessarily from the wallet? I really believe that this is a big lesson that God is revealing to me this Christmas. So often I have caught myself thinking about and focused on the gifts that I cannot give as opposed to the ones I can give. We need to turn this around. I think this is at the core of what provokes many of us to reject the commercial aspects of Christmas. As a result of this longing for an authentic Christmas, the ADVENT CONSPIRACY was born. This challenges us in many ways to rethink our entire notion of what gifts lay within us and not buying something external to us to appease our anxiety and fear. This heartfelt desire causes us to be much more thoughtful and purposeful about the recipient instead of mindlessly checking them off of the “list”. One thing about thinking about Christmas in this way, it makes you very aware of the fact that life isn’t about things…it’s about relationships. And, I have been blessed with some amazing relationships this year. You see, I never really was a relationship guy and certainly didn’t see the necessity of relationships with anyone other than my God and my immediate family. But something changed this summer. ME. Yep, that’s right God turned me inside out changed me in a powerful way and showed me some stuff about relationships. And, quite shockingly to me, I came to love this crazy, funny, awe inspiring and Jesus loving bunch of “ordinary people doing extraordinary things” riding our bikes across the US. The gifts we received and gifts we gave are really too numerous to count. Gifts came in the most unexpected ways and from the most unexpected people. How could you ever begin to try to give back what you have been given? This is the question I have wrestled with a lot, especially at Christmas, the “giving season”. So, In lieu of a gift card…uggh, or a smartly wrapped present, I’ll just give to everyone this year what I can give the best. I will give the gifts of love, faith and courage. This is what I have been given in such abundance, many times by people I didn’t even know. I am required to give some back because I am commanded by Jesus to do so and this is the gospel that’s real and life changing and transforming. So, my one desire for you this Christmas is that I could neatly wrap those three things, love, faith, and courage, and put them secretly under your Christmas tree that’s what you would find with a cute little gift tag that said “ all my love, Iron Mike”…

Christmas 2008...

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.... And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.'— (Luke 2: 8-10-11.)

As the song says, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year… ” . Or is it really? The Christmas season is a paradox and each year we don’t get any closer to the understanding of this than the year before. Or do we? I find myself, many times, being torn between the crass materialism and consumption mentality, that plagues the holiday season, and wanting something “different” this year. I think the situation that many of us find ourselves in currently with the economy reeling and on virtual life support from the government demonstrates the necessity to just stop this pursuit of the “right present” at the right price. I am completely disgusted by the masses of people who have turned the day after Thanksgiving shopping experience into a chaotic life threatening full contact sporting event. Sadly, someone got killed this year while just doing their job. This really returns us to our most primal hunting, gathering and killing roots. I can just imagine a proud shopper boasting on Christmas morning, “You like it? I had to kill for it…” WOW. Too extreme?? Is that too harsh? What have we become this season? We talk out of two sides of our mouth. We say we know the “reason for the season”. So, if we really do then why don’t we act like it? Seriously, it is time to just say ENOUGH.

As Shane Claiborne says, “Enough to the myth that happiness must be purchased. Enough to an economy that is awarding CEOs salaries 500 times that of their workers and still manages to seduce people in poverty and wealth alike to give more money to these predatorial corporations. Enough to the American dream that now consumes over 40 percent of the world’s stuff with less than 6 percent of the world’s resources. Enough to a dream that would need four more planets if the world pursued it … a dream the world cannot afford. Enough to the advice of government leaders who fearfully order us to “just keep shopping” after tragedies like September 11 and November 28. ENOUGH. Maybe God has another dream”.

You know what, I believe He does. I believe there is a better way and it is called the Advent Conspiracy. A couple of years ago, people who had enough of this madness, from four churches, got together and did something totally radical. They changed their spending habits at Christmas, shunned the spending mania, and gave presence instead of presents—the way Christ modeled for us through his gift of himself. They took the money they saved—nearly half of a million dollars—and gave it to Living Water International so that desperate communities could have the gift of clean water. Families from those churches are still telling stories of how Christ returned to their Christmas. Communities were renewed. Lives were changed. It was a Christmas to remember. Last year, 1,000 churches banded together for Advent Conspiracy 2007. Three million dollars were given to the neediest people in our neighborhoods and in communities across the globe. Simply, this Christmas the idea is to worship fully, spend less, give more and love all. You too can be a conspirator. I love these words from author Alex Gordon, “There is no Santa Claus, no, there is something better. Every Christmas Eve a Great Spirit comes to this world and flies around it and scatters energy over the earth, and wherever that energy falls, like fairy-dust, it changes despair to hope, tears to joy, want to abundance, and when it touches a hard heart, it seeks to melt it, and when it touches a hateful soul, it seeks to change it, just like the spirits tried to change Ebenezer Scrooge. If you listen carefully, just before mid-night on Christmas Eve, you may hear this Spirit, and you will be blessed. But this Spirit is tired, and the times of its coming are few now. Time is of the essence”. Of course, you and I know what that that “Great Spirit “is. It is the Spirit of the Lord God that has come in this season to bring hope and tidings of great joy. It is this same spirit that in Isaiah 61:1 it says,“ The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;” So, let’s open some prisons instead of presents, let’s bring good tidings of the redemptive and restorative power of love to someone broken and lost and let’s give presence, NOT presents, unlike any Christmas ever before. And maybe, just maybe the real Christmas will come back. Merry Christmas, y’all.

It is sort of cliché that we begin, literally a couple of days before thanksgiving, to think of all the things we are thankful for. We seem to become more mindful of our blessings as the frenzy for the perfect turkey continues. My feeling of being blessed and thankful is beyond measure and is a constant companion to me. I understand the nature of why I am blessed and showing that I am thankful is the “least” thing I could do. How do you show it ? You live it every day of the year and not just the week that traditionally we pause to “count our blessings”. You see, most of the time, I can’t count mine. This year, in particular, there are so many, it’s ridiculous. But maybe your definition of a blessing determines how many you got to count. According to Webster: Main Entry: blessing Function : noun Date: before 12th century 1 a: the act or words of one that blesses b: approval , encouragement 2: a thing conducive to happiness or welfare 3: grace said at a meal. So, based on that definition alone one can quickly see why there would be so many. In the Bible, in Proverbs 28:20, it says, “A faithful man shall abound with blessings…”Or how about this one, “Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” W.T. Purkiser. and finally this from C.S. Lewis, ”When we lose one blessing, another is often, most unexpectedly, given in its place.” This unexpected blessing is always a significant one as it reminds us that God knows us and is near and watching over us and really knows what we need when, many times we do not. I received a HUGE and TOTALLY unexpected blessing this year. It was called the RIDE:WELL BIKE TOUR. Nothing, and I do mean N-O-T-H-I-N-G, could have been any more unexpected from my God. He really went all out, and “far out”, on this one. But the totally humbling and amazing thing is , He knew. The fact that He knew, still brings me to tears. He knew, before I even talked to Aaron and David. He knew before I said anything to my wife because He told her what to say. It could have all been so different at so many points , I cannot begin to tell you. But, He knew and continued to show me “all things are possible” when obedient. Blessings came in so many ways and from so many directions during the entirety of the ride. It would take a long time to individually list them. The paradox of it all was as we were being blessed, we were blessing others. And, the great thing is that many times we didn’t realize this. As the definition above states “ the act or words of one that blesses” pretty much sums up the bike ride. We blessed a lot of people by the simple act of repetitively turning pedals day after day and just talking to people and speaking our hearts and sharing our love for Jesus. I very much remember standing on a stage in Tyler Texas and receiving a standing ovation from the crowd who had come to hear a concert. I thought, fighting back the tears, who am I…I just ride a bike. It was there that I realized this crazy thing that I am doing is a blessing to a lot of people who I don’t even know. And I am sure that there were many more that I wasn’t even aware of. So, the thanksgiving season has unusual significance this year for me and I hope it does for you too. After the turkey is consumed and the football is over and the post turkey nap is in maybe, just maybe, we will remember to look for the blessings in the most unusual and totally unexpected places.

remember My word...

So, today I was shopping at one of my favorite stores…Goodwill. First I have a couple of observations before I get to the main point. I was shopping at Goodwill “back in the day” before it was considered chic and uber cool. I shopped there because I got it and saw how wasteful people were and wasn’t too prideful to wear “recycled clothes”, I just didn’t tell anyone. Now, everything has changed and I find a whole new crowd perusing the aisles for a bargain. It really does look like some kind of upscale shopping mecca here lately. I actually enjoy just going and looking and listening to the giddy shoppers sizing up the degree of their bargains.

So, on my way to check out I thought I would quickly just scan the book section. You never know what you will find and this day was no exception. I was totally amazed at how many bibles in various translations and conditions I found on the shelves. It just caught my eye at first and then I began to search in earnest. There were at least 20 various bibles available for purchase. Now I have, over the years, discarded many things and have taken them to Goodwill, but I am sure I have never discarded a bible. Maybe it’s just me but the bible is not something I think of casually discarding along with out of style or too small clothes and mismatched china. I do have a number of bibles in my house in various translations and sizes. It just seems like a really weird thing to take to Goodwill. Maybe what bothers me is the totally anonymous manner in which it is discarded. I guess if I was going to get rid of a bible, I would give it to someone or send it to a missionary or anything besides putting it in the “collection box” at my local Goodwill store. It isn’t like I have some unhealthy or unnatural attachment to the bible itself. It’s a book, I get it. I just try to imagine the circumstance or situation where I would throw it out. Perhaps, “wow, this book is really old…” or “I have already read this book a couple of times…” or maybe this one “this book is just taking up space in my life…” People usually get rid of things because they no longer have any value to them. WOW. People usually get rid of things because they are considered clutter. WOW. People usually get rid of things because there is no longer any utility in that thing for them. WOW.I am not really sure if I am reading too much into this or not but I simply cannot imagine casually tossing out a book that has so much significance in my life and the lives of many others. There are actually people right now having to smuggle bibles into places because of the truth contained in that book. Clearly, that truth frees people and those who oppose the bible have a vested interest in keeping people captive to their lies and in bondage. Hello, China and the 10/40 window… As I write this there are people who risk their lives to ensure that this book, casually discarded at Goodwill, gets into the hands of someone standing between hope and hopelessness. I guess that makes it a different kind of book to find a bunch of, at Goodwill, say, than a worn copy of Dr.Zhivago. But, to some of us…maybe not.

So, I’m sitting on the bench …waiting…to be put into the game. I have trained hard for this moment and I feel especially confident that God will use me. I have “suited up”, I’ve studied the opponent, have learned the plays….C’mon God…put me in the game. Can’t you see I’m dying here? I can help “our side” win. Seriously, God, I’m ready…this is the big game…this is the one I’ve been waiting for. This pretty much sums up how I feel a lot of the time. I am waiting for the next big thing, that big opportunity to show God what I can do for Him. Sadly though, I am going through the agonizing process of learning this is not what God wants from me. As famed writer, Herni Nouwen says, “Waiting is not a very popular attitude. In fact, most people consider waiting a waste of time. Perhaps this is because the culture in which we live is basically saying, “Get going! Do something! Show you are able to make a difference! Don’t just sit there and wait!” For many people, waiting is an awful desert between where they are and where they want to go. And people do not like such a place. They want to get out of it by doing something. In our particular historical situation, waiting is even more difficult because we are so fearful. One of the most pervasive emotions in the atmosphere around us is fear. People are afraid—afraid of inner feelings, afraid of other people, and also afraid of the future. And fearful people have a hard time waiting”. I particularly do not like the waiting part and many times I do, in fact, feel like I am in that awful place between where I am and where I want to go. And for me my natural inclination is to help God along in “putting me into the game” by busying myself with trying to show God how ready I am. WRONG. Not what God wants at all. He made that clear in Luke 10:38-42, when it says, “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Ah, it’s the age old dilemma…doing versus just being. I so long for God to use me and place me in situations where I can serve Him in extraordinary ways. I have always wanted God to use me to reach out to touch the lives of other people, to be of service for Him and for others in unimaginable ways , to be a useful and valued part of the Body of Christ. I am so busy looking for the big things I realize I quite often miss the small things. I have agonized and wrung my hands needlessly wondering why God just won’t use me for this thing or that. The truth hit me full on and it was that there is a significant difference between God’s desires and mine. Whoops… So, let’s see…God’s desires…not mine, be still and don’t busy myself with things of little importance… Hmmm and finally wait on God and don’t be fearful.WoW. I think these are challenges for all of us as these are the pressures that bear so heavily upon us in our daily lives. A daily prayer for us all is Psalms 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God…”. In that stillness we are reminded of the ever present voice speaking as it always has and always will. There is no need to fear the wait because this is what God wants and He tells us “blessed is he that waiteth”. So, I wait and I am learning that that’s ok.

to have and to hold...

I went to the mall a couple of days ago. My wife thought it would be good to get out of the house and ease the tension creeping in due to the impending bike ride. I didn't realize that the "heebie-jeebies" I was starting to feel were showing. So, we had a nice drive up to the mall and went in and walked around. We went to well known sporting goods store and made a few last minute bike trip purchases. As the checkout guy handed us our packages, my wife said "where are the keys?". I knew that I didn't have them and the checkout guy said he didn't have them. Oh no... I saw "the look" on my wife's face. That sick look that comes with the realization that this is going to be bad. So, we retraced our steps in the store and at each stopping place the look became more desperate and sickly looking. So, we basically just went backwards backtracking back to the car. I could see my wife was nearly in tears. I, of course, said all the wrong things. So, I thought the keys would be still in the ignition with locked doors, of course. So, I just waited on a bench just inside the entrance to the mall. I watched expectantly as she strode towards the car. I saw her turn back toward me, after reaching the car, twirling the keys on her finger. I just sighed. She looked relieved. She told me they were in the door lock, just hanging there like ripe fruit begging to be picked. As we drove, a little quieter, she said this is how God takes care of us. As we were walking into the next stop, she said to me, tearfully,"What would you do if I had Alzheimers?" I didn't miss a beat and replied "I would take care of you."
This has been haunting me for two days and I can't seem to get it out of my head.I am aware of the reality as I am quite forgetful and often think how devastating the disease of dementia is on families. It makes me think of the story of a man whose wife was afflicted with Alzheimers disease and was confined to a nursing home. He religiously visited her every day without fail. One day he was in an auto accident and in the ER was panicked he was late for his daily visit to his wife. The doctor said," Relax, she doesn't even know if you're there or not..." He replied," Yes, that's true but I know." That's what "to have and to hold" means.

in the wake of "the ordinary"...

In two short and fast weeks I will be in Santa Monica California getting ready to begin an epic and amazing adventure. I have been training, promoting, fund raising and witnessing to people about what this ride is all about. I am riding more frequently and for longer distances. I have been praying and seeking Gods direction and words for this trip. Actually, a word and an image came to me today as I was riding a solo 43 mile ride. God revealed to me that as we ride we will be leaving a wake behind us just as in this photo. I thought about that the entire ride. Our "wake" is what we leave behind as we travel. Our wake is our Christian witness. What will people say after we have come and gone ? How will people remember us ? The more authentic our walk with Jesus, the bigger our wake will be. I am mandated to be a witness for what I have seen and the miraculous transforming power of forgiveness and grace. I want the water to be stirred up as we step out in faith on this bike ride. What impressions will we make as we put our faith and love for Jesus out front ? Paul, in writing to the Ephesians, in Ephesians 6:19-20 says, "and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Our brothers and sisters in Africa deserve our boldness. They are waiting on us...

hello?...hello? can you hear me now??

In John 10:3-4, it says, "To him the dookkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and his sheep will follow him, for they know his voice."
There is comfort in knowing the voice of your shepherd and knowing that your shepherd goes before you. Jesus talked a lot about sheep and sheep were a common metaphor used in the Bible. For many knowing the voice of their shepherd is a hard thing. There are so many distractions in our daily lives today. We are uncomfortable with being quiet. Even in simple conversations, quiet and pauses are annoying and we fill them with idle chatter. Everywhere I go, I see people walking around with earphones connected to Ipods and cellphones plugged into their ears. I am no different than many other people in that I am guilty and at times of being unable to keep quiet. I play the radio in the car almost always and it sometimes is as "muzak" we hear in elevators. I try to be quiet and listen when I pray and when I read the Bible. God does speak to me and I do know my shepherds voice. It is always amazing to me the nature of how God does speak to us. It is always as someone who really loves me and wants the best from me in all things I do and to protect me from danger. But, that is the sole job of the shepherd; to care for the sheep. You see, sheep, as a rule aren't too smart, aren't too fast, easily misled and have a poor sense of direction. Therefore, they are quite vulnerable to be led astray by predators. Predators know if they can separate one from the herd. Then, once separated it's without the protection of the shepherd. Jesus knew this all too well. This is what He meant in Luke 15:4-7, when He said,
" What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety nine just persons who need no repentance."
What an awesome thing Jesus said when He said " I am the good shepherd...I lay down my life for the sheep." Do you hear the voice of your shepherd ? Or, it your life too noisy and full of the "static" of the world. It is a critical time to seek His voice. Just be still and listen...

I am...I said...

Thre is so much power in the words we speak. We have the power to either wound or heal. Jesus always chose to heal. In Matthew 8:8, the centurion, with an ill servant, said to Jesus "but only speak a word and my servant will be healed." Jesus did and it was done. That quick. That simple. People may not often remember what we do but our words can have a lasting impact. Our words can linger long after we are gone. Our words can set the atmosphere and either fuel discord or be instruments of peace and understanding. I have been guilty, in the past of wielding words as weapons to belittle, intimidate and beat down people who loved me. It took me a long time to realize that these words were spoken in fear. I lacked understanding and thankfully that understanding did eventually come. But, at a price. What I realized was that we have power in our words to bless or curse and it a choice we exercise every day to do either. What will you do ? Bless or curse. I think many times we underestimate the power of what we say. In Isaiah 55:11 it says, "so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." I sometimes think of the amount of words we speak in the course of a day. I have become mindful of this verse from Isaiah and pray every day that my words will be fruitful and bless and prosper in an intentional way. I am an encourager and am amazed how the simplest kind word spoken in love can have a powerful effect, sometimes practically instantaneously. Which will you be ? How will you choose to use your words ?

He's getting my vote...

I just finished reading this book and there are some very profound statements throughout and I found myself re-reading and savoring as I read. The authors have a lot to say and cover much territory from beginning to end. There is significant thinking "outside the box" that many of us call church. My church is no different than many others in that we have yet to grasp the necessity to break down the walls and put ourselves out where the needs are evident. We wax and wane in our desire to be outside the established safety and comfort of our building. Many of us, in the body of Christ, see the challenge to reach out in love as Jesus taught us but we falter. Why ? I simply don't know. But, I'm not giving up.
Anyway, back to this book... I was so struck by the following passage I have thought about it for days. So, here it is : "As Shane's mother says, " Perhaps there is no more dangerous place for a Christian to be than in safety and comfort, detached from the suffering of others." We're scared of apathy and complacency, of detaching ourselves from the suffering. It's hard to see until our 20/20 hindsight hits us, but every time we lock someone out, we lock ourselves in. Just as we are building walls to keep people out of our comfortable insulated existence, we are trapping ourselves in a hell of isolation, loneliness, and fear. We have "gated communities" where rich folks live. We put up picket fences around our suburban homes. We place barbed wire and razor wire around our buildings and churches. We put bars on our windows in the ghettos of fear. We build up walls to keep immigrants from entering our country. We guard our borders with those walls---Berlin, Jerusalem,Jericho. And the more walls and gates and fences we have, the closer we are to hell. We, like the rich man, find ourselves locked into our gated homes and far from the tears of Lazarus outside, far from the tears of God."
Is this really where we are at in our lives ? Everywhere I look it seems to be true but it can change...it has to. Can a presidential candidate change it ? Can a political party full of talk and empty promises change it ? Quite obviously the answer is neither can so why buy the hype and get swept along with those whose real agenda is personal gain ? Jesus spoke to this so many times that it should be ingrained into the fabric of this country, but it is not. CLEARLY, it is not. So, what's the answer ? PRAY with power. STAND and resist what is false and evil. LOVE like your life depends on it...because it does.