Hid in Christ!

Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Much is made in this day and age of finding your passion; why you are on the earth. The career gurus and spiritual peddlers are pressing you to explore your strengths and capitalize on finding these passions for riches and fulfillment. They desire to take you through visualization exercises, take you along some journey of discovery. They encourage you to write your goals down and focus on them.....burn them into your soul where you will realize your potential.

Perhaps these desires may be laudable, but they are fleeting. If you are born again you need not pursue these methods. First, these are recycled new age mysticism, eastern philosophy inspired from the pits of hell. Most importantly the Apostle Paul exhorts us to "set our affections on things above, not on earthly things" Col 3:2. Notice here that the Apostle explains that we are dead; our lives are hidden in Christ. People should not see us, they should see the exalted Savior. Gal 2:20 says "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

I believe that God cares very little of our vocation. If you're in the Will of God minister where God put you. If you desire to be a minister that is good...if you're in His Will, you and your ministry will be blessed. Stay in the Will of God and magnify Him with your life. Significance is the crowns you lay before the Almighty! That is the only purpose you need!

Thoughts on Significant Life Events

Life here on the earth can be filled with stark contrarities. As I reflect on my own circumstances to those of my children, I pause. My oldest daughter Heather, and my son Taylor graduate this coming year, Heather from college and Taylor from high school. As the cool of autumn is lapping at me I hearken back to those days of my own life.

You know we are filled with anticipation in looking forward to high school graduation some time near the beginning of our senior year; I mean the thought of the passage to adulthood, the excitment of making our own money, the responsibilities of decision-making affecting our futures, I mean we had it together, didnt we? You know the passage of a single event like this means very little looking backwards. A day when you dress funny, thirty years and some on this side of that event, I recall very little....it was just another day...was it not?

College graduation for me was very different.....it was a diploma in a mailing tube, a block to be checked, almost perfunctory. After all, upon choosing the "fifteen-year plan" I was already married, had two little children and was steeped with financial responsibilities and pressures. Grad school was no different; I was the consummate adult-learner. Even today, I am keeping my further grad studies on life-support and the all-elusive PhD is but a fleeting dream.

Okay, this is not being whiny; just stating facts. Frankly, the only thing I would have changed about any of these circumstances would have been the extended schooling into middle adulthood, and its robbery of precious family time for the sake of studies, but that was unavoidable for a number of reasons (wont share these).

What is the point of all of this? Fact is, these milestones are a point in time and not really important. There is a much-deeper richness in learning from the sacrifices and the life events that are shaped during those years; far deeper than what was dealt in any classroom. Dont misread me, I am a stalwart supporter of education, I mean next to a parent and even greater than a pastor, a teacher has a much deeper role of shaping the heart of a child and young adults. You know, no matter where we are in life, we can make an investment in others whether we teach professionally or not. The encouragement, a careful occasional prod and a heap of advise as people grow. In daily life, I have seen young people come into the work place with a sense of entitlement, an air of contempt for authority and a lazy streak that demands attention. I believe that there are opportunities all around us and we must act before it is too late to change their direction, before they become adults that suck the life out of their marriages, workplaces and families due to their character issues. Just some thoughts here on significant life events.

On a Great Life-Lesson in Transition

As I transition out of my job I have left my office for the temporary cubicle world. This episodic foray touched off a curious game of musical chairs as a number of moves were afoot. In the space of three days I was forced to move three times, so I cheerfully (well OK not always) went through the office pushing a cart with my few office possessions to the next cube, singing along the way. I greeted my temporary neighbors with a smile; all warning me to keep my singing to a minimum. I must admit, going from a place of settled comfort to a series of temporary places did lessen my morale. So maybe it was also coupled with the loss of position and a sense of temporal uncertainty of a new job which to-date still is in a hazy cloud.

I am not overly-concerned with the job-future, although I must continue to remind myself of the "sparrow and the lillies"; this chapter has reminded me of temporary nature of our earthly tent, that is our body. I was curious of the middle-eastern bedouines. These simple peoples push their sheep across the desert, or fastidiously farm the reeds along the Tigris. Theirs is a simple lot and it reminds me that travelling light is not a bad thing.

While I have been consumed by these transitions, frankly little else has occupied my time, I have to realize that little eternal value is recompensed for our job performance, our temporary merits or our achievements, no matter how towering. I am reminded of the Judgment Seat of Christ which shall examine our investment here, Paul intimates this in 1Cr 3:12-14 "Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. This foundation here he speaks of if Christ. In other words, only the spiritual things done in the right heart will last, are timeless diamonds, is limitless gold, and eternal silver!

Hard work and merit on earth are fine, even encouraged as "unto the Lord", but I am to take heed to the those things that will not be burned up...those that will abide.....not like the office or the cubicle or the position....or the money. It reminds me of the poem from the unknown author which ends with this phrase.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say,"Thy will be done";
And when at last I'll hear the call, I know I'll say "twas worth it all";
Only one life,'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

esc

On Lasting Change

Most recently on a trip, my group was joined by a colleague for dinner. As oft the case, dinners are times for social dialogue, rarely ever delving into work issues. Our friend opened a passage into their personal life, she had written a book about her trials after coming home from the war in Iraq. In her book, She admitted that she drank often, had many interpersonal problems and had sought all sorts of help from psychologists in order to feel better. She freely admitted that her past career as a social worker had somewhat impeached the process, because she knew the book answers from the psychology manuals and her training. She seemingly resigned herself to a hopeless course of life. This is sad.

Her problem; that the way of the world her problems are not solved neither by social change, alcohol, nor psychology. She needs Jesus Christ. Her answer to her problem was that she cannot change. Now I know that this is a normal defense when someone wants to provide excuse for certain behavior; they are “who they are”; after all “people cant change”. Even believers come up with this excuse, I have seen this in counseling. Frankly, we need to dissect this and demonstrate the fallaciousness of this argument.

Christian, we all understand that Christ died on the cross; yes? Let’s construct an extended syllogism for instruction’s sake here.

1. Jesus died on the cross for our sins as a substitute; 1Pe 3:18 says, For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

2. Jesus died not only for our past sins as a substitute, but our present sins as well, 1 John 1:9 teaches that, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3. All of our sins were in the future; therefore Christ died for our future sins as a substitute.

4. Christ’s death was complete; it was effective and delivers from the power of sin. Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

5. Therefore, the power of God, through the Agency of the Holy Spirit delivers us from the power of such sin. Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

6. Given these things, we can change! Consider the passage in Hebrews Hbr 4:15-16 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

You see there is hope for our friend through Christ! Yes!!

On a Strong Work Ethic

Well of recent I have been prone to muse about the trappings of the workplace and the requisite industry of any strong society. I am at a crossroads having left the traditional workplace for pursuit into the full-time military six years whence. Ah, but the wisdom of Uncle Sugar's Army hath but delivered that blow-fatale' to one's career, that fateful siren of the mandatory retirement. The winds of change are a'blowin'.

Wistful as one can be on promotions never earned, I can now resolutely say that I will never hear the words, "General Crow". I must admit that sounds good but it is not to be. But what of us mid-lifers? At this juncture, its a tough economy out there. I am reminded of being thirty-one years in and out of the work-place now and I have some strong understanding of my capabilities and aptitudes, talents, passions and frankly, what to avoid like a plague. I mean you are not going to want me to run a machine....I would fall asleep out of sheer boredom, or the whole factory would die because of my daydreaming! Now I could be a brain surgeon, but I would have to understand a little bit about it before I jumped right in!

Most of my peers getting to this point in their careers opt for the government contractor jobs. They have'nt earned the moniker, "Beltway Bandits" for no reason! Some strive for the golden goose; the coveted government civil-servant job with all its security and fortunes. OK, living in North Alabama where I grew up, the so-called fortune equals a really good salary, but here in DC, it can also mean supplementing your income with a pizza job. I know this first-hand. It gives me pause here.

I see the value of hard work over intellect, creativity and giftedness. I once had a college engineering professor tell me, "you learn to love the "A" Students because they are the ones who come back and are great teaching assistants or professors; but you also learn to love the "C" students because it is they who come back and build you a new reaserch lab through a handsome endowment"! I like that, because it personfies the maxim that human potential through talent and intelligence is not always what its marketed to be. I have seen plenty of educated people in my years here. Much of the constituency that I have served and have served with have had many advanced degrees, many PhDs. Much of my counsel to young up-and-coming fledglings (and I have seen many) is to tell them, "you dont need a PhD, you need a JOB", go out kill something, bring it home and eat it! This is where I want to take us here.

The purest and brilliant minds are of no count if one hasn't the discipline, the motivation, the punch and the grit to apply it to the task ahead of him, and press things to a close. One's giftedness does not determine his position in life; your abilities are not your measure; only what you produce. What determines your peace with who you are? Find out how God made you and pursue this to its infinite end with fervor!

Give me somebody with the determination to see things through, who is not afraid to put his shoulder into the task and we can accomplish many things! Give me someone who has discovered how and why God made them and its better than any symphony; its a masterpiece! I am reminded of Eric Liddel the scottish olympian (movie "Chariots of Fire") and missionary to China, and I am inspired. He lost the opportunity to qualify for his event because he chose out of principle not to run on the Lord's Day. His sister asked him, why he put himself through the agony of running and training so much, only to fail because of his forfeiture. He said, "I believe that God made me for a purpose (China), but He also made me fast. When I run, I feel His pleasure". Upon his graduation from Edinburgh University, he gave an unexpected speech, he shared the following:

"Over the gate at the University of Pennsylvania there is a motto, which reads, ‘In the dust of defeat as well as in the laurels of victory there is a glory to be found if one has done his best.’ There are many men and women who have done their best, but who have not succeeded in gaining the laurels of victory. To them, as much honor is due as to those who have received these laurels."

On An Attitude of Gratitude

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." -- Melody Beattie

I am of the custom of camping onto life principles oftimes. During my morning walk today, I was listening to a podcast of one of my favorite radio hosts when I heard him quote this in answering a respondent. It welled within me some deep emotions that took me back to earlier days of my life. In 1980, I was in my late teens, I had lost my father the previous year, I had just impetuously quit my position with a local factory due to anger and immaturity, and I was a confused young man. It was the most difficult period of my life. I had no direction, no depth of experience to draw on, no job skills and no money. Surrounding that, my family had nothing either. My mother had a debilitating disease and we subsistied on a meager social security pension. We were in a deep hole and what little I could muster by mowing yards, sling blading ditches, and picking fruit coukl do little to stem the tide of lack. I look back on those days and could see the seeming hopelessness in those circumstances, but there is always hope. My younger brother had a part-time night job at a local chicken place. For a period of a year or so, we had chicken every night. Sometimes we had the side items, corn, potatoes, beans, etc. You would think that we would have turned into a yard-bird complete with feathers and beak!

I can see those days and fathom the Hand of God in His provision! I am so grateful for those times. We are stronger when we sustain the gales of these circumstances. Out of the ashes arose a child more confident in His Creator, a young man more confident to stand on his own, a father who wanted better for his children. Our lives are measured in seasons. How do you weather those storms? Can you draw on the depths of what you have amidst the privation of what you do not? Can you recognize that life is of great value regardless of what you have, possess, your credentials?

You know by standards of utility, my family and I do not have much now. We live in a fairly small home but in my present estimation its a mansion. Often I am overwhelmed at the cost of living here in Washington DC; am snowed under by the stressful and frantic pace of life and then I close my eyes and am transported to place of great joy, to small townhome in Burke, Virginia. To a place where the chaos is overwhelmed by solitude. A place where the voice of my sweetheart calms, a place where my precious daughter sings her beautiful pieces for school, a place of laughter where my quick-witted son spreads delightful humor and a place of fantasy where my youngest's playtime is spread all over the house....a beauty shop, a nail salon! Yeah, I am okay now. I am at peace and I am clear about that. How about you friend? Now what's for supper? I think I will have chicken......yeah, I'm southern.

ON SINGING

You know that there is always the guy behind you in the congregation that cannot carry a tune? The hymns and choruses are stabbed at; they sheepishly sing….oh, some even freely admit that they are tone deaf. You know we are not talking about you, no, but someone who may look like you. Yes, we even find these dear souls in the choir. Sometimes they volunteer for the solos and the specials and their fragile egos cannot be crushed by the mere mention of the thought that it may smart to hear them. Actually, I know that every music minister in the world has to deal with this issue.

Well, there are the other people too. These are the folk who have a tremendous gift. I have a daughter who certainly fits in this category. They are the ones that can be counted on to get every note perfect; they are the quick studies with “broadway” voices. Now some of these folks (not all of course) have the “Diva” mentality. If you are in the choir or are active in your music program, chances are they have wandered in for a short time. Here, we your “spiritualized” Luciano Pavoratti, Placido Domingo or Alma Gluck. Here is another, yet cumbersome issue that those in ministry have to deal with.

You know I had a thought the other day that will bring some perspective on this. You know, no matter how perfect a voice, no matter how keen a talent, no matter how grand a command of diction, we are not going to measure up to the heavenly hosts that sing before God! You know those angels that appeared that night on a hill to the shepherds upon the pronouncement. Those that Isaiah saw in the temple in Chapter 6 singing the thrice Holy! No matter how good or poor an earthly voice, God only hears a heart! ”….Out of the abundance the heart speaketh”, MT 12:34b, but out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth singeth as well. You know that God deserves our best; no question. We should always minister with our gifts, but it’s okay if our abilities are in other areas. I don’t mind hearing a “tone-deaf” person sing if their ministry is genuine. I also love when a genuinely gifted person ministers with their talent as well. Check all egos at the door and admonish each other properly with love. Now where did I put those ear plugs?