The Simply Amazing Acts of Being Church

[PHOTO: Christianity Today]

"But He’s already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, and don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously." (Micah 6:8, Message)

Sometimes, the rhythms of work and life can hold you hostage to seasons of busy that just won’t seem to let up. But after occasional sighing and whining, you learn to roll with them because you trust that, sooner or later, it’s all going to calm down to, well, quasi-normal. That kind of busy, though, is a lot different than the kind that tries to convince you that you need to keep doing more and more to succeed in life and relationships…and even in being a good follower of Jesus.

It doesn’t help that the culture of social media and 24/7 news cycles is filled with comparisons of your life with everyone else’s so-called full and successful life (and walk), and with it, a not so subtle sense of competition and peer approval and increasing levels of wow-gee-whiz-top-this-one, and endless invitations to join this or that or attend that or this, or simply do, do, do ’til you drop.

What’s wrong with this picture? And can I get off at the next stop, please?

Then one day, sanity makes an appearance right in the middle of that culture. A friend’s not-copy-and-paste Facebook status earlier this winter jumped off the page and stuck to my ribs with agreement and a longing that won’t quit:

“Stop glorifying busy.” 

It’s good to remember that the very first Church that ever was, even in its rather unorganized state, got that. It was filled with people who had demanding jobs and farms and fishing businesses and families. They undoubtedly had their own seasons of life-imposed “busy,” but they did seem to have a handle on simplicity in the midst of it all. Rather than adding more gotta-do-its to “do” church, they seemed to reorientate their normally busy lives to simply “be” church in the regular rhythms of their daily life—to and among one another, and supernaturally influencing their communities as a result.

Intentional, yes. Frantic, no. Effective, most definitely. Wow, who doesn't want that?

We may have read their story a gazillion times and thought, “nice, but sounds idealistic.” But it’s not. “Yeah right, sounds too good to be true.” But it’s not. “Cool story for way back then, but...” But it’s as relevant now as it was then.

How can we be sure? Well, there's this:

“Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Message). In other words, even this story of the First Church of the First Church is not written down to inspire mere wishful thinking….

“The community continually committed themselves to learning what the apostles taught them, gathering for fellowship, breaking bread, and praying. Everyone felt a sense of awe because the apostles were doing many signs and wonders among them. There was an intense sense of togetherness among all who believed; they shared all their material possessions in trust. They sold any possessions and goods that did not benefit the community and used the money to help everyone in need. They were unified as they worshiped at the temple day after day. In homes, they broke bread and shared meals with glad and generous hearts. The new disciples praised God, and they enjoyed the goodwill of all the people of the city. Day after day the Lord added to their number everyone who was experiencing liberation.”—Acts 2:42-47, The Voice

The details of how all that could manifest itself in each one of us in 2017 will be as different as our schedules, routines, and those in our inner circle of joy. But just maybe, the Second Chapter of Acts is, among many things, God’s eternal reminder to every generation to “stop glorifying busy” for busy’s sake, keep it powerfully simple throughout the day, worship with feet on, and then stand back and see what amazing things He can and will do. 

“Go where He calls you to go. Work the 9 to 5, but worship Him 24/7.”—Robin Mark

Closer Than We Think

"....Your prayers need not be labored or lengthy or grandiose—for Your Father knows what you need before you ever ask Him." (Matthew 6:8, The Voice)

Simply by the way He lived, Jesus' prayer life seemed to be uncontained, varied, and not what people expected. His example to us is that while all the "how to" books on prayer may be helpful, there is no one way to package what really matters: nurturing conversational relationship with the One who made us and everything else. And while there is certainly an important place for focused intercession that may go on for hours, there's a form of prayer that doesn't get enough credit for its power—the ones we lift Up that are really short.

I remember a visiting preacher telling the story of getting to have lunch with a highly esteemed man of God, known for wisdom that had to have come only from spending prolonged periods of time absorbing the red-letter words of Jesus and sitting in deep prayer and reflection. The preacher couldn't wait to get an up-close glimpse of this brother's insights into the secrets of the Kingdom and how to live it out practically in the day-to-day. When the lunch arrived, it was time to pray over the meal, and the preacher didn't quite know what to think when the esteemed man of God paused, then took a deep breath through his nose and simply said:

"Gawwwwwd! Amen."

And that was that. The preacher said that rather than a sense of irreverence, there was something contagious in the air around that table, of the joy and unexplainable power that happens when men and women breathe in and out with God throughout their day. Their life becomes a sermon because their hearts are full, and quite often, the words are few and with the simplicity of a child who loves hanging out with his Father.

I came home from work one day this week after spending the previous 24 hours away because of a March blizzard, and knew I'd be greeted by a driveway in need of snowblowing. Four-fifths of the way through, the auger belt gave in to the heavy crunch near the road, and instead of getting to go inside home sweet home, I wound up shoveling the rest of it and getting reacquainted with muscles and movements I hadn't experienced for awhile. In which case, you pause often. And in doing so, a surge of simple gratitude began to strangely well up within:

First, the sun was out, it wasn't snowing, and its warmth was cutting through the cold wind. This white stuff will not last... Looking up, the buds on the lilac bushes and maples were beginning to swell...A replay of good memories of kiddos-now-adults playing in the front yard flashed before me...A smile as I thought of the blessing of great colleagues at work, even when the hours can be long...The arrival of a friend who went out of his way on his way home to help assess the damage to the snowblower's innards and arrange to get the right part at the shop where he worked...And once finally inside, the wave of warmth that erased concerns that the power had gone out during the storm.

As Jesus showed time and again, He is always present in the routine, and sometimes seemingly more so in the midst of the chaos and storms of life. In fact on one occasion, He simply "showed up" with just three little words. Following His lead, it's good to remember that keeping it short can yield pretty powerful results when it comes from the heart of relationship:

As I was about to take my first bite of dinner after finally getting inside from shoveling and pausing—a growling empty stomach full of simple gratitude—I found myself saying the simple grace my son would often recite before every meal: "Thank You, Lord, for this beautiful supper and this beautiful day. Amen." Short and sweet. That seemed to say it all and say it best... and with it, a flood of peace in the midst of the storm.

It's a new week. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all that is within me (and all who pass by here) remember that it's good and perfectly OK to simply and regularly pray..."Gawwwwwwd!"

"Lift up your hearts to Him, sometimes even at your meals, and when you are in company; the least little remembrance will always be acceptable to Him. You need not cry very loud;

He is nearer to us than we are aware."

(Brother Lawrence, 'The Practice of the Presence of God')

Holding On

"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise." (Hebrews 10:23, New Living Translation)

There are the four wonderful seasons, and then there is March. In New England, it could be called spwintah: t-shirts and open car windows for three or four days straight, followed by numbing winds and snow that make January and February look lame by comparison. Apparently, that last part is going to be our lot this week.

Oh God, why?

Through the pen of Paul in the book of Romans, God says that He created the seasons and all of creation—even spwintah—to help all peoples in all the world know Him as Maker and Lord of all things and to show that He is always with us: "From the beginning, creation in its magnificence enlightens us to His nature. Creation itself makes His undying power and divine identity clear, even though they are invisible..."

For one thing, March is a tangible reminder that while we live in the now, we long for the glorious not yet. The t-shirt and open window moments not only give us a foretaste of that promised land, but encourage us to step into the authority and privilege of being children of God to bring a glimpse of the supernatural life and light and power of His heavenly goodness into the often cold reality of others' struggles, pain, and loneliness.

For another thing, March is a tangible way that God answers our question, "what do hope and faith really look like?" Several years ago, there was a March of all Marches. It snowed endlessly, and the snowbanks in my driveway were so high, neither shovel or snowblower could find room for one more inch. Opening Day for the Red Sox was just around the corner. Surely, this would be the year of no spring.

But above the towering snowbanks, a robin started singing....and a few weeks later, the black flies were out, and the snow shovel was replaced by a spade to tackle the garden's first weeds.

We may not like the weather forecast this week, especially now that it's Daylight Savings Time. But it's good to know that while we can be impatient in ways we thought we'd never be impatient, His promises of hope, of His presence 24/7, of resurrection life, and of new beginnings never fail — and are always right on time...

"He launches His promises earthward —

How swift and sure they come!

He spreads snow like a white fleece,

He scatters frost like ashes,

He broadcasts hail like birdseed —

Who can survive His winter?

Then He gives the command, and it all melts;

He breathes on winter...suddenly, it's spring!"

(Psalm 147:15-18, The Message)

Let it Burn

"And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with His gifts, but bold and loving and sensible."—2 Timothy 1:6-7, Message

There’s nothing like that burning-heart sensation when we plunge into a project, a ministry, or a craft, and think: “This is what I was born for.” While some, like Timothy, may be anointed by church leaders for specific tasks, all of us were formed in the secret place with God-breathed leanings, interests, and abilities to do everyday things intended to serve others and build up His kingdom.

But like Timothy, we may also become exhausted, intimidated, overwhelmed, and discouraged at times (our adversary seems to be tireless in trying to get us to suppress what God has uniquely gifted each of us to do). On top of that, we also have to fight cutting-edge syndrome, thinking what we do in life needs to be on the forefront of what God is doing in our day or it really doesn't count for much.

A better approach may be what my friend Nate asked the other day, "What if your grand calling is to lay the ground work for a movement that will happen long after you die?" This is exactly the kind of life God is applauding in the account of the simply faithful, obedient ones listed in the Book of Hebrews' "hall of faith"... 

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"Not one of these people, even though their lives of faith were exemplary, got their hands on what was promised. God had a better plan for us: that their faith and our faith would come together to make one completed whole, their lives of faith not complete apart from ours."

—Hebrews 11:39-40, Message

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The truth is that more than being at the cutting-edge forefront of something and leading the way, our higher calling in walking out the Kingdom is to be trailblazers in daily faithfulness and Love lived out loud for others to follow or to build upon, and to keep pointing to The Way as we go...whether sitting at a desk or behind the wheel all day, or homeschooling kids, or providing meals for those in need, or laboring alone in farm, forest, or factory, or.... And in God's eyes, apparently, that is all a very beautiful thing: "these were all commended for their faith." (Hebrews 11:39)

Even so, the battle to press on as trailblazers and keep stirring the embers is real, and for a lifetime. But because the gift within us is His, we can rest assured that it also has His power, love, and confidence/assurance behind it to accomplish what He desires—in His time and His method. And often, the best way to fan the flame within is to speak aloud to our soul what is True:

"It is God Himself who has made us what we are, and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago, He planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.” (Ephesians 2:10, Living)

"Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God." -Jim Elliot

[ADAPTED FROM 6-15-14]

Here for You

"Who am I, my master God, that You have brought me to this place in life?...What can I possibly say in the face of all this? You know me, master God, just as I am. You've done all this not because of who I am but because of who You are - out of Your very heart..." (2 Samuel 7:18-21, Message)

Of all all the great attempts by men and women down the through the ages to put pen to paper and describe what worship to God looks like, no definition has emerged as the "it." Perhaps the reason it seems impossible to land on an "it" is because of the incomparable amazingness of God that cannot be contained and put in neat, tidy prose. Our limited comprehension vs. God's unlimited awesomeness. In the words of Matt Chandler, "Trying to figure out God is like trying to catch a fish in the Pacific Ocean with an inch of dental floss."

It's not an "it," but a few days ago, another definition of worship grabbed my attention for its drop-the-mic simplicity. Powerful and true enough that it prompted me to tuck it away for future reference the next time someone asks, "So, is worship the singing and music part? Is it going to church? Is it the sermon? Is it what happens on Sunday morning?":

"I Am looking for a people that will simply pay attention to Me."

This is what David is doing: talking with God, being with God, listening for God, giving God all the glory for the goodness of his life as well as the faithfulness and love to--like no other friend--stick with hm through thick and thin. It is not a casual glance or a brief hello. It is a life on "pay attention" mode 24/7. It is breathing in and out attitude. It is worship not confined to a church or any type of formal or informal liturgy (as highly beneficial as those can be in helping us "pay attention"). It is not self-absorbed, and any hint of what's-in-it-for-me motive is nowhere to be found. In fact, near the end of his prayer, David says his "pay attention," overflowing-to-others lifestyle of worship is about one thing: "...so that Your Name will be great forever." (2 Samuel 7:26)

Today could be another routine Sunday morning of doing the church thing. Or, taking our cue from King David, it might be better to hit reset and speak these words to our soul as a reminder:

Soak your highly imperfect, person-after-God's-own-heart life in humility, awe, gratitude, honor, and praise of the One who alone gave it all for you, knows all about you and loves you just the same anyway, and who can fulfill far bigger dreams or answer far bigger prayers than you can ever imagine or ask, and who moves and lives not even in wonderful buildings where other imperfect persons-after-God's-own-heart gather, but in and through the "tents" of people who know and love His Name, and who even in their driest times (yes, even you) have a mysterious, deep-seated desire to make His Name great in all that we do and in and through the people we love.

Lord, let today be a defining moment, all over again.

"Let our praise be Your welcome

Let our songs be a sign

We are here for You, we are here for You

Let Your breath come from heaven

Fill our hearts with Your life

We are here for You, we are here for You

To You our hearts are open

Nothing here is hidden

You are our one desire

You alone are holy

Only You are worthy

God, let Your fire fall down..." (Matt Redman)

When Heaven Breaks Through

“The Lord graciously remembered and visited Sarah as He said, and the Lord did for her as He had promised.”—Genesis 21:1, Amplified

You don’t have to be an old person to be able to relate to the outrageously wild promise from God's messengers that Sarah, in her 90s, was going to get pregnant and give birth to a son who would help fulfill a prophecy for all of mankind (Genesis 18:10-12). It’s not just a mother thing, either; being a guy doesn’t disqualify you from being able to relate to Sarah, too, on this one level:

We are all prone to look first at everything through a natural, common sense lens rather than the lens of Heaven where all things are possible. It’s often manifested in the Sarah mindset of, “C'mon, I’m too old (or, young, or inexperienced, or uneducated, or whatever limitation you choose) for ______, or for God to work through me.”

Maybe you can even relate to what Sarah did when she looked at what she thought was the reality of the thing: Laugh in incredulity, either on the inside or in an unconfined guffaw. It is so good to know that God, in His great graciousness, didn’t condemn Sarah for her laughter that was based on the evidence in front of her, but instead invited her (and us) to think beyond the natural with a challenge:

“Why do you doubt My promises for what you can’t see? I am not like you or anyone else. I am with you but I am above all this that seems impossible. Is there anything too hard for Me?”

And, as the story goes, it wasn’t. We never read that Sarah suddenly “got it” and all was well. Only that she and wrinkly Abraham obeyed, and conceived Isaac—the son of laughter, through whom God said in affirming His promise “…through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.”

A promise so great, it leads to this “A record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob…..”

So, this is an amazing story of God’s faithfulness through the ages and about being true to His promises. And it’s a great story of encouragement to persevere in prayer and believe in the face of everything that screams to the contrary. Kind of like, if you’re from around here, last Sunday and 34-28 OT.

But even better than that. Sarah's story speaks to a believing that contends to see things that really matter eternally from God’s unlimited, no-fine-print gotcha viewpoint rather than from our own limited view of things, where “I’m too ____” is never a deal-breaker in the kingdom of Heaven on earth, and how all of that can make all the difference in our daily attitude as well as how we approach just about everything in this world, this Walk, and this life with others.

It all comes down to one word...

"Everyone has a perspective. It is not a matter of having it or not. The question is, who is dictating our perspective, what determines our perspective, and what values are shaping our perspective...This morning, you woke up and you began to view your day and your life with a specific perspective. That perspective will determine the tint with which you view of all of life. It will either release life or death, joy or depression, risk or fear. I believe it is one of the greatest battles for Christians in our day....Revival and reformation will not be possible without a perspective of a victorious Kingdom and an earth that is now filled and will continue to be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God! [Habakkuk 2:14] Only with this mindset can we live with hope, and only with hope can we lead the Bride into her greatest hour, her hour of fullness."

(Sean Feucht and Andy Byrne,”Fire and Fragrance")

#heavenisallaroundus

The Joy of Rowing

“Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.”—Mark 6:30-32 (New Living Translation)

But instead of a get-away-from-it-all moment, people and life’s demands just wouldn’t quit, and wound up following them relentlessly. It may have felt a little like these two guys. And just about all of us have been in that boat (maybe even this week).

Like the disciples, however, perhaps some of our most re-energizing and practical places of rest happen not by arriving at a particular destination but while we’re rowing hard on to the next thing...all the while talking with Jesus, asking Him questions about things big and small, and praying, all intermingled with long segments of comfortable silence. God with us, indeed.

It's here where we can discover that “The joy of the Lord is my strength” is more than just a song or bumper sticker, or a compartmentalized Sunday morning thing, but supernatural fuel for every day...no matter what may be waiting around the next cove.

"The Lord Jesus is a deep sea of joy; my soul shall dive therein, and shall be swallowed up in the delights of His society."(Charles Spurgeon)

[ADAPTED FROM 2-9-14]