The Perfect Way

A word from which we run with the greatest speed is Matthew 5:48.  It reads, "Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect."  Most of us read it and figure Jesus obviously meant something different than calling us toward perfection.  It makes no sense to take this Word literally.  Everyone knows perfection is impossible.  If we doubt it, ask anyone in a marriage about their partner!  No need to read this Word slowly.  Our time is better served in getting to something which is more realistically possible.

When I read this passage I always remember a story from my first appointment.  A young boy's Moma had to have surgery which put her on the sofa for an extended time.  Daddy did the cooking.  One night after supper while Mom and Dad relaxed a moment, the young boy climbed up on the kitchen counter.  With both feet in the sink filled with dishwater and supper dishes he sat.  He began to wash the dishes even though dirty feet were in the water.  His parents said nothing.  They watched.  It was a special moment for them which they talked about for many days.

His act was imperfect.  His feet were dirty.  He was not old enough to insure the dishes were clean, but he wanted to help.  As far as performance and results were concerned, it was filled with imperfection.  However, the motivation of his heart was perfect.  Perfection in love is what it might be called.  So, it is with our movement toward being perfect.  We will never achieve perfection if it is only a matter of performance.  Perfection in motivation is another thing.  Love takes us to heights and depths we could never attain by a program of self improvement.  Love moves us ever so gently into the realm of being perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect. 

A Hard Word

Our confrontations with evil, tragedy, and difficulties makes Romans 8:28 a hard Word to believe.  If anyone has a memory that needs jogging, Romans 8:28 says, "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose."   What likely gives most of us the most trouble is the first part which says, "We know that all things work together for good..."  There have been many troubles on the road we have walked which have caused us to wonder if the Apostle was truly one being inspired by the Holy Spirit when he wrote these words. 

"All things" cover a lot of bad stuff.  It does not provide for any exceptions or exclusions.  It means what it means which is that whatever comes along determined to be bad can be used for some good by God.  If we say we have never doubted this word, or that we have never thrown it up angrily in the face of God, we are probably caught up in a grand act of self denial.  It is a hard word to accept and believe, but it remains a part of the Sacred Word which we deem to be truthful, correct, and sound doctrine.

 

Sometimes it takes a long time of looking back to realize and accept the truth being declared by these words from Romans.  Sometimes it may even take a life time of living before we are able to look back at some dark moment in our life and see that God did manage to bring some good to us or others through it.  And, of course, there may be some things we have simply had to put on the back burner of our life so that we go forward with the rest of what we believe in tact.  When we are in the darkness of difficult moments, we are sure God could have figured out a better way.  Yet, the truth remains.  A part of the truth is that some moments are hard and impossible to understand.  And, the second part of the truth is that God is always at work in the circumstances of those who love Him to bring about goodness, love, mercy, and gratitude. 

The Hard Road

The hardest prayer we ever pray is probably the one we have prayed the most.  From top to bottom the prayer we learned to pray with the Sunday morning congregation is a tough prayer.  It is a prayer that challenges our value system and one which measures our faith.  It is a good thing we pray it without seriously considering the words, or we might be afraid to pray it the next Sunday.  What seems to be an ordinary and harmless prayer is instead life changing and dangerous.

 

Consider for a moment what it would mean if we took seriously those words, "...Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done..."  (Matthew 6:10)  Who among us really wants the Kingdom of God to dawn in the midst of their life?  Who really wants to live according to love and grace and mercy in every circumstance and in every relationship?  And, then who is ready to live asking only that God's will be done in their life?  When we start thinking about where "...Thy will be done..." takes us, we soon realize it takes us to a place of absolute and total submission to a will other than our own. 

For those who would rather dabble at the edge of the water with Jesus, these words about submission will never take hold.  When we pray only for God's will to be done it requires a willingness to forsake any right to self.  It means turning loose of our agendas, what we think God should or should not do, and embracing a love that demands or expects nothing.  The way of letting God's will be done in our life is not the easy road.  It is the hard road, the narrow road, and few are really willing to walk it. 

What Makes Sense

Fear sends us scurrying to strange places.  Most of us remember the story of Elijah doing spiritual battle on Mt. Carmel.  It was a moment of a tremendous public victory.  It was also a moment of knowing that the Lord has been powerfully at work through his life during the years of severe drought.  If ever there was a moment when a prophet's popularity ratings would have soared off the charts, it was this moment when the fire fell and the prophets of Baal were defeated and destroyed.

 

But, even while the smoke was still lingering, there is a strange turnabout.  Elijah, the victorious prophet, gets word that Jezebel has vowed to take his life within the next twenty four hours.  Verse 3 of I Kings 19 has his response to her threat.  "Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life..."  It makes no sense.  Why would a man who had just experienced such spiritual victory be afraid of the threatening words of this woman who represented everything over which the Lord had made him triumphant?  It simply makes no sense.

 

Fear often makes no sense.  Oh, there are times when it has a basis, but there are also those moments when fear is what makes no sense.  There are times when fears become irrational like some demon which keeps us away from reasonable and sound thinking.  Fear seems to have a way of short circuiting the connections which keep our life on track and in step with what God intends for us.  It is no wonder that Jesus said over and over  and over again, "Do not be afraid."  When fear takes hold, faith and trust is gone out the window.  Jesus tells us not to let fear possess us to the point that it takes away our life and our confidence in Him to take care of us.  Here is something which does make sense.

Shadow Dwellers

Shadow Dwellers.  To know one is to be blessed.  Shadow Dwellers are content to make a difference in the shadows even as the spotlight is shining on the person beside them.  They demand nothing for themselves.  They simply stand where no one really sees them and does whatever it is that God is calling them to do.  Daniel Nash who died in 1831 at the age of 56 was a Shadow Dweller.  For seven years he partnered with that great evangelist, Charles Finney.  Finney preached.  Nash prayed.  Before Finney arrived to preach, Nash had been praying for several weeks.  And while Finney stood in the pulpit before the crowds, Nash was alone in some nearby house praying.

 

How much difference did Nash make?  Within seven months of his death, Finney gave up the evangelistic work for a ministry as a pastor in a church.  One of the great Shadow Dwellers in the Holy Word is the disciple and Apostle, John.  He shared leadership among the Twelve and later in the early church with the Apostle Peter.  As we read the book of Acts, we see Peter and John moving forward together in ministry after the Day of Pentecost.  Much of the first part of the story recorded in Acts speaks of them ministering together.  But, it is always Peter who speaks.  John is there, but Peter always seems to be stepping forward into the spotlight. 

 

Like Daniel Nash, the Apostle John was a Shadow Dweller.  The Word never reveals any resentment or ill will between the two.  John was a spiritual giant in his own right, but he never sought the spotlight for himself.  He was content to be where God had put him.  If we look behind us, we may well see Shadow Dwellers in our own walk of faith.  And, it may even be that God is calling us to walk in someone else's shadow so that some holy work might be accomplished.  Wherever it is that He has put us, let us be thankful for the opportunity to serve according to His pleasure. 

What Cannot Be Managed

When Peter saw John tagging along behind him and Jesus on their walk down the water's edge, he became so distracted he lost his focus on Jesus.  (John 21:20-23)  "Lord, what about him?"  was is question.  Jesus had just told Peter how things would be for him when he was old (John 21:18) and he could not help wondering if it would be better or worse for John.  When we read Jesus' response it is as if He was telling Peter to mind his own business.   What was ahead for John was not Peter's business, but the business of John and Jesus.  (John 21:22)

 

Most of us have enough trouble managing our own spiritual stuff without trying to figure out what is happening in someone else's walk with Christ.  The temptation with which we struggle is the one of comparing how things are going with us and another.  Maybe we are tempted to think that our faith should give us a favored place with Jesus.  Or, maybe, we figure someone else is getting all the spiritual breaks and we are getting none.  Regardless of what prompts us to play the compare game, it is not the way Christ seeks to lead us. 

 

While we cannot live as some kind of spiritual island, we can only be responsible for our own spiritual journey.  We are never expected to manage the spiritual life of another.  We cannot be in charge of them when, of course, reality tells us we are not really in charge of our own.  Jesus calls each of us on this journey of faith.  Each one is equipped according to the will of the Father.  Each one is moved toward a purpose that is God given.  Even as we are called to trust God to lead us along the path He has prepared for us, so does He expect us to trust Him to do the same for those who are walking the road of faith alongside of us. 

The Distraction of the External

The gospel of John ends with a strange scene.  Jesus and Peter are walking away from the breakfast fire on the beach as they share an intimate conversation and John is following along behind like some long distance eavesdropper.  Verse 20 of that last chapter says, "Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them.."   Peter's awareness of John becomes a distraction.  Instead of being focused on what Jesus is trying to say to him, he becomes caught up in John's relationship with Jesus. 

 

It is an easy thing for us to lose our focus on the inner life.  We, too, often get distracted from the moment of living focused on what Christ is seeking to do in our own heart.  The work of the inner life is easily hijacked by the external. Instead of keeping our focus on our life with Jesus, we get caught up in trying to manage someone else's spiritual life.   Jesus was trying to give Peter an assurance of forgiveness and Peter was caught up in looking over his shoulder.  Jesus was saying, "Follow me" (John 21:19, 22) just like He had in the very beginning and Peter was somewhere other than the present moment. 

We miss much of what Jesus is saying to us and much of what He is seeking to do in our lives because we lose our focus on the value of the inner life.  So many people are speaking words to us, so many things are happening around us, so many thoughts are running rampant in our head and they become major distractions for us .  Jesus may repeat Himself as He did with Peter to pull us back into the present moment with Him, but He will not demand that we forsake the external pulling for the inner probing of the Spirit.   It is our choice.  We can only look in one direction.  We can only listen to one conversation.   Jesus wanted all of Peter's attention and it is no different with each one of us. 

Not From the Same Mold

The image of John trailing along behind Jesus and Peter as they are having an intimate conversation will simply not fade away as the page is turned.  (John 21:20)  It has been an image which has returned numerous times as I have meandered away from the Word and into other pursuits.  The Word does this to us sometimes.  It is as if Someone is saying, "Hey, there is more here than you are seeing."   Or, maybe the Spirit is seeking to say a Word which we have no ears to hear or eyes to see.  Whatever the case, it seems that there is something more here. 

 

As I continue to walk with the image, I wonder what is being missed?  What is it about this image that keeps me from turning away from it?  It seems that John is intruding on a very personal moment between Jesus and Peter.  And as Peter sees him and speaks to Jesus about the presence of this tag along disciple, it seems that he is resentful of his presence.  As Peter asks. "Lord, what about him?"  (John 21:21), Jesus seems to be telling him to stay focused on his own stuff instead of trying to manage someone else's life.  What Jesus wanted Peter to hear was the Word, "Follow me,"  (John 21:19. 22).  It would seem that Jesus did not want Peter to lose his focus on the important thing.

 

Certainly, the two disciples were different, cut from different molds.  Peter was the one who seemed to view the world with more literal eyes.  He was the male counterpart of Martha.  Peter was the guy always looking for something to do.  On the other hand, John, appears more like Mary.  He is the one who is ready to be present, to be near, and to hear what is being said.  He has eyes to see things that most folks do not see.  While they were both leaders of the disciples and later Apostolic leaders of the early church, and while they worked together, they were not cut from the same mold.  Fortunately, Jesus can make use of folks cut from every mold which is good news for each one of us. 

Two Sources of Authority

Celtic spirituality took root without the influence of the Roman Church in a land described as the edge of civilization.  It was a tradition which took as its authority St. John who is remembered as the beloved disciple of Jesus and the one who leaned against Jesus at the Last Supper.  Thus, the Apostle John became the image of the practice of listening for the heart of God.  This spiritual tradition waned in influence after the Synod of Whitby in 664.  It was a moment when Celtic spirituality and the institutional life of the Roman Church came into conflict. 

 

At the Synod of Whitby the official position became one which recognized St. Peter as the primary authority of the Church.  Instead of listening for the heart of God in everything, it was decided that the organized Church was the place to listen.  This Church was founded on the authority of Peter who was a symbol of faithful action.  It was a moment when it was declared that listening for God could only be done within the ordained ministry and the formal life of the Church.  Celtic spirituality leans into the contemplative life while the spirituality of the institutional church leans into a life of activity and doing. 

 

What prompted the memory of things read was a picture painted by the gospel writer John at the very end of his gospel.  After Jesus walked with Peter on the beach (John 21:15-19), the Word says, "Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them..." (John 21:20).  It is an image which creates both a question concerning John following and another concerning Peter's comments upon seeing him.  Both were leaders within the group of twelve and both became Apostles.  Even then, though, there seems to be invisible undercurrents existing between the two. 

More to Come

John's gospel is unique in many ways.  Aside from all the obvious things such as narratives and images, he is the only one who includes a prologue (John 1:1-18) and an epilogue (John 21:1-25).  Mark does include some additional writings at the end of his gospel, but there is more than a fair amount of controversy concerning authorship.  Rather than an epilogue, it seems like a later addition.  As we read the epilogue John wrote for his gospel, we get the impression that John, like any good preacher fighting with a sermon, had more material to use than he could get on the scroll.

 

Actually, he makes a couple of references to this possibility.  Before the epilogue begins, he wrote, "Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book...(John 20:30)  And, then with the very last words of the epilogue, he wrote, "But there are also many other things that Jesus did, if everyone of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written."  Of course, there is no surprise here for any of us.  We know there is always more to the story than what is found on the printed page. 

And, even as Jesus did many things which were not recorded by the gospel writers, whatever they might have recorded would be a paltry collection compared to what the living Christ has done since those first days of resurrection appearances.  It is staggering to think about.  It brings to mind a Word of Jesus in which we hear Him saying, "Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father."  (John 14:12)  The story about Jesus is not limited to the years He spent on this earth as one like us, but has spanned the centuries constantly revealing His presence among us and His work within us.  What is truly staggering to consider is that His mode of operation involves folks like you and me.

Forgiveness

As John brings his gospel to a close, he moves from the room in Jerusalem to the seashore.  Seven of the disciples respond to Peter's urge to touch base with something familiar from the past so they head out before dawn to fish.  They are so occupied with their futile efforts, they are unaware the resurrected Jesus is watching from the beach.  When He finally makes Himself known to them, they receive a fishing tip and an invitation to breakfast on the beach.

 

It is a picture of warm fellowship created by John.  But, Jesus did not just show up to cook fish for a group of hungry fishermen, but to have an important moment with Peter.  If Jesus appeared that Sunday after the resurrection with Thomas on His mind and heart, He surely appeared on the beach with Simon Peter on His mind and heart.  Somehow He managed to separate Peter from the othes.  Perhap, it was a moment when His eye caught Peter's eye and a nod of the head made Peter know he was to rise from the fire with Jesus. As they walked slowly along the edge of the water, a moment of much needed forgivenss took place.   

The conversation was not about Jesus forigiving Peter, but about Peter forgiving Peter.  He had surely borne a heavy load of guilt since the night he betrayed Jesus.  The smoke of the charcoal fire and the three fold questioning broght it back to Peter as clearly as the morning sun filling up the horizon over the water.  As Peter heard Jesus assuring Him that He still had plans for him, he knew that his past failure had not ruined the rest of his life.  He could let the guilt go.  He knew Jesus has not only forgiven him, but it was as if He did not remember or hold it against him.  As he walked that morning with Jesus, he walked into the light of a new day in his life.  No matter what is in our past, we can do the same.

Believing

A week after Resurrection Sunday, Jesus showed up for a second time to the disciples who were gathered in their meeting place.  The first time Thomas was absent, but on this second Sunday, those present the first week persuaded Thomas to come the second week.  Of course, as we read the story it becomes apparent that Jesus came that second week with Thomas on his mind and heart.  To Thomas Jesus said, "...Do not doubt but believe."  (John 20:28)  Thomas belief is made evident in Jesus' final words to him, "Have you believed because you have seen Me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."  (John 20:29)

 

John's gospel is a gospel filled with contrast.  Light and darkness.  Blind and seeing.  Thirst and water.  But, the one contrast which runs throughout the narrative is the contrast between belief and unbelief.  An interesting thing to do would be reading John's gospel noting each time the contrast between belief and unbelief appears.  A commentary on John used throughout the years of my ministry was one entitled, "The Gospel of Belief."  Believing in Christ is a supremely important issue.  It is not a peripheral matter, but one which is crucial to core of the Christian faith.

 

These days some may be heard saying that faith in Christ is not so important.  Some say all the blessings of the Christian life can be ours simply because God is a God of love.  While the Word teaches universal atonement, it does not teach universal salvation.  Salvation comes to those who trust and believe in Jesus.  Regardless of what we might like to be reality, the Word teaches that belief in Jesus is the difference in life and death.  The 31st verse if the 20th chapter of John tells us, "...these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in His name." 

The Second Visit

One week after the resurrected  Jesus showed up in the room where the disciples had gathered behind locked doors, it happened again.  This time it was different.  While the door was shut, it was not locked, (John 20:26)  Meeting exactly one week later suggests they were hoping Jesus would come again.  The fact that they had persuaded Thomas, who was absent the first time, to be present this second time tells us they were expecting Jesus to be present again.  This time the room was not filled with a surprised gasp, but an expectant spirit.

 

It is also clear that Jesus appeared this second time with Thomas on His mind and heart.  As soon as He offered peace to the gathered group, He turned to Thomas and said, "Put your finger here and see my hands...do not doubt but believe."  (John 20:27)  It was a moment when all the uncertainty within Thomas was eradicated.  Thomas responded to Jesus by declaring, "My Lord and my God!"  (John 20:28)  No doubt the one who is known as the Doubter never wavered again in his conviction that Christ had risen from the dead. 

 

One of the things learned from this resurrection account is that Jesus appears in our life not according to our inner attitude, but according to His mercy and grace.  On that second Sunday Jesus came into the room where the disciples had gathered to address the disappointment and disillusionment of one single man.  Jesus was not going to be content with all but one.  The one was important.  Thomas was important to Him.  You and I are important to Jesus.  Each one of us is important to Him and if we listen we will hear Him calling our name even midst our confusion, our fear, and our doubt. 

The Seeking Christ

The stone which blocked the entrance to the tomb of Jesus was not moved on Resurrection Morning so Jesus could make an exit, but so that the disciples and the women could make an entrance.  No exit was necessary for Jesus.  The rolled away stone simply made it easier for the early morning witnesses.  And if Jesus was not hindered by a stone blocking the door, He was surely not bothered by a mere door leading into a room.  On the evening of the Resurrection Jesus suddenly appeared in the room blocked by a locked door.

No doubt some were scared out of their sandals, if they wear still wearing them.  Others experienced surprise which probably bordered on heart stopping shock.  This was not a case of mass hallucination.  Neither was it the result of a near death experience such as some folks talk about in our day.  Jesus was standing inside that room closed off from the world by a locked door because He had been raised from the dead and given a body which manifested itself in ways that were no longer bound by physical laws.  How long He lingered in the room we are not told, but it was long enough for each person in the room to become convinced that living presence of the Christ was with them.

Our encounters with Jesus are often like those of those disciples on the day of Resurrection.  There is often this quality of "now you see Him, now you don't" about any awareness of holy presence.  And, as much as we might talk about seeking Him, we are more likely to have Him showing up in our life in unexpected and surprising ways.  We might expect to sense that He is with us in worship on Sunday, but He is actually very likely to break  into those moments which are filled with fear and uncertainty.  When we have put up barriers between us and Him, He has a way of showing up.  Even as we see Him seeking the disciples on Resurrection Sunday, so can we count on Him to seek us and make Himself known.

Do Not Be Afraid

A favorite post resurrection story has always been the one in which the resurrected Jesus shows up unexpectedly midst a gathering of the disciples.  It was the evening of Resurrection Morning and about their meeting the Word says, "...and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews."  (John 20:19)  Given what had happened that day, it would seem that they would be fearless.  While Peter and John were witnesses to the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene had reported seeing the living Jesus in the garden around the tomb. 

 

Perhaps, it was simply too much to comprehend.  Each one had heard Jesus speak of the fact that He would die and be raised from the dead, but no one took this word seriously, or literally.  Dead men do not rise from the dead.  Not a one of them had ever seen it happen!   How strange that they would still be gripped by such fear when Jesus was out there somewhere walking in resurrected form!  E. Stanley Jones, a giant of a missionary from the last century, first introduced me to the theme of the disciples gathered behind locked doors because of their fear. 

One of the things the gospel records in many places is Jesus telling people like you and me not to be afraid.  Yet, we still allow our fear to take hold of our lives.  Fear is the opposite of faith.  Faith in the midst of what is unknown, unmanageable, and un-seeable takes us to a different place than responding to such things with fear.  There is nothing out there in the troubling darkness, or in the confusing chaos that is beyond the control of God.  And, the promise of the Word is that nothing has the power to separate us from His love, or His presence.  There is no need to lock the doors of our life out of fear since Jesus is out there, within us, and likely to make Himself known at any moment. 

Morning Light

As John tells us about Resurrection morning, we find ourselves immersed in a story that begins in darkness and moves toward light breaking open the morning.  While we know that Mary Magdalene's first arrival at the empty tomb was in the darkness, we can only surmise that some of the darkness must have broken to allow John and Peter to run to the place where Jesus had been placed in the tomb.  Surely, some light was shining when they arrived enabling them to see who was missing from the tomb.

 

And, of course, by this time Mary Magdalene has made it back to the place she had left in the darkness.  When she peers into the dark tomb there was enough morning light coming over her shoulder for her to see the two angels inside.  Of course, the angels may have made a light of their own!  Hardly had she turned around when she saw the One she supposed to be the gardener.  By this time light was surely breaking enough for things seen dimly to be seen clearly.  It was in this light that Jesus came into view and called her name.

The world in which we live and breathe in our relationship with Jesus is the world of faith.  Faith does not always provide the ability to see things clearly.  What it does do is point us forward into the world where reality is often only dimly seen like a roadside direction sign obscured by fog.  From it we learn something of what is ahead, but we must move forward to see it.  From the moment Mary left her home in that early morning darkness, she was moving toward an encounter with the risen Lord.  What she could not see clearly in the beginning, she finally saw as she arrived in His presence.  Our journey through our own darkness will finally bring us to Him as well.  Count on it!

Light in Darkness

Morning was when the resurrection was discovered.  All the gospel writers agree on this one element of the story.  There are points of diversion, but it is clear that the setting for the greatest story ever told is early morning.  John's gospel reports, "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark..."  (John 20:1)  What is implied in the accounts of the other gospel writers is spelled out by John who loved to write of the contrast between light and darkness.  Before the sun came up and while darkness was still heavy on the earth, Mary Magdalene, began her walk to the place where the dead body of Jesus had been placed.

 

It is not hard to imagine that there was another darkness resting upon her that was deeper and darker than the one still laying hard upon the earth.  There was surely a deeper darkness within in her heart as her grief and sorrow guided her back to the place so quickly left on Friday evening.  Anyone who has ever stood at the grave of a loved one can understand the depth of the darkness which grief over the loss of someone loved brings. 

 

And while our journey toward the remembrance of this Resurrection Sunday may take us to a place other than a sanctuary filled with celebration, the message we will discover has not changed.  Nothing can change the message of resurrection.  No troubling day and no darkness has such power.  Nothing can take away our hope.  As the Apostle Paul wrote, "...But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead..."  (I Corinthians 15:20)  Christ is risen!  Christ is risen, indeed!  And as He has been raised from the darkness of death, so have the faithful who have died before us, and so shall we.  Thanks be to God for bringing light to the darkness!

Forgiveness

As John brings his gospel to a close, he moves from the room in Jerusalem to the seashore.  Seven of the disciples respond to Peter's urge to touch base with something familiar from the past so they head out before dawn to fish.  They are so occupied with their futile efforts, they are unaware the resurrected Jesus is watching from the beach.  When He finally makes Himself known to them, their receive a fishing tip and an invitation to breakfast on the beach.

 

It is a picture of warm fellowship created by John.  But, Jesus did not just show up to cook fish for a group of hungry fishermen, but to have an important moment with Peter.  If Jesus appeared that Sunday after the resurrectin with Thomas on His mind and heart, He surely appeared on the beach with Simon Peter on His mind and heart.  Somehow He managed to separate Peter from the othes.  Perhap, it was a moment when His eye caught Peter's eye and a ood of the head made Peter know he was to rise from the fire with Jesus. As they walked slowly along the edge of the water, a moment of much needed forgivenss took place.   

The conversation was not about Jesus forigiving Peter, but about Peter forgiving Peter.  He had surely borne a heavy load of guilt since the night he betrayed Jesus.  The smoke of the charcoal fire and the three fold questioning broght it ack to Peter as clearly as the morning sun filling up the horizon over the water.  As Peter heard Jesus assuring Him that He still had plans for him, he knew that his past failure had not ruined the rest of his life.  He could let the guilt go.  He knew Jesus has not only forgiven him, but it was as if He did not remember or hold ti against him.  As he walked that morin with Jesus, he walked into the light of a new day in his life.  No matter what is in our past, we can do the same.

Forever

As long as I have read the Bible, and I have been reading since I first learned to read, the 23rd Psalm has had a special place.  Like so many others, it became one of the first sections of Scripture put to memory.  As a pastor seeking to bring comfort to those in need, I turned to read its words more times than I could possibly count.  Of course, as masterful as are the words, the real power has always been in the images those words created.  From the very first words to the final phrase, our spirits are captured and enabled to see things which cannot be seen.

 

Midst all the troubling things experienced in these days, the hardest is not the inconveniences or the social isolation, but in the loss of those who are family and friends.  As we read this Psalm in these times, we come to a powerful word of comfort in the last verse as David writes, "...I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."  (Psalm 23:6)  As the book of Revelation answers the question of the living about the martyred dead (Revelation 7:9-17), so does the last phrase of this Psalm tell us a word about the blessedness of those who have gone home to eternity before us.

To read of this blessing of eternity in the presence of God is far too much for this mortal mind to grasp.  The image of the Word allows my spirit to ponder what cannot be understood, to catch a glimpse of what cannot be seen, and to know what cannot be known.  Until that day when faith becomes sight, I will lean into this image and let the Holy Spirit unfold it in ways that will reveal that which He designs for me to see.  It is His comfort which gives me hope for these days when the trouble seems to have overwhelming power and also my hope for the days of blessings still to come. 

The Final Walk

One of the first passages of Scripture I learned as a boy was the 23rd Psalm.   Many of us had our parents as our teachers.  My mother was the one who first put these verses before me.  I cannot even begin to know how many times I have turned to this chapter for reading, or how many times I have quietly spoken its words in troubled times.  Over the years of ministry it was a chapter I would read as I stood with the sick in their homes, or the dying ones in the hospital. 

 

It is one of those sections of Scripture which is imbedded deep in our memory.  Perhaps, we could even say it is a passage that takes root in our soul and nourishes it for a lifetime.  One part of the passage which is becoming very personal and even more powerful in its meaning in this time of great trouble is the 4th verse, "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."  I have always believed when I repeated these holy words over those who could not respond that the Words would resonate with their soul and bring comfort. 

It is indeed a Word which assures us that we are never alone.  We are never caught up in any moment of living or dying when we are not within the care and protection of God.  When we go beyond the place where human comfort is possible, the comfort of the One who created us remains with us.  His promise is that we will not be forsaken.  He will never leave us.  Instead, He will go with.  Even as He has walked with us throughout all the days of our journey on this earth, He will finally walk with us all the way home.  Thanks be to God.

Comfort

As I have walked the last few days through this trouble that is upon us, I have found myself singing over and over those words from Handel's "Messiah,"  "Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people..."  Actually, what I would like is to hear some of my talented music friends singing this again as I have heard them do in the past.  Nonetheless, it is a remembrance that has drawn me back to the first verse of the 40th chapter of Isaiah where the Word of God reads, "Comfort, O comfort my people, says Your God." 

 

Surely, these are days when many are in need of holy comfort.  Surely, these are days when most of us need this comfort that comes from the One who has created us.  It is easy to feel alone in these days of being separated from others, from our regular routine, and from our external sources of spiritual encouragement.  And while so many of us struggle midst unusual and trying living circumstances, there are also those who are struggling in the throes of dying.  So many are in need of this holy comfort that God seeks to offer.

 

Often times we find ourselves thinking that we do not know what to say, or how to pray when the trouble of these days seems to settle over us, or those we love.  Many things are obvious to the eye, but to read these words from the Word brings a reminder that as God works to heal and make whole, He pours out comfort upon His people.  "Holy Father, comfort us as we walk through these uncertain times.  Comfort us when our fears have taken the place of faith.  Comfort those who walk now in the valley where the long shadows of death are heavy and deep.  Comfort those who are dying with a deep sense of Your comforting holy presence.  Comfort us all, Father, with the assurance that You will bring us through these days to life.  In the name of Your Son we pray.  Amen"

Praying For Others

Praying in times of trouble is something we have always done.  Even those who have no part with prayer in ordinary times find themselves breathing prayers when the weight of the trouble becomes too heavy.  It  is also a time to pray for others.  Praying for others is something we have done in the past and it is something others have done for us.  Anyone who has been involved with this spiritual work understands both its power and its value. 

However, sometimes as we look around us at the magnitude of the trouble so many are facing we find ourselves so overwhelmed, we know not how to pray.  In those moments it is easy to simply not pray.  The Word of God has a Word for us in those moments when our soul needs encouragement.  In Galatians 6:9 we hear the Word of God saying, "So let us not grow weary in doing what is right..."  The same admonition sounds in II Thessalonians 3:13.  The truth is that our praying for one another may be the most important and lasting gift we can give in these days.

Each day gives us an opportunity to pray a prayer of intercession, or to offer a spiritual blessing to another.  In these days of being so separated from others, it is a way to affirm that we are still connected in a vital way to those around us.  The prayer might take a traditional form.  It may be that we can write a prayer we are praying and email it to a person in need, or to someone we love.  Writing a blessing prayer is also a way to express our care for another in a way that invokes the power and presence of God.  "May the care of the Father be as a shield around you.  May the light of the Son show the safe way before you. May the mystery of the Spirit swirl like morning mist within and around you."   Be blessed today.  Offer a prayer or a blessing with someone today and everyday.

A Cackling Hen

I did not grow up on a farm, but I am the son of parents who did.  And, my early memories are of going out in the country to visit uncles and aunts and cousins who lived on farms.  I was always envious of their world.  It was the world of water wells, water buckets and long handled dippers on the front porch, outhouses, mules, chickens, and yards that were swept instead of mowed.  The first thing I ever said I wanted to be was a farmer.  Somehow, that got swept under the rug with a call to preach and only now in retirement have I finally arrived at the farm.

 

It is an interesting place to live.  It is a place with a huge learning curve.  Today while working in the garden I stopped in amazement to listen to the hen in the coop laying an egg.  I am sure the neighbors across the hay field must have heard her loud cackling which announced her moment of laying.  I have no idea why hens cackle when laying an egg.  Maybe it is a shout of joy, or relief, or celebration, a moment of bragging, or maybe an invitation to come and get tomorrow's breakfast. As I paused to listen, it was like a reminder that midst all the trouble of the day, the order of things is still unfolding according to the plan of the Creator.

 

It is easy to lose sight of this truth with today's overwhelming trouble.  It seems like order has gone off the rails and chaos has gained an upper hand.  Why things are like they are I no more understand than cackling hens.  But, I long ago learned that understanding is not necessary, or required.  I am simply a part of the creation.  Oftentimes the words of the Apostle Paul serve as a marker for the journey into unmarked and unwalked territory.  In Philippians 4:11 he wrote, "I have learned to be content with whatever I have..."  While I do not walk this talk as well as the Apostle, it is a word which beckons me to go forward believing that the One who leads will provide whatever is needed in these times of trouble. 

Not A Bad Blessing

In these troubling days, there are lessons to be learned no one really wanted to learn.  One of those has to do with learning to live with limited resources.  After all, we are the people who figured all resources were unlimited.  There was never any need to worry about not having enough of the needed or wanted stuff of life.  All of a sudden we have landed in a different world.  Stretching out what is limited is now everyday stuff.

 

It brings to mind a part of the Elijah narrative found in I Kings 17.  After getting the word that a drought was coming, Elijah was told to go first and live by the Wadi Cherith and when it dried it up, he was told to go live with a widow of Zarephath who told him, "I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; and I am now gathering a couple of sticks, sot hat I many go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die."  (I Kings 17:12)  Because of God's promise and her faithfulness, "The jug of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail..."  (I Kings 17:16)

These days have reminded us that our provision is no longer just about us.  Of course, it never was.  We just thought it worked that way.  Now we are coming to understand that we cannot guarantee food on our table.  It makes us more conscious of the prayer Jesus taught people to pray, "Our Father in heaven....give us this day, our daily bread..."  ((Matthew 6:11)  Table blessings which might have been just a rote practice have taken on an entirely meaning.  When we bless the food now, we do so mindful that our supply is limited and that we really are dependent on God to provide which is not a bad blessing for any of us to receive. 

The Right Direction

Even when the troubles of one day seem near about more than can be stood, there are things all around us which keep us pointed toward the future.  Being pointed in that direction is always important.  I learned this lesson back in the days when I was pastor of the Talbotton Church from an older man who was a peach farmer.  I remember visiting with him one day while he was planting new trees  and when I seemed curious about him planting them when he was so old, he told me something I have carried with me wherever I have gone,   "When I am gone," he said, "I want my children to know I was pointed in the right direction."

 

I was reminded of Mr. Jordan's lesson as I was covering up an open furrow in which I had cast pea seed.  The seed which was disappearing in the dirt beneath my feet would one day reappear, first as a small green sprout and later the small green sprout would turn into a large vegetable producing bush.  While it is always important to live with a mindfulness as to what is all around in the present moment, we are also called to live with our eyes looking at what is ahead.  Even in the midst of this present trouble we need to stay pointed in the right direction.

The right direction is toward life.  God is always taking us toward life.  The abundant life promised by Jesus is ever before us.  At times it seems that life is being drained of anything good, but present day troubles do not have that power.  We are surely reminded of this as the celebration of the resurrection draws near.  Both the cross and the empty tomb point us toward the life which is always ahead.  Jesus went through the great darkness to eternal life and has promised us safe passage on this same journey which is always before us.  When it is all said and done in this life, may it be said of all of us that we lived pointed in the right direction.

Not A Cop Out.

When the darkness is at its deepest and the blackness is beyond being penetrated, the light still shines with its overcoming power.  Count on it.  The Word says in the beginning of John's gospel, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it."  (John 1:5)  I have always been partial to John's gospel.  Unlike Matthew with his propensity for telling folks how to live, John chose to speak of the way by creating images for his readers to ponder.  The Sermon on the Mount is a black and white definitive Word requiring no imagination, but John constantly uses words to create pictures that leave us pondering.

 

I have always been more than a little skeptical of those who have it all figured out.  Some folks seem to have a way with the Word which enables them to go to chapter and verse to explain any situation.  My search for that kind of certainty has more than not left me with an even greater uncertainty and questions for which there seem to be no satisfactory answers.  While I would like to be able to understand these days of trouble and speak to others in a way that sets their spiritual needs to ease, it is for this preacher an impossible struggle.  All I know is that we live in a world where some things make perfect sense and other things make no sense at all.

 

As John throws out this image of darkness and light, he gives my spirit permission to wander around midst an unexplainable mystery that makes me think of Annie Dillard's  "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek" where she writes about the creation being full of the "now you see it, now you don't."  Sometimes as I ponder the darkness heavy upon us, I think I have some understanding, but if I dare to look a little longer, I realize I have no understanding at all.  While some might say it is a cop out to intellectual thought, I fall back on faith.  It is not understanding that enables me to live midst the deep darkness, but faith in the Light of the World whose presence and power cannot be overcome. 

The Light

Some troubles come and linger so long, we give up looking for the light at the end of the tunnel.  Noah and his wife must have felt like that as they were cooped up day after day after day with all those animals inside a big boat.  No doubt there was plenty to keep them busy as they shoveled out the Ark at the end of each day, but it surely got old before it was over.  And, then, the Hebrews endured 430 years of captivity before God heard their cries and sent Moses to be His man of the hour. 

 

Sometimes trouble seems to have no end.  At this point we find ourselves settling into whatever it is that is a part of this particular season of trouble.  We have moved into a different routine.  We are practicing a frugality designed to make things taken for granted last longer.  We live with the growing awareness that the only certain thing is uncertainty.  And, we are once again learning that having control has always been just an illusion.  Life is about living without being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

Life is also about living with faith.  The writer of Hebrews wrote, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."  (Hebrew 11:1)   The fact that we cannot see the end of this particular season of trouble does not mean it is beyond the perimeters of God's power.  The light of Christ which has touched our life and transformed it continues to shine in full power.  We may not be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we are daily able to see and experience this light which shines in the darkness and which cannot ever be overcome by any darkness.  (John 1:5)  No matter how long we endure the darkness, God continues to hear us and God continues to work out His plan for our deliverance.  It is what God has done, is doing, and will continue to do. 

The Library of the Heart

When I was growing up, it was my fate to be the son of parents who believed that the Sunday morning worship service and the Sunday evening worship service was offered so that I could attend them.  Very few did I ever miss.  I remember coming home from college one weekend and announcing to my mother that I would not be going to church on that Sunday morning, only to get the spiel many have heard which includes, "While you sleep under this roof and eat at this table...."  so I got up and dressed for church.

 

What I did not realize I was getting at the time was a library of spiritual songs, religious rituals, and memorized selections of Scripture.   It was not a library made for the shelves, but for the heart.  Only when I made it deep into my adult years did I realize how much of this stuff I learned at church was imbedded in my spirit.  I needed no hymnbook to sing, no book or ritual to recite creeds and prayers, nor a Bible to have the Word before me.  It was all inside.  I carried it with me. 

Many times through the years of preaching I would find a way to inject this word about the value of young people being in worship with their parents.  Even though they might be sleeping and not paying attention, as was the case with me many a Sunday, osmosis gave me more than I knew I was getting.  What they got from being in church was more important than learning how to kick or hit a ball.  One of the things the young and old get from regular church attendance is preparation for troubling times.  They are always sure to come.  During these days of trouble, we see more than ever the value of the faith we carry with us and the rich resources we can carry in our heart for times of trouble. 

Two Winged Visitors

Two Canadian Geese visited the pasture yesterday afternoon.  It happened late in the day about the time they tend to be moving around in these parts.  Maybe they got lost and landed to talk it over.  Certainly, they were making a lot of goose talk as they strutted around.  The cows were mesmerized.  They were all standing in place, staring as if they had suddenly been turned into pillars of salt.  Not a move did they make until the two visitors took wing and flew to wherever they were going. 

Of course, the cows in the pasture were not the only watchers.  I stopped, sat awhile, and watched, too.  Our children are amazed at what is entertainment on the farm.  Cow watching has become one of those things which brings great pleasure and a measure of peace.  Throw in a couple of visiting geese and it is like a double feature on Saturday morning!  And while, not everyone might be a cow watcher, folks are finding new ways to spend their time during these troubling days.  Even with this growing dark cloud above us, we are finding pleasure again in simple things.

Maybe this is one of the blessings with which God is gracing us in these times.  People are walking, growing gardens, reading their Bibles more, sitting down as a family for board game time, and very likely actually talking about stuff previously viewed as too trivial for conversation.  And, another surprising blessing is the way we have been enabled to separate what is really important and what we just always thought to be important.  One day the dark cloud will be lifted.  Such is the future of dark clouds. What could be permanent is the impact of the blessings of these troubled days.  Just maybe life will truly be lived differently and better in the days which stretch out before us.