Vol 4 No 31 - Worship Expectations

That God will say or do something that I could not have imagined, and praying that I will be totally open to God's presence in whatever form it comes.

That's the answer that comes to my mind in response to a question asked by one of my colleagues last week: "What do you expect to happen when you go to worship?"

As I think further on this, however, I wind up moving this answer to things beyond the corporate worship of the body of Christ on any given day, and look at life in general.  What would my life look like if I thought this way when dealing with: family, friends, co-workers, neighbors...or pretty much any and all situations in which I find myself?  What would your life look like if you allowed yourself to anticipate God saying or doing something in the most unlikely or mundane things?

So often, it seems that we allow ourselves to be in the mindset that in any given situation, God is going to do this or that.  I want to encourage you this morning to anticipate that God will be revealed to you in any and all situations, and to pray that you will allow yourself to be moved by the Holy Spirit into a place where you will see the God who is being revealed to you, in whatever way God may choose.

See you Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 30 - Toxicity

Toxic.  When I think of or hear this term used, my mind goes back to a black sticker with a bright green frowny-face on it that I used to see as a child.  If memory serves me correct, these very bright, very vivid stickers were reminder labels for the local poison control hotline.  The idea was to have them on anything toxic that you might get into around the house so that if you got into trouble someone could call immediately and find out what to do.

I've been thinking a great deal about these labels lately as I observe life on many levels.  There seems to be so much anger and anxiety going around society due to a number of factors (economics, politics, a general fear of an unknown future), and I wonder sometimes how much we as the people of God realize how much we can make a difference in the lives of those with whom we live, work, play, and worship.  I don't many of us who would willingly admit to wanting to be around negative people and negative situations; yet I wonder also how much we (willingly or unwillingly) contribute to negativity in the people and circumstances in our lives.

It would be really neat if every toxic person or situation had a neat poison control label, and if we could steer away from those environments.  However, we who take on the identity of Christian have a responsibility to bring grace to any and all we encounter.  We don't have the option of living a pollyannish existence - but we do have a choice of whether or not to bring grace and peace.

So, next time someone sends you a "the world's going to hell" e-mail, or next time someone comes up to you and tries to bait you into becoming a "nattering nabob of negativity", or you spend anytime watching someone in the political arena take shots at someone opposed to their idea, or someone is in your face, or there's a situation that you really don't like - take a five-count (or longer, if need be), smile, and remember that you are called to a higher standard.  Not to deny that there are serious situations that require serious conversations, but let's remember whose we are and what we claim to live.

Make no mistake about it - we live in an imperfect world.  Toxicity is a part of life.  But we can choose to contribute further to toxic environments (at home, work, school, society, among one another, etc.) or we can choose to be of a higher calling.

Think of the little skull and crossbones that is the universal symbol of poison - and ask yourself if you want to be identified by that image or by the image of the cross.

See you Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 29 - Forgiveness Demands

It was a little past 8PM last night when, in the first half of the Steelers-Cardinals pre-season game last night, an anxious nation received word that one of the great unknown mysteries of the summer of 2009 had been resolved.  Yes, that's right, former NFL quarterback Michael Vick was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Most of you know Mr. Vick's criminal background, and how he has spent two years in jail for his crime.  What strikes me this morning is the amount of hatred and venom being sent his way by fans in Philadelphia.  What Mr. Vick did was reprehensible, and as a dog owner it, quite frankly, nauseates me to even think of these actions.  However, the fact of the matter is that Mr. Vick has repaid his debt to society and is now a free man.

The question that comes to my mind has very little to do with Michael Vick and everything to do with you and me.  That question revolved around grace.  See, what I have been thinking of all morning as I have seen various reports of people responding to Mr. Vick is not a question of forgetting what he has done, but when, if ever, does someone deserve a second chance.  The question is:

What if Christ held a grudge against us for the sins we commit against him the way that we hold grudges against others who have done us wrong?

It's easy to sit here and condemn those people we have seen screw up, especially those who have caused us or those we love and care about great pain.  Yet, among Christ's final words were: "Forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Forgiveness isn't easy.  To have faith in Christ, however, DEMANDS forgiveness.  Otherwise, we have missed the whole point. 

See you Sunday!

Lamar

Vol 4 No 28 - Backups are Essential

The automated backup system.  A must-have in today's world.  So must-have, that it is foolish to risk not having your computer, your phone, and anything else not on some sort of automated backup system, especially where your most important data is concerned.  There is security that comes from knowing that no matter what may happen to your primary devices, there is something there to protect you from the consequences of losing your primary device.

As I have become more and more reliant on my phone and my computer over the past few years, I have redoubled my backup efforts.  So, last week when my phone crashed, I didn't give it a second thought, for I knew I had backed it up weekly for almost 2 years.  Long story short - the backup file was corrupted, and I lost some valuable data with little hope of getting it back.

Moral of the story:  Yeah, it's just some data that in the big scheme of things isn't that big a deal.  However, it did get me to thinking about in what do I really put my trust.  It may have become cliché in many people's mind, but its at the core of who we are - NOTHING will provide the reliability or security of life in Christ.  

Money, fame, power, family, friends, backups for electronics - all of that will eventually wash away.  Christ's love, however, is eternal.

See you Sunday!

Lamar