Powerful Grace

We have been given grace through Christ not because of what we do, but because we are loved children of God. Grace is a hug given without intent. It is not a hi, goodbye or thanks it is simply an unexpected, undeserved warm embrace. Grace is a foot hold that appears when we have lost our grip. Grace is a flower that is able to bloom through the snow. If we are too busy sometimes we miss it, but it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

I was recently remembering a powerful experience I had that was full of grace. I was at a praise service where the children gather in the isle during the songs to dance. The congregation gathers at the font for confession and at the altar for communion. I was walking up to communion looking at the children so full of life and I was feeling spiritually weak. I was tired and distraught. The words of institution started and all I could think was, “God I don’t think I’m cut out to be a pastor. I am weak and don’t think I have it in me to be a shepherd for your people.” As my eyes close to say the Lord’s Prayer I couldn’t even speak the words. Then I noticed a little child’s fingers weaving into mine. I was caught by surprise that this child who didn’t know me suddenly grabbed a stranger’s hand. I looked around the room and no one else was holding hands. At that moment I thought, "Thanks for holding my hand God; I really need it right now." A simple thing that the child didn't realize changed my world. Now that is the power and grace of God.

Stillness

By: Joseph Murdy, Intern
Have you ever had the power go out and all at once everything turns off? The television, washer and dryer, the refrigerator, and any other noises which we may have grown numb to even noticing. Silence has become something which shocks us and even makes us nervous. We are constantly surrounded by noises, cars, TV’s neighbors, even air planes flying over our homes. Noise is a constant reality; it has become linked with our every day experience so much that we hardly ever notice. I know people who cannot sleep at night unless they have the TV on. People from the city claim they cannot sleep well in secluded areas without the noise of their city in the background. Try an experiment, right now as you are reading this, close your eyes and count all the noises you hear. I bet there will be some you might not even recognize.
Years ago I experienced silence for the first time. I traveled to Saint Augustine’s House in Oxford Michigan, which was a small Lutheran Monastery. I needed to get away from it all. My first morning there I sat in the chapel praying, praying, and praying. Thinking, thinking, and thinking. I prayed and talked so much (***this is not discouragement to pray) that eventually I ran out of things to say. It was at that moment I heard it, it was strange at first, but clear as sunshine….quiet. I was overwhelmed by complete and utter stillness. It is difficult to describe the peace I experienced in that quiet moment, which is why I invite you to experience the peace of quietness and stillness with me.
As I sat in the chapel surrounded in quiet one scripture verse dropped over me like summer rain on a hot day. Psalm 46: 10, “Be still and know that I am God.” I have no doubt that God listened and heard everyone of my prayers that day, I even have no doubt that God answered and responded to my prayers. God waited patiently until I got everything off my chest then comforted me with His presence. God had been with me the entire time, but it was not until I was free of distractions and noises that I became aware of the fact that He was truly there.
Today I want you to think about a place, could be your kitchen, living room, back yard, even your bedroom closet, any place where you can be free of noises and distractions. Pray until you’re breathless and slowly allow yourself to fall into stillness and quietness. It will be tough at first, maybe even hard. God invites us into his presence always. He is there in the midst of our noise and chaos, but it’s sometimes challenging to recognize God’s presence when we are surrounded by noise. God invites us to be wrapped in His presence. Today let go of the chaos in your life, your worries, your stress and everything else that is keeping you from Joy. Give them all over to God and you will begin find true peace. “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Jesus Paraphernalia

Jesus paraphernalia is everywhere! You can buy Jesus Band-Aids (I will be honest and say I have them in my cupboard at home). You can buy a Jesus bobble head, t-shirt, ashtray, underwear, coat hanger (you hang your coat on Jesus head), pencil topper, and some serious Jesus bling to wear around your neck. The list goes on and on…

I could argue for some of these things theologically: When I put on my Jesus Band-Aid it is a reminder to me that Jesus heals the wounds of the soul. If I were to use the Jesus pencil topper it would be a symbol for how Jesus erases my sins away.

However, the more Buddy Jesus stuff I come across the more disgusted I become. Our culture is turning Jesus into a joke. The truth is, if a good friend and I were in a serious situation where we were close to death and she took the bullet to save my life. I would never create a bobble head in her memory to share with the world – what an insult to the gift of life she restored to me.

Jesus did more for us than any human could do. Jesus renewed our relationship to God to the point that sin no longer has power over us. I can’t help but picture Jesus walking into the temple and turning over the tables. “Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves.” (Matthew 21:12). He is in an uproar at the people for selling doves to make a sacrifice to God. It was an important ritual in the church to offer sacrifice; so why is Jesus so upset? People need to buy a dove before entering the church to be able to “do church correctly.”

Looks like the way we imagine “doing church” isn’t always for God’s glory. It turns into the very thing that distracts us from worshipping God. It is becomes a diversion from the true meaning of salvation given through Christ.

We become more worried about the details of how we worship than true authentic worship. We turn Jesus into an everyday figure on ridiculous gear to possibility make Jesus more known in popular culture. Instead it results in taking away the authenticity of Jesus.

http://jesusgetsaround.com

Treasure in Clay Jars

By: Joseph Murdy, Intern
Every time I think about clay jars, the first thought I usually have is how easily they break. If you have ever handled clay jars you understand that a single slip can result in a thousand pieces. No one really tends to keep anything of tremendous value in them, mostly plants. Clay jars are natural pottery, in the sense that most are made from natural elements found in the earth, such as clay for example. They can take many shapes and sizes, some can be painted, and some are kept inside and others outside. But, no matter how you look at them, they all have one thing in common. They are fragile.
Paul in his second letter to the Corinthians (4:1-15) talks about the fragility of human life. We are faced with so many obstacles, challenges, and fears. Take heart, this is part of being human. Have you ever found yourself saying, “I’m being pushed to the breaking point.” We bear witness to our human fragility every day, from scraped knees, terminal illness, to broken hearts and misplaced hope. Paul assures us by saying, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies.”(8-10)
We my friends are clay jars. Molded out of the earth from the creators hands. We are fragile, and yet our pieces of clay have been strengthened by Christ who holds us together. In ancient times when a clay pot broke they were often to expense for people to afford new ones. They would make a strong mixture of wax to piece the pieces together. The pieces would hold so well, they could continue to carry water.
“But, we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.”(7) We are blessed to carry the incredible news of Jesus Christ, the Gospel. The life changing good news of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection is carried in clay jars, you and me. That is truly an awesome treasure! God’s love for us is so extraordinary that He places this most precious message in the hands of His clay jars. We are called to carry this extraordinary message of love and grace throughout the world. Remember no matter how many times we break, crack or leak, God’s hand is putting us back together.

Reflection

Imagine sitting down to eat dinner. You are sitting across from a good friend and having an interesting and fun conversation. Behind your friends head is a mirror. You can easily see your own reflection in the mirror. As you are talking with your friend how much effort will it take for you to look your friend in the eyes instead of your own reflection in the mirror?

I imagine for a majority of us. We would rather look at our friend and not in the mirror. Yet, when that mirror is there something draws our attention to it. We begin to look at ourselves instead of the other. It’s so easy to do and it’s not what we want to do. We wish the mirror wasn’t even there. If it were me I might even have to move seats because it would be so distracting.

We are not trying to be drawn to our reflection, but it is a natural reaction. So, why is it that we are we often drawn to do the “bad” things over the “righteous”? I know if given a choice between a celery stick and a nutty bar. I’m going with the nutty bar. If given a choice between sleeping in on Sunday morning and getting up extra early for devotions before worship. I’m getting some extra ZZZ’s. It often takes discipline to do the righteous thing. It takes discipline to be healthy, eat right, and exercise. It also takes discipline to live a life of faith. It’s not a natural reaction to think of the other before you.

It’s not a natural reaction to truly reflect Christ. Yet, through the gift of the Spirit reflecting Christ will change your life and the life of whom you encounter. Being disciplined reaps reward. If eating and living healthy your body will have more energy. Your self-esteem with be renewed. If connecting with God deeply your faith will give joyously. Your connection to the earth and the people, animals, and plants of the earth will be united. The way you view this universe will be made whole. Your purpose may not be clear – but your life will have new meaning.

P.S. If only I could count the number of times in this blog I have typed disciple instead of discipline!

Alone in a storm?

By: Joseph Murdy, Intern

Today I anxiously arrived home while dark clouds loomed over me. Hopeful that I might be able to cut the grass before it rained yet again causing the grass to grow even longer. As I cut the grass I could hear thunder through the loud roar of the lawn mowers blades. I fought harder against my better judgment which told me to get inside the house before the storm got worse. Somewhere between the first and second lightning strike I but the mower away and came inside. While standing by the window I starting thinking about storms.

Storms can be unpredictable, no matter how hard the weather person tries to predict. As hurricane Danielle forms off in the Atlantic the weather channel repeats over and over that the path could always change. Storms have a way of suprising us when we least expect them. They can lift of trees and sometimes homes. They can flood whole cities and even sometimes take innocent lives. Storms are messy and scary. I can only image what the disciples must have been thinking when the storm hit them suddenly on the lake. They must have been terrified!

Although this story is about a real storm with real waves, the storms we often face in our lives can be just as dangerous and just as frightening. The storms we encounter in our lives can leave us worn down, depressed, and with a feeling of utter helplessness. How will we begin to repair what has been lost, broken, devastated? Storms come in many forms and in many ways. It might be the experience of losing a loved one, a faith crisis, or even feeling lost and alone. Whatever your storm might be you can be sure that one thing is certain, God is right there beside you.

When the disciples suddenly found themselves faced with a storm, in fact one of their first real challenges as disciples in the Gospel of Luke, they turned to Jesus. Immediately after the disciples woke Jesus from his nap Jesus rebuked the storm. What Jesus puts forth next is key, he says, “Where is your faith?” This is not a demanding question, but rather a reminder and a reassurance that he is with them. In Matthews telling of the story Jesus asks, “Why are you afraid?” Jesus’ comments might be puzzling, but they are gentle and loving reminders of Gods faithful presence with us especially in the midst of storms.

The next time you find yourself in a storm be that internal or while you’re cutting the grass give thanks to God for God’s enduring faithfulness and presence in your life. Remember what the disciples asked among themselves after Jesus calmed the storm, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” He is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and he promises to always be with you.

Today: Think of someone who is in the midst of a storm, call them, email them, write them, and tell them that you care and assure them that God is there.

Happy Terror

Children love to play hide-and-go-seek!

Some children love it even more when you add a new dimension to the game. That’s when the parent hides and the children seek. The child knows that before the parent is found that they are going to jump out, scream, make crazy noises, wave their arms around and scare them. Let’s go on the journey of what this would look like.

The dad looks for a hiding spot as the children, Sally and Ann, start counting. Dad hides behind a door in the bedroom. Sally and Ann start out on their mission to find their father. As they search for their father they step carefully knowing that at any time he could jump out and scare them.

First, they search in the kitchen. Maybe he’s hiding in the pantry? They carefully walk together to the door. Open it slowly, hearts beating, and jump back to find that no one is there. Next they say, “Maybe he’s in the bathroom.” They walk to the bathroom and it’s dark. They don’t both to turn on the light. It’s part of the thrill of the find. They walk over to the bath curtain, move it ever so slightly to peak in the bathtub area… nothing. Next they walk to the bedroom closet and just as they opened the pantry door they open the closet door. As they jump back, and begin to catch their breath realizing that their father is not there, dad jumps out from behind the bedroom door.

The girls scream for their life as dad is waving his arms around… they run and hide behind the bed, as Sally puts her arms around Ann to comfort her, you hear.

“Hey, it’s not a monster, it’s our dad, let’s get him.”

Then they both leap from behind the bed and run to tackle their dad. This child game is something theologian, Mike Yaconelli, calls “Happy Terror.”

Yaconelli points out that there is not much terror among Christians today. The terror he’s talking about is the bone-chilling, earth-shattering, gut-wrenching, knee-knocking, life-altering fear that leaves one speechless, paralyzed, helpless and glad. It’s a terror that’s a mix of wonder, awe, fear and worship, all happening at the same time.

That life-altering God is who we worship.

This is no ordinary God.

It is a God who shows up in the darkness… just as the children playing hide-n-go-seek with their father didn’t bother to turn on the lights. We too don’t need to turn on the lights. God is igniting a life-altering fire in the darkness.

An experience of God is happy terror.