Between the Cross & the Resurrection

Tomorrow is the celebrated anniversary of God's magnum opus, The Resurrection. The day God, in human form, triumphed over death to save us. Just yesterday was the celebrated anniversary of greatest paradox in history. The crucifixion of Christ. Ironically, the crucifixion is simultaneously man's greatest injustice and only hope for redemption. Here were are, stuck in between these two monumental events. I'm guessing, the disciples must have felt Satan might be winning on the day before that first Easter. Sometimes, I feel like Satan is running amuck in between the moments God shows off in my life. As if , I'm in between two great seasons. One that already happened and one that is coming. It's those days, when I'm forced to "wait upon The Lord ", I meditate the most.  Unlike the disciples, we have the luxury of knowing Sunday is coming and grace will abound. I've learned one simple truth that gets me through those moments between God showing off. The truth is God is always showing off. It just takes a little more effort to miss it sometimes.   I'm somewhat addicted to excitement.  There's nothing I enjoy more than being in a moment when we are reaping a harvest for His kingdom or witnessing some other a supernatural event where God pours out His providential grace in provision. Even when life seems mundane and boring, I remind myself God is always awesome . His plan is perfect, and will work together for our good. Those moments, when it's the hardest to see, I focus on the mysterious things about God.  Today, the day before Easter, above all days, I reflect on the mystery of God's grace.

Grace is given at the expense of Jesus and is the costliest gift we can receive. By it's very definition, it is unattainable based upon merit or ability. Grace, so intricate in detail, God laid it out from the foundation of the world. So expensive, it cost the life of the creator of the universe. So perfect, its application determines the eternal destination of the soul.

 It's almost laughable reading the futile attempts of learned men describe how to receive it. Philosophical debates have been waged on how, when, and who can get it. Churches, have split over whether or not you can keep it, or loose it, in an endeavor to comprehend what is written about it. A man could loose his sanity trying to figure out grace.

I don't know which is a worse tragedy,  to over complicate salvation to the extent it appears impossible to receive, or to reduce and simplify it to a mere one time, once said, fix all, prayer. Both distort grace. It really comes down to one question. Can we be true believers in Christ, unless we are Christ followers? Truth be told, grace is a paradoxical as the cross. Can someone truely believe in Christ and not follow Him?

Jesus tells us,

"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Luke 9: 24

I'm convinced many people know about grace but just do not want it. It's simple really, they know you can't have grace and be left unchanged. Seduced by this life, and the illusion of feeling in control, I've been there. It's overrated. If sanctity of life applies to this life, how much more to our spiritual life since we must loose one to save the other?  The more I let go of this life, the more alive I feel.  Every moment takes me closer to heaven and seeing Jesus. 

People, afraid of grace, feel they are captain of their own ships enjoying smooth sailing. They are destined to sink, unless, they abandon ship. Destined to drown, unless, Christ pulls them from a would be watery grave.

Grace tends to navigate her ship to rougher waters. She does not sail, for her captives, now slaves of Christ, man the oars. Christ followers cannot self navigate, for Christ is the way. Christ steers the ship, and we should row aimlessly comforted knowing, not only the ship, but the passengers, and even the sea, belong to Jesus. I don't know exactly how I got chained to this oar in the galley of this ship. I'm just glad to be here and hope I get to see you.

It is my prayer you would become a committed follower of Christ. Happy Easter.

Protecting Les Graham's Image

Christians are really good at putting their best foot forward. We should be, Jesus told us we "are a city on a hill". Everything about us should shine like the truth in us. Yet in our eagerness to look good to the world, Christians often present an unrealistic image. It's akin to admiring a photoshopped version of model that doesn't really exist. Laboring to keep up this image, keeps people from  wanting anything we have. If it's partially put on, they believe it's all a lie. But, it's not just potiental converts we cheat. It's everything and everybody, from ourselves to our world.

 Putting our best foot forward might be the the Achilles heal in strengthening our faith. It's a trap I've fallen into before and occasionally still fall into. Even though I try to keep it real, in ways you'll never see on Sunday or social media, I've failed as a husband, parent, and anything and everything else I am including a Christian. Saved people might be saved but they will always be in need of their savior. God loves to fix things we are too ashamed to admit to the world. 

One of the things I was too ashamed to admit was I hated Les Graham. Though I was sure he was destined for hell, I literally wouldn't have cared if he died. In my defense, he was easy to hate. After all, it's so much more pleasant to despise anyone's actions other than your own. Never mind what I was, he was a liar, thief, and crackhead. As far as I was concerned, the world would have been a better place without Les. Looking back, I realize this says more about the sorry condition of my soul than his. Of everything Les was, or wasn't that he should have been, he was destined to become the most unlikely of all things. He was to become my friend. 

While Les spent a few years in prison, I got involved in a prison ministry. By the time Les was released, both of us had done a lot of changing. In one of my 

most bizarre encounters with God, he commanded me to hire Les. I didn't want to do it. I didn't hate Les anymore but I still didn't like him. Knowing how hypocritical it would be, to tell prisoners they could change, then not help one was more like conviction than compassion. In our small town, you're guilty by association and Les had ripped off everyone or their brother. At least, that's what everyone said. It didn't matter that it wasn't true if everyone believed it. Hiring him would not be strategic business planning. It was business suicide. But, I did it anyway because God is insistent in getting His way.

 Running a business in the construction industry is tough. It gets messy. It can bring out the worst in you, and having a hardheaded convicted felon on your team doesn't do much for your attitude or your bottom line. Especially, since your clientele has abandoned you, and you doubt the new employee knows or even cares that it's because of him. More than once, Les made me roll my eyes toward heaven and throw up both hands. Les got to see the real me and he challenged my Christian charity to its limits. It wasn't a choir boy image, Les was seeing. But, it was really me, from my strengths to my weaknesses. Over the next five years, both Les and myself continued to change. Slowly, he became someone I dearly loved. He wasn't much to look at but he was a lot to talk about. He got blamed for every unsolved crime that followed his release.  I saw first hand how false accusations due to his past held him back and knew if I hadn't learned to love him, I be one of those making the accusations. I could spend hours telling of how Les and I changed each other. It would bring tears and laughter. Eventually, Les would come to be a Christ follower. I've never seen anyone more on fire for Jesus. Despite the doubts and accusations, he's impacting his community positively. At this moment, he's in Africa bringing both clean water and living water to people who have never had them. Wouldn't you know, the naysayers, so careful to protect their image, who wouldn't  lift a pinky, are still questioning his motives, methods, and ministry. Which means, he's doing something right. This man is impacting the world I once thought was better off without him.

 I went to hear Les give his powerful testimony. It's been my greatest honor to have him mention how God used me in a small way in his coming to a radical love for Christ. I'd swell up with pride except I know the truth. I know I needed fixing and God used Les to do it. Before either of us knew, God had chosen him to do mighty things.  I often think how close I came to missing a miracle just to put my best foot forward. Protecting my image would not have protected me or the church. We don't need to bear the burden of an unrealistic image . We should never forget what we have to bear, the image of the Almighty. Something Les has learned and taught others to do. Like me.

Right Under My Nose

Growing up in the hardware business has afforded me many life lessons. Many of those, spill over into examples of how my Christian faith works. For God often uses the things right under our noses to teach us. Allow me to share my most recent.

Over the years, I set myself on auto pilot when it comes to customer returns. I simply take it back and the manufacture gives me credit. No griping about how the customer could have made this item work with the effort or the imagination of a snail. Because of this, I have aquired items I would never have been able to otherwise. I have repaired many of those returned items and restored them to their intended use. Rescuing them from the dump. Since I know this , I also know people will reject new items for the slightest imperfection. Thus, the begining of my love affair with factory reconditioned tools.

 Factory reconditioned tools are no longer in their original packages. Someone else has discovered something wrong wrong with, and rejected it. The factory, rather than abandoning its creation, takes the tool  and bears the extra expense of repairing it. Once the tool is functioning correctly, the tool is stamped "recon" and placed into service. This time, the tool has had special attention from the factory in making sure it operates as if it were new. Still many will miss the big picture. They will only see the recon stamp and simply never give the tool a chance. Consequently, they miss out on a great tool at a great price. Honestly, a factory reconditioned tool maybe less a risk than an unused tool still boxed.

 Every Christian out there has been factory reconditioned.  Returned to our maker, at his expense, to create something new, and to preform the task we were specifically designed for. Rescued from the dump, we are sealed by the factory, by the blood of Christ, placed into His service.  Forever looking for those,who like us, are rejected by this world. Who, although they are still wrapped in their pretty packaging, need that special attention and that reconditioning by the the savior.We must not miss out on this great deal. What's funny, is how God reveals blaring little metaphors in things you see everyday. However, up until that moment, you amazingly managed to miss it. Perhaps, He chooses to reveal things right under our noses to remind us to walk by faith and not by sight.

Revelation 21:5