Broken Elevators and God's Presence

A couple years ago, a nun got stuck in an elevator at her convent. The elevator broke down with the nun inside while her sisters were away at a convention. As a result, she was left stranded, alone for three days and four nights.

Having celery and a jar of water, the sister was able to meet her physical needs. But, the bigger challenges came in her spiritual and emotional life. The isolation was frightening. The nun wondered if anyone would come and get her.

In the midst of that difficult situation, the nun turned to God. The nun told Time Magazine, “It was either panic or pray.” The nun decided to pray.  In fact, the sister treated her alone time like a prayer retreat. She talked with Jesus for three days until her sisters came to her rescue. In hindsight, she described the experience as a “gift.”

That woman’s story is an important reminder of God’s presence in each of our lives. Challenges do pop up and make us feel like we are all alone. We are tempted to forget that God is near and available. Yet, we have Jesus’ promise at the end of the Gospel of Matthew: “I am with you always, even to the very end of the age,” (28:20).

As you go through the coming week, remember that God is with you. You are not alone. When challenges arise and you feel like you are all by yourself, pray. Call on Him. Speak to Jesus. As you do, you will find resources for facing life’s challenges. You might also find a prayer retreat in the most unlikely of places.

Olympic Winners and God's Rejoicing

I love watching the Olympics. One of the things I love watching is an Olympic coach celebrating his or her athlete’s win. A gymnast will stick a perfect landing or a swimmer will take first in a heat and their coach erupts in celebration. You would think that fist pumps and celebration dances would be reserved for the Olympians. But, often, the athlete’s coach leads the way.

The reason coaches celebrate wins is because they are invested in their athletes. They have spent countless hours pouring everything they know about their sport into their athlete. They have put a part of themselves into that athlete. That type of investment gives the coach a huge stake in the competition. When the coach’s athlete wins, they feel like they’ve won.

On a much bigger scale, God has a huge stake in the spiritual victories of His people. God went to great lengths, becoming human, so that His people might find victory. God invested in His people, teaching them the way of His Kingdom. God even poured out Himself on His people, giving them the Holy Spirit, to empower them in living out this kingdom.

With that type of investment, God surely celebrates the victories. When we find freedom from sin or healing in a broken relationship, God rejoices with us. The prophet Zephaniah describes this rejoicing, saying that God rejoices over His people with singing (3:17). Like the coach who has invested everything in their athlete, God surely pumps His fists in the air, celebrating our wins.

As you go through the coming week, remember that God has a stake in your story. God is invested a part of Himself in you and celebrates your wins. When you experience a victory in your walk with Him, join God in the celebration dance.

This is Your Brain on...Negativity

Complaining causes brain damage. True story. According to INC Magazine, researchers are finding that overly negative talk is bad for the brain. In fact, listening to 30 minutes or more of a negative message peels away neurons in an area of the brain called the hippocampus. One author describes it in saying, “Basically, (negativity) turns your brain to mush.”

This isn’t a surprise to Christian folk. We’ve known for a long time that incessant negativity does more harm than good. In the first century, the Apostle Paul encouraged Christians to avoid negativity as a way of witnessing to the world. Paul wrote, “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky,” (Philippians 2:14-15). It seems that positivity and harmony let the world know we are children of God.

Paul (and many other Christians) promote positivity and constructive behavior for other reasons too. Christians serve and worship a God of resurrection and redemption. Reading the end of the Gospels, we find our God smack dab in the midst of the most negative of situations (crucifixion). Instead of responding to the negativity with more negativity, Jesus miraculously turns it into something positive and good. The cross becomes the resurrection. In response, Jesus' people look for good, resurrection type things – even in the most negative of situations.

As you go through the coming week, look for positive things to celebrate. Compliment a co-worker on their work. Tell someone about the ways God has blessed you. Approach a challenging situation looking for constructive solutions instead of focusing on the problems. As you do, you will see the God of the resurrection at work in your life. You also might just do your brain some good.

Custom Christianity and the Call of Christ

Customization is king. From clothing to entertainment to groceries, we like to mix and match according to our wants. You want a metallic grey, four door, mid size, hybrid, with leather seats, blue tooth capability and an oversized trunk? Go to cars.com, fill out the search engine accordingly, and it will find you one. Want a short, half-calf, soy, one pump, sugar free, vanilla latte? There are ten coffee shops within five miles of your current location that will make you one with a smile. Customization is king.

This is making an impact on Christianity. People are picking and choosing what they like about Christianity while ignoring and rejecting what they don’t. In extreme cases, folks mix what they like about Christianity with bits of other religions that they like, creating a unique religion for themselves. In the end, Christianity (and even religion itself) gets so customized to the wants of the individual, it looks more like the individual than Jesus (or any other faith).

Jesus calls His people, His church, to something entirely different. At the end of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells His disciples to go to all nations, making disciples, and baptizing them. Then, Jesus says, “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” No customization there. Jesus calls disciples to make disciples who obey everything Jesus commanded. In other words, the church is in the business of customizing people into image of Christ (by the power of the Holy Spirit) rather than customizing Christianity into the image of people.

As you go through the coming week, look at areas of the Christian faith that you don’t like and would rather do away with. Ask yourself why those things make you feel uncomfortable. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand why they make you feel uncomfortable. Then, ask the Lord help you grow in those things, becoming more like Him and the life He taught. As you do, you will find goodness and truth that goes beyond your basic wants and desires. You’ll also have a chance to grow in the Lord.

Get Out of Jail Free

In Greece, people buy their way out of jail. Inmates serving time for minor offenses can reduce their stay by paying (on average) five euros per day. This program simultaneously reduces Greece’s prison population while generating revenue for the state.

This program is also great for criminals who have money. Rich criminals are able to pay off long jail sentences, serving little-to-no time. Poor criminals, on the other hand, are forced to serve their full sentences.

Learning about this disparity, a Christian minister began buying the prison sentences of Greece’s poorest inmates. Father Gervasios Raptopoulos devoted his life to paying off the prison sentences of inmates with the greatest need. After years of work, Father Gervasios has freed over fifteen thousand inmates. Inmates battling illness have been released to receive medical attention. Others with large families have returned home, able to work and provide for their spouse and children.

I don’t know a better illustration of Christ’s love in the world. Those who do not deserve and cannot afford freedom are liberated by a generous act of mercy. Their debt is paid. Their offense is forgiven. They are free to go through no work of their own.

As you go through the coming week, look for ways to share that type of love with the world. We all owe everything to Jesus Christ and his gracious work on the cross. Share it with those in need. Let the freedom you have experienced in Jesus drive your work for freedom in the world.

M.C. Hammer, the Apostle Paul and Prayer

There is an old M.C. Hammer song that I love.  The song is called “Pray.”  The chorus sings and shouts: “We pray (pray)…pray (pray).  We got to pray just to make it today!”  I remember singing those words, dressed like M.C. Hammer (in knock off “Hammer pants”), wishing I could dance like the pop star.

Though the Hammer brand seems funny now, M.C. Hammer’s song lyrics were onto something.  We do need to pray just to make it today.  Our world is full of obstacles and temptations that undermine the Christian faith. Prayer connects us with God, helping us keep focused on God’s will and purposes.  As we connect with God in prayer, God cultivates character in us that helps us overcome adversity and temptation.  In these ways, you got to pray just to make it today.

In Ephesians 6, Paul teaches early Christians to be spiritually ready for overcoming hardship.  And, prayer is a big part of that preparation.  Paul likens spiritual preparation to putting on battle armor and then writes, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”  Prayer helps us and empowers us for faithful living no matter what life throws our way.  In other words, you got to pray just to make it today.

In the coming weeks, pray.  Pray a lot.  Ask the Lord to help you.  Ask the Lord for direction.  Ask the Lord to cultivate character in you that stays focused on God and God’s purposes no matter the circumstance.  As you do, you will see that Jesus indeed helps His people.  You will also find a way to pray and make it today!

That...was...awesome!

Years ago, Leah and I attended a really great concert. One of my favorite bands played some of my favorite songs. The mix was crisp and clear. The lighting was tasteful. The crowd jumped up and down when they were supposed to. They sang along at all the right places.  By the end of that show, I thought to myself, “That…was…awesome!” 

I was right in describing the concert as awesome. It inspired awe. It gave me a sense of wonder and amazement. The experience of the show was (and still is) hard to put into words.

When Christians worship Jesus, we invite the same sense of wonder and awe. But instead of being amazed by rock bands, we are amazed by the Lord. God gives us a sense of wonder and amazement in worship. Sometimes, our experience of God’s goodness is hard to put into words.

In the book of Job, we find this type of awesome God. Job 5:9 says, “He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.” God leaves us amazed. God is hard to put into words.

As you worship this week, recognize the wonders of God and be blown away. Let His praise be hard to put into words. As you do, you will experience more of His goodness. You may even walk away thinking, “That…was…awesome!”