storiesofvalue

It seems our culture is captivated by gambling, and all the more so as the fall sports season ramps up.  Not that ours is the only one, or the first.  Consider various dice artifacts discovered in Egyptian tombs.  Or gaming tiles dating back to 2300 BC in Ancient China.

The soldiers who watched Jesus die on Calvary gambled for His inner garment, which was said to be “without a seam.”  If you love Jesus, as I do, this callous behavior likely offends you.  However, it meant nothing to the soldiers who were merely looking for a way to pass the time until the men hanging above them died. 

There is another intriguing reference to something akin to gambling in the Bible.  It appears people “cast lots” to discern the will of God.  The sailors who feared they would die in a storm with Jonah, cast lots to determine who among them was responsible for their circumstances.  After Judas ended his life, the disciples cast lots to choose his replacement.  It can be argued that this process should not be classified as gambling, since there was no intent for financial gain.  Also, if God revealed His will through these practices, then their outcome could not be called “chance”.  I will leave you to ponder this practice.

The Bible doesn’t specifically condemn gambling, although some refrain because they don’t want to be associated with the soldiers at the cross.  Gambling is also out of step with sound biblical principles which teach us how to properly steward the resources God gives us.

If you decide to gamble, know this: Just as God hasn’t prohibited gambling, He hasn’t promised you a jackpot either.  Don’t blame Him if you lose everything, even if you evoke the name of Jesus when you make your wager.  On the other hand, God has promised He will bless us when we follow His instructions in regards to all of our possessions.   

But this devotion isn’t about gambling, although I will admit I have spent an inordinate amount of time on the subject.  Rather, it is about eternity.  Eternal life is not a gamble.

“Of course, it isn’t!” we might reply.  But if this is the case, then why are we attracted to Pascal’s famous wager: “If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing”.  This statement is often interpreted to mean it is a reasonable gamble to trust that God and heaven exist, because if you say they do and you are correct, you will be blessed beyond measure.  If you say they do and are in error, you haven’t lost anything. 

In fairness to Pascal, he wasn’t actually creating an apologetic axiom when he proposed his wager, and he would likely be frustrated with how some have applied it.  But it’s message, at face value, still finds an audience with those who are navigating faith in God.

Philosophical reasoning aside, we need to see the promise of eternity as something more than a line of logic, though it is logical to believe in heaven.  Instead, the certainty of heaven needs to define how we live, and why.  You may be aware of a related wager posed by C.S. Lewis; “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.”

If we live for God, just in case He exists and there is such a thing as eternal life, we will approach our faith half-heartedly.  We might conclude it is best to do the minimum, lest we fail to miss out on some worldly pleasure in case this life is all we have.  But if we live for God because we know that only He can bless us here and in eternity, then nothing in this life is worth holding so tightly we miss what comes next. 

Remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:19-20, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” It doesn’t sound as though Jesus is encouraging us to hedge our bets, just in case we are wrong about eternity.  Instead, He is warning us against investing so heavily in the world that we lose everything. 

Practically speaking, I believe this means we should start with the assumption of heaven and allow this reality to frame everything else.  When we live in God’s promise of eternal life, we can enjoy our time on earth and find fulfillment in His will.  On the other hand, if we live primarily for the world, and attempt to spend just enough time thinking about eternity to stay in good graces with God, we could find ourselves in a state of misery.

I guess, in human terms, God is a safe bet.  But if we dare to use gambling as a metaphor for eternity, we should at least say God is a “sure” bet.  He isn’t there in case something else doesn’t work out.  He has offered us eternal life through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus because He knows without this gift, the only option is eternal separation from His glory.  There are at least two certainties when it comes to eternity:  In Jesus, we have victory.  Without Jesus, we are lost.

I invite you to join me in resisting any line of thinking that makes heaven an “ace in the hole.”  If you want to gamble with something besides eternity, I won’t try to stop you, and I can’t point to a chapter and verse that commands you to do otherwise. 

Just be very careful.  While I can’t condemn gambling in God’s name, I am convinced it is a huge foothold for Satan.  And trust me.  You don’t want to play a game of chance with the devil! When you sit with him at the table, the cards are already stacked against you.

I recently retired from full-time church leadership.  I left my position in good hands, and was granted a wonderful send-off by the congregation I have served for twenty-eight years. 

My new reality is an interesting one.  During my lifetime, I have met people who don’t want to acknowledge this season which leads them to resist the word “retire.”  I get it.  The mere mention of retirement scares some people because they don’t know what they are going to do with the rest of their lives, their identity is totally wrapped up in their career, or they are not prepared financially for the days ahead.  Even those who move from retirement into another career must learn to embrace the unfamiliar.

In my case, I will be working full-time as a Chaplain Resident at a Veterans Medical Center.  I will be sharing hope with a population of very important people.  In addition, I plan to continue to fulfill my personal calling to the Preaching Ministry, as time and opportunity permits. 

Still, I have retired. 

And this is a good word no one should be afraid of.

Whether we struggle with the way others describe our new status, or carry our own baggage from our personal perceptions of retirement, we should not worry.  In fact, while retirement in our culture means we have officially left a particular occupation, the origin of the word means much more.

A quick internet search of the origin of “retire” reveals its connection to two French words which, when combined, mean to “draw back.”  Furthermore, the kind of drawing back originally intended was that of entering into seclusion or a place of safety.  This aspect of retirement reminds me of tennis players who choose to “retire” from a match due to circumstances which make it impossible or impractical for them to continue.  But the decision to draw back is not permanent.    

This gives me food for thought as I retire from full-time church leadership.  Before my official day of retirement, I was already in a mode of reflection as I took time to consider how God had worked in my life during my ministry, and to consider what He had planned for my next chapter.  This has led me to explore new theological possibilities as I ponder how God directs His servants who transition from long-standing areas of service.  Does He call us to a new work?  Does He show us new ways to pursue the calling we already have?

I have considered biblical examples.  For example, Moses was caring for sheep when God called him to deliver the Hebrew children from Egypt.  Moving over a million people through the wilderness is a form of shepherding, but challenging a powerful world leader like Pharaoh isn’t.  This is why God gave Moses the tools he would need to speak with authority (his brother, Aaron), and to prove he meant business (his staff).  Moses’ role was nothing new, but in other ways it was.

Peter, Andrew, James and John left their fishing nets to become “fisher of men”.  They were doing the same thing they had always done, only with a with a new and eternal purpose. 

Often God’s servants have done some of their best work in times of “retirement”.  The New Testament books of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon might not have been written, and certainly would have had a different flavor had it not been for the Apostle Paul’s seclusion in prison.  It is thought the Apostle John received and wrote down the book of Revelation while he was in exile in a cave on the Island of Patmos. 

Not only is retirement not a time to quit serving the Lord, but it could well be the very time we need to discover areas of God’s grace and goodness we have overlooked.  Perhaps retirement is not retirement at all. 

Ok, I realize I am sounding a little like the people I noted earlier who don’t want to hear the word retirement.  But I will share the truth other retirees have shared with me in a little different way: Sometimes we are busier in retirement than we were before.  This isn’t necessarily because we are busy helping others who tap into our extra time (if we have it), although this can be partially true.  But now I believe it is mostly because when we “draw back”, we enter a season of new possibilities as we look to God once more to order our steps. 

With this understanding, it is possible for anyone to “retire.” When we practice the principle of the biblical Sabbath, and rest from our labor long enough to reconnect with God, we are “drawing back.” 

How about that! You can retire today, regardless of your season of life.  Of course, you may still need to go back to work tomorrow, but your retirement will help prepare you for what comes next.  The time you spend in prayer, in the Word of God and in reflection will help you see tomorrow more clearly.

By the way, I have a few days before I start my Residency, and I plan to do some traditional retiring on a nearby lake.  Retirement is a good thing, no matter how you define it!

There was a time when online food orders at restaurants were novel.  Now they are an expectation.  At the risk of sharing the obvious, allow me to briefly review the process. 

When we order food online, we start with the menu, where we choose our favorite fare, pay with a credit or debit card, and drive to the restaurant to pick up our purchase (unless we decide to have our food delivered by a third-party service).  When we arrive at the restaurant, we receive our order in a bag, with condiments and plastic silverware.  On occasion, an employee might open each of our meal packs to confirm everything is correct. 

“What a country!” Right?

At the additional risk of using a well-worn metaphor, please continue to show me grace as I delve into our prayer walk with God.  If you are unfamiliar with the comparison, suffice it to say some have suggested prayer is our “online connection” with our Creator.  I believe the parallels involve such things as God’s availability and reliability.  We can pray to him at any time, day or night, and He will provide what we need. 

These things are true, but I wish to spend a few moments suggesting some ways our relationship with God is not like ordering up our favorite dish online.  This is important as we can easily slip into the habit of expecting God to meet our cultural norms.  Consider the following contrasts:

Our relationship with God is not “transactional”.  While it is true, God answers our prayers, rewards us when we are faithful and guides us when our hearts are open, we are not equals acting out a business deal.  God is in control and the only reason our free-will choices are a factor in what He does is because He has determined this is how our relationship will function.  This means, while we may have expectations of God, sometimes based on our interpretation of biblical promises, we do not report Him to the Better Business Bureau when life doesn’t turn out the way we had hoped.  God cannot be rated because He is perfect, and although His ways are not always our ways, He is still in charge. 

Secondly, what sounds good to us may not be what God wants for us.  I think most of us would be angry if we ordered a meal online, only to discover the manager of the restaurant gave us another meal because he felt it would be better for us.  We would demand that our original order be filled or ask for our money back! However, God’s answers to our prayers are frequently out of sync with what we want in favor of giving us what we need.  Or, in some cases, not giving us what we don’t need.  I realize this is one of the most complex and difficult aspects of our relationship with God to understand, and I don’t mean to minimize its impact on our lives.  I simply want to clarify that God is not a restaurant employee who merely fills our order.

Finally, God’s provisions are given on His time, not ours.  When we arrive at a restaurant to pick up our order, we expect it to be ready in a short timeframe, and in some cases relative to a specific time given online.  In contrast, God doesn’t operate on our clock.  Sometimes His hand moves immediately in our lives.  Other times, we must wait days, weeks, months and perhaps years to see His answer.  And His answer might require a sincere effort on our part to bring our desires to fruition.  For example, if we pray for our infant child to grow into a godly adult, we must not only wait until he or she becomes an adult to see how God has answered our prayer, but we must do the hard work of parenting along the way.  Realize, this does not mean we are fully responsible for the outcome.  Or that we hold God accountable when things don’t turn out well.  Our child has a mind and will of his or her own and might choose to reject God’s guidance and our teaching.  Yet, the principle remains.  God doesn’t give us delivery times.  He works on His time and teaches us patience and faithfulness as we wait.

Perhaps you can think of other ways in which our prayer life is not exactly the same as an online order.  This doesn’t nullify the many similarities.  Yet, it is vital we not develop an “online mentality” that distorts our theology and creates expectations of God based on our will, not His.  Human culture is like a sustained wind, consistently shaping our view of reality and distorting biblical truth.  If we aren’t careful, we can define God in our image, based solely on our desires, and forget we aren’t the ones directing time and space.

Please, don’t let this discourage you from ordering online from your favorite restaurant, or from praying to God with expectations.  Just be sure to keep the two processing separate in your mind.  Kind of like butter or dressing on the side, or…

There I go again, letting my culture drip into my theology. 

And, of course, if you are reading this you are likely online at this very moment!  I hope you are happy with your order.

If you happen to fly Korean Air in the near future, you will be weighed.  While this protocol might sound a little personal, it is not intended to be offensive.  Korean Air Lines weighs passengers every five years to assess trends in the average weight of its customers, and if necessary, to reconfigure the load distribution on its airplanes. 

While I have no immediate plans to fly Korean Air, this practice creates a mental image of passengers stepping up on a carnival style scale where a giant needle reveals their weight to everyone in the terminal. The gate attendant is dressed in a ringmaster’s suit and guesses passenger’s weight before they step on the scale, then gives them a prize if he misses the number by more than twenty pounds!  Ok, maybe the process is more discrete than this.

You may not be aware that God has been in the weight guessing business for thousands of years. 
Actually, God doesn’t have to guess, because He weighs people based on his intimate knowledge of their thoughts and actions.  All people.

Consider the case of Belshazzar, a successor and grandson of Nebuchadnezzar in the ancient empire of Babylon.  Belshazzar ruled during the time of the exiled Jewish prophet Daniel, and he made the grave mistake of blaspheming God.  One night, as the Medes and Persians were breathing down his proverbial neck, Belshazzar held a feast with a thousand nobles, during which he worshipped the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, wood and stone (Daniel 5:4).  To make matters worse, he ordered the precious cups and other vessels Nebuchadnezzar had plundered from the temple in Jerusalem to be brought out and filled with wine for drinking. 

As the feast continued, a supernatural hand appeared and wrote four words on the wall: “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN”.  Belshazzar turned pale and called in his wise men and astrologers to see if they could tell him what the words meant.  They were stumped.  Then someone suggested that perhaps Daniel could unmask the mystery, for which the king would reward him handsomely.  When Daniel arrived, he refused compensation and quickly interpreted the inscription.  Daniel judged Belshazzar’s arrogance as he had set himself up against the God who held his life in His hands.  Then he provided these specifics:

“Here is what these words mean:

Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end.

Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.

Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” (Daniel 5:26)

That very night Belshazzar was slain, the Medes and Persians took control of his city, and the Babylonian Empire as it had been known ceased to exist.  All because Belshazzar didn’t make the weight!

I can only assume God weighs us as well and occasionally finds us “wanting”.  What kinds of things are registered on His scale?  Possibly the following:

• He weighs our devotion to determine whether we are living for His glory or our own.
• He weighs our motives to expose us when we do the right things for the wrong reasons.
• He weighs our words when they are laced with bitterness and void of the grace He has poured into our lives in His Son Jesus.
• He weighs our work to reveal how we have used the potential He put in us when we were being formed in our mother’s womb. 

Many other weight measures could be added to this list, but hopefully, you can see how God’s scale works.  The good news is, when it comes to God’s scales, the more we weigh the better!  Of course, there are other passages in the Bible that warn us against carrying too much weight in the wrong areas.  The old King James Version of the Bible puts it this way in its translation of Hebrews 12:1, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”  

Like any good athlete, we want to shed the things that hold us down and nurture the things that make us stronger; stronger in the Lord, that is.  When we see the handwriting on the wall, it is time to act.  We want God to find us ready, and willing to do His will.

“So, step right up, ladies and gentlemen” and let God put your life on his scale.  It’s alright.  You don’t have to tell others what you find.  But they will see the change as you increase the image of Christ in you, and build the spiritual muscles God can use for His purposes.    

Orthopedic surgery has come a long way since the creation of the Six Million Dollar Man.  For those of you too young to remember this science fiction television hit from the seventies, it featured a former astronaut whose body was mangled in a NASA test flight accident.  Doctors not only saved his life, but rebuilt him with bionic parts, giving him superhuman powers.  Decades after the Six Million Dollar man appeared in pop culture, people still evoke his character as a form of flattery when friends and relatives receive replacement parts. 

But in spite of advancements in medical technology, orthopedic surgery is far from glamorous.  Recently, my wife experienced her second total knee replacement.  If you, or a loved one are personally familiar with this journey, then you are aware of its challenges.  Although the science of artificial knees is amazing, the process of recovery can be agonizing.  The standard protocol involves the administration of high powered pain-killers, which give patients the edge they need to endure painful exercises designed to restore the knee’s range of motion.   

For these reasons, patients like my wife will do almost anything to delay a total knee replacement.  But eventually, their condition deteriorates to the point they are willing to go through a season of suffering to restore their quality of life.

As I have watched my wife navigate her rehabilitation with great admiration, I have reflected on the value of enduring temporary trials for the sake of a better future.  This is the principle that motivates first-generation immigrants in our country to made sacrifices in order to give their children a better life.  And, as you may be aware, it is the reason God allows us to experience hardships we would rather avoid.

We find this lesson in Hebrews 12:8-11: “If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

When we read the word “discipline” in this passage, we might hear “punishment”.  Certainly, a loving parent will punish a child as a means of guiding him or her in a better direction.  However, there are other forms of discipline.  A student disciplines himself in his studies.  An athlete disciplines herself through training.  Generally speaking, anyone who wants to be successful must show discipline in avoiding distractions and harmful habits which have a way of undermining the potential God has put in them. 

God allows us to face trials, grapple with complexities and endure personal pain, in order to bring us to a place where we can serve and know Him more fully.  He doesn’t take sadistic pleasure in disciplining us, but knows it is important to strengthen our spiritual muscles if we wish to be overcomers.

As I have aged, I have learned to take the Lord’s discipline in stride.  Please don’t misunderstand me.  I don’t always like what He allows to happen in my life.  At times, I even question His wisdom.  But I recognize my flawed human nature will never align in every respect with God’s perfect will, and therefore I press on.

In addition, I cherish the Hebrews writer’s phrase, “for a little while” (Hebrews 12:10).  I realize this reference is a bit vague.  The concepts of temporary or momentary distress don’t instinctively point to an extended season of suffering in our minds.  Rather, they suggest the prick of a needle before the nurse draws blood, or a short financial set-back, which is quickly resolved with a new job or unexpected windfall.  Yet, our “little while” can be much longer than this.  For the disciples, it was the period between Jesus’ death and resurrection (John 16:16). Since our entire lives are brief in light of eternity, the time between this very instant and the day we see Jesus in heaven could be considered “a little while.”

Perhaps you are in a “little while” season today.  You are waiting for an opportunity, an answer, a recovery, an apology, a restoration or a resolution.  You are hoping for relief or reprieve from a present suffering.  Maybe your “little while” has some definition, or it may lack clarity. 

I realize it is easier to find peace when most of our questions about tomorrow are answered.  But I believe this is the very situation the writer of Hebrews is addressing.  Christians in the early church were oppressed and persecuted, and they wondered how long God would allow them to suffer.  At the same time, they were plagued with the same sins we face, which impacted their personal walk with the Lord and their relationships with His people.  Surely, they wondered, “when will this little while be over?” 

The Hebrews writer didn’t attempt to answer this question.  Instead, he offered a different perspective.  Perhaps God was disciplining them for something greater; something later.  What if their “little while” was going to last until they arrived in heaven, but in the meantime, God was going to do bigger things through them as they matured?  This is the way good fathers treat their children.  They don’t protect them from everything, but are proud of the choices they make as they grow through hardships.

I hope your “little while” will literally only last a little while.  But if not, strive to lay the “when” aside, and begin to ask about the “what”.  What is God teaching you?  What does He want you to do? 

And what are you going to do about it?

It’s your choice. 

For “a little while.” 

This week I listened in as Gold Star families shared painful reflections of relatives who lost their lives as servicemembers during America’s 2021 exit from Afghanistan.  The families were testifying before a special congressional forum in Escondido, California.  Common themes included the patriotism of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and the need for government leaders to be honest about mistakes made and learn from them. 

I recall my first encounter with Gold Star families.  I was a young minister in a small town in southern Indiana when I was asked by a local Gold Star Mother’s group to deliver a devotion for their monthly gathering.  Every mother had lost a son in battle and the memory of the day they received the most heart-breaking news imaginable was still fresh in their minds. 

The Gold Star designation began in World War I when individuals wore black armbands with gold stars representing family members who had died while serving their country.  Later, families with loved ones serving in the war, displayed banners in their windows with a blue star for each servicemember.  If a family member was killed, the blue star was replaced with a gold one. 

The testimonies of family members before the congressional forum in California led me to ponder the significance of public symbols which represent personal loss.  Since we often guard our hearts against those who invade our privacy as we grieve, it may seem counterintuitive that some would continue to share their loss in such a highly visible manner.    

And yet, the deaths of those who die in battle must be public, because we are all tightly bound to their sacrifice.  They died for us.  In addition, the Gold Star community is made up of those who share one another’s pain and draw strength from the same as they traverse the valley of the shadow of death.  The Gold Star is not only to remind families of their loss, but to welcome others into their fold, and to remind the rest of us to be thankful for those who gave all on our behalf. 

These are the underlying messages I reflected on as I listened to the Afghanistan forum.  I cannot turn away from the ugly reality of war, or the immense and ongoing pain of those whose loved ones died.  I may not fully understand how this reality feels, but it is wrong for me to ignore the signs; to fail to see the suffering that exists behind the symbolic star (or any other symbol of remembrance for those who give their lives in the service of our country). 

Permit me to transition to a related observation, while holding the loss of Gold Star families in my heart.  I have discovered all humans are prone to shield themselves from the suffering of others in an effort to dismiss or diminish their place in the story.  Put another way, it is hard for us to accept our need could ever be so great as to require the sacrifice of another.

Consider Jesus’ death on the cross.  His sacrifice was an historical event which impacted the entire human race.  Through the blood He shed, the cost of sin was paid, and all who commit their lives to Him as Lord and Savior can receive a new relationship with God, the indwelling Holy Spirit and eternal life.  The obvious assumption and implication here is that those who bear the name “Christian” are sinners saved by grace.

While we embrace this fact in theory, it is possible to ignore it in practice.  To what extent do we feel indebted to Jesus?  We honor the memory of the cross through a symbolic meal, and we speak and sing of God’s grace poured out through His Son at Calvary.  But do these things grip our souls and stir our hearts?  Do we merely identify with their meaning, or do they define our very being? 

We must ultimately answer these questions for ourselves.   However, I believe the depth to which we are moved by the cross might be witnessed in the following ways:

• When we think of the cross, we think of the heart of our Heavenly Father who allowed His Son to die on our behalf.
• When we worship with others, we feel united by our mutual problem of sin and the gift of salvation. 
• When we share in communion at the Lord’s Table, we envision the cross, and mentally scroll through the unpleasant details of the battle that raged as Jesus suffered and died. 

Jesus once said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).  The sacrifice of love touches the core of our being and keeps our souls in constant states of transformation.  This is why the Gold Star mothers were faithful in remembering and encouraging one another in a small Indiana town.  It is why the family members of servicemembers lost in the Afghanistan exit have formed a community and want others to remember the price that was paid.

And it is why our lives are joined together on a spiritual journey underwritten by the blood of the very Son of God.  We cannot forget, and we cannot ignore why the cross is important.  We are sinners saved by grace.  We are not our own, since our freedom was purchased at a great price.  As a result, a Star stands above us; a “bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16). We hold His banner high that the world might see Him and come to a place of salvation.  And when others receive Him, we welcome them with open arms as those who have experienced the same grace at His expense. 

Recently, I stepped into a store as an angry customer stormed out.  The store employees watched him as he walked to his car, and I overheard the words “police” and “manager”.  I assumed a conflict had occurred between the customer and an employee, and since the employees were speaking to one another in a hushed voice, I didn’t ask any questions. 

However, assumptions can be wrong.  It is possible the customer had a confrontation with another customer in the store or parking lot.  Maybe the individual I thought was a customer was actually an employee who had diffused a potential crisis before I arrived.  My initial assumption was likely correct.  But since I wasn’t there when the event occurred, my guess was still speculation. 

Our understanding is always limited when we arrive late.  Whether we have missed an argument, an accident, or even an historical event such as a factory closure or natural disaster, we base our conclusions on the information and observations at hand.  We are possibly unaware of critical facts that would significantly change our perspective.  

If we fail to recognize this limitation, we might misinterpret what has occurred and misspeak or act impulsively.  This is one reason I admire law enforcement officers who must evaluate a conflict or emergency in a matter of seconds, and react appropriately. 

While the choices most of us make daily may not be a matter of life or death, they can have a profound impact on others’ lives.  If we are rash in our judgements, we might find ourselves criticizing the innocent, discouraging the wounded or disrupting something important others are trying to accomplish. 

In full disclosure, I have experienced the embarrassment of speaking and acting without taking time to assess the situation before me.  As a young minister in a small country church, I once asked a church leader standing by a communion table to lead the congregation in prayer.  He turned to look at me and shook his head “No”.  I quickly asked another leader standing on the opposite side of the table to say the prayer.  He also shook his head “No”. I prayed and the communion service resumed.  Later, I discovered neither leader had ever prayed in public.  While it was natural for me to assume they had, since they were leaders, I was unaware both men were relatively new believers who had agreed to serve as Deacons as long as they didn’t have to pray in public.  They loved the Lord, but praying in front of a group scared them to death!  I completely understood, and knew they would grow in their service, especially in the patient rural environment where they knew they were among friends.  Had I known their story at the communion table that day, I could have avoided an awkward moment. 

Consider how we might interpret some biblical events if we showed up a late.  What would we think if we happened on an unfinished tower called Babel, and discovered people were confused because they were suddenly speaking unknown languages?  Imagine finding a pillar of salt in the shape of a woman reaching back toward the city of Sodom.   Would we have been shocked, along with the disciples, to find Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman at a well?  And how would we fill in the blanks if we found a herd of pigs floating in the water at the bottom of a cliff or twelve disciples carrying baskets full of bread in a crowd of over five thousand people?  Would we have wept with Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb, thinking someone had stolen Jesus’ body? 

There are many lessons to glean from the “I just got here” experience.  If nothing else, we learn to hold our tongue until we know more.  But I would propose there is also an important spiritual possibility to consider.   If God is always working in situations to accomplish His purpose, then perhaps one of our first questions should be, “What is the Lord doing here?”  Or more accurately, “How has the Lord been working in this situation before I arrived?”  When we contemplate how God has and is bringing people and events together to accomplish His will, we are more inclined to look for ways to be a part of His story; as opposed to creating our own story. 

Is there a circumstance in your life today where you are the one who just arrived?  Are you perplexed because you can’t seem to say or do anything right, having only partial knowledge of how the people around you arrived at the present?  It’s OK.  We all experience the confusion of “just getting here.”  We can’t be everywhere with everyone all the time.  But we can seek God’s wisdom, strive to discern how His hand is moving, and speak and act with grace as we determine our next steps. 

Incidentally, our next step might be to let others take care of what happened before we showed up.  We don’t have to speak into everything, and there is something to be said for merely smiling and praying for those around us as we leave them to solve challenges that don’t involve us.

Primarily, we need to ask God to show us how we might “help and not hurt” when we find ourselves in the middle of a puzzling situation.  As the brother of Jesus reminds us in James 3:13, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”

Always seek the wisdom of God in every situation.  Perhaps the place where you just arrived is exactly where God wanted you to be.  Now you just need to figure out what He needs you to do.

Recently, I shared a story with my church family about an unexpected blessing.  For context, in a few months I will be serving as a Resident Chaplain at a nearby veteran’s medical center.  The Residency is a full-time commitment, which will demand some adjustments to my daily schedule.  These pending adjustments set the stage for my story.

For years, I have exercised on the same elliptical at a local gym around 6:00am, showered, then traveled to my office.  With my upcoming Residency, and added distance to the medical center, I was facing the prospect of moving my gym time to 5:00am, which would have left me fatigued as my day progressed. 

I contemplated various solutions, including the purchase of a used elliptical.  One morning, I arrived at the gym and discovered a sign on my favorite machine that read, “Free to a good home!”  My heart jumped and I quickly called the contact number at the bottom of the sign.  The next day my name was on a note affixed to the elliptical letting others know it belonged to me!  Not only did I have an answer to my exercise dilemma, but it came in the form of the same machine I used daily.

Some call these kinds of events “windfalls”.  The word “windfall” originated in the fifteenth century when observers equated good fortune with a piece of fruit that falls from a tree after being blown loose by the wind.  After hearing my story, however, several members of my church family told me this was a “God-thing”, meaning that God has orchestrated everything for my welfare and His glory.

It did seem like God’s hand had moved.  My elliptical blessing reminded me of Jochebed, and the amazing series of events which permitted her to care for her infant son, Moses.  Pharaoh tried to kill Moses, along with other male babies born to Hebrew mothers.  But Jochebed placed him in a basket and hid him among bulrushes in the Nile.  That’s where he was discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter when she came to bathe.  Moses’ sister, Miriam, was watching from a distance, ran to the daughter and offered to find “a Hebrew woman” as a nurse for the child.  The daughter accepted Miriam’s offer, and she retrieved her mother.  Apparently unaware of Jochebed’s identity, Pharaoh’s daughter not only accepted her as Moses’ nurse, but paid her as well!

It had to be a “God-thing”.

I will confess that I am often too slow to declare God’s involvement in my circumstances.  It isn’t that I don’t believe He moves in my life.  In fact, I believe every breath I take is a gift from God.  It’s just that I have heard a number of people make a “God-thing” claim before examining the evidence, and occasionally, this is used to manipulate others for personal gain.   

So was my elliptical event a “God thing?”  Was God showing me favor because of my decision to serve American veterans, or as a means of demonstrating His glory to those who know my situation?  What if the elliptical breaks and becomes irreparable in the middle of my Residency?  Will that mean God was testing my faith with the gym elliptical, and that He had something else in mind I never received because of my impatience?  Does God even care about ellipticals?

Regardless of the possibilities, I am compelled to praise God.  I praise Him because He may have been blessing me for a specific reason, and I don’t want to overlook His goodness.  I praise Him because the circumstances and timing surrounding my gift from the gym were perfect in respect to my need.  I praise Him because I have been able to tell my story and strengthen the faith of others. And I praise Him, because in this one case, I have decided that “Yes”, it is a God-thing.

I have also concluded a windfall is a God-thing, literally and figuratively.  When the Lord led Ezekiel to a valley of bones in a vision, he told him to prophesy that the bones reattach themselves in the form of bodies.  Then he told him to invite breath into the bodies with these words: “Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” (Ezekiel 37:9b) There is no windfall without the God who sends the wind.

As I have aged, I have become more vocal about God’s blessings and quicker to give Him credit for circumstances in my life.  Am I perfect in my interpretation of events?  I doubt it.  But since I am an imperfect person, I have decided to err more on the side of God-things.  The praise is His no matter what, and I would rather give God credit for events He didn’t intentionally orchestrate than miss the opportunity to praise Him for the ones He did. 

Meanwhile, I am going to enjoy my time on one very fine used elliptical.  And as a result of my blessings, I will have more energy for my Residency.  Sounds like a God-thing to me.

On occasion I am struck by the meaning of a word I have taken for granted.  My most recent epiphany rose as I considered the term “trek”.  I find my oversight amusing since I am an avid “Star Trek” fan, and regularly quote Captain Kirk, Spock and Bones in conversation.  And just so you know, “I have been, and always shall be, your friend.” (Spock)

Why have I never considered the message behind a star trek?  For the Enterprise, it was a five-year journey, filled with trials, dangers, death and discovery.  The mission was “to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before!”  Those who started the journey could not predict where it would take them, but they were committed to the mission, because commitment is a defining characteristic of a trek. 

At the risk of splitting hairs, a trek is a long, arduous journey which requires planning, determination and sacrifice.  A trip can be as simple as a run to the local convenience store to buy a bag of ice. 

With this said, a trip can turn into a trek.  Drawing from the example of a family vacation in which everything goes wrong, and the goal shifts from relaxation to survival, it is possible to find ourselves on a journey we did not choose. 

This truth speaks to all of us who have accepted the call to follow Jesus.  Our journey may have started out as a trip, but it has become a trek.  I love using the word “trek” in this context because I think it accurately represents the nature of the Christian life.  Some people might refer to unfortunate events that occur on a trip as “disasters” or “nightmares.”  But a trek suggests we should not be surprised by the difficulties we encounter, even if we started out with more idealistic expectations.

The beauty of a trek is not found in the struggles we experience, but rather the purposeful maturity we develop on the journey.  The Apostle Paul, while suffering as a prisoner in Rome wrote, “I can do all things through Him who gives me strength”.  This principle was formed in Paul’s mind after years of faithful service to Jesus, in which he was verbally and physically abused for his faith and endured frequent life-threatening events.  In a way, Paul’s journey did begin as a trip, as he was travelling to Damascus with official orders to persecute Christians.  But his trip turned into a trek when the Lord Jesus appeared to him in a vision, and a believer by the name of Ananias visited him and shared God’s vision for his service to the kingdom.

It’s ok to think of our walk with the Lord as a trip, as long as we don’t turn back when our trip become a trek.  And it always will.  Between the challenges God impresses on our hearts, the trials and temptations Satan puts in our paths and the stretching that occurs as we grow in our faith, our journey will always be more than a simple transition between two locations. 

If your trip has become a trek and the journey you are on has become long and difficult, I want to encourage you.  God is with you, as are His people, and the trials you are encountering are to be expected.  You may not have placed them on your itinerary when you began, but they are your new reality.  God understands your way is hard, and He doesn’t expect you to be happy about every circumstance.  Still, He reminds you to take heart, and to know what is happening with you is doing something in you which will ultimately lead you to a place of unimaginable fulfillment. As the brother of our Lord once wrote, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4) 

It is a joy to be on this trek with you.  Let’s pray for one another as we practice faithfulness in the midst of the unexpected.  And in the words of my friend on the Enterprise, “Live long and prosper”! (Spock)

In my youth, my mother employed a simple test to discern whether or not I was telling the truth. She would say, “Look me in the eye and tell me that.” Her method was based on sound theory, since it is hard to look someone straight in the eye and lie. Some can tell a “bold-faced” lie, but it takes practice.

The eyes are the windows to the soul. In them, we see hurt, worry, fear, doubt and sorrow. We also see happiness, joy, confidence and love. If I want to hide my feelings from another human being, I try not to make eye contact. If I want to speak from the heart and know what is on someone else’s heart, I look them in the eye.

The Aaronic blessing in Numbers 6:24-26 proclaims, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” While we cannot look on the full glory of God, we can sense His presence as we read His Word and lift our voices in prayer. This is how we “look God in the eye” as He turns his face toward us and our innermost thoughts and feelings are laid bare before Him.

I think on these things as I try to understand why my soul is downcast in the wake of events in the country of Afghanistan. I feel anger, sadness, embarrassment and fear. While I feel certain I am not alone in my emotions, I think I may have discovered one reason they seem to grow stronger with each passing hour. There are many people I want to look in the eye. I want to be honest with them about the way I feel, as opposed to merely venting with my friends who, like me, are huddled safe in their homes a world away from the chaos in Afghanistan.

I believe it will be some time, if ever, when I am able to share how I feel with the people who need to hear it. At the risk of doing what I have just deemed somewhat irrelevant, I invite you into my heart as I express words to those I may never meet.

To members of the armed services: “I want you to know how very grateful I am for your service to our country. You have placed yourself in harm’s way to stem the tide of terrorism and make our home safer. Only the Lord knows the evil your intervention has prevented, or the crimes you have witnessed. For those of you who have lost friends in battle and/or suffered life altering injuries, as I live out my freedom, I will think of you. I pray for you as you live with scars, internal and external, and ask God to sustain you with His providential love.”

To the Afghan people: “While some say you failed to do your part to defend your own country, I want you to know, while this may be true of some, I do not believe it is true of all. Many of you fought valiantly alongside our military. You courageously opened businesses, educated children, shared your opinions and protected your neighbors. I do not know the portion of your society you represent; only that you exist. How afraid you must be for yourselves and your family, as many will not survive the events that will unfold over the next days and weeks. I pray for you as you fight for your life and the lives of your loved ones, and I thank you for walking with us in your quest for freedom.”

To women and girls in Afghanistan: “I hurt for you most of all because I know those who have seized power do not treasure and love you as God does. Some of you have already suffered unimaginable physical and emotional pain and are likely to experience more as the potential God put in you is stripped away, one possibility at a time. For those of you who have chosen to defy your oppressors, I pray for you as you stand in the gap for others. I would love to look you in the eye and remind you that regardless of the circumstances that others might impose on you, it does not change the beauty God put in you, or the pride He has in you. Eloquence cannot wish away the tragedy that awaits you. But I pray God will show you His presence in some way and protect you from the worst.”

To my brothers and sisters in Christ in Afghanistan: “We refer to you as the persecuted church. I wonder how you see yourselves as you share in the sufferings of Christ. I suspect you are consumed with concern for one another, and are not only caring for your own, but reaching out to your neighbor. Soon, if not already, you may face the choice between renouncing your faith and forfeiting your life. Apart from this horrific reality, you must also fear for your families; your children and grandchildren. I pray that God will shelter you, and that He will help you persevere. Regardless of the pain you may experience in the days ahead, I also pray for spiritual strength as you cling to the cross and our promise of eternal life in Jesus.”

There are some others I would like to “look in the eye”, but I confess I am embarrassed by the things I want to tell them, and do not believe my words would honor God or help any of us deal with the catastrophe before us. I have chosen not to identify any of these individuals, but I will say I grow tired of being lied to, hearing people cast blame, seeing thugs hide behind their religion and several other clear indications that we are a fallen human race, capable of sinning in ways that are difficult to comprehend.

I pray because I believe God can and may intervene in the lives of those who are suffering. I pray because I believe every single person, including those who do evil, are children of God, and desperately need the grace I have received through my Savior Jesus. I pray and ask others to join me in prayer because I believe in the value of collectively coming before the Lord.

Honestly, I also pray because I don’t know what else to do. I cannot look the people I am thinking of in the eye, but I can fall before God and ask Him to comfort them with His presence. In recent days God has been calling out to me in my self-imposed spiritual exile. I have been hiding some of my thoughts from Him because I haven’t been sure what to say. But now He is challenging me: “Look me in the eye!” It is time to come clean because it is impossible to tell God a bold-faced lie.