In case you didn't know, I PASSIONATELY love jazz music. From traditional jazz standards to new age, I love it. As a sax player, I enjoy that you don't have to do a song the same way every time. You can follow a basic pattern and then build an improvisation on that basic theme that is all yours. It's new every time, even though the basic pattern is the same.
I was reading this morning, and a friend reminded me that "Love God, Love your neighbor" is one of the themes, or basic patterns, of the "songs" of Scripture. His question to me is mine to you: how will you improvise on that theme today and make it your own.
Jase
Monday, March 23, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
God Stories and Men's Fellowship
We talk a lot around these parts about The Heights being "Deliberately Different." We've made no secret about the fact that THF was begun to reach the "unchurched, dechurched, and poorly churched" of our community. That point was illustrated to me once again on Thursday morning as I met with our THF Men's Fellowship (6:30 am Thursday mornings in the THF Mall, gentlemen!).
One of our elders was leading a discussion of our morning text - Acts 22, and he asked the group to share their God stories with one another. Of the six men who shared, none of them had the same story...only two of them even had the same origin for their spiritual journey. And nearly everyone came from an "unchurched, dechurched, or poorly churched" background too.
As I looked around that room of fellow pilgrims, I was left to ponder the wonder of my God, and His continued work in the lives of those like myself, who are so undeserving. And I remembered that scripture an old fisherman, turned pastor wrote:
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not
received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:10 niv
And I was grateful all over again for the message of mercy!
One of our elders was leading a discussion of our morning text - Acts 22, and he asked the group to share their God stories with one another. Of the six men who shared, none of them had the same story...only two of them even had the same origin for their spiritual journey. And nearly everyone came from an "unchurched, dechurched, or poorly churched" background too.
As I looked around that room of fellow pilgrims, I was left to ponder the wonder of my God, and His continued work in the lives of those like myself, who are so undeserving. And I remembered that scripture an old fisherman, turned pastor wrote:
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not
received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:10 niv
And I was grateful all over again for the message of mercy!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
So I Ran Into This Ten Year Old Boy Today...
Today marks a milestone. [No, not Texas Independence Day...that is a great cause for revelry all its own.] On March 2, 1973, I knelt in prayer in my parent's living room and prayed to receive Jesus into my heart. I was ten years old - a fifth grader at Gene Howe Elementary in Amarillo. To be honest, I don't know that I fully realized what I was getting myself into, but I do remember that I was utterly convinced it was right and true, and I chased my conviction into a relationship with the risen Savior.
Today, it's thirty-six years later. A lot has changed...I'm older, heavier, starting to gray on top (although I remain grateful that I have anything on top to gray). Like anyone, I bear the marks of being bumped around some by life. This morning, as I pondered the fact that over three quarters of my life has been spent following the Savior, I ran into that wide-eyed, altruistic, idealistic, ten year old boy again. Spiritually, there is much in three dozen years that is forgettable - jr. high, high school, and a couple of years in college come to mind - I rather often reflect on them as germination time...my time in the ground. But when I ran into him this morning, I ran into HIM again. And I was reminded why my heart has always preferred to celebrate this day over another one where I'll blow out 47 candles, come June.
Seems like with birthdays we celebrate the passing of time. We reach milestones and go "over the hill." Over years we move from expectation as we anticipate the big day to exasperation as we see another year gone. We become 30-something, then 40-something, then AARP members... Age begins to claim us. As we count up, we realize we're ultimately counting down.
Not so in the faith. We just count up. You can never be too old or too young in eternity. On March 2, 1973 I really began to live. I'm sure I didn't understand it all then...and I'm certain that I don't get it all even now. But this one thing I know: I am more certain, more convinced, more convicted, and more compelled to live that life now than at any other time in my existence. I am absolutely sure of my Savior and His truth and His way. And you know what, even though I've much to regret and repent for in my life, I've not had a moment's regret about my Jesus.
So light a candle with me. We're just getting started...
Today, it's thirty-six years later. A lot has changed...I'm older, heavier, starting to gray on top (although I remain grateful that I have anything on top to gray). Like anyone, I bear the marks of being bumped around some by life. This morning, as I pondered the fact that over three quarters of my life has been spent following the Savior, I ran into that wide-eyed, altruistic, idealistic, ten year old boy again. Spiritually, there is much in three dozen years that is forgettable - jr. high, high school, and a couple of years in college come to mind - I rather often reflect on them as germination time...my time in the ground. But when I ran into him this morning, I ran into HIM again. And I was reminded why my heart has always preferred to celebrate this day over another one where I'll blow out 47 candles, come June.
Seems like with birthdays we celebrate the passing of time. We reach milestones and go "over the hill." Over years we move from expectation as we anticipate the big day to exasperation as we see another year gone. We become 30-something, then 40-something, then AARP members... Age begins to claim us. As we count up, we realize we're ultimately counting down.
Not so in the faith. We just count up. You can never be too old or too young in eternity. On March 2, 1973 I really began to live. I'm sure I didn't understand it all then...and I'm certain that I don't get it all even now. But this one thing I know: I am more certain, more convinced, more convicted, and more compelled to live that life now than at any other time in my existence. I am absolutely sure of my Savior and His truth and His way. And you know what, even though I've much to regret and repent for in my life, I've not had a moment's regret about my Jesus.
So light a candle with me. We're just getting started...
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