Throw Some Honey on It

My schedule is hectic. I work graveyard shift so I often feel Lisa and I see each other like passing ships. But one thing we try to do is have breakfast together at a variety of places like Cafe Brazil, Buzz Brews, etc. It is a meal before I go to sleep and after she wakes up – but we are together and that is important to us.  
Last week, it was a hard day for her – a lot on her plate and stress was high. So, I took her to a breakfast spot that was new for us – ‘Ida Claire’. Kind of southern cooking with fancy menu items. The ambiance is kinda of eclectic but a bit unusual. A warehouse feel with decor from Buddhism, Kabbalah, and a few other spiritual oddities that might make one feel awkward. Plus it also had Halloween decorations that added to the supernatural weirdness. Now to me, this is like reality. We live in a culture that has so many world views, beliefs, religiously diverse icons all around us. Christians might feel out of place if they let it get to them. (Lesson 1 – this world is not our home, so we could feel out of place at times). 

So Lisa, already kind of stressed, looked around the restaurant. She did not find anything to calm her (beside the overweight stud sitting across the table from her), that is, she did not find anything until she looked at the menu. There were so many delightful dishes, she was thrilled. She zoomed in on the Avocado Toast. Me, I saw the beignets, oh, and eggs and biscuit as well. Avocado. Really? It is green so I avoid that. The beignets were good – not Cafe du Monde good, but good. She got her dish, drank the fresh French press coffee, and conversed with someone who loved her. Whallaa – her outlook and demeanor had changed. My work was done.

Now why do I share such a story? To me, this is every believer (or any person really). We live in a world that is culturally diverse, pluralistic in religious outlooks, not always helping us see Christ, and very stressful. We might even go to a church that is odd, not what we expect, and might even put us in a defensive demeanor. But I truly believe that if the church offers the right menu, the right food dish, the right meal for the worshipper, it can change any demeanor to one that sees the greatness of God.
And that meal is the Word of God. 
If the church proclaims, teaches, shares the message of hope and grace and love, it will make a difference in lives. God’s Word will not return void. Preach the whole council of Scripture. His Word declares peace with God and peace from God. And we need that. 
Before you get all upset and think I am advocating a consumer mentality – that is not my intent here. I just believe we need to gather (it is Biblical after all) and we need to feed on the Word of God. So, lesson two, has life got you stressed? A bit overwhelmed at all this world throws at you? Not hearing God in this world filled with so many distractions? Get back to the menu that we need – the Bread of Life, the very Word of God. Daily. Individually. As part of the family of God. Dig in and be changed.
And to fellow teachers/preachers: I close with words from Spurgeon. Don’t just throw the seed at the people! Grind it into flour, bake it into bread, and slice it for them. And it wouldn’t hurt to put a little honey on it.

Promise Keepers – plus 20

20 years ago this month, I was with almost a million men filling the mall in Washington.  A moment in my life that God spoke to me (and others). It was not my first PK experience.  I joined 65,000 at RFK stadium and felt the ground shake – oh yeah – will never forget EV Hill (and so many others). Then in 2007, Dan McConnell and I joined a smaller crowd in DC for the 10 year anniversary. So blessed. But as much as I strive to keep the seven promises, I stress to remember the first Promise Keeper. Our God – He is faithful., He keeps His Word.  Trust it.  

With that, I wrote this rambling …

Imagine this situation.  Your supervisor can’t get something accomplished so he plans for you to get involved. And wouldn’t you think it was a blessing when you actually accomplish the goal. But instead of thank you, or way to go – nope, you get contempt. For every time your boss looks at you, he see nothing but a reminder that he couldn’t get the job done himself. 

Your boss does more than hold contempt, he now mistreats you. He is doing everything he can to drive you away. But you did nothing wrong. You got the job done, the very job that he gave to you in the first place. This is is so wrong. Sooooo, you run away. Enough of this, no more contempt, no more abuse. 

And when you get a word from the Lord, what does He say, “Go back and submit.” What? Not a chance. No way. In your dreams. It would be hard. Why me. Can I get a recount. You talking to me. If I have to. Okay, but not gonna be happy about it. (Have I said enough here?). Oh, the Lord did say something else – he would bless you. Submission to authority, it is tough. Yet unless morally compromising, it is Biblical.

This story does not mean you should stay in every situation. Some situations are dangerous and we should get out of the way – Obadiah hid 100 prophets from Jezebel (hint: if your potential boss is named Jezebel, think twice before taking the job). God commands submission to authority … in our homes, at in the workplace, at church, our government, any where we are. In this situation, I have modernized the story of Sarai and Hagar. See Genesis 16. 

Hagar returned, Ishmael was born (a whole other story in that), and God did bless … but not as we often think it should happen. Later, Hagar and Ishmael would be sent away. They would become desperate to the point of death. But God did not forget His promises. He delivered.  God blesses. 

You could write about Sarai – trying to do things her way, attitude, etc. You could write about Abram – absentee leader, yielding of his role, mistakes of a husband, etc. But no matter which way you look at it, in the end, God kept His promises – to Sarah (got a child), to Abram (fathered a nation), and to Hagar. And He will keep His promises to us.

My point in this rabbit trail rambling – Our ways are not always His. But where He speaks, we better listen. And where He promises, we can know they are always true.

Epilogue: Jason Ingram and Kristian Stanfill wrote a great song, a song that refreshes and a song that – if I had it in vinyl – would be worn out from my playing it over and over. I give you their lyrics, and encourage you to listen to it. More important, get the truth – our God keeps His promises —— ALWAYS!!

VERSE 1: My foes are many

My foes are many, they rise against me, But I will hold my ground

I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm

My help is on the way, my help is on the way

CHORUS: Oh, my God, He will not delay … My refuge and strength always

I will not fear, His promise is true … My God will come through always, always

VERSE 2: Troubles surround me, chaos abounding

My soul will rest in You

I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm

My help is on the way, my help is on the way

CHORUS & Bridge

I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord 

It is not good for man to be alone …

When Adam was first placed in the garden, can you imagine the splendor, the beauty, the awe of it all. Animals roamed free and he named them ~ all of them. Where did he come up with the name ‘platypus’? (Yeah, I know this might not be the original name. It might have been ‘Frank’.). He saw them play, graze, run free, and mate. And then it hit him – there wasn’t anybody for him. And so came ‘Eve’, and wow! Life would never be the same. The point – we were not made to be alone. Yeah, we need those away times, those get away from it all by myself, hiking the trails, seeing the splendor, and just getting refreshed times. But those are to be the exceptions, not the rule. We need someone to hang with, grow old with, and to walk alongside of.  And then there are those times we do feel all alone, us against the world. Elijah, that great prophet and man of God, had this moment. He thought he was in the battle all by himself. Nobody else was picking up the fight and he had to take on the evil queen all alone. He doesn’t get it. Until God reveals this – you are not alone. Hundreds of others had been hidden in a cave for safety. They were in the battle, even when they are not in his line of sight -they were standing for the Lord.

We need friends. We need a tribe (see last entry). We need each other. And I hate to be cliche, but if you want a friend, be a friend. Too often we are only seeing our little splice of life and we expect people to come into it, expect them to come to us. Why? Maybe God wants you to be that part of the relationships that reaches out – the one that invites another for coffee (black please – none of that macchiato pumpkin maple venti skinny wet carmeletto with cinnamon, yuck). You be the one that gets out of your regular Sunday pew spot and go sit next to the guest, and after church, go for lunch. You can invite them to your house if you cook, but I don’t know what that looks like. 

I get pretty drained listening to mature, tenured church people say that no one cares for them and no one talks to them. Get off that pew and reach out. Get into a small group. Join a bible study class. And if the other members are cranky and don’t want to get to know you, create a new one and broaden your circle.

One last thought, I know God realizes this, we feel lonely at times – we need to remember his promise that He is with us, never leaves us, never will. You may not see Him, feel Him, or think He cares. He does. And He is big enough to be with each of His kids. So tsk that to the bank. Our God will not forsake us.

I love hiking alone. But those times Matt J, Taylor F, or Calvin hiked with me – well those are even sweeter. Find your friends. Find your tribe. Do something together.  But if you do find yourself without any other person around yourself,  rest assured, God is always there.

First blog post – We Need A Tribe

I have been encouraged to restart my ramblings; but not by Lisa, for she hears my ramblings way too much – so here I begin to head down the rabbit trails of a mind that has an erratic stream of consciousness.  For those that stumble across my rabbit trails, it is my hope for these words to be encouraging, thought provoking, edifying, and always – God glorifying.

The past two years continue to be part of an experience in my life journey that has been – well, baffling.  I will share more as the weeks progress into months, but my prayer is that as 2018 nears, my journey will be a coming out of the wandering in the unknown into the land of deeper service, deeper worship, and a deeper walk with God.  But know this, for those like me that still feel like you’re wandering in a wilderness – God can and will use these times.  Some great lessons in the Bible are while people are in the wilderness.

Here is just one of those lessons.  I like to hike and I miss the trails of the Shenandoah.  Dallas has few trails (getting to know Cedar Hill area quite well) but they still feel very close to civilization.  When I hike, I normally go alone.  I  get away from it all and everyone.  It is a great time to think, to pray, to sing without worrying if I am in key, and to just go at my own pace.  And for a few hours, I see very few people.  It is also a time that I realize I need people.  These two years away from Friendship have also taught me I miss being connected, I crave deeper relationships, and I was designed by God to need others – We all need community – a Tribe.

Adam was lonely – and Eve enters the story.  Moses had Aaron and Joshua.  David had Jonathan.  Jesus choose twelve.  Paul had Timothy, and others.  Hebrews 10 tells us not to forsake the assembling together – We Need Each Other.

Urban Dictionary defines Tribe as “A group of friends that would do anything for each other, at just about any time.  Friends that have been together for a decade or a day, but are loyal, loving, honest, and fun-loving. The Tribe consists of people that you expect to grow old together with …”

I love those times alone on the trails, but I don’t want to stay that way – I need a Tribe. And so do you.  Who’s your tribe?  Spend some time with them this week.

UP NEXT – What if I feel I don’t have a tribe?  What if I feel I am all alone?