What is our response when we are overwhelmed by life and our circumstances? Fight or flight? Face the moment or hide? Mitigate risk or “meet them in battle nonetheless”*? There are certainly moments (or seasons) when we have no “reasonable” hope for a good outcome, but God teaches us to expect his help – even in the face of overwhelming odds. In the 11th century B.C., the nation of Israel was facing antihalation from the surrounding people in Canaan, primarily…
What is your first thought when the storm approaches? How many have you lived through? Do you wholeheartedly pursue adventure? People die every day as a result of “adventure”. Does that keep you locked in at home – staying safe? “God created us for risk and adventure. Consider the challenges of marriage, parenting, running a race, dreaming and pursuing big dreams. All of these are fraught with hard work and gut wrenching risks. In his recent book, Play the Man,…
This morning, I awoke from the unsettling depths of another dream of being caught in an inescapable quagmire of life’s circumstances. It was, without a doubt, inspired by last night’s viewing of the 2002 version of Charles Dicken’s Nicholas Nickerby. It is inevitable that my wife and I will be drawn by a irresistible force (like the pull of gravity) to immerse ourselves in these types of dramas that torture and entertain us. These are Dickensian lessons where (almost without…
How we lack imagination….. faith is required to imagine what is wonderful beyond our sensory grasp. Our self-focus, encouraged by our pain, keeps us inside of our little dwelling. Stepping outside of ourselves is a gift – from God himself. Outside are the limitless vistas that expand our humanness and give us eternal hope. These are the places we rarely go – since we fear being overwhelmed and losing control. Pray to be overwhelmed! Pray to understand that you…
At Morning and at evening it shines just as bright It changes the room where it scatters its light When troubles unkind make the day longer still And the heart is unswept of its worries and cares It appears unannounced with its soft Summer warmth And commands into bloom what is lovely and fair There are gifts that are given each day of the year Many given for need, many given for love But the gift that I cherish every…
Have you ever wiped away someone’s tears? Have you? You don’t wipe away the tears of someone you don’t care for – very deeply. Thinking back to my childhood, if my tears were ever wiped away, it would have been by my tender-hearted mother. It wasn’t many years before growing up (or embarrassment) moved me away from desiring such comforts. Tears are messengers of our brokenness and pain. Tears are the physical expression of the emotional distress that lives below…
Yesterday I stood at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean during a stormy sunrise. The beach on the Outer Banks of North Carolina stretched out of sight in both directions. The deep blue clouds, lighted from above were a thing of rare beauty. The strong, gusty winds pushed me around like one of the few brave seagulls. But what overwhelmed me most was the inescapable salty aroma that heralded the transition from continent to ocean, the edge of two…
I found myself intrigued and curious as I read in the book of Zechariah the account of his vision that included the appearance of horns and craftsmen. The horns seem easier to interpret as powers or personalities that goad others. No one wants to be on the receiving end of the “horns”. For me (and probably Zechariah), the strange appearance of craftsmen to oppose these horns was the novelty. Why not a warrior, a king or a prophet? Perhaps there…
Early this morning, I had a high definition dream that seemed longer and more real than most. I was being driven through a landscape of decaying and ruined buildings that I recognized as parts of buildings I had leased or worked in during my lifetime. The scene resembled the aftermath of a devastating tornado or a bombed-out industrial site. Of course, each recollection of past failures had, attached to it, regret and pain. It didn’t take long to realize…
How does life move forward when humanity cannotWhen losses mount and intentions fail – over and over and overLove falters, desire lacks substance,One step forward, 2 steps back Generations fade, each blaming another Each uniquely incapable at turning the tideGlittering flourishes lacking substance to build what is meaningful ,To build what is not torn down by the next We stumble through rubbleInjured and injuringLost and losingBearing God’s image, blooming amid our ruins Our Renaissance followed…