Spiritual Markers

I will always remember June 14. On that day in 2009 I had the joy of baptizing Mary, an example of God’s grace that brought her family and her from refuge camps where they had been driven from their home by political unrest in the Sudan to U.S. citizenship and now a baptized member of our church. What a story! We also had the greatest spiritual movement in worship, up until that time in our church, on that same day. What a day!

On June 14, 1988 I began my first day as a pastor in South Carolina. I grew up in Mississippi and had served churches in other states and but it seemed as if God gave me a second home and it would take too long to describe the adventure he has given me as a minister in South Carolina.

I will never forget June 14, 1997. My mother gave Dad his Father’s day card. As he was reading it she said, “I have a sharp pain in my head.” Those were her last words. She slumped and died a few hours later from a massive cerebral aneurysm. She was 68. She was really my best friend for most of my life and the joy of our family. She made life fun for everyone who met her. Although she rarely traveled far from her birthplace in rural Alabama she touched many lives with joy. We had over 400 well-wishers morn with us at her passing. Years later, when I would return home for visits I would see people who told me they missed her laugh. She gave me the gift of joy as I was raised in a home with laughter as an everyday occasion. The omnipresent smile people see on me today is a tribute to her. I will certainly remember June 14.

Life is filled with dates and to remember; anniversaries, birthdays, special events, good times and some tragedies. I call them ‘Spiritual Markers’. The Bible gives us examples of the importance of creating such markers to remember important events of the past. Examples are seen in the annual Passover Meal, Feast of Tabernacles, Last Supper, etc. The Apostle Paul never forgot his day of conversion. He talked about it and other markers for the rest of his life. When Joshua led the descendants of Israel across the Jordan River into the Promised Land they took twelve stones, one for each tribe, and piled them up to make a monument. When asked, “What do these stones mean?” The answer was given that this will serve as a monument (reminder or marker) for the generations to come. It would be important for them to remember their past to make the most of their future.

As you go through life I encourage you to set aside your own Spiritual Markers. They serve to remind us of the importance of all of life’s actions and it’s frailty as we make the most of today’s opportunities. There are times we gulp the moments in our fast paced world so quickly that we seem to fail to realize that once lived we don’t get that moment back. It is important to pause to reflect and make the most of each moment. Some moments are worth marking in a special way. We live in a sin-scarred world so some days will just stand out due to a tragedy that can’t be prevented. However, if you focus on making each day special, as I learned from my mother, you can still transform the tragic markers into days when you may have a tear but it trickles into the upward curve of a smile as you are left with good memories.

I call them spiritual because these markers are good for my soul even though one may not think them always to be pious. As in this important case; while my wedding anniversary is in August, I have a Spiritual Marker on March 23. I try to do something special for my spouse on that day because I will always remember March 23, 1980, it was early Sunday afternoon. My girlfriend and I had been to Pizza Hut for lunch after we went to church together. She was wearing a white dress with a floral pattern. She met me at church that morning in her car so after lunch I took her back to her car in the church parking lot. Ours were the only two cars there. Before she got out of my car I told her I wanted to ask her something serious. She never knew what to expect because I was always up to something (remember the legacy of fun from my mother). I looked her in the eye and asked her to marry me. She hit me in the arm and told me to stop kidding around. I should have taken notice that this spunky response was an indication that life with her would not be dull. Then, reality set in with her and she realized I was not kidding. We have been seriously having fun since then.

A good life is not made so much of many great events but of many everyday occasions that we make great. As stated earlier in this writing we live in a sin-scarred world. There will be tragedy and loss. I still miss talking to mom, but I remember her every time I smile and on June 14 I do try to something special in her honor. Begin today setting Spiritual Markers in your life. Spiritual Markers really make a difference, if you think not check with me and my wife on March 23…better make that the 24th!

Get Out!

I took my kayak so far up river that I could not hear a man-made sound. Sometimes I enjoy getting out and away from the daily distractions to hear God in a fresh and clear way. It is easy to get so caught up in the busy, noisy routine of one's world that it can be helpful to break out and make a change that will allow one's perspective to be changed. God will often reveal himself, a new truth or remind us of an old one in a fresh new way when we step out or 'get out' in some new fashion. You may not need to paddle far away as I enjoy doing on occasion but I encourage you to find a regular way to get out. Even Jesus found it necessary to take time to get out while he was on earth as he would often take time to get away, alone, to pray and commune with his Father.

I am convinced that one of the reasons for much of the unnecessary conflict and dysfunction in families and churches is often a case of ‘cabin fever’. Cabin fever is actually in the dictionary. It is described as extreme irritability and restlessness from living in isolation or a confined indoor area for a prolonged time. I have often described this as the illness that causes many churches, families and individuals to suffer those signs of irritability. Over the years I have discovered that many of the families that suffer from dysfunction remain in closed circles almost isolated from other real social interaction. I have also discovered that many of those who seem to instigate the most trouble in churches never go on a mission trip. However, they never seem to miss a business meeting.

Therefore the prescription (trust me I am a Doctor) may be more simple for some than they realize; Get Out! (I realize some are making their own joke about removing the trouble maker from the family or church. I am not advocating kicking them out in that sense but moving toward a redemptive, healing and growth process). Too many suffer from staying in their small circle and become enclosed or isolated in their own little universe. Sometimes it just helps to get out and get around others to see there is another perspective. You may not realize how consumed you are in your own ego. It is always helpful to get out and do something for someone else.

Speaking from my own experience, one of the best things that ever happened to me was going to the other side of the world, reluctantly mind you. I was sort of pushed into going on a mission trip to Kenya many years ago. You see I was never a big fan of flying. I joked that the Bible said, “Lo, I will be with you… (I realize that remark is not that funny but it was my lame excuse to stay away from flying.) However, once in Kenya God opened a whole new world and perspective for me and I have not been the same since that experience. Africa was a completely different world than the one I had been ‘handling’ in my own wisdom and know-how as an experienced pastor of some years. However, God had to get me out to the other side of the world to get my attention and cause me to slow down, I am pretty hyper, to allow me to hear him. I heard him loud and clear and have not recovered from that conversation to this day. I came back and people noticed a difference. I will never be the same.

Therefore, I continue to practice ‘getting out’ whenever I can whether it is a mission trip (that can be across the street), a simple prayer retreat (that could be in the back yard…sometimes one needs to get farther from the routine of the day. Yesterday I needed to get far enough up river to be away from man-made sounds…depends on how much has cluttered into your world lately). Anyway, people have realized that I am different. So they are not surprised when they come to church and I tell them to “Get out”!

Jesus was different also. He was not really into religion as much as he was into God. Remember it was the religious leaders who were most frustrated with him because he was different. He did follow and fulfill the commandments (the rules or heart) of God’s true teaching which he summarized by loving God completely and loving all other people as we love and care for ourselves (Mt 22:37-40). But he practiced ‘getting out’ and I am glad he did. Had he not gotten out of Heaven and made his way here to pay for my transgressions (and yours if you trust his gift of atonement) I would be hopelessly doomed. Getting out is a good thing in many ways.

So, when things seem to be closing in on you and you or your family is suffering from ‘cabin fever’, ‘Get Out! Break out of your routine. Go on a prayer walk, go on retreat, find a mission activity to do or go on a mission trip. It will open your eyes and ears to see and hear God in a fresh way. Trust me I'm a doctor!

Lighten the Load

Travel sounds glamorous until you do it on a regular basis. As a pastor and Director of Missions for nearly 30 years I have traveled quite a bit in ministry. I have shared the gospel in five of the seven continents. It they are correct about global warming I may be closer to covering all of them than I originally thought. The worst stretch of travel was a period of less than four weeks where my wife and I traveled over 15,000 miles visiting eight different states and three different countries. We literally lived those weeks packing and unpacking and lugging suitcases around. As our gate changed at a busy airport terminal during that time I had to begin pulling all those suitcases hurriedly to the other end of the terminal when I began to wonder, “Do I really need all this stuff? What could I do without? What is really holding me back and creating an unnecessary burden?” It is better to travel light and enjoy the journey.

Then I began to realize how often we go through life carrying emotional, psychological and spiritual baggage that burdens us and keeps us from traveling light and enjoying the real journey. On a daily basis I encounter people weighed down by depression, anger, guilt, shame, fear, unresolved problems of the past, loneliness, worry, doubt…some of these suitcases and similar baggage sound familiar? Are you carrying around baggage that is keeping you from joy and weighing you down? When we carry excess baggage we cannot enjoy the freedom of the journey as intended. Jesus traveled light.

I remembered his words in Matthew 11:28-30 where he said "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Here is the simple formula to lighten the load in life and enjoy the journey. First, come to him. The answer to all burdens or problems in life begins with a spiritual solution so he is the place to start. He truly offers rest for those weary from a burdened journey, if they are willing to come to him. Then he says learn from me. He had more pressure than any of us will ever know. It is quite a job to have to save all mankind not to mention growing up as a young boy and never doing anything wrong. Mother was proud of me but she graded on a curve. Jesus never made a mistake no matter what. He never worried, never lost his temper, never got depressed, never panicked and he was in some tougher spots than we will ever know. So, he says we can learn from him. What can we learn? Let go of whatever is holding you back and completely trust him with your life. We can learn that no matter what we have done or has been done to us, we can drop all the baggage from the past or present and follow his plan for our day and the rest of our days. His way is easy. He has an answer and solution for all the baggage that is slowing you down.

Feeling guilty or ashamed? Leave that baggage at Romans 8:1 and 1 John 1:9. Angry? Drop that luggage at Ephesians 4:26 and Matthew 5:23 & 24. Forgive and forget. Worried? Leave that load at Philippians 4: 6 & 7 and Matthew 6:34. Fear weighing you down…every Angel comes from Heaven with two words from God, “Fear not”. Leave that baggage with the messenger from Heaven. Burdened with loneliness? Leave that oversided bag at Hebrews 13:5. I think you get the idea. No matter what has happened or will happen you don’t need all that stuff that your are carrying, which is really holding you back, and causing you to trip and stumble time after time. The worst that can happen on the journey when you follow him and travel light is this; you die and go to be with him in heaven forever! So lighten the load and enjoy the journey.

Trump Commandment

An angelic choir ushered Jesus into this world by singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” God still has goodwill for us and peace is still his eternal promise in Christ but quite frankly we don’t really see much peace on earth and goodwill among men is a pleasant surprise more than the norm in everyday life. In fact, the world seems to be growing more violent and I see less civility than I ever remember in my lifetime.

I know I now qualify for the senior omelet at the International House of Pancakes (I am not crazy about the omelet but it took me this long to earn it so by golly I am going to order it) but I miss the days when one could go to a store or order a sandwich and receive a courteous response at a regular practice. Gone also are the days when one could simply click a turn signal and the person in the car behind would slow, smile and wave you into the lane you needed. You might get a wave but it will be a less than friendly gesture. Well, when we get tired of rude treatment and the conflict of the world we can always go to church and find peace on earth and goodwill toward men…

Would that statement were always true, but we also seem to find reasons to differ in the body of Christ. At times the attitudes of conflict in the church rival those outside the church. We often can find more things to divide us than most groups I know. I am aware of actual church arguments over colors of carpet, storage closets and brands of toilet paper. While we may acknowledge and agree (when we are not arguing about those items) that arguing over those items are silly we often carry matters too far when we divide over scripture. Hear me carefully; proper interpretation of scripture is vital! Eternal destiny hangs in the balance. However, we must never let some of these matters divide us as we often do. There are obvious matters of scripture that are beyond debate such as the deity of Christ and salvation through his atoning grace, etc.

However, there are scriptures that God seemed to leave intentionally open to dialogue. Perhaps, he did this to allow us to draw together in our discussion and discernment and grow our faith as well as our love for one another as we work out these few verses in unity and harmony not letting them divide us. Sometimes our opinions change as we grow and learn. I even find disagreement with some of my own earlier writings as I have grown in my walk with my Lord, but I am still on speaking terms with the author.

In most card games there is a trump card that beats all others. Jesus gave a ‘trump’ for all interpretations, situations and other commandments when he was asked, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22: 36-40) When we let love become the determining factor in all our actions we may see the promise of peace and goodwill among men fulfilled after all!

Always a Missionary

My elderly father fell. There was a possible broken hip and wrist. I was in Texas attending a conference when I got the call. As his primary caretaker, I got an emergency flight to admit him to the hospital. Once in the hospital delirium, the state of mental confusion that is often experienced by older patients, complicated matters. He became so agitated I finally had to have the nurses sedate him to keep him from further harming himself with his struggles from the confusion and agitation.

The situation continued to worsen as his wife died three days after he was admitted. My mother died in 1997. He remarried after her death and his second wife had been rapidly declining in a nursing home from a massive stroke. Now I had to break this news of her death to him, hope he would comprehend what I had shared in his state of mental confusion and then hope we would be physically (and mentally) able to leave the hospital for her funeral.

Just when it seemed things couldn’t get worse the nurse came into the room saying, “We need to move everyone into the hall a tornado is approaching.” So here I was in the hall with my bedridden father with whom I was waiting for him to gain enough clarity of mind to tell him his 2nd wife had just died and now a tornado approaching. Just then Daddy reached toward me and told me he needed to use the bedpan!

I share all this for a reason. First, never think, "Well it can't get any worse!" It can always get worse. In the midst of these escalating events my first thought was this, “Lord, give me a break! What are you doing to me?” Just being honest with you here! Then quickly I snapped back as the Holy Spirit reminded me that this was not about me. My purpose as his son was to take care of my father’s needs in his time of physical and emotional need. My purpose as God’s child is to reflect Christ in all I do, no matter what the conditions may be. It is not about me at all. Luke 9:23 tells me, as a follower of Christ, I am to deny self daily. Matthew 5:14-16 tells me I am to reflect Christ in my deeds.

I kept my cool and tried to reflect Christ in the middle of that moment. After all there were others who needed to be kept calm also. Our witness often can be the calm in the midst of life’s numerous storms for those around us. The tornado passed a few miles to the north. It destroyed a school, a church and several homes. No one was hurt. All can and will be rebuilt. The nurses cared for the immediate needs (thank goodness for nurses). I ministered to my dad in his growing time of loss.

The next day when his two physical therapists, who shared the frantic hallway with me and the other patients watching our behavior, came to the room they said, “You are a preacher, why does God allow disasters like the tornado?” I then had an opportunity to share about this sin-scarred world where bad things happen to good and bad people and how God’s love and grace is there in the midst of all (for more on this give me a call). As they were leaving the room one therapist looked at the other and said, “That makes sense. I never thought of things that way before!”

Here is the point. In all of life’s events, as a child of God, remember it is never about you! It is always about you being his missionary wherever you are and reflecting Jesus in all you do. So next time you are in the midst of a situation that seems to be escalating from one extreme to the next, don’t fret, God is with you and has you exactly where you need to be as his missionary to reflect his calm and mercy in the image of Jesus. Press on as his missionary.

Tired of church?

Do you have times when you just get tired of church? Are there days when you seem to be going and not getting much out of the time you are giving? Perhaps you are too much into church and not enough into the founder. We Baptist are among the world’s worst at keeping busy ‘doing church’ rather than connecting with Jesus and then having fun ‘being’ the church. I often share my favorite poem to make the point;

Mary had a little lamb.
It would have been a sheep.
But it joined a Baptist Church and died from lack of sleep.

We can get so busy being religious that we miss Jesus. In fact, Jesus only mentioned church twice and he established the New Testament church. The Apostle Paul, whose inspired writings serve as much of the doctrine and guidance for the New Testament church never talked about joining the church or going to church. Rather he talked about being “in Christ” or “knowing Christ”.

Stephen Covey shared some interesting thoughts about people who become too centered on church in his popular book '7 Habits of Highly Effective People'. “Having participated throughout my life in organized church and community service group, I have found that attending church does not necessarily mean living the principles taught in those meetings. You can be active in a church but inactive in its gospel. In the church-centered life, image or appearance can become a person’s dominant consideration, leading to hypocrisy that undermines personal security and intrinsic worth. Because the church is a formal organization made up of policies, programs, practices, and people, it cannot by itself give a person any deep, permanent security or sense of intrinsic worth. Living the principles taught by the church can do this, but the organization alone cannot.Nor can the church give a person a constant sense of guidance. Church-centered people often tend to live in compartments, acting and thinking and feeling in certain ways on the Sabbath and in totally different ways on weekdays. Such a lack of wholeness or unity or integrity is a further threat to security, creating the increased labeling and self-justifying. Seeing the church as an end rather than as a means to an end undermines a person’s wisdom and sense of balance. Although the church claims to teach people about the source of power, it does not claim to be that power itself. It claims to be one vehicle through which divine power can be channeled into man’s nature.”

What I think Covey is saying in a wordy fashion (it is hard to sell books and get big bucks as a high powered lecturer if you sound simple) is basically this; a church centered life can lead to hypocrisy (putting on an act), insecurity, and low self esteem. That is one reason we see such behavior so often in long time church members who may even be leaders. The church, in itself, cannot lead to the life-changing behavior we need and actually seek. While church, as the corporate body of Christ, is and should be a major factor in our relationship and growth in our walk and pilgrimage with Him, it is not the end of itself. So if you are tired of church you may not need to 'drop out' you simply may need to 'hang out' with the founder.

As usual He, the founder of the church, says it best and I really like the way Jesus said it in Matthew 11:28-30 as shared in The Message; "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

My Child is Lost!

Mark Twain said you could learn a lot of new things about a cat by dragging one home by the tail. Many of life’s lessons come the hard way and in difficult places. Often a teaching moment comes in unexpected ways and places. God taught me several things one day at the international airport in Zurich, Switzerland.

Here is the first, the cat dragging lesson. I was the leader of a large mission team. I learned that leading 51 people from 23 different churches, 5 different associations, leaving from 4 different airports can be a logistical nightmare. Especially when best laid plans are ruined with delays, cancelled and rescheduled flights that had my team scattered in across the Atlantic. Instead of all meeting in Atlanta and flying overseas together as planned, I arrived in Zurich with mission volunteers, safely in God’s hands but scattered over the Atlantic. I needed to locate much of my team.

The airline attendant was kind enough as she was doing her best to help but we were both frustrated with the difficulties of my messed up flight schedules that were compounded by our language barriers so we were struggling with both when a man pushed his way in front of me and said, in broken English; “I need help!” I gave him the look that crossed language barriers to let him know I did not care for his behavior as he cut in front of me as I was in the middle of my important business. The airline attendant did better. She scolded him saying; “You will have to wait. I am helping this man!” He cried out; “I’ve lost my child!”

Immediately everything changed. I no longer worried about his previous ‘rude behavior’ that was now quite understandable. My business could wait. The airline attendant no longer worried about scolding the man who ‘interrupted’ her work with me. This was a priority! The airport was a moving sea of people. The panic of a small child lost in that mass of humanity needed no translation for all of us. Immediately we all went into action. Nothing was more important than the lost child. Even as you read this account you can sense the urgency in your own emotions. All available resources were immediately called upon until we found the child. When we found him we all shared a celebration of joy. When we went back to our previously frustrating task of getting schedules coordinated there was a difference. We were all smiling! We were relaxed our problems with language and flight logistics seemed insignificant. We had recovered a lost child!

Here is the life lesson for churches and believers. Nothing is more important than finding lost people. We get so caught up in things that we think are priorities at the moment. While they may have their importance they are not usually eternal and not worth the trouble and frustration we give them. Arguments, anger, personal agendas and frustration all fade away when we are looking for lost people. All things are placed in their proper perspective when we regain the urgency and understanding that eternal issues take priority and other issues are very much secondary especially not worth worrying or fighting over. Finding lost people is much more rewarding and fun than arguing over stuff!