Maturing as a Believer
July 30th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
I’ve been a believer for a long time. And when I say believer, I mean beyond my acceptance of Christ as my Lord and Savior at age 11, because I’ve believed in the existence of God for as long as I can remember. God’s existence has never been something that I questioned; not because I’m too ignorant to question His existence, but because I have always felt His presence in my life. The problem I constantly face is that I too often think of God in terms of my ability (or lack thereof). My relationship with God is still too often one of a “short order cook” where I ask for things that fulfill my immediate needs. Further, I often want to make sure my requests line up with the path I have chosen for my life. In other words… I am an immature thinker when it comes to my relationship with God?
I recently came across Isaiah 46:9-10, 9 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ When I first read this I thought, “wow, that is a strong stance that God is taking…” and then I thought, “Hey, guess what? God, who is the creator of the universe, the one who knows the beginning and the end, has the right to do as He pleases” (notice it doesn’t say, as I please)! Who am I to try and slow God down or think my plan is better than His because of my immaturity? Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that we stop asking God for help or intervention. What I am suggesting is that we ask God to reveal His purpose and direction so that we can accept the fact that His plan is perfect and by default better than ours. Whatever we think our rational is for wanting something different, is never going to be better than the plan God has already devised for us.
Faith and God’s Faithfulness
January 26th, 2011 § Leave a Comment
In Genesis, the story of Joseph is one of my favorites because it shows a man’s faith and God’s faithfulness beautifully intertwined. God’s faithfulness to Joseph went beyond just keeping him safe through all his troubles and it even went beyond its affect on the greater picture of Joseph and his family. God’s plan for Joseph was part of a plan to provide for the entire world of that time. It is so easy for me to think in the small and confined spaces of my life and forget that my life is part of God’s greater plan.
One of the other things I learn from the story of Joseph is how he gave all the glory and honor to God. In Genesis 41:16 when Pharaoh asks If Joseph can interpret his dream, “”I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”" I don’t know about you, but I probably would have been tempted to say, “heck yeah! I’m your man! But it’s gonna cost you… I want my freedom, some blow money, and the fastest chariot and horse you can find so I can blow this pop-stand!!!” Not only did Joseph give God the glory, he stuck around to be used by God in a way that he could not fully comprehend at the time. Most of the time, even when I recognize that God has blessed me, I move on to the next thing without looking around to see how the blessing given to me has affected others around me.
God is always faithful and His plan for my life is so much greater than I can ever imagine. I need to be willing to be used by God and have the patience to know that his plan impacts more than just my little microcosm.
Honor, Integrity, Character – Remembering My Dad
December 27th, 2010 § 4 Comments
As many of you know, my Father went to be with his Savior on Tuesday, October 26, 2010. On Sunday, October 31, 2010 we had a simple memorial service for the man I consider my hero and example in life. I’ve spent this past year thinking about what my dad has meant to me. At the service I had the honor and privilege of honoring him with what he meant to me. I debated whether I would publish what I said, but after prayerful consideration, I decided to go ahead and share…
Sunday’s are a day of rest and meant to spend time with families. On behalf of my family I want to thank all of you for your love, prayers and support through this week and for sharing this time with our family. We are honored.
When I think of my dad 3 things come straight to mind:
Honor, Integrity, Character
This past weekend, prior to my dad’s passing; Nancy and I had the privilege of spending time in our nation’s capital. I was there to run in the Army 10 Miler in honor of our US soldiers and Nancy and I took the opportunity to spend a long weekend away. The whole time we were there and while running the race I thought a lot about my dad. About how much he would have loved to be there. While he never actually became a US citizen he was a legal US resident for over 50 years. He came here from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at 26 to pursue an opportunity. The plan was never to stay but he found a bride and in honor of their American born children they stayed. He loved this country, but he was proud of his Brazilian heritage.
On Monday we spent time with my dad and told him stories about our trip. He seemed to enjoy the conversation, but you could see how tired he’d become from this year long battle.
For my mom, the plan in the end was to hold his hand when he transitioned from this life to the next. But on Tuesday, October 26th, I was the one who had the privilege of being there with him as he took his last breath. The thing that I will remember most as I was saying goodbye to his physical body were his hands; his big strong hands; hands that showed years of hard work that provided for our family.
He never took any short cuts. While living in NY my dad would work as many as 3 jobs to provide for us. In 1970, he was given the opportunity to move us to Miami to work with Varig Airlines. The job was to clean floors and toilets, but it was a good job and he gladly took it. 23 years later he retired as a manager in the Cargo Department, but it wasn’t always easy because he was a man of honor and integrity. I remember while in college receiving a call from my mom about a major drug bust in his cargo department. 2000 lb. of cocaine had gone from a Cargo plane originating in Brazil through the warehouse and into the streets of Miami before being intercepted by the authorities. However, two things made it very clear that my dad was not involved:
1) No drug dealer’s son drives around in a 1984 Olds Firenze with rusty doors and a leaky sunroof
2) Out of respect for my dad everyone involved made sure they ran drugs through the warehouse only when my dad was not at work. Even after the investigations it was perfectly clear my dad was never involved and I never once questioned it; and knowing my dad, no one at his work ever questioned it either.
As I think about my dad, one of the things I am most proud of… albeit silly to be thinking about it right now, was that my dad was an amazing soccer player. He played semi-professional ball in Brazil and he loved the game so much he coached and later refereed here in the States up until 5 years ago at the age of 72; only stopping because my mom asked him to. One of my fondest memories is being home from College at my dad’s company picnic. My friends and I decided we would play the kids against the parents. Of course we thought we had the advantage because we were young and in our prime. I figured I would finally get the drop on the old man and score on him (I’d never done it before). In 60 minutes I took no less than 10 shots on the old man. I took outside shots, tried dribbling passed him, I even decided to try and flick one over his head as he came out of the goal… Nothing doing! He simply back peddled and flicked it over the cross bar with his fingertips, making it look almost effortless. While my competitive nature frustrated me, the thing I remember most that day is no matter how I reacted he continued to encourage me to never give up. My dad persevered through hardship his entire life, but he never stopped teaching me to be a man of character and integrity. I can look back at the husband, father and man that I have become and it is through my father’s example that I have taken mostly good things and made me who I am.
My dad may have been a little rough around the edges, but there was never any doubt that he loved my mom, my sister and me. The big joke in our house was if we saw roses my dad had done something wrong. He was never afraid to admit he was wrong in his own way and he always apologized in his own way. The older he got the more those rough edges became smooth and the more he wanted to hug me, the more he would laugh, and the more he wanted to be a part of our everyday lives.
He was so proud of his grandkids. When he first found out he was sick he seemed most upset at the thought of not seeing them grow up and seeing them become who they were meant to be. But he was very proud of who they were becoming and no matter how sick and weak he was he always seemed to light up when they walked in the room. What I hope he now knows, is how much who they are becoming has to do directly with who he was.
The thing that is becoming more apparent and what I did not anticipate is just how much I miss my dad. It hasn’t even been a week yet and I miss the fact that I won’t be able to go see him and talk to him about how much the Yankee’s piss me off and what was Eli Manning thinking, and how much I feel like I am the only Yankee and Giants fan in all of Franklin. I will miss the opportunities to tell him about my successes and my struggles. These conversations were never long or drawn out. There was never great epiphanies revealed, but there was always the steady and approving acknowledgment that he loved me and no matter what he was proud of me. That is what I will miss the most.
When I think of my dad, the following verse come to mind…
James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
Thank you all for coming and helping my family honor him!
God’s Power
August 22nd, 2010 § 4 Comments
There are times in life where I feel my problems are too great for God’s help. There have been several times in my life where I thought that not even God could help me out of a situation. The truth is that I need to start looking at my problems in the light of God’s power instead of looking at God in the shadow of my problems. God’s power is greater than any problem I could get myself into. I am a master at looking at my problems through my human eyes and forget that God’s perfection and power are greater than my understanding of his ability. This world is full of doubters who think they can logically exclude God from existence. In reality God does not need affirmation for his existence, no more than he needs me as his defender. What he wants is my obedience to trust in Him and know that He is greater than any problem I can get myself into. I need to stop living through my capabilities and start living in the shadow of His great power and strength. My favorite verse in the Bible is Jeremiah 29:11, ‘For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ I know I’ve used this verse before, but it is always so powerful to remember that God already knows the perfect plans He has for my future.
This post was previously posted on April 14, 2009. I decided to add a few things and republish.
Walking in the Light
August 20th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Football season is just around the corner and it’s no secret that I am giddy with anticipation! In honor of the season a bunch of us guys at work have decided to start an intramural flag football league (if for no other reason than to remind us of our glory years of High School). The plan is to play every Saturday morning at 7:00am. With the early kick-off , there are a few guys that have expressed less than eager anticipation at the prospect of waking up early on a Saturday morning. But imagine if we decided to play at 12:00 midnight, in a park, with no lights. What would happen? For starter no one would be able to see the ball if it were passed to them. Second, you would not be able to see the difference between your team’s players and the opposing team. Light needs to be cast over the field to expose the field of play and the opposing team.
Light is also the key ingredient to God’s existence. In 1 John 1:5 it says, “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” Not only is God light and without darkness, but with His light shining he exposes what is in the dark. Without God it is very difficult, if not impossible, to know the difference between what is good and what is evil. If we allow God to be present in all we do, He will clearly reveal what is good versus what is evil and allow us to live in the clarity of light.
Why Not Me?
August 19th, 2010 § 3 Comments
Recently, a friend of mine made the decision to follow a different path in his journey. The neat thing about his decision is that both he and his wife are perfectly in sync and focused on God’s calling to make this change. I admire them both for their obedience to God’s leading, but I have to admit, my second reaction to the news was to ask God, “why not me?“. Why couldn’t God give me a special calling that I could be excited about? It was so easy to forget that just over two years ago God gave me a special calling to start this season of my life. He did not include me with twenty of my closest friends; he took me!
At the very end of the book of John, Peter is walking with Jesus when he notices John (described in John 21:20 as “The Disciple whom Jesus loved…”) walking behind them. Peter asks Jesus in verse 21, “Lord, what about him?”, referring to John’s future. In verse 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” When the disciples heard this they started a rumor that John would not die until Jesus returned, but in reality, Jesus was simply saying, “don’t worry about John, worry about Peter…“
This is essentially what God reminded me of this past week. Maybe not in these exact words, but God clearly said, “the plans I have for you are for you and no one else.” I know I say this a lot, but God’s plan is perfect! He has given each of us a special calling that we must make a conscious effort to follow. Each time I wish I had someone else’s calling, I short-change God’s perfect plan for my life.
So what was my first reaction? It was an immediate sense of loss. While this friend of mine and I don’t really hang out that much, I can truly say that at times he feels like a brother. I will miss him more than he will ever know, but God has a perfect plan for his life and to not listen to God’s calling would mean to fall short of God’s potential in his life. God’s Speed, little brother…
We are the Branches
August 17th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
I’m no arborist, but from my understanding, the purpose of a branch is to grow leaves that absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide. Branches live through the provision of water and nutrients by the tree, and oxygen is the product that benefits the environment around it. So what happens when a branch breaks off from the tree? Unfortunately, it no longer serves the purpose for which it was created. It can no longer survive and can no longer provide a benefit to the tree or to the environment around it. Our relationship with God is the same way, where we are the branches and God is the tree. The tree uses the branches, but it by no means requires the branches to survive. In John 15:5 it says, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
God loves to work through us to further His kingdom, but we are not a requirement for God to accomplish His purpose. If we break off fellowship with God we will cease to benefit from the anchor of having God in our lives, but His purpose will continue without us. In the very next verse, John 15:6 says, “If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.”
The beauty of the tree as an analogy is that the branches receive everything they need by staying in fellowship with the tree. Likewise, we are promised to have everything we need by staying in fellowship with the Father. In John 15:7, Jesus continues, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” A relationship with God does not promise an easy life (but neither does a life that lacks the relationship). It does, however, promise a life of purpose for the glory of the Father. John 15:8, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” When it says bearing much fruit, it means that God’s desire is for us to be successful; maybe not by the world’s standards, but by His.
The Potter’s Hands
August 15th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
When a potter works with clay, it takes time to shape it into it’s finished product. Sometimes as the clay begins to form, it develops defects or blemishes. At this point the potter has options; he can leave the defects, fix them, or start over. The potter rarely decides to throw the clay away because it is still has value and the potential to be shaped into a meaningful purpose. Like the potter, God works to shape us and mold us. This doesn’t mean that we become meaningless puppets, but it does mean that we submit to the will and direction of God in our lives.
There are several places in the Bible where the analogy of a potter and clay are used to represent our relationship with God. In Jeremiah 18:6 it says, “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the LORD. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” In this passage, God is comparing Israel to clay in the hands of a potter. It also shows God’s desire and ability to mold us into His purpose. As we submit to His will and become receptive to His impact on our lives, He begins to shape us into the valuable vessel we were meant to become. No matter what happens, as long as we remain in the Potter’s hands, He will never discard us from a relationship with Him and will continue to shape us and reshape us for His purpose.
Runners High
August 12th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
I’ve always hated running. But, on the other hand, I love playing sports, especially soccer. Which by the nature of the sport requires a considerable amount of running, but I hate running for the sake of running. Nonetheless, a couple of years ago, I started running a few times a week to try to get into shape. To be perfectly honest, it has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to do, mostly because of the mental requirements. It seems so counterintuitive, but running is mostly a mental sport requiring you to fight the natural urges of your body to stop running from the pain… yes, PAIN!!! My knees, shins, feet, lungs, everything. So why do I do it? Because one day, while I was training for a half-marathon I experienced it… the mythical runners-high. Runners-high is this calm that comes over your body that makes you feel like you can run forever. When it happened the first time, I didn’t even realize it. My running partner had to point it out to me. I was no longer winded and had gotten into a comfortable pace and groove.
Believe it or not, it’s the same feeling I get when I am truly in the presence of God. What is it that lets me feel this way? It is knowing that because of Jesus and through the Holy Spirit I can be in the presence of God and know that he is there with me. In John 14:6-7 the passage explains why this is possible… 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Servant Leader
August 11th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Tonight I was reading John 13:3 where it says, “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God”. As I read, I started to think about the fact that Jesus is truly God and He knows it. He knows the power that He has over everything and everyone around Him. I started thinking about how he could have commanded or directed anything for His service.
But, as I continued to read I hear the screeching brakes fire off in my head. In the very next verses, John 13:4-5 I read, “so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”…. WHAT?!?!? The very Son of God, the Prince of Peace, the One who could have called down a legion of angels to rule the world chose to wash His disciple’s feet? Why would He ever do this? This is akin to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company showing up one night after the office has closed and washing the janitor’s feet in front of the entire cleaning crew during their snack break. It’s not normal. But there it is, modeled for all of us to see.
It is the model of a servant leader; one who is willing to lead as he serves his followers by meeting their basic needs. How can I serve others like this? How can I take care of the basic needs of the people I lead, like my family, people at work, or my friends? God has blessed me with the ability and desire to lead others and I need to make sure I remember his example of leadership before I look at the example of so called normal leaders.
