All the world has been stunned by the amazing story still unfolding in Japan.  Rocked by a 8.9 point earthquake, and a tsunami wave estimated to be 30 ft high has brought amazing devastation in it’s wake.I know that I sat in stunned silence to watch some of the video taken of the advancing and catastrophic tsunami wave rolling in and moving everything in its wake. I listened in amazement to the reports of a man found floating 10 miles into the Ocean on the roof of his house.

According to news reports, the death toll is expected to rise to 10,000 people and thousands more are missing or injured. It also has caused tens of billions of dollars in property and economic losses.

It is one of those events, and there are many in our lives, that cause us to ask one of the two most asked questions of Scripture – WHY?  The second question is just like it – How Long?

Today I stumbled on, (Lets be honest – it was another God moment) Psalm 124;

¹ If the LORD had not been on our side– let Israel say–
² if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us,
³ when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive;
⁴ the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us,
⁵ the raging waters would have swept us away.
⁶ Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
⁷ We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.
⁸ Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 124:1-8 (NIV)

This is one of the Psalms identified as a psalm of ascent, a song of the pilgrims on their journey to the Temple in Jerusalem.  A Psalm that celebrates the simple truth “God is for us!” As I read through the psalm I was struck by verses 4 & 5, “the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away.” and my mind immediately went to images I had seen of the tsunami wave. Just as fast as that image came into my mind, the question formed in my mind, “Lord they were swept away, they were engulfed – where was their rescue?”  As I sat and pondered the question I heard a second voice repeat to me the final verse of that psalm. “Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

The Lord the Maker of heaven and earth – has provided rescue – he has provided deliverance and life – he has provided Jesus.  In this season of Lent as we are called to “remember the story” we can find hope in the life, death and resurrection of Christ for us.  On the cross of Calvary, we learn from Scripture, all the sin of the world was placed on his back, all the agony, all of the punishment for our sin, and all of the terror of those who found no way out of the tsunami wave.  In those hours of the Cross Christ gasped for breath, he ached with pain, he was crushed by sorrow, he as abandoned by his father.

The events of that Good Friday leave us in stunned silence it captures our wonder and amazement.  Then the most powerful single event of all History comes to pass.  Jesus, “stricken, smitten, afflicted, and dead” rises in triumph from the Grave.  He declares to all those of   us drowning in a sea of sin, to those crushed by a creation crying out for rescue, I have brought your through.  All those swept away, who by faith cling to Christ as their savior are brought to life. 

If the story of this event moves us to anything – it should move us to the vital necessity to share Christ to all those around us who do not know Him.  For life can change in a flash in the twinkling of an eye.

⁵⁰ I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." ⁵⁵ "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (NIV)

Just as quick as the water swept them away – “in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye” death will be replaced with LIFE!  We too even in these days of terror, sorrow, and confusion can sing the song of God’s people,

¹ If the LORD had not been on our side– let Israel say–
² if the LORD had not been on our side when men attacked us,
³ when their anger flared against us, they would have swallowed us alive;
⁴ the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us,
⁵ the raging waters would have swept us away.
⁶ Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.
⁷ We have escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.
⁸ Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 124:1-8 (NIV)

This week as conversation around the water cooler takes a turn toward Japan, share the song of God’s people in the middle of the mess.  Our God is For us!

<>< Craig

Psalm 121, one of the Psalms written for those traveling to the great city of Jerusalem on pilgrimage, invites us to look to the hills.

¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills– where does my help come from?
Psalm 121:1 (NIV)

Whenever I read this verse I am drawn to that scene in Sound of Music where the VonTrapp family is hiding in the Abby, waiting for the Germans to leave so they can make their escape.  As they make their plans,  the mother superior of the Abby quotes this verse, and the camera pans to the majestic Swiss Alps. Later we see the VonTrapps all hiking over the Alps to freedom. 

As the pilgrims of old testament looked up to the hills on their way to Jerusalem, they didn’t see the majesty of the Alps, they saws hills that no doubt where beautiful in their own way. But in these hills, they often saw, places of pagan worship built to false gods. They saw the polls erected to the baals, they saw the tents of prostitution, gathering places where the prophets of these pagan religions would go to “wake” their gods, and call them into action.

As the writer of the psalm looks to the hills on his journey he answers his own question in verse 2.

² My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:2 (NIV)

He notices that his help comes not from the hills, or those who gather there, or the lofty plans of self rescue that we design for ourselves. He knows that as we look to the hills in all their majesty we recognize that our help is from the one who made the hills, the creator of Heaven and Earth.

While this is not news to me, I “know” this, I often fail to live that way however.  While I recognize the power and majesty of God to create everything out of nothing – the God of Genesis one, I often do not give him the credit he deserves for being mindful of my Monday morning.  As I sit miles from my home, in a friend’s cabin, on a quiet lake, we are under the watchful eye, and ready care of the Creator of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip– he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
⁵ The LORD watches over you– the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm– he will watch over your life;
⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121:3-8 (NIV)

May I learn to rest in the unresting presence and power of God each and every moment of each and every day.

<>< Craig

“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times…”  This is a phrase than many of us parents find ourselves saying in a very frustrated state to our children.  For we know what every good teacher knows – repetition is the key to learning. In our frustration we are not necessary convinced that our child is teachable, since they have not learned the lesson of life we have tried through repetition to teach them.

This year in my Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) we are going through the book of Isaiah and I have discovered that much of Scripture is a loving, yet frustrated God saying to his people. “If I told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times….” His message is simple and clear, and yet we miss it, or at least I miss it so often.

It is a message of Love, and faithfulness, to stiff necked and hard headed people.

³ “Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth. ⁴ Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 46:3-4 (NIV)

It is a message of an incomparable God whom we often set aside for a god of our own choosing.

²⁵ “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. ²⁶ Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
Isaiah 40:25-26 (NIV)

It is a message of hope and restoration to a people who have wandered off.

¹³ I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.
Isaiah 46:13 (NIV)

It is a message of peace and joyful living through simple obedience to God.

¹⁸ If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your righteousness like the waves of the sea.
Isaiah 48:18 (NIV)

It is a message that reminds me that in my God is my very breath and life.

⁵ This is what God the LORD says– he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:
Isaiah 42:5 (NIV)

My study in Isaiah reminds me that the people of Israel treated God like I often do, they admire who he is, but do not trust him enough to become a true follower.  God continues to remind me that he does not need or desire to be admired, his desire is that we would be followers.  This simple message is repeated over and over and over again through the pages of this amazing letter of Love from God to his people.   I pray today that I will hear these  messages of God and draw close to Him as I strive to follow him more and more each day.

May I truly become a more fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ with each passing hour.

<>< Craig

Life is too short to waste ponders on things that don’t matter or will distract us from a life in Christ. So let’s have a GodPonder!

A dear friend of mine from Texas was known to grumble “Christianity Ain’t a Spectator Sport.”  While these words are not found in Scripture, they echo the heart of The Word.  So many of us in the church today who identify ourselves with Christ spend more time viewing Christ as a someone we admire, more than someone we follow.

We are called over and over to a radical departure from the norm of this life.  We are called to make daily choices,

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

Narrow gate – Wide gate

Narrow road- Wide road

¹⁷ Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Matthew 7:17-19 (NIV)

Good fruit – Bad Fruit

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

Build on the Rock – Build on the Sand

As I work on my sermon for Sunday as we close the Sermon on the Mount Series, I am convinced that this sermon struck those who heard it as amazing a different – because it was a call to action. A call not to Admire Jesus, but to Follow Him, becoming more fully devoted to that call on our lives each and every day.

So let’s get out of the stands and into the game!

<>< Craig

News on the street was that the teacher so many had been talking about was coming through town. Word of his arrival spread fast, in fact before he had even made it mid way through town there were crowds lining the narrow streets to get a glimpse. By time Zacchaeus heard the news, and had time to secure his tax collectors booth, the streets were packed. Try as he might Zacchaeus, who was vertically challenged, could not get a good view of the road way. He tried to push his way through, but lets be honest, most in this crowd were not interesting in helping the greedy little tax collector out. Some were very deliberate in their attempt to block Zacchaeus from getting any kind of front row seat.

Having exhausted all of his charm, which for Zacchaeus did not take long, trying to get to the front he had to come up with a new plan. His next plan was to run ahead. So as fast as his little feet would carry him he ran toward the far side of town, trying to get ahead of the growing crowd. But this too proved to be a futile effort. On to plan C, “I need to get over the crowd” though the “wee” little man. But there was not a shop keeper in this part of town that would go out of their way to help him access the roof or upper balcony of their shops. So taking matters into his own hands he found a sycamore tree and climbed up to some of the higher branches. Let me tell you, this was quite a sight. Zacchaeus hiking up his robes, and scampering up into a tree. Zacchaeus didn’t care about the laughter and the pointing, he was used to the mocking of the people and didn’t care. He especially didn’t care when he found a comfortable branch on which he had a great, and comfortable view of the roadway below.

What happened next almost caused Zacchaeus to fall out of his little viewing stand. The crowd began to come to life beneath him and Jesus came into view just down the road. You could hear the noise of the crowd build, and build until it reached a full crescendo as Jesus and his band of merry men were right in front of Zacchaeus. Then it happened, Jesus stopped his slow progression through the city, turned not to the crown at Zacchaeus feet but Jesus turned and looked up at Zacchaeus. As if this was not enough, the crowd all around him, even those who had not witnessed the great climb were pointing and laughing. The crowd was waiting to hear with this great teacher and rabbi would say to their local cheat of a tax collector. No one, not even Zacchaeus were prepared for Jesus words, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

Luke who made this story famous was kind to Zacchaeus when he simply wrote, “So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.” I think, truth be told the little man came down in what was part climbing, part falling as he stood in cold amazement before Jesus. The crowd grew cold and ugly as they witnessed this unbelievable exchange, between Jesus and Zacchaeus. For all their muttering, and grumbling about Jesus going into the home of a sinner the end of the story is my favorite.

9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
Luke 19:9-10 (NIV)

What a climb, what a risk, what an encounter.

This story, while it is great fun with a flannel graph, is for me a very convicting story.  It reminds me how so very often I am not willing to climb a tree.  There are so many days when my list of simple and meaningless excuses keep me from getting a clear view of Jesus. They keep me behind a wall of people who at times seem to even work hard to block my view of Jesus.  All this does for me is keep me from a daily life changing, encounter with a God who says “I must stay at your home today.”  He longs for time with me, if I ask he will even move the crowd away from me so we can have come private time just the two of us.

I pray that I today, and tomorrow have a willingness to climb a tree!  See you in the branches!

<>< Craig

While the debate rages about the rejected Super Bowl commercial from the Fixed Point Foundation which invites views to look up John 3:16 by simply visiting the website lookup316.com God may be having the last laugh. I have not talked to anyone at FOX to hear why they did not select this ad for the Super Bowl, I do know that the internet is a buzz over it.

While the audience will not be as big via YouTube, and great websites like GodPonders, I think the foundation is $3,000,000.00 ahead and they are getting the word out. I think that sometimes God is humored by our “plans” and this is a case where the money that would have gone into the ad for 30 seconds on TV can now be directed else where and millions will still see the ad, either on tv news, or websites, etc.

¹ Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? ² The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. ³ “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.” ⁴ The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
Psalm 2:1-4 (NIV)

I have to admit that as the years tick by, and they seem to tick by quickly, there are more and more ways I could finish this sentence.  “It has been a long time since I …. kicked a football, rode a skateboard, climbed a rope in P.E., played a violin, played basketball with my brothers, just to name a few.  Yet as I reflect back on each of these I see some things into which I put a great amount of effort.  Just thinking back on the hours I spent practicing my violin make my fingers hurt.  The years I spent practicing basketball on our driveway basketball court, today are a fond, but distant, memory and I must admit my jump shot is not what it once was.  Don’t even get me started about skateboarding.  Let’s just say “emergency room” and call that topic closed.

Recently while attending the LCMS Youth Ministry 2011 Conference in Orlando I was confronted with a simple question,  “when was the last time you played a trumpet?” For those of us trumpet players in the room, most of us admitted that it had been many years. ?”  The question was the first in a series  raised by Dr. Christian Smith.  Dr. Smith is the principal investigator of the National Study of Youth and Religion. His next questions were: “When was the last time you practiced prayer?, “When was the last time you practiced compassion?”, “When was the last time you practiced hearing from God?”

Just about anything in life that we hope to be proficient at takes practice. I spent hours with flash cards learning German in high school, and Latin in college.  I spent hours learning the piano, trumpet, and violin.  Today I do not speak Latin or German, and you don’t want to be anywhere near me and a violin or a trumpet.  These skills, even once developed, need continued work to keep them sharp.

When was the last time you kicked a football? played a drum? kicked a soccer ball? used your German?

So what is the point of all the questions?  Let me answer that question is another question: Why is it that we do not often spend the time and effort in the practice of religion and faith, that we do in the development of arts and athletics? Don’t misunderstand me.  I recognize the value of athletics, music and the arts in the shaping of a well-rounded person.  I also note that today these skills and the practice thereof seem to trump just about everything else in the life of a teenager.

This has proven itself to be one of the great frustrations in confirmation and high school ministry over the years.  This is why after 25 years of youth ministry I have settled on a simple plan for ministry. Help connect students to Jesus Christ and learn the skills they will need to grow their faith on their own, once they leave our ministry.  I like to think of these skills as HABITS for Life!

• Hang time with God (a personal prayer and devotional time)
• Accountability (a good close honest and open friendship with a trusted Christian peer )
• Be Involved (connect to the life of a congregation through service and care)
• Internalize the Word (learn to love, study, and enjoy the Word of God)
• T-3 (understanding Biblical stewardship of Time – Talents – Treasure)
• Sharing Christ (a passion for those outside the Kingdom, and the ability to tell your story)

But no habits, not even the bad ones, come without practice.  So let’s learn to take time to practice our faith, and make it a priority in our busy days. So the next time you hear these questions the answer will come easy: “When was the last time you practiced prayer?, “When was the last time you practiced compassion?”, “When was the last time you practiced hearing from God?”

Good news, don’t we love to tell people good news.  I often run contests in youth ministry and I love being the person who tells someone they have won!  We love good news.  The best is delivering good news that takes someone by surprise, completely out of the blue.  Then you get the double fun – the look of Surprise followed by the reaction to the good news as it sinks in.

The book of Isaiah is a book full of dire warnings, impending punishment and destruction.  It is also a book of great encouragement and consolation.  Isaiah chapter 40 begins with familiar words of Hope.

¹ Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. ² Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.
Isaiah 40:1-2 (NIV)

Spoken to a people being held in captivity, in a land not their own, far from their home, they heard these words with a sigh and a smile.  Hope.  God given Hope!

⁹ You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!"
Isaiah 40:9 (NIV)

To the bearer of this message of good news clear direction is given.  Go up on a high mountain, and lift up a shout. These seem like very simple directions.  They are given with the extra advice to “not be afraid.” Afraid?  You are bringing good news to a people longing for good news, is there a need to fear?  The simple truth is that good news is not always seen by everyone as good news.

Today there are many who are living captive lives, in a land not their own, far from home, but they don’t know anything different.  To them all is well.  They don’t have a picture of a life that is better, apart from the vision they have of the life, which by their own strivings, they seek to fulfill. They will likely not receive the “good news” with joy.  They will resent something that can not fully grasp.

As I read through these familiar words of Isaiah this week again for my BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) class I was drawn to the fact that this call to bring good tidings to Zion are for me!  I am to go up on a mountain and proclaim with a shout, “Here is your God!”  There is one significant difference from the call of Isaiah and my call.  He spoke of a coming presence of God that was off in the distance.  I speak of a coming presence of God which has come!  “Here is your God – Jesus the Christ!”

Mountains are hard to come by in Carver county where I live.  As I look at the words of Isaiah 40:9 I see that the message has two characteristics “Be noticed – Be heard!”  Is my proclamation of Christ noticed?  Is it being heard?

I noticed this morning as I looked  at my recent posts on face book that it is clear that I like the Packers, but not so clear that I LOVE Jesus!  This is one of the many mountaintops to which I have been called to herald the good news.

HERE IS YOUR GOD – JESUS THE CHRIST! – He comes to bring you life and salvation without cost or merit!  Now that’s good news!

What is your mountain top? Let me encourage you to Go for it – Do not be afraid!  Proclaim the good news!

<>< Craig

Isaiah 40 begins with words of