Put some effort into it

I am always impressed when I read the Gospels at the tenacity of people who surrounded Jesus.

It seems like wherever He went there were great crowds, but in the midst of those crowds there was “the individual” who did whatever it took to get near the Savior.

What about Zacchaeus, you know, the wee little man. He was vertically challenged, so, in the midst of the crowd he ran ahead triangulating Jesus’ position, scurried up a tree and got a penthouse view of the parade.

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Zach was allover it! Jesus rewarded Zach by calling him by name and inviting Himself to his home. Quite a day.

Then you have the four friends. These guys were over-the-top. Literally.

They had a friend desperately in need of a healing, and when Jesus was tucked away neatly inside a house and insulated by thronging crowds of people they did not let it deter them.

Up on the rooftop disciples pawed and down they lowered their friend to God… any similarity to a cheesy Christmas song is completely coincidental.

What a site that must’ve been! Jesus is teaching, the disciples are hanging out, all of a sudden a sunroof appears and down comes this completely helpless man being lowered by four of the most incredibly energetic friends you can imagine.

Sins were forgiven, health was restored, religious people were ticked, and one homeowner was busy filing an insurance claim. I’m sure it was amazing.

Then there was the occasion of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. He fought his way through crowds, but more than that, he thought his way through a religious identity.

As a religious leader in his own right it must’ve been humiliating to realize that you had to go to another teacher to have your prayers answered. But he was desperate for the life of his daughter which was ebbing away just over the hill at home.

He finds Jesus in the crowd and in full public view falls to his knees and begs for this renegade outcast teacher to come into this preacher’s established and traditional ministry and do what Jesus does… bring the healing.

A short walk later, a funeral crowd sent home, some gentle words said at the bedside of the 12-year-old now corpse and Jesus gave this little girl back to her daddy.

Talk about a revival meeting! Whatever Jairus lost, it was worth the price.

In the midst of that same story there was the old woman with the issue of bleeding. For 12 years she had suffered, been labeled unclean and had to avoid human contact.

She had tried everything she could, she’d given all she had and she kept getting worse. But, then she heard about this healer and risked it all.

Downcast face to the ground, making sure no one recognized her and shunned her away, she reached for the teacher in the pressing masses only touching the fringe of this robe.

And immediately, though no one else knew, she realized in her body… the nightmare was over. The most descriptive theological term for this moment I can come up with is simply ‘booyah’!

The similarity in all of the stories might be hard to see.

It’s not in the need of the one to be healed, or forgiven, or secured.

It’s not in the timing or the approach that they each had with Jesus.

The common bond between each of these is the incredible energy that the healed expended in finding the Healer.

Running ahead and climbing a tree just to catch a glimpse. Breaking and entering, vandalism and risk taking all for a chance of a face-to-face encounter. Loss of reputation, putting your career in jeopardy and humiliating yourself in public. Going for broke and believing that just a little of Him is worth more than anything you already have.

I guess the question I have for each of us is simple: Do we ever really press through the crowds to get to Jesus? Do we risk anything for a moment with the Savior?

Not just what I see in others as a pastor, but what I see in myself, is more than disturbing.

We sacrifice very little, we’re willing to endure almost nothing, and yet we have a sense of entitlement that God should meet me where we are, He should make Church attendance convenient, make Bible study easy, and allow prayer to be a one-sided conversation that turns into our personal wish list.

Basically, we assume we should be spoon fed our faith. Like we’re somehow doing God a favor by believing in Him, so, He must owe us.

Let’s be honest, for most of us we Church shop until we find one with a preacher we like, the music were entertained by, and an atmosphere that makes us comfortable… Oh yeah and don’t forget air-conditioning.

The next time you’re really in need of an answered prayer, a healing, or a miracle from God please remember the stories that we’ve reviewed here. It’s worth it to be inconvenienced for the sake of gathering an audience with the God of the universe.

You may have to fight the crowded schedule, climate a tree of opposition, humble yourself before family and friends, or just be willing to take what you can get as you reach out for the fringe of his robe.

I guarantee you, it’ll be worth everything you put into it.


Mark 5:27 “She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe…”

Thankful for the complaints

Happy Thanksgiving.

For most of us, plans are in full swing and expectations are high. Finishing a shortened work/school week leading into a day of over indulgence (fancy talk for pigging out) followed by even more decadence (another fancy word for waste) as we shop till we drop, we see why it’s the most wonderful time of the year!

At least, it better be, since we will be paying for it on the treadmill and out of the checkbook for months.

Still, Happy Thanksgiving!

If I asked most people what Thanksgiving was about, we’d get the standard three “F”s:
* Family
* Food
* Football

Then, once we got past all that honesty we’d remember that somewhere between the trip to Grandmas and the tryptophan coma, we’re supposed to be thankful for something, right?

So, what are we thankful for on Continue reading “Thankful for the complaints”

Why Pray Anyway?

Have you ever made a purchase only to be disappointed?

I am always trying to warn my kids, that what they see on TV commercials is almost never what they will have when they get it home.

I sure wish I’d listened to my own advice.

I have an iPhone and iPad, so, I’m constantly looking through the App Store trying to find the latest and greatest stuff to make my life “easier.”

You read the reviews, ask a few people who might know about such things, then lay down the cash and make the purchase.

I’ve been trying to find a way to make my iPad more interactive with our weekend services, and I found this software that sounded like it might do what I needed it to do, possibly, maybe, sort of.

But, when I bought it, it did everything it said it would do, just not what I wanted it to do. So, I tried to manipulate my computer, or projectors and messed with every setting I could find.

Within 24 hours, I had requested a refund for the software purchase and was rebuilding my entire laptop because what I tried to do had destroyed it… I am an idiot.

Continue reading “Why Pray Anyway?”

The Man I Should Be

This is my prayer response to Psalm 15. Hit me like a hammer…

Psalm 15:1 Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?

Lord, I really want to be a man who is close to You. I don’t want to visit You on weekends, or keep in touch with You throughout the day. I want to ‘dwell’ with You. To walk with You, and run with You, to serve You with a passion up close and personal. To live on Your holy hill would be to finally arrive. Lord, may my eulogy include these words… “He dwelled with God.”

2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart

Your word is clear, if I am to dwell with You, there are some standards You have for Your traveling companions. Blameless is not a word I would use to describe me… ever. Even by comparison to other human beings I clearly see my frailties and faults. But, I am overwhelmed that You see me through two different lenses. These are ways that I cannot begin to see myself, but I am continually overjoyed that You see me. First, You see my effort. Like a child learning to walk You do not expect me to run as an Olympic athlete. You cheer and support and pick me up when I fall, so long as I am running towards You and not away. Still, even when I run away… You chase me. Second, although I never have been blameless and seldom speak the truth of my heart, You see me through the veil of Jesus Christ. So, to You, I am as blameless as Your Son. I could not be more grateful.

3 and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,

To dwell near You Lord, I need to dwell well near others. Correct my tongue and keep me from speaking the things that would never come out of Your mouth. Let me live toward my neighbors as one that embraces Your Golden Rule, who generously breaths out the benefit of the doubt to all and who breaths in peace and unity at all costs. God, please let my life before others never be a hindrance to my life with You.

4 who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts,

May I be sickened in my stomach by the same things that sicken You. Evil, thievery, judgementalism, dishonesty, brokeness and pain. May I not be able to stand the things that You will not stand for, and may my fear and reverence for You lead me to action, passion, purpose and plans, again and again. Let my courage not waver in the face of Your adversary, embolden me to pick up where others leave off and challenge me with carry the banner that You place in my hands that I might run to the center of the battlefield. When it costs too much, when it risks everything, when it defies all logic, when the pain is too great… may I keep my oath, even when it hurts.

5 who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Let me not find comfort in acting as others do, allowing compromise to make me greedy, proud or mean; at least, not more than I already am. May I never take a thing at the expense of another, even if it’s “Just the way it is” and “Everybody else is doing it.” May I value others as highly as You do, may I never be shaken by the empty promises of a broken world, and may I always value my testimony above anything else this world can offer. It’s the only personal picture I have of You. Lord, let me never sell out; for I am already purchased.

God I truly want to dwell with You. And, I know that I have slummed with my sorrows and camped out with my sins. But, I am ready to change my life. I am ready to live for You. I am ready to live in You.

I am ready to be the man I should be.

Just to make it today…

I can’t believe how 80s I am.

Every time I think, or hear, the phrase “You’ve got to pray,” I envision MC Hammer pants. That can’t be healthy.

But, here we go… You’ve got to pray (just to make it today… wow, it is an illness).

Communication is essential to any relationship, and without it the relationship will wither and die. Or, at least go into a period of hibernation until the spring thaw. Continue reading “Just to make it today…”