Prime Lessons

When we bought our house a couple of years ago, we discovered that the previous owners had been avid gardeners. We kind of suspected as much when we noticed that the backyard had been partitioned into a “play” area and a second area that had two old sheds, a “rolling” landscape, and dozens of old tomato plant cages. They had also built a detached garage with a greenhouse on the back of it with direct access into the “garden” part of the yard.

Included in this garage was a beat-up old contraption that had pipes, cables, and a bright blue tank of some kind that looks like a small, upside-down propane tank. As it turns out, this water pump was added to pull water from an underground well. They would use the well-water for the yard and garden as presumably it costs less for the electricity to run the pump than to use the city water.

This past weekend, we finally decided to give it a try and see if we could make the thing work. I knew the thing hadn’t run in awhile, and while it wasn’t the old lever-handled pumps of old, I recalled a song that my dad used to make my family listen to years ago. The song is called “Desert Pete,” and it’s about a guy who is traveling across a desert when he discovers an old water-pump.

The guy then notices a note in a can next to the pump that informs whoever finds it that the pump works, but in order to make it work, you have to prime the pump with the little bit of water in a jar hidden under the rock. As it goes, the pump looks VERY dry, and our wanderer is tempted to drink the water instead of priming the pump. However, heeding the promise on the note, he pours the water in, and as he pumps like crazy, the water freely begins gushing forth. The note goes on to ask whoever finds it to refill the jar and leave it for the next traveler.

Two things strike me about this story. The first is that many people are tempted to take the immediate satisfaction of drinking the water. These folks are “thirsty,” and while there is a promise of more than enough water to quench their thirst if they’re willing to put forth a bit more faith and effort, they would rather have just a little taste of what they want and crave, which can still leave them thirsty, than to work a bit harder to get more than enough of what they need.

Relationships are one example. Too many students decide that the teenage years is the appropriate time to experiment sexually. They rush into situations fueled by hormones and selfishness, and think they get what they want, only to discover that they still feel empty and need something else to fill their lives.

Jobs are another situation where we see this. I’ve known some very smart students who were fortunate enough to get well-paying jobs while in high school. When you’re sixteen, and you have very few real expenses, and you bring in two hundred dollars a week, there could be a strong temptation to drop out of school, keep working at that job, and continue making money. However, if that same person had continued to stay in school, and maybe even gone on to college, they would more than likely be able to find a job later that pays significantly more than they did in high school.

The second thing that struck me was the end of the note. “Please leave the bottle full for others…” This is an assumption that people will do kind things for other people. I don’t see that very often in our world today. Sure, there are still a few people who smile at you and treat you with respect, but I am finding more and more that instead of waiting the extra two seconds it would take to hold the door for my little family of five, people walking into a building would rather just barely open the door, slip in quickly, and let the door close right on us.

The things that require very little effort, such as refilling the jar of water in this song, or things in the world like walking your grocery cart the extra three steps to the correct drop-off spot, smiling as you ring up a customer on your cash register, or keeping your trash until you get home instead of throwing it onto the yard of someone’s home who just happens to live on a relatively busy street (oops...did I make it personal?), are the things that should be easy, yet in a culture that continues to slip further into the void of selfish darkness, are apparently painful, and how dare I ask that of them.

Back to our pump. I found the priming valve, and poured a significant amount of water in there. I flipped on the pump, and waited. And waited. And waited some more. I even went to the water spigot attached to the pump and put my ear next to it. I began to hear something, and finally, what amounted to about four minutes later, the water began to flow. It worked! It took a little effort, but that dingy old pump worked!

In the grand scheme of things, getting our garden pump working may not save us alot of money on water. However, the satisfaction of putting some effort into doing the right thing, and being rewarded for it, brings with it a different kind of value that number amounts can’t convey. What kind of pump are you facing? Prime it, put the effort into it, and let God teach you His lessons.

Just for kicks, here’s the old song. I say my dad "MADE" my listen, but obviously I learned a little something. Thank me, or feel bad for me. Your choice.

Keep Pedaling

Several years ago, I read a book about Lance Armstrong. I realize that as I write this, he is once again facing some accusations about illegal blood doping while he was racing bikes professionally. The book I read dealt with his attitude and life during his struggle with Cancer, so it really didn’t deal with racing or these allegations, and since I don’t know the man personally, I will refrain from speculating on that topic. Yes, that seems to be worded in some fancy “legalease,” but I wanted to make sure that the point won’t be lost to those that focus on that particular aspect of Mr. Armstrong’s life.

Now, having said that, the book I read really focused on the subject of Armstrong’s discovery and subsequent treatment and recovery from Cancer. What I can tell you is that regardless of what anyone thinks of the man personally, his determination is inspiring. Some of the stories I read and have seen or heard about him lead me to believe that Lance and I do not line up completely on our value systems, but I can not deny that what he went through is a wonderful illustration.

Upon discovery of testicular cancer that also spread to his abdomen, lungs, and brain, Armstrong had to have surgery in order to have a fighting chance of survival. After the surgery, he had a very aggressive chemotherapy regimen in order to try and kill off any remaining active cancer cells. After all of this, his cancer went into remission and he was able to begin training for the Tour de France.

Again, to avoid any political mess that is currently going on, I won’t say more about his subsequent career. However, there is a great illustration to be found here. Before the cancer, Lance Armstrong was a bicycle racer. When the cancer was discovered, he could not continue racing until something was done about the disease within him. The treatment was painful and took much out of the man, both physically and emotionally. But after pushing through what was necessary, he came out on the other side ready to continue racing bicycles.

I’ve been very challenged by our Sunday services lately, and the one from yesterday was no different. For several weeks before the message, I have been dealing with conviction from God in several areas of my life. Nothing gossip-worthy, but they are still issues that run between me and God, so I won’t go into details. What I can say is this--when God points out the sin in your life, He also lets you know what you need to do about it. It’s certainly not easy, and it is painful to know that we have let God and others down. But, it doesn’t change the fact that we must follow through with the treatment of repentance and forgiveness in order to remove the sin from our life and move on becoming who God created us to be.

Cancer is a horrible disease. Many times, the way people discover they have it is because it has already begun to make them very sick and has done terrible damage to their bodies. It’s hard to hide from what the cancer is doing.

We like to try and hide our sin. We cover it up, bury it deep, and just ignore it. However, it is still there, and while unlike cancer, it may take longer to wreak havoc in our lives, it will eventually catch up to us. The best thing to do is to respond as soon as you feel conviction in your life, and obey God’s leading in treating the sin. The road to recovery may involve great pain and humility, but it is in those moments when we remember how weak and frail we really are that we can experience the power of God’s strength.

Consequences of our sinful actions may leave our lives looking a bit differently, and may send us down paths we never thought we’d take. But, the good news is that God will be working to restore us so that we may be able to climb up on that bike again, and continue on the next leg of our journey.

Parts is Parts.

I was very challenged by the worship service at church yesterday. We placed an emphasis on service, specifically because we are beginning the process of trying to fill positions for teaching and other areas of ministry for 2012. It seems crazy to think of that this soon, but that’s the way it goes.

However, the message about service is one that fits in any time of year, and is relevant to all who profess to be believers and followers of Jesus Christ. How can we say we truly love Jesus with all of our hearts, minds, and strength, and also say we love others as ourselves, and then not be there for them? It’s not just about a friend who needs a shoulder to cry on after a rough week. That is certainly part of self-sacrifice and love, but beyond that, and even at what I consider to be a very root issue, how can we continue to not even show up?

Too many times, I look out at empty chairs in our Student Ministry. I know, I should focus on the filled chairs, and I do. I love that there are students who are here no matter who else shows us. When we have a group of eight faithful, I give them as much as I would give a group of eighty. But what really breaks my heart is that the rest of our youth group does’t realize that when they don’t show up, they are letting down the eight students that are here. Those that come feel the burden of the missing students, and are forced to work harder to cover their own disappointment, then must put extra effort towards not harboring ill-will towards friends they thought they could count on. I realize there are always special circumstances, but unfortunately, many of the absentees don’t have good reasons.

Borrowing from the scriptures used on Sunday morning, (but really, don’t we all borrow from the scriptures always?) I see that 1 Corinthians reminds us that “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body.” (1 Cor. 12:12) Paul doesn’t mix words here. He goes on in the chapter to use a bit of biting satire to point out that we are not all the same body parts, and we really don’t function properly without all of the parts. In today’s world of medical technology, some would argue that the body can still learn to function with parts missing. That’s not the point. The Body of Christ is created by God to be one Body with All of the parts working, and if some of those parts aren’t showing up, then they aren’t working properly.

Now, I am not the fingers of this body to point. I have been wrestling personally with some things that have caused me to wonder if I have fallen into the rut of just simply “showing up,” and not doing much else? A sprained ankle is still there, but because it isn’t functioning properly, other parts of the body must over-compensate and do extra work to pick up the weight of that useless ankle. I don’t want to be a sprained ankle. I don’t want to the a total “rear end,” either. I want to make sure that before I get up on soap box and quickly point out how many others need to step up and do their part, that I am doing my own part as well.

If each of us would remember that we are just one part of a whole, and work hard at fighting the selfishness that creeps in, we might do more to contribute to this body of Christ, and make sure it is as effective as God designed it to be. Learning to “make it” with the parts that show up is not nearly as exciting as taking the Body as a whole, and pushing it beyond the limits of this world and watching what God can do. Lets be the part that God intended, and move this Body forward. Now, where’s that spleen?

Music for the Soul?

Like many people, I really enjoy listening to music in the car. I’m not a big fan of the radio, because I don’t get many chances to just sit and listen, so when I do, I almost always want something in particular instead of playing radio song roulette. This past weekend, I just found myself really wanting to listen to a particular song by one of my favorite bands. The song is “Lay My Burdens” and it is from the band “Disciple.” (Found on the Southern Hospitality CD.)

For those that don’t know, Disciple is a Christian Rock band that leans a little bit to the heavy and hard rock side. However, this one song has a very distinct old-time Gospel blues bent to it while keeping the edge that this band is known for. Many folks would be turned off by the sound of the music before they ever listened to the lyrics. However, I think they’d be making a mistake. After first really listening to this band several years ago, I have remained impressed with the impact that scripture makes on their songs.

If you were to pick up one of their CD’s and read through the lyrics printed on the inside, you would see at least one scripture reference for every song written, and in most cases more like four or five different passages that inspire their songs. “Lay My Burdens” is no different.

I have been going through some “rocky terrain” in my spiritual walk as I struggle to make the right choices as a dad. (Children are draining on many levels if you take parenting very seriously, and spiritual is just one of them.) Feeling like I was just holding on too tight to some control issues, a small section of the chorus of this song came to my mind. I’m not one to remember song lyrics very well, so I pulled up the song on my mp3 player and listened. As soon as it was over, I backed it up and listened again.

I’m looking to lay my burdens down

They’re something I can’t carry anymore (Matthew 11:28)

I’m longing to lay my body down

Beside still waters and find rest for my soul (Psalm 23:2-3)

How many of us carry around unnecessary burdens that we could simply lay at the feet of Jesus and find the rest that He promises? The still waters that are referenced from Psalm 23 represent the peaceful state of being that we can have if we only let God work on our behalf. Too many times I try to do things on my own. I work in my own power to overcome the obstacles and struggles in my life, and don’t allow the power of the Holy Spirit within me to do what He does to quiet the chaos in my spirit and to guide me through the trials.

When I revert back to trying to do things on my own, I’m re-living a time in my life when I didn’t have the Holy Spirit, which was before I came to Christ, which scripture calls the time that I was dead in my sins. Why would I return to a state of death, when I am more alive in Christ than I ever was before?

What once was dead has now come alive (Ephesians 2:1-5)

It’s alot easier to say all of this than to do it, I realize that. Trust me, I’ve kicked myself over and over again for being able to say the words, but finding no will power or strength to simply do it. Is it Pride? Is it just plain stubbornness? Whatever it is, I definitely find myself relating to the lyrics of this song. I DO want to lay down these burdens, and I am longing to find myself in the place where God’s peace is my own, and I allow Him to do in me what He has promised to do, and will do once I get out of the way.

If you’ve ever felt like you were carrying extra burdens, then I encourage you to listen to the song. I don’t put my hope in man-made lyrics, but sometimes God gets our attention through imperfect messengers to point us to the perfect hope found in Him.

Celebrating Death?

With the release of the news that Osama Bin Laden has been killed, I have noticed several reports of celebration in the news. A Baseball game stopped in the middle to allow for the crowd to cheer the news. People gathered outside the White House and raised American Flags and their arms in triumph as cameras captured the images.

I will be the first to admit that I am glad that this terrorist is no longer in a leadership position over other like-minded people. What he planned and did to our country, and the resultant countless lives that were lost, is such an act of evil that to simply put those words down doesn't seem to be strong enough.

There must also be an admission that I was not there when he was engaged and then killed. I don't know the circumstances. Yes, the news reports one thing, but if we have learned anything it's that details can change from one report to the next, and different reports can be dramatized in an effort to grow an audience. I'm skeptical, what can I say? It may be that Bin Laden came out guns blazing, and capture was not an option. I don't know, and I'm not criticizing our military in any way.

What causes me to pause is the fact that people seem to be celebrating death. Evil or not, should we ever celebrate when a life is ended? I'm not into politics, so please don't go there with me. All I am doing is saying that as a Christian, as one who believes in and has committed my life to Jesus Christ, I have a hard time digesting and processing how I'm supposed to feel about this.

Again, I am very glad that this terrorist is no longer leading others to wreak havoc and destruction. There's no telling how many lives are saved because he is no longer able to brainwash and control others who believe in violent, lethal demonstrations of hate and anger. I see all the good that can come from this, and it may be that people are simply cheering for those positive things. But, I really don't think that's the case for all of those people, and I just can't seem to bring myself to celebrate death.

Is our culture making a mistake? Jesus said to Love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. (Matthew 5:43) In the same Bible that records Jesus' words you can find a passage that says there is a time for everything: "A time to kill, a time to heal...A time to love, and a time to hate, a time for war, and a time for peace."(Ecclesiastes 3)

However, I don't see where it says to celebrate the taking of life. Do our video games, novels, TV shows, and movies cause us to forget the difference between reality and fiction? We cheer for the heroes who must kill when it's a game or in our favorite book. We feel relief when the "bad guys" on TV resist arrest by pulling a gun, but take a fatal bullet because of their unwillingness to come peacefully. But, should we actually cheer on the death of others?

I remember a scene from the Bible where there were those who cheered for death. The man they wanted dead was innocent of crimes, and yet they wanted him executed by the state. They cheered his death, and mocked his pain. On THIS side of the story, I can find hope because I know that this Man rose from the grave and defeated death. But I choose to celebrate His resurrection, not His death.

The death was necessary, and I accept it with heavy heart. Jesus' death demonstrates what Ecclesiastes says about a time to kill. The result it brought is one that provides atonement for all the sins of this world. Jesus knew it would happen, and He still told us to love them with the love of God, and pray that they would turn their hearts to Him. His prayers from the cross for their forgiveness demonstrate that we should never quit hoping in the power of God to change hearts. Even as He walked among the witnesses who saw Him after His resurrection, Jesus never called anyone to arms or to seek retribution against those that cheered for His death. He simply gave us the command to go into all the earth, and share the message of salvation with everyone.

When I hear reports of the deaths of men like Osama Bin Laden, or Saddam Hussein, or other evil men, I take a very somber breath of relief. Death may have been the last resort and the only way to stop them, I don't know. I'm glad their crimes against humanity can no longer persist, and will support those brave men and women in the military who are called into action because of these evil leaders. But I will always be saddened that there are people whose hearts are so hardened and against God that their actions ultimately lead to their own death.