I Wonder--November 25

 I wonder, what makes a sacrament? 

The Book of Confessions tells me that a sacrament is: "a holy ordinance instituted by Christ in his Church, to signify, seal, and exhibit unto those that are within the covenant of grace, the benefits of his mediation; to strengthen and increase their faith and all other graces; to oblige them to obedience; to testify and cherish their love and communion with one another, and to distinguish them from those that are without." (7.22)

That is a very technical answer and one that I was trained to understand and teach. But what about this... Is this story sacramental? 

Yesterday, I went to see a friend who had surgery. He was at home doing well and his recovery was progressing smoothly. Before I left my home I gathered my Book of Worship and the home communion set that Oak Ridge gave me when I was ordained. 

I set it on the counter in their kitchen and we began to visit. About five minutes into our conversation, to my shock and dismay, I looked over at my communion box and I realized something was missing. I had forgotten the bread and the juice. 

It is not very easy to have communion without the elements! 

My mind raced. Could I message Emma or Jennifer and have them run some over to me? What was I going to do? 

My friend just laughed. He had bread, he told me. The juice... well, that would be trickier. I would have my choice. We could use OJ or tea. I laughed and said that whatever worked for them would work for me. 

So after our visit we gathered around their kitchen table with bread and OJ. I read the prayer from my Book of Worship. Then I said the words of Institution, and broke some bread, and passed our little cups of OJ, and then we prayed. 

It felt very sacramental to me. . . To be welcomed into my friend's home. To pray with him and his wife and to share communion--even if it was not as neat and tidy as I would have liked it to be. But isn't that how Jesus meets up sometimes? Just where we are. . . OJ and all? 

I Wonder--October 31

A lot has changed since the last time I sat down to write. But despite the crowded-ness of my mind and heart, God is still showing up and still causing me to wonder. 

God is calling each of us to notice the small places where He breaks in and offers a blessing as we serve the community. 

For instances. . . Last night at Bethesda Jennifer and I participated in Trunk or Treat. This is the second year that we've held the event and it was a wonderful success. Over 180 people stopped by and allowed us to serve them. 

As you can see Jennifer and I chose Disney's Up as our theme. 

We saw old friends from the daycare come back to Bethesda. I met children who sat in the church for chapel and who I shared God's Word with.  

We saw community members who we have been working on building relationships with come to the church and we cared for them. 

Members of the community who grew up at Bethesda came back to the church and I heard their stories and I listened to their needs as they talked with me about finding a place for their children and grandchildren to learn about the Lord. 

Then we gathered in the fellowship hall for a community meal and the time of listening continued as we shared how God was present with us.
 

The food was wonderful as was the conversation. We shared the blessing from table to table. You see when the Body of Christ gathers together, when we eat together and serve together, there is no limit to what God can do. 

I wonder how is God calling us to support our community in the future? How can you come together with someone else and love your community as we did last night?  

I Wonder--July 30

Last night I tried a new experiment that I want to reflect with you upon. 

Over the years, and because of our love of dogs, Jennifer and I have learned that a King Size bed works the best for us. It provides us plenty of room to sleep and plenty of room for the occasionally 'fur baby' to come visit. However, over the years the visits have stopped. Now the 'fur baby' takes up residence at (or near) our feet. So we need the extra room. 

Flynn is especially good at this. Each night he assumes one of two places: between my feet OR against Jennifer's legs. 

Now one would think that a 20-pound mini springer doodle with all the space of a King Size bed would have plenty of room to wander around. But this is not the case. Nearly every night he is either against Jennifer's leg or between my feet.  

So last night I tired something to see if it would help and as I watched, I wondered.... 

I grabbed a throw blanket that Autumn gave us for Christmas a couple years ago. It is red and white with ribbing on it that makes it look like my grandmother hand knit it. If I did not cut the tag off the blanket on Christmas morning, I would think Autumn made it herself.

I gently folded the blanket into a square and placed it in the middle of the bed and waited. Calling Flynn I smiled as I heard the jingle of his collar down the hall. He trotted down into our room holding his favorite plush toy "Harry" in his mouth (if you were a 1-year-old I bet you would want your favorite toy to take to bed as well). 

Jumping onto our bed, he did not even circle around as dogs often do, but he plopped right down with Harry in his mouth. He then slumped over onto his side and allowed Harry to rest next to him. At 5:30am I found them both in that general spot. Right where I left them. There was something soothing about the blanket for him. 

It was a very small modification that asked little of me. But he seemed to appreciate it and I wondered is there a small step, a small choice, that you can make today that will help something find peace in their day? 

Our days are filled with so much stress and so much anxiety that a small gesture might just make the difference for them. Perhaps you can be on the lookout for a chance to care for someone today? 

I Wonder--July 25

It has been a wonderful blessing to find the heat of the summer has given way... a bit. Not only has it been a hot summer, but the heat and drained us emotionally and the emotional drain that each of us confess, it can bleed into a spiritual drain that affects us as Christians. 

Now as the humidity of July has subsided (somewhat), I came across the words of Katherine May that spoke truth to me again and I wanted to share them with you. For the summer heat can burn us out and make it hard to remain faithful to the Lord. 

She writes:

"I am only just beginning to understand that my burnout was the result of multiple losses, each one of which seems so small, but I thought it didn't matter. I willingly surrendered my [prayer] time because I thought it would be a vanity to demand it. I gave up reading and time alone and long, hot baths, and walking. I gave up silence, and standing in the garden at sunrise I let those moments become overrun by work and care, and I was surprised to find that, without them, there was nothing left of me." 

I wonder how often do you find yourself following Katherine's example? Slowly giving ground spiritually and devotionally for external reason?   

Perhaps this is your invitation to regroup with the Lord... Perhaps you can take some time today and make some space to be with the Lord and 

Blessings

Rev. Derek

I Wonder--July 10

A couple weeks ago I preached from a text in Mark's gospel. The story was about Jesus calming the storm.

We all know the story as it has been taught to us since we were children. . . Jesus asleep in the boat awakens to calm the storm and save the frightened disciples from near certain death (at least that was their perspective as the evening cruise began). But I have continued thinking and considering this text since I preached about it. Mark:4:35-41 has resurfaced in a number of times for me and my learning continues. 

Today as I continue thinking about this text, I am reminded of the words of Alexander McLaren who said the following as he reflected upon it: 

"Jesus sleeps on: but He will wake up before it sinks. He sleeps on, but He never oversleeps; and there are no "too lates" with Him."

I like that idea a lot. . . The idea that Jesus does not oversleep when the storm threatens the boat. I like my Jesus to be vigilant. Alert. Present. Ready at a moment's notice even when I am not sure in my own life that I can see the path forward. 

For when I read the news or spend time on social media I witness the response of a community who is anxious by what they see. They seem afraid and upset either because of the direction our world is taking or because of the direction the world will take soon. 

In fact very few responses to what is being observed in this world sounds like: "Well we have to trust God to take care of us as God always has." 

Now I also know that tension and anxiety sell. I know click-bait earns advertising dollars and it helps garner followers. This is also a sad, yet true, commentary of society. 

But I wonder has Jesus ever overslept? 

Or, does the Lord always quiet the storm at the exact moment when the storm threatens the boat and everyone in that boat? I am not apathetic to the struggles and challenges this world and community face. Instead what would does it look like to return our faith back to the place where it needs to be and return our focus to the Lord who dwells in our midst, return to His Word, and trust Him? 

I wonder--July 9

Having just returned to church from a minor surgery, I have been thinking a lot about how we support each other as the Body of Christ. I have been thinking about how we state that we will support each other but what does that practice look like? 

The first thing that we often say when someone tells us of an impending procedure, or treatment, or diagnosis is: "I will pray for you." Or, "Let me know if there is anything that I can do." Those statements are then often followed up with a well-meaning thought like: 'I need to follow-up with them and see how they are doing.' 

A short text message is considered or a phone call a few days later is planned. We might look at a cute greeting card while in the grocery store or consider a brief email as we check our morning inbox and filter through the clutter and spam.  

But I wonder: how often do we truly follow-up? I wonder how often do we actually sent the note that we promised ourselves? 

Think about that for a minute. . .  How often do you sent the note?

My procedure was simple: a hernia repair. I was home and in my chair before noon. My pain was well managed and between Jennifer, JonMark, Emma, and Autumn I needed nothing. I was never under any type of stress or worry. 

But what about the person that you know who does not have the on-site support that I did this past week? Who promised to send them the note and then did not follow through?  

Perhaps your note, your call, your presence was needed. Perhaps just knowing that you are there is the gentle reminder that they need to know that God has not abandoned, neglected, or forsaken them. 

Perhaps this post is the reminder that we need to send the note today and let someone know that we are thinking of them and that they are not alone in whatever struggle they are going through... 

 

I Wonder--July 2

As I was reading Eric Greitens book, Resilience: Hard-Won Wisdom for Living a Better Life, I came across these words that I wanted to share and invite you to consider. Eric is a former Navy SEAL who is writing to another former SEAL, Walker, who struggles with PTSD following his service to our country. 

For while it is summer time, and summer often is a time of rest and vacation, we cannot allow the excuses of life to distract us away from the call of God to be faithful as the Body of Christ. 

Yes, we are not striving for 'excellence' in practice alone, but neither does God ask us to offer excuses as to why we did not practice our faith, or read our Bibles, or serve our community, or go to worship. It takes work, dedication, consistency to grow and mature as Christians. 

As Eric talks about in the following quotation, in life we have to work. This work requires a commitment on our part. He writes: 

"Excellence is beautiful and, like all beautiful things, temporary. One moment we are victorious. The next moment we were victorious. An excuse, however, endures. An excuse promises permanence. Excellence is difficult. An excuse is seductive. It promises an end to hardship, failure, and embarrassment. Excellence requires pain. An excuse promises that you'll be pain free." (Emphasis in original text)

As the church, we must put aside our excuses and press on toward the goal of our high calling in Christ Jesus. As the church, we must continue to share God's message of flourishing and transformation that is found in Christ. As the church, we cannot offer excuses as to why we are not faithful to the calling that we have received from the Lord. 

As Paul teaches us, we have to "work out our salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12) each day. We are called to work, and that work could feel painful in the moment, but the end result is the blessing of union in and with Christ. 

 

So I wonder, what does it look like in your life to press on, to put aside the excuses, the justifications, the judgments, and dedicate yourself to being faithful to the mission and work of Christ this summer? 

 

I Wonder--June 17

Yesterday in worship the focal point of the message was the concept of 'home.' 

I began by stating that 'home' is not always as safe as we would like, and it does not always contain memories that we cherish. We both know that. Nevertheless, in 2 Corinthians 5 Paul speak to the church at Corinth, a church that he cares deeply for, about 'being at home with the Lord.' I believe that Paul does this for two reasons. 

First, it is his ultimate goal to go home to heaven where he will be with Christ again. Paul has known this for some time and he has spoken about it in other places in the Epistles that he wrote. 

Second, this is also his source of hope while he serves the Lord. For when the world presses down upon Paul (or us today), we hope to find our refuge in Christ.

Being at home with Christ is where we feel the love of God at work in our hearts and, in response to that love, we go out into the mission field and we share what God has taught us.  

So with that in mind, I opened my devotional and I found the following words that I feel link nicely to the concept of home with Christ: 

"Oh, how much energy is wasted! How much time is lost by not letting down the wings of our spirit and getting very quiet (still) before Him! Oh the calm, the rest, the peace which comes as we wait in His presence until we hear from Him!"

When we are still before the Lord, and as we realize that this is part of the invitation to come home to the Lord, something profound and intimate happens to our hearts. All that is around us, and all that presses down upon us, can fade away and our relationship with God grows and matures. 

So as you think about the idea of this week, I wonder where God might place opportunities for you to be still with Him? I wonder what these moments will open up in your heart and who you can share them with. . . 

I Wonder--June 13

It has been some time since I last posted, but that does not mean that I have not been thinking or wondering... so it is time to share that wondering with you. 

Today we are getting ready to care for our community. Bags are packed. The canopy is setup and the tables have been moved into position in the parking lot. Soon members of our local community will come to the church and we will care for them. 

I feel blessed by this opportunity. 

Yet a question has been in my mind for days. A wondering. I wonder what stops the Body of Christ from being faithful? I wonder what hinders you and I from practicing our faith consistently with others? 

A few days ago, I was sitting and reading when my iPhone chirped on the table next to me. It was a text message from a member of the church. The message was short but it nearly caused me to jump out of the chair as I read it. The message asked me about our food program and it stated that most of the local food ministries around us were unable to provide food this summer for one reason or another. 

So this person wondered when was our next food distribution scheduled?

There was no judgment in the message and no condemnation because we had not scheduled one. Yet I felt the Holy Spirit sit down in the chair next to me and wonder with me about what impedes the church from her ministry? 

We state that we are busy. We state that our schedules are too full for one more thing. While these are true statements, at times, is it not also true that the Body of Christ is better when we work together serving the local community with the gifts that God has given us? 

Perhaps there is something in your day that is holding you back from caring for your community or your neighbors. 

What would it look like if you followed the lead of the Holy Spirit and began again to care for the people of God? Maybe the Holy Spirit is inviting you to wonder about how to actively care this summer for someone else. Perhaps this conversation is a good way to begin again with the Lord. 

I Wonder--May 14

Recently I was sitting in my office meeting with a Brazilian missionary, Felipe Mattis. He is bringing God's word for me this week on Pentecost. Felipe has a long history with this church. So this meeting was my chance to get to know him. Needless to say, I surprised him. . . But not in how you expect. 

After about 5 minutes of small talk, Felipe mentioned the passion all Brazilians share: Soccer. It came up because he was telling me about his travel from Sao Paolo to Miami and then on to South Carolina. He was amazed a the large impact that Leo Messi was having on America. 

Little did Felipe know that soccer is a passion of mine: a deep rich passion. 

So for the next hour we spoke about soccer. We spoke about the 1994 World Cup and how Brazil beat my beloved Italy in the final match in a penalty shootout when the best player in the world (Roberto Baggio) missed the final shot. 

We talked about team USA and how they have played over the years. 

Messi came up and how he just won his first World Cup. A proud Brazilian rooted for a Argentinian because he deserved to win one. 

Finally, as a Brazilian we had to talk about the 7-1 loss to Germany in a semifinal game in 2014: a game that Brazil hosted and was favored to win. It was devastating to watch. An old soccer joke is that 'soccer is a game that 22 people chance the ball around the pitch (field) for 90 minutes, and in the end, the Germans win.' On that day that was true. The Germans dominated the match from start to finish. 7-1 in a soccer game is like Clemson losing a national semifinal game 49-7 (oh, and it was 35-0 in the first quarter if you want to push the image further). Hard to watch... 

With my Pentecost this week, and Felipe preaching, my mind was still recalling the conversation as I opened my devotional this morning and read about a German spiritual practice that I wonder about for you: meddachschlop. It means 'a little nap.' And it is a spiritual practice. 

In our lives we are so busy running and 'doing' as much as we can as fast as we can. We narrate the experience on social media and to anyone who will listen. What might happen, and what would our lives become if we followed the Germans again and scheduled a little: meddachschlop? A little time to rest and recover? 

I wonder if you could find that time, even just 15 minutes for the "little German nap?'

I Wonder--May 9

While today has been a rainy day, it has also been a day that has stuck with me. 

First thing this morning I called our Darby's Well Service for help. After speaking with Jimmy last night at our church dinner, it seemed that the pressure switch on the well was going bad (and I do not truly know what that means). The symptoms of our problem were that when we turned the spigot on in the house, the water would run, and then it would cut off suddenly. After a few moments of no water running, the water would come back on. 

I told Jimmy this, and he smiled and explained to me that most likely the pressure switch in the unit was bad and needed to be replaced. He told me I should call the office and have it replaced in the morning. 

So again, first thing in the morning that is what I did. 

Bryan and Jeremy arrived shortly before 9:30am and they got to work. Indeed the switch was bad and together they replaced it without any incident. As they worked it began to rain, then pour on us. But together the three of us had a meaningful conversation that has stuck with me all day. As they installed the switch and wired it back into place properly they told me some stories of their lives and they shared their experiences of previous times at Bethesda with me. 

Briskly walking back to my office in the rain I thought, 'thank you Lord for those few minutes to listen.'

David Brenner, in book Presence and Encounter wrote these that support how I felt after talking with Bryan and Jeremy. He said: 

"One of the surprising things about a transformational encounter is how brief it can be given the magnitude of the changes that can result."

Like I said, it was rainy. The guys worked fast and they never stopped to chat with me. They kept themselves dedicated to the task. But as we talked I felt God speaking to my heart and I wondered if God was, at the same time, talking to their hearts? 

We had a back and forth that touched me. . . I wondered if it touched them? 

Often we do not know how even the briefest of conversations changes us, perhaps be on the lookout for an even a short conversation that you might have today. It might just bless someone's day. 

I Wonder--April 30

I have spent a lot of time collating, editing, and managing my social media and news feeds on my iPhone. This process has take quite a while. This is not because I want to live or function in a 'silo,' but because there are just some topics that do not interest me and I do not want to spend a lot of time with them. 

You see, I do not have a great interest in fashion, or in pop music, and a host of other mainline topics that algorithms suggest that I will like. So I have 'clicked' them away. 

What remains though can be quite painful and polarizing--as it was today when my morning news feed was filled with stories that turned my stomach. Stories of violence. Stories of groups of people from around the world who cannot sit together and talk but choose to 'lob verbal grenades' at one another in passive aggressive threats. 

How does this behavior and choice serve the Lord? Are we not called to be the Church? To be more? 

In the book, "Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day!" Kate Bowler says this to us: 

"The hard truth is that the most basic aspect of our humanity is not our determination, our talents, or whatever we accomplished during last year's resolutions. We are united by our fragility. We all need shelter because we are soft and mushy and irritable in the elements– and we will need so much more than a bank loan, sooner or later we are [all] left exposed."

I could not agree with Kate more. 

We are fragile. 

We are all Children of God who need to remember that truth and come together around it. Rather than shout and divide, perhaps God asks the Church to help facilitate a process of coming together. Instead of yelling and shouting the other person down, I wonder if there is a Christ-like way to sit with someone, to hold their hand, and see the fragility in their eyes, in their lives, and welcome them into communion as Jesus welcomes you? 

I Wonder--April 24

In the rush for productivity, we often rush too quickly. . . We rush to be effective and be thorough. But in doing so, we might just miss the opportunity to Be the Church that Jesus asks us to be. 

I wonder when was the last time you interrupted your well-laid, well-thought out, plans to reach out to someone and share good news with them? When did you last put aside productivity and to choose to dwell with the other person?

On each Wednesday at noon I have a zoom meeting with a group of ministers. We meet for 1 hour to discuss the sermon text for Sunday and talk about general worship plans that we are making. During that meeting my iPhone rang on the table next to me. I saw the call and I read the transcript of the voicemail sit came in. The transcript told me that there was good news waiting for me--but it never said what the good news was. It was up to me to call back. 

The meeting ended at 12:50pm and I got back to work while forgetting the voicemail which I imagine is a temptation that you might fall into. After all there are things to do, and tasks to work on. Yet something in the back of my mind kept reminding me "check the voicemail. Make the call."

It was only when I did that I heard the good news--and it was well worth it! 

I felt my heart swell and my spirit lift during that call. The entirety of the call was less than 2 minutes. But I had a choice to make. I did not have to call back. I could have waited; I was busy. 

Perhaps you have the same choice running through your mind today as you read this post. 

But I encourage you to resist that temptation. You are not too busy to interrupt your day and let God break in and change you, and by extension change the other person. Make the call. Listen to message. Be the Church. 

I Wonder--April 15

As I was reading today I came across the following entry that made me stop and think. 

Yes, today is Tax Day. And yes, I do not enjoy today either. It is a day that I too complain about. But perhaps these words that I share with you below might give you a reason today to pause. They might give you a chance to think differently as you seek to live out your faith as a member of the Body of Christ. 

While thinking about Tax Day, Ryan Holiday wrote:  

"Everything we do has a toll [or price] attached to it. . . Rumors and gossip are the taxes that come from acquiring a public persona. Disagreements and occasional frustration are taxes placed on even the happiest of relationships. Theft is attack on [the] abundance and having things that other people want. Stress and problems are tariffs that attached to success. And on and on and on [this goes]. . ."

There are many things we can complain about in life and many things that we cannot escape. Instead of just complaining or bemoaning them, as we are tempted to do. Perhaps today, we have the chance to notice where our energy rests, where our attention lies. 

And as we notice this could we focus our attention away from poor choices and back toward living and acting as God intends for us? Maybe the price that we need to pay is one of following the cost of discipleship? 

I Wonder--March 27

Last night Bethesda had the opportunity to care for their community. We served our community in faith and in love by providing food to any needy individual who came to the church until we ran out of food. 

It was a night of community building and communal ministry. And I wonder if it was also a night of worship? 

James K.A. Smith says this: 

"Worship that restores us is worship that restories us." (You might want to read that again.... it is not misspelled). 

As we met with members of our community last night and as we listened to them we heard stories of their lives that they felt comfortable sharing with us. We heard stories that they were comfortable sharing--and we never pressed them for any details. 

We heard stories about their families. Stories about their Easter plans. We heard stories about teenagers just learning to drive and stories filled with the hope that families would come together around the Easter table.

We heard stories about the how Jesus would bless the community on Resurrection Sunday but that particular stories was interspersed with stories about the loss of work and the struggles of health and the struggles to make ends meet. 

As I listened to so many stories that were shared with me, and heard the accounts of stories that were shared from other church members, I worked if together, in our act of service, were we not worshipping God? Was this act of worship not something that was re-shaping the story of Bethesda, and the people of Bethesda, who gathered in the parking lot and offered a word of encouragement and blessing to their neighbors? 

We know that stories come in all shapes and sizes, perhaps as you listen to one today, it might become an act of worship that changes you because it is an act of worship. Take some time today in Holy Week to share one today. 

 

I Wonder--March 19

Many aspect of our Christian faith are just the way that they are. The practices of faith resemble what tradition taught us that they were and they are. 

But sometimes, when we linger around Christ, when we watch, and wonder, and study God's word, the Lord might just break through and ask us to look at things from a different perspective that challenges us to grow and widen our faith and gaze.  

As an example, let me tell you a story from this year's confirmation class. 

To set up the story, let me also say that I have used this process three times in confirmation. 

Previously I have handed out the same exercise and asked the students, and their mentors, to consider "The Church." I want them to 'build a church.' They are asked to make certain decisions and choices and then talk about why and how they made those choices. From there we enter into a group discussion about what a church looks like and how 'The Church' is formed and established and sustained. 

The process is straightforward and I have never had any issue with it... until I handed the assignment out this last time and one of the students remembered the passage of scripture that talks about how Jesus lives in our hearts. This student wondered: if Jesus lives in their hearts, and if Jesus walks with them everywhere they go, then does it not stand to reason that the church is not a building, but isn't the church 'me?' Am I not the church, this person reasoned? 

Now while you might roll your eyes at the teenage logic that was presented. The student was correct. 

The church is not a building. Frankly building-centric logic is what got the Pharisees into trouble with Jesus and His message. Since God lives in each of us, and God walks with us each day, wherever we commune with God can be, and should be, an active place of worship where we are molded and shaped by God. 

From a teenage question came a meaningful pause for the group. And the adults who sat among the students felt the pause grow in us as we noticed that God was breaking in.

Some things in our faith are just the way that they are. But there are also places in our faith to draw close to God and wonder if more is possible? I wonder if you can find something today in your faith and in your relationship with God that can be broadened and expanded? What might God be telling and showing you?  

I Wonder--March 14

In our Christian faith there is always room to expand and grow as we spend more and more time with the Lord. We can add a spiritual discipline to our life at any point--and God invites us to do so. We can read the Bible differently. Study the Word using a new translation or begin a new devotional practice. 

Lent is not the only time that God invites us to try something different. 

This sense of experimentation has been on display in the life of the confirmands here at Bethesda. As I have listened to them, I have heard them consider how they might augment or change how they practice their faith. In some moments they double-down on what they believe. . . but in others, I see their brows scrunch and they wonder... is this the time to try something different. Either way, their experimentation has been positive and healthy and enriching.  

From places of wonder and experimentation God can do great things. But we must have the courage to wonder what is God asking us to become. 

Consider these two examples as demonstrations that trying something new can have dramatic results: 

Georges Perec wrote an entire book without using the most common letter in the French alphabet: e. His book went on to become one of the most celebrated experimental works in modern literature. 

The painter Yves Klein decided to limit his palette to one color. This let him to discover a shade of blue no one had ever seen before. The shade itself was seen by many as effectively becoming the art itself, and was later named "International Klein Blue." 

These are just two examples of people experimenting and trying something new, something unheard of, and their efforts changed their community. 

So I wonder, what practice of your faith could you do differently, could you try? What might reshape you? It might be something you try just for a week or even a season. . . who knows the effect could end up reshaping your faith and your relationship with the Lord. 

I Wonder--March 12

Imagine with me a great runner. . . They are fast. Strong. Agile. For years they honed their form. When this person runs, their arms and legs flow smoothly. Their heart pumps fresh blood throughout their body. Their lungs send plenty of oxygen to their organs. 

Running for this person is graceful. Smooth. It is elegant. They seem to glide when they run. It is as if their feet do not even touch the earth. . . They fly. 

Now imagine it is the day of an important race. 

After years of faithful, diligent, practice, this runner comes to the starting blocks. They are locked in; ready to run and ready to perform. They blast out of the blocks establishing themselves in the lead of the race. They move to the front of the pack gaining a commanding lead when all of a sudden they crash to the ground like a sack of potatoes. 

The other runners pass them. But the runner is not deterred. They return to their feet to begin again. But this time the runner is bloodied, bruised, and broken. They stumble; they cannot regain their footing and finish dead last. 

So I wonder, is our runner whose story we just imagined a bad runner? Of course not. . . They just had a bad race. 

If that runner was part of your family, and if you cared for that person, you would comfort them. You would tend to their wounds and offer them words of encouragement and remind them that there would be another race that they could win. You might help them train and encourage them to put this bad memory behind them. You might say, "press on toward the goal."

 

And I would do the same. 

So the question for today is: do you live this way when someone in the Body of Christ falls down on the track of life, cuts their knees, bruises their soul, and finishes in last place for the day? Or do you remind them that they failed epically and offer them little if any grace when that is truly all they want and need in the moment? 

In the Christian faith God asks us to practice what the gospel teaches knowing that we will not perfect our faith. But each day, we hope and we believe in what is possible. . . and as we do, we offer grace to those who fail.   

I Wonder--February 28

Have you ever stopped to consider what God's answers to prayer sound like in your life? 

Consider them with me for a moment. . . We come to God for a variety of reasons.  This is why space needs to be created when we pray to be still. In the stillness of our hearts, we find room to let our hearts express what is deeply occurring there. Prayer is communing with God on many levels. 

But have you stopped to consider God's response. . . what does it look like and what could it should like? 

Lauren Winner once said these words: 

"Most women are 'sure to remember exactly what the OB or nurse or midwife said--positive or negative.' I wonder what Jesus heard His father say in the garden. Whatever it was let Jesus go on."

Think about that idea for a moment. In the garden Jesus pours His heart out to His Heavenly Father. We know that Jesus asks that the cup pass from His lips on more than one occasion. None of the gospels record what God in heaven said to His Son. But whatever it was, however that response took shape, it gave Jesus the resolve to continue toward the cross undeterred. 

God spoke to His Son and the Son heard it clearly. 

You see, I believe, God always answers our prayers. The challenge that we must face is are we willing to linger long enough to hear the answer. 

I wonder today if you, among a busy and perhaps painful day, can find some room to just stay where God is and listen to hear what God's answer sounds like?  

I Wonder--February 13

Today has a few names for us in the church... Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras. Shrove Tuesday. Each has a meaning that is significant to the person. For me today is "Tuesday... the last day before Ash Wednesday." Tomorrow I begin Lent with Bethesda. 

As we begin together I found a particular parable presented to me twice. Since the Lord showed it to me in two places, I believe that I am supposed to share it with you as we get ready for the change in liturgical season. 

So here goes: 

There was a young man who had gone into the desert to pursue the holy life. After a year or two of fasting, praying, and meditating on the Word, he began to feel that his rule of life is not rigorous enough, so he goes to his teacher and asks for a more stringent discipline. The teacher replies, "Simply do this: go back to your cave, pray, as you usually pray, fast, as you usually fast, sleep when you are tired."

The student, disappointed by this less than scrupulous response, goes to a second teacher, and again ask for a more stringent rule. The second teacher says, "Go back to your cave, pray, as you usually pray, eat when you are hungry, drink, when you are thirsty, sleep when you are tired." Frustrated, the man goes to a third teacher, who tells him," Just go back to your cave."

The point, is that you can't simply pursue God in the desert; you must also begin to pursue yourself wherever you are. You cannot fast, if you have not first notice that you were hungry; your hunger is what the cave can teach you.

Lent is the opportunity to notice where you are and what God could be teaching you. 

So I wonder, what do you think God is going to teach you? And how are you preparing yourself to learn from the Lord this season? 

I Wonder--February 5

The Church of Jesus is about to celebrate His Transfiguration once again this weekend. 

Together we will read the gospel account of the Lord taking Peter, James, and John up the mountain where He will be 'transfigured' before them. On that mountain Jesus' appearance on earth will be as close, I believe, as to how He appears in heaven before His Father. Those three disciples will then be confronted with a choice. 

While the choice is not presented in the text--it will live in their hearts for the rest of their lives. 

The choice is simple: what are they called to do, in response, to this revelation from God that takes place on that mountain top? Jesus did not bring them up the mountain, He did not reveal Himself to them, He did not show them Elijah or Moses, just for show or as a display of power solely. Christ invites us, and them, into a partnering relationship. 

As it has been said many times throughout history: we are in this together. 

In the book that I just finished reading it says it this way: 

"Nothing begins with us. The more we pay attention, the more we begin to realize that all the work we ever do is a collaboration [with God.]." 

The season of Lent, which begins on February 14th, is our season of witness and reflection. 

We witness to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We witness to what He is willing to endure on our behalf to restore us, and our relationship, to the Father. 

But we also participate, or collaborate as the quotation says, with Him in the spreading of the message of hope and evangelism that comes after the cross. The question for you to ponder today is are you willing to collaborate with Jesus in this work? Are you willing to travel up the mountain, witness what He shows you, and then work alongside of Him in your local community? 

 

I Wonder--February 1

I wonder if a ministry project ever truly ends? 

In October Bethesda distributed lunches to their children of their community for one week while the students were out of school. We will do this again in February. These are two specific weeks where a need is present. But once those weeks are concluded, does the project end? 

I have been considering this idea because I read something recently that sparked my curiosity. This is what I read: 

"Re-reading even a well-understood paragraph or page can be revelatory. New meaning, deeper understandings, inspirations, and nuances arise and come into focus." 

Think about the last time you re-read a significant passage of God's word, something that touched your heart previously. It still had resonance. Why? I suspect that the answer you would give is that the more frequently you re-read and re-examined something that held meaning and purpose to your heart, the more God brought it into focus for you. 

So then it stands to reason that if a mission and ministry project touches your heart then you are not truly done serving the Lord when it seems to end. Ministry does not end because the Lord continues to passionate touch your heart.

Instead, practices of discernment asks us to regularly return to God and ask deeper questions. Practices of discernment asks us to wonder what further learning and consideration might God be inviting us into in our future. Who might we bring into the conversation? And what might partners such as they have to offer us? 

Even something at seems clear on the surface can still teach us more and more the longer we linger with the Lord on them... 

I Wonder--January 29

Yesterday, in Sunday School we addressed one of those truly hard, challenging, concepts of our Christian walks that lives in the Sermon on the Mount. And while I would like to state that we 'solved' this one, we didn't. Frankly, no one since the Lord Jesus walked the earth has anyone truly been able to live up to the standard that Jesus taught in Matthew 7. But as Paul reminds us, we keep working at it diligently and we trust the Holy Spirit to help us (Phil. 2.12). 

But I value the conversation yesterday. I value the ability to think deeply. I value the vulnerability that it takes for men and women of the church to look at each other deeply and speak from their hearts . . . and as you know, I appreciate people willing to come alongside of me and: wonder about such things. 

In the book that I just finished I read these words which ring true to my heart: 

"The ability to look deeply [to wonder]

is the root of creativity. 

To see past the ordinary and mundane

and get to what might otherwise be invisible."

I believe that we are called by God to look deeply at ourselves, and at our community. We are called by God to notice what is easily noticeable and act--that is the easy part. A lot of people do that each and every day. A lot of churches do that every week. 

Yet at the same time we are also asked to stand beside God, look out into the community deeply, and wonder about what we are seeing. . . that is where transformation takes place. Long-lasting change takes place. 

Certainly the things that we are seeing and witnessing might mean one thing--and that one thing might be clear and direct. 

But what if it isn't? 

What if God is asking you and I to creatively linger in one spot. Gaze a little longer. Notice something mundane. Something that might be present the whole time but because no one else is looking at it, it is invisible to the vast majority of the church and community at-large? No one sees it. . . perhaps no one cares about it.  

I wonder what would happen to that thing, in the life of that one person (or persons), if we and God creatively spoke about whatever it was that we saw? 

I wonder--January 25

Do you participate in the work of God in the community or are you a passive observer only? Is the mission of God too big for you or could you imagine yourself being part of what God is doing in the community--even in some small way?

Another way of asking the question is: do you bring something of value to God and God's work to redeem the community?  

To consider this question let's keep thinking along the same lines as yesterday and wonder together. . . In the book, The Creative Act: A Way of Being, we read: 

"We perceive, filter, and collect, data, then curate an experience for ourselves and others based on this information set. Whether we do this consciously or unconsciously, by the mere fact of being alive, we are active participants in the ongoing process of creation."

 If these words are correct (and I believe that they are); then we are participants in the process of ministry with God. The Lord is inviting us into partnership. And more than simple partnership, which would be a wonderful blessing for any of us, God might just be inviting us to co-labor with Him in the community to spread the redemptive work and mission. 

God might just ask us if we are willing to work side-by-side with Him in the local community.

And while you and I might tempted to think that we are unworthy to stand beside Jesus and work alongside of him, we are all sent into the mission field by the Lord because He trusts us; He believes in us. For we all witness what is taking place around us in this world. Every second, of every day our eyes, ears, and our lives witness opportunities to share the love of Christ with another persons. 

I wonder.... who do you think opened your eyes, your ears, and your hearts to notice this in the first place? Perhaps it is the one who called you into partnership in the first place... 

I Wonder--January 24

 For a while now I have seen a certain book at my local book store and it has caught my attention. Finally last week, I broke down and bought the book and I am so thankful that I did! The book's author is a famous music producer whose has worked on some of the most important rock albums for the last 40 years. 

As with many great creative thinkers, the book does not follow a traditional format. There is a chapter that consists of a few pages followed by three lines of prose centered on a page or two. Then another short chapter followed by some more prose. This repeats throughout the entire book. But if you dare to open the book and consider with Rick is writing about, you will find a gold mine to consider. 

In the first chapter, a chapter titled: "Everyone Is a Creator," he writes this: 

"To create is to bring something into existence that wasn't there before. It could be a conversation, the solution to a problem, a note to a friend, the rearrangement of furniture in a room, a new route home to avoid a traffic jam. . . Through the ordinary state of being, we're already creators in the most profound way, creating our experience and composing the world we perceive." 

While Rick is not write from a Christian theological perspective but one of a musical producer, I find it hard not to hear an entrance point into our community in his words. 

We often think that to serve the Lord in our community has to be a big, large-scale, dynamic, vibrant project. It must be reproducible; it must shine. It must look good on social media and/or fit well on a flyer or some other form of media--and at times that is indeed necessary, I do confess. 

But if Rick is right, if something as small as moving a chair closer to another person so that they can see that we truly do care, if that "creative act of furniture moving" is also an act of ministry, then I wonder what small thing God be asking you to do today?  

For God see the world both in the macro and the micro. Jesus had the time to save the entire world, but He also had the time to sit by a well with an unwelcome woman and talk with her during the hottest part of the day when no one else had the time or the desire. 

Maybe there is something creative that God is asking to you participate in right now? What does it look like and how much time does it take?

I Wonder--January 18

Today I was listening to a new audiobook and something the author said caught my attention. She was speaking about the future and how we perceive it. The section in question that I was listening to was from the introduction and Jane wondered about how long it might take someone to read a new book.

She went on to ask, 'what might happen if you gave yourself 10-years to read that book?' (For some of us, having 10-years to read a book might be freeing or helpful).

Now while that seems like an excessive amount of time, consider Jane's rationale. She says:  

“What matters is whether your brain perceives an abundance of time. So give it a try. Give yourself luxurious ten-year deadlines. You might be surprised at how much faster and more happily you do things you’d otherwise put off when you feel time-rich, and therefore more in control of your timeline.”

Jane is not writing or considering ministry in the church or a faithful response to God's revelation. But what if she was?

In ministry we are in the 'long game.' . . Perhaps the 10-years game. Results may come. And those results may take a long time--but they do come because they come in Christ Jesus. And Christ Jesus is faithful. 

Why do we think, or why have we been lead to believe that the results have to come overnight? I wonder what might happen in your life and in your faith if you gave yourself the grace of time and received the grace of the Lord. 

Blessings

Derek

I Wonder--January 11

We are now in the season of Epiphany. 

During this time of the church calendar the focus shifts from the joy of the Incarnation to the needed response to Christ's birth in the new year. For the next five weeks the church is asked to consider its response and how it will take the revelation of Christ into its local community--and ultimately the world. 

Quite simply we are tasked with evangelism--and it is not a passive call. 

As I think about this mandate from God and ask I consider the  responsibility for the church, I remember the words Albert Outler wrote. He said: 

"Give us a church, whose members believe and understand the gospel of God's healing love of Christ to hurting men and women. Give us a church that speaks and acts in consonance with its faith – not only to reconcile the world, but to turn it upside down! Give us a church of spirit-filled people in whose fellowship life speaks [of eternal] life, love to love, and faith and trust respond to God's grace. And we shall have a church whose witness in the world will not fail, and whose service to the world will transform it."

This past week, I asked the children here at Bethesda if the Christmas season was complete, and amidst jokes about snow marking the end of Christmas, we discovered that Christmas is not complete. It is not complete because we have the evangelistic responsibility placed before us by God to share the miracle with our community. 

The decorations may be put away, but the message should not also be put away. 

The Christmas season is not complete because you have the opportunity, and the call, to pass on what you learned and experienced from the Messiah. To paraphrase what Oulter was saying in the above quotation: we will transform the world because we witness to the power of God in our midst. 

I wonder if that is something that we as the Body of Christ will do during this Epiphany season?  

I Wonder--January 4

One thing that I am not fond of is a New Year's resolutions. For most people these are promises that are not kept. The effort seems to be lacking. Certainly I want to 'do' better, 'be' better every day of my life as I am in Christ. So why wait until January to attempt to do anything about this? Should not our growth as Christians be a constant, consistent matter?  

I wonder if God asks us to continue progressing towards Him and His will in our lives? 

Writer Evelyn Underhill addresses my struggle in this way. She writes:  

"Some people may seem to us to go to God by a moving staircase; where they can assist matters a bit by their own efforts, but much gets done for them, and progress does not cease. Some appear to be whisked past us in a lift; whilst we find ourselves on a steep flight of stairs, with a bend at the top, so that we cannot see how much farther we have to go. But none of this really matters; what matters is the conviction that all are moving towards God, and, in that journey, accompanied, supported, checked, and fed by God."

God asks each of us to practice our faith. He asks us to remember that He is always present and accessible to us--in the good and in the bad. 

Perhaps what Evelyn is talking about resonates in your heart and life? Perhaps the message in 2024 from God might be a reminder that He is there and wants to grow your relationship together. . . Maybe that is a resolution that we could actually keep.