Category: First Steps

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First Steps – March 30, 2020

rising sun

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach.  It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”  Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”  No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).

I was encouraged after reading this passage considering the uncertain times we face today.  Moses gave this charge to a people that faced uncertainty for they were about to enter a land without security or clear vision.  They were asked to trust and walk with God that was/is knowable. 

John Jewell, 16th Century Bishop of Salisbury who lived through the Reformation, wrote, “The Bible is a shop that contains the wisdom, knowledge, power, judgments, and mercies of God.  Wherever we look we will see displayed the works of his hands.  We will see his work of creation and his preservation of everything…and his gracious redemption of the believer.”  He went on to say, “There is no need to beat your brains out in searching.  The word and commandment of God will sufficiently teach you.”  I would add, “and sustain you in troubled times.”

I hope that you will renew yourself with Holy Scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you during this time of uncertainty.  Draw strength from His Word.  Look at how God has sustained so many who looked to him and followed in the steps of Christ. 

 

This week’s readings:
Monday – Titus 2
Tuesday – Titus 3
Wednesday – Jude
Thursday – Philemon
Friday – Hebrew 1


Please Pray for:
Our ministers and their families.
Those who are unwillingly absent.
The United Methodist Church family.
Our nation and our leaders.
The World.
The Lost.
The lives of those touched by the Coronavirus.

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First Steps – March 23, 2020

rising sun

Sometimes it takes a while.  This has been my thought of late especially in relation to my dogs.  Because we bought a new goldendoodle puppy, our life has been disrupted.  Cooper, the puppy, is already nine months old and about forty-five pounds.  For about seven months he has been a source of joy and frustration.  For one member of our family, Chloe, our nine-year-old shih tzu, she was not a fan of the new edition.  For months she acted out because with the arrival of Cooper, it triggered some aggression that dated back to her puppyhood.  Basically, she detested Cooper. 

Sometimes it takes a while.  Now, things are different.  Cooper and Chloe are the best of friends.  They lay next to each other, they play with each other, they are affectionate towards each other.  Because Cooper is a puppy, he injects his playful energy which now has rejuvenated Chloe.   It is fun to watch them play.  Nonetheless, our house is more peaceful, at least as peaceful as a three-dog home can be. 

Sometimes it takes a while.   As I reflect on the changes in my pets, I see comparisons with how people treat each other.  Normally, when there is a change in one’s environment, people are quick to act out of fear, believing the worst.  People become protective, flight/fight mentality kicks in, and people act out accordingly.  Yet, if one will engage the perceived foe, often for a period of time, those fears subside.  Take loving others as an example.  If we can engage others around us, even those we think are impossible to love, over time our preconceived opinions are often inaccurate or misguided.  Chloe and Cooper had to “learn” each other, spend time with each other.  At first, opposition then toleration and eventually affection.  With people, it might be a little different, but I think you get the picture.  Sometimes it takes a while.

 

 

This week’s readings:
Monday – 2 Timothy 1
Tuesday – 2 Timothy 2
Wednesday – 2 Timothy 3
Thursday – 2 Timothy 4
Friday  – Titus 1

Please Pray for:
Our ministers and their families.          
Those who are unwillingly absent.
The United Methodist Church family.
Our nation and our leaders.
The World.
The Lost.
The Lives of those touched by the Coronavirus.

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First Steps – March 16, 2020

rising sun

I recently read the results of a study distributed by the University of Virginia which showed that when given the choice, many people preferred to undergo electric shock than to sit alone with their thoughts. In this study, the participants were exposed to a mild shock, which they all reported they didn’t like and were willing to pay money for them to stop. But when left alone in an empty room, with a shocker for up to fifteen minutes, removed by all distractions and unable to check their phones, listen to music, watch TV, two-thirds of the men and one-fourth of the women chose to voluntarily shock themselves rather than sit in silence.

After reading the results, my first thought was, “Yeah, that is about right.” My second thought was, “How sad.” Actually, the more I think about this (it has been seven days since I read the results), the more grief I have. As a whole, I’m convinced, our society has lost its ability to simply be. We over-function, crave stimulus, and fill our day with any and all things so that every minute is occupied, only to discover that it is not fulfilling. Unfortunately, we do this inside the church. Yet, the early Christians were very comfortable with reflective silence, periods of meditation, and solitude.

The goal of following Jesus is a maturation of faith. It is not “believing more in Jesus.” If one believes in Jesus, he or she believes in Jesus. It is a yes or no venture. The finish line, for the Christian, is for the nature of Christ to be formed inside of the believer. This is a heart to hand process. It is an inside out transformation governed by the Holy Spirit’s work. This cannot happen to its fullest extent until one is willing to take a hard look in the mirror. I’m convinced one cannot do this without learning to sit alone and reflect on who they are. So, here is my crazy, off-the-wall thought: Perhaps what is just as important as believing in Jesus is a willingness to resist the temptation to cram your day with stimuli and learn to simply sit quietly with whom you believe. Give it a try.

 

 

 

This week’s readings:

  • Monday – 1 Timothy 2
  • Tuesday –1 Timothy 3
  • Wednesday – 1 Timothy 4
  • Thursday – 1 Timothy 5
  • Friday – 1 Timothy 6

 

Please Pray for:

  • Our ministers and their families.
  • Those who are unwillingly absent.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our nation and our leaders.
  • The World.
  • The Lost.
  • The Lives of those touched by the Coronavirus.

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First Steps – March 9, 2020

rising sun

On a recent trip to France, my larger family and I visited several different towns. All the towns had a church in the town center. One such church had the baptismal font in the back of the church. As one entered into the sanctuary, one saw the baptismal font first, then the pews, and finally the altar. A family member asked me, “Why is the baptismal font located in the back of the sanctuary in some churches while in others it is in the front by the altar?” Anecdotally, I’m the only minister in my family, so I receive all the theology questions. I guess that comes with the job.

Nonetheless, I answered, “Because in some churches, they focus on baptism as something you receive, not earned, and it is the symbol of entrance into the family of God. Therefore, as people enter into the sanctuary for worship, they pass by it as a reminder to everyone that even before they sit down in the pew, they have been marked by God and belong to Jesus by grace alone. God’s gift of grace is a gift given and believers are simply receivers of that wonderful gift.” About the time I said that, someone (I’m assuming a church member) walked by the font, dipped her finger into the water, made the sign of the cross on her forehead, sat down in the pew for prayers. I looked over to my family member and said, “she is remembering her baptism, something she received. She is welcomed by God not because she earned it, but because God gives it.”

As I think of that experience, I’m reminded that we are receivers. Grace is a gift from God. This week as you live your life, I hope you will do so with the thought of how much you have received from God. Paul had this in mind when he penned, Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, not by works, so that no one can boast.” Tish Warren, a contemporary Christian writer, said, “We are marked from our first waking moment by an identity that is given to us by grace: an identity that is deeper and more real than any other identity we will don that day.”

This week’s reading:

  • Monday – Colossians 1
  • Tuesday –Colossians 2
  • Wednesday – Colossians 3
  • Thursday – Colossians 4
  • Friday – 1 Timothy 1

 

Please Pray for:

  • Our ministers and their families.
  • Those who are unwillingly absent.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our nation and our leaders.
  • The World.
  • The Lost.

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First Steps – March 2, 2020

rising sun

On a recent college visit with my daughter, we arrived, signed in, were gathered and ushered into a holding room, and sat down to wait for her audition.” As I took my seat, I looked around the room and saw the same thing: People were on their phones. As soon as new people entered the room and sat down, they immediately reached for their phones. Sadly, I have to admit, I did the same thing. Today’s culture has imprinted technology on our brains as something that we have to have to survive. It is the air we breathe. After a few minutes, I thought, “We have been conditioned to fear boredom.” I quickly turned to my daughter to test my theory, and she said, “Yes, it is true. It is like a security blanket.”

Lent began five days ago. Lent is the season of preparation before Easter. It is a time of inward reflection where one embraces a more simplistic lifestyle. It is a time of increased spiritual disciplines so that one focuses more on their relationship with God. Annie Dillard famously wrote, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” I wonder how our days are shaped, regardless if we know it, by our practices, different daily rituals, that make us who we are. Some of those rituals stem from our faith, others from the culture around us.

Therefore, with the remaining days of Lent, would you be willing to push against the culture that imprints the fear of boredom by grabbing your phone? Granted, it might be impossible to go off the grid for 40 days. But, I bet we could limit our access so that we can focus on something more basic, something foundation forming to our identity—who we are in Christ. Give it a try.

…

This week’s reading:
Monday – Ephesians 6
Tuesday – Philippians 1
Wednesday – Philippians 2
Thursday –Philippians 3
Friday – Philippians 4

 

Please Pray for:
Our ministers and their families.
Those who are unwillingly absent.
The United Methodist Church family.
Our nation and our leaders.
The World.
The Lost.

 

 

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First Steps – February 24, 2020

rising sun
It must be remembered that life is not a series of grand illustrious actions or elegant enjoyments.  No, the greater part of our time is spent in compliance with little necessities, performing daily duties, handling small inconveniences, and the enjoyment of small pleasures.”

 

I can’t remember when I heard this, but I remember that when I heard it, a light bulb went off because I haven’t forgotten it.  Though Brother Lawrence lived about 400 years ago, he thought the same because he considered faith and daily life to be intricately woven together and inseparable.  He wrote, “That we ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed. That we should not wonder if, in the beginning, we often failed in our endeavors, but that at last we should gain a habit, which will naturally produce its acts in us, without our care, and to our exceeding great delight.”

Often, we live with the thought that our faith must be grand.  Yet, Jesus referred to a mustard seed faith as effective enough to move mountains. However, we resist his words because there is something in us that values bigger is better.  We are drawn to the exotic, that piece that separates us from others.  It is no wonder we struggle with Jesus’ simple call for humility, service, and selflessness.  I’m convinced that until we find contentment in the basics, joy in living a simple life with God, and fulfillment in the faithfulness of the everyday life, we will always be chasing something that is fleeting and temporary.  

Mountain top ecstasies, even spiritual ones, are not the norm and aren’t meant to be.  The real issue for us is can the everyday event—your day-in-and-day-out-life—be the mountain top?  The New Testament describes a life in the Spirit with an everyday lens.  Christ is Lord of the mundane as much as he is Lord of the ecstasy.   Find the joy in living the everyday life.  

 

This week’s reading:

  • Monday – Ephesians 1
  • Tuesday – Ephesians 2
  • Wednesday – Ephesians 3
  • Thursday – Ephesians 4
  • Friday – Ephesians 5

Please Pray for:

  • Our ministers and their families.
  • Those who are unwillingly absent.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our nation and our leaders.
  • The World.
  • The Lost.

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