Bob:
After submitting my final grades for fall, Chris and I flew from Indy to Fort Lauderdale—a wonderful transition (from 8 degrees & snow to 75 degrees and sun)! Since our upcoming move takes us to the Pacific coast, we had planned to spend time with our daughter Rebekah (TU 2007) and son-in-law Jorge, who serve on the staff of His House Children’s Homes of Miami (www.HHCH.org). We would stay in their Miami Beach apartment from December 16 through 28, a nice respite before “taking the field” in Los Angeles. These plans changed as I spoke by phone with my parents who live in Beaufort, SC, and who view our move to California as remote and foreign. So, the same day we arrived for our Florida respite, I caught a flight to Savannah, where my sister picked me up for the drive to Beaufort. Arriving that night we learned that my father had been admitted to the Beaufort hospital with a broken leg. Dad’s diabetes and heart disease made this a life-threatening condition, so I went directly to the ER where I found him alone, awaiting the doctor. He is also legally blind, but when he realized I was with him he immediately asked for prayer. His condition was listed as unstable and we spent the night together in the ER, as I read the psalms aloud to him and prayed. The next day I napped for a couple of hours before returning to spend another night with him, this time in PCU (one step below ICU). He was mostly unresponsive due to pain medication, and his reduced kidney function concerned the doctors. Over the next few days my mother, sister, and I faced first the possibility of saying goodbye to Dad until Heaven (he’s a believer), and then of how to best arrange for his long-term care. My visit was timely since my mother is elderly and my sister’s husband is facing treatment for stage 4 cancer. Please pray for these two women—my mother and my sister—as they face losing their husbands. It was emotionally difficult for me to leave Beaufort with so much unresolved, but wonderful to be back with Chris, Rebekah, and Jorge, for a few wonderful days prior to our departure.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Right Where You Are
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days (Micah 5:2, ESV).
God shows up in out of the way places. If we miss out on what God wants to do among us, it is because we expect that he can do great things anywhere but here! For ancient Israelites, Judah was foremost and Jerusalem was the place to be. Bethlehem was nowhere. Micah’s prophecy overturned that perspective: Jerusalem’s rulers had cannibalized God’s people (3:2-3) and little Bethlehem would become a nursery for a new ruler who would shepherd God’s flock in the strength of the Lord (v.4). The place was well named (Bethlehem means “house of bread” and Ephrathah, “fruitful place”) since it was home to Ruth, Boaz, and David, and would become the birth place of the Messiah.
Lately there have been times when I strongly desired to be two places at once, but this was not to be: omnipresence is a trait the Almighty reserves for Himself! Even if somehow I could have been with my wife and daughter in one place while remaining with my sick father in another, my divided self would have done little good in either place. God is able to keep his word—to work all things together for good—in any situation, even in my absence. Wherever I am He is there also, and is able to make my heart and mind a fruitful place.
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days (Micah 5:2, ESV).
God shows up in out of the way places. If we miss out on what God wants to do among us, it is because we expect that he can do great things anywhere but here! For ancient Israelites, Judah was foremost and Jerusalem was the place to be. Bethlehem was nowhere. Micah’s prophecy overturned that perspective: Jerusalem’s rulers had cannibalized God’s people (3:2-3) and little Bethlehem would become a nursery for a new ruler who would shepherd God’s flock in the strength of the Lord (v.4). The place was well named (Bethlehem means “house of bread” and Ephrathah, “fruitful place”) since it was home to Ruth, Boaz, and David, and would become the birth place of the Messiah.
Lately there have been times when I strongly desired to be two places at once, but this was not to be: omnipresence is a trait the Almighty reserves for Himself! Even if somehow I could have been with my wife and daughter in one place while remaining with my sick father in another, my divided self would have done little good in either place. God is able to keep his word—to work all things together for good—in any situation, even in my absence. Wherever I am He is there also, and is able to make my heart and mind a fruitful place.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
What are you looking forward to?
The countdown to Christmas 2010 is in its final days. Advent is a season of anticipation, when believers reflect on the sign of Immanuel given by the Lord about 2,750 years ago! “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign” Isaiah told the king, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14, ESV). This is not what King Ahaz was expecting. In that day the national threat level was elevated from yellow to orange as Jerusalem faced the threat of invasion by foreign powers. The people were terrified and the king schemed for a political solution. So the announcement of the birth of a child was not exactly what the king was looking for. God is gracious, however, and if the king missed the significance of the name of this child—Immanuel, “God with us”—Isaiah was there to explain that this birth signaled the demise of the threat the nation was dreading (Isaiah 7:16).
For today’s Americans the threat level is also elevated, and the Church season of Advent is oddly mirrored by a different sort of anticipation in the shopping malls and online. As I write this, Chris and I are awaiting our departure from the Indianapolis airport. This morning we locked-up and left behind the home where we have lived comfortably for the past 15½ years. The specially-equipped van Chris has used to get around in for the past 8 years is also locked-up and parked in the driveway, awaiting its next owner. Our final days in Upland have been marked by friends and loved ones asking some version of the same question: “what do you anticipate you will do in Los Angeles?” While we can (thankfully) offer some specifics—teaching classes with The Urban Ministry Institute, supporting the ministry of the Los Angeles Christian School and local church plants, mentoring, being involved in prayer ministry, etc.—more broadly we anticipate God’s work of building the kingdom, and look for indications of what the Lord is doing in the city. If God is for us, and Immanuel is with us, who can successfully oppose us? (Romans 8:31).
For today’s Americans the threat level is also elevated, and the Church season of Advent is oddly mirrored by a different sort of anticipation in the shopping malls and online. As I write this, Chris and I are awaiting our departure from the Indianapolis airport. This morning we locked-up and left behind the home where we have lived comfortably for the past 15½ years. The specially-equipped van Chris has used to get around in for the past 8 years is also locked-up and parked in the driveway, awaiting its next owner. Our final days in Upland have been marked by friends and loved ones asking some version of the same question: “what do you anticipate you will do in Los Angeles?” While we can (thankfully) offer some specifics—teaching classes with The Urban Ministry Institute, supporting the ministry of the Los Angeles Christian School and local church plants, mentoring, being involved in prayer ministry, etc.—more broadly we anticipate God’s work of building the kingdom, and look for indications of what the Lord is doing in the city. If God is for us, and Immanuel is with us, who can successfully oppose us? (Romans 8:31).
Friday, December 10, 2010
Sharing our Journey of Faith, part 3
Bob
Hebrews 11:9 says, “By faith Abraham went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.”
This verse completes the twofold pattern of Abraham’s journey of faith: In obedience to God’s call Abraham first went out (verse 8) and then went in (verse 9). By faith he went out from his father's homeland and by faith he went to settle in the land that God was giving to him and his children as an inheritance. Just by listening to God, Abraham found himself a long way from home and family. When he came into this strange land there was no welcoming committee, no travel information centers, no one to show him around to the best field and wells for his flocks. He had continually to live as a foreigner; some of us have had a little taste of this experience. More than this, Abraham had to live as a foreigner in a land God promised to give to him as an inheritance. He had to live out his days as an exile; he had to navigate Canaan by the same old road map that had brought him from Haran: by faith, by faith, by faith.
Hebrews 11:10 says, “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”
The faith in Abraham’s heart was an unwavering trust in the promises of God. This was a trust that did not require daily signs and wonders yet continually scanned the bushes for a ram. Such trust could be described as a world view, but in the life of Abraham faith is portrayed more like a GPS: a Guiding Purpose System. Now, Abraham was a herdsman, so he had to find pasture and water for his flocks, but that was not his guiding purpose. God’s purpose for Abraham was expressed in these words: “he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” This purpose stands in stark contrast to the city of man described in Genesis 11, where the men of Shinar declared “let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves….” Knowing that that city was destined for destruction, Abraham aimed for an eternal city, a city of God.
Each one of us, like Abraham, is on a journey; the question you must ask yourself is, “am I on a journey of faith or am I simply wandering about in the woods?” The answer to that question lies in your purpose and ultimately in your identity. During my time at Taylor my search for purpose at times lost its focus and direction, and I would compensate by demanding certain things and by declaring certain things about myself (and hoping others would agree). On good days, by God’s grace, I stopped worrying about what kind of a college professor I was, and started asking Why am I college professor?If you haven’t asked yourself a question like this lately, it’s time to ask! Ask yourself Why am I a student?, Why am I a teacher?, Why am I...
In other words, find your ultimate purpose and let that guide your daily purpose, by faith, by faith, by faith. In my own case, asking the question Why am I a professor? has led us to the next stage in our journey of faith.
Chris Prayer
Lord, You give the gift of faith for salvation. You continue to give us faith in order that we may hear Your voice and follow the path You lay out before us. Thank You for the work You are doing in the life of each person here. You have a purpose and plan for each of us. We may not know exactly where you are leading or why You are leading in a certain way, but we know You. You are good. You are love. You are faithful.
I pray for those who have been sensing Your call yet have been unsure about it. Show them the next step to take. Fill them with faith to take that step even though the whole path is not lit before them. Give them a sense of wonder and excitement that they are part of an eternal, heavenly Kingdom plan to bring glory and honor to You, Lord Jesus Christ. Remind them of that during the dark times and hard moments and during the everyday activities as well. May we all live for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Hebrews 11:9 says, “By faith Abraham went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.”
This verse completes the twofold pattern of Abraham’s journey of faith: In obedience to God’s call Abraham first went out (verse 8) and then went in (verse 9). By faith he went out from his father's homeland and by faith he went to settle in the land that God was giving to him and his children as an inheritance. Just by listening to God, Abraham found himself a long way from home and family. When he came into this strange land there was no welcoming committee, no travel information centers, no one to show him around to the best field and wells for his flocks. He had continually to live as a foreigner; some of us have had a little taste of this experience. More than this, Abraham had to live as a foreigner in a land God promised to give to him as an inheritance. He had to live out his days as an exile; he had to navigate Canaan by the same old road map that had brought him from Haran: by faith, by faith, by faith.
Hebrews 11:10 says, “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”
The faith in Abraham’s heart was an unwavering trust in the promises of God. This was a trust that did not require daily signs and wonders yet continually scanned the bushes for a ram. Such trust could be described as a world view, but in the life of Abraham faith is portrayed more like a GPS: a Guiding Purpose System. Now, Abraham was a herdsman, so he had to find pasture and water for his flocks, but that was not his guiding purpose. God’s purpose for Abraham was expressed in these words: “he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.” This purpose stands in stark contrast to the city of man described in Genesis 11, where the men of Shinar declared “let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves….” Knowing that that city was destined for destruction, Abraham aimed for an eternal city, a city of God.
Each one of us, like Abraham, is on a journey; the question you must ask yourself is, “am I on a journey of faith or am I simply wandering about in the woods?” The answer to that question lies in your purpose and ultimately in your identity. During my time at Taylor my search for purpose at times lost its focus and direction, and I would compensate by demanding certain things and by declaring certain things about myself (and hoping others would agree). On good days, by God’s grace, I stopped worrying about what kind of a college professor I was, and started asking Why am I college professor?If you haven’t asked yourself a question like this lately, it’s time to ask! Ask yourself Why am I a student?, Why am I a teacher?, Why am I...
In other words, find your ultimate purpose and let that guide your daily purpose, by faith, by faith, by faith. In my own case, asking the question Why am I a professor? has led us to the next stage in our journey of faith.
Chris Prayer
Lord, You give the gift of faith for salvation. You continue to give us faith in order that we may hear Your voice and follow the path You lay out before us. Thank You for the work You are doing in the life of each person here. You have a purpose and plan for each of us. We may not know exactly where you are leading or why You are leading in a certain way, but we know You. You are good. You are love. You are faithful.
I pray for those who have been sensing Your call yet have been unsure about it. Show them the next step to take. Fill them with faith to take that step even though the whole path is not lit before them. Give them a sense of wonder and excitement that they are part of an eternal, heavenly Kingdom plan to bring glory and honor to You, Lord Jesus Christ. Remind them of that during the dark times and hard moments and during the everyday activities as well. May we all live for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Sharing our Journey of Faith, part 2
Bob
Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going.” This verse recalls Genesis 12:1 that says, "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.'” In other words, between the “Go” and the “I will show” is a “not know.” And this is not the only time God sent Abraham on a mission without a map!
One of the special memories I will take with me from Taylor University is a course called Inductive Study of the Bible. Every semester the students and I unpack the story told in Genesis 22 known to Jews, Muslims, and Christians throughout the world as the Aqedah, the binding of Isaac. The passage begins as God commands Abraham, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” One of the first observations students make is that God’s directions to Abraham are not very specific! God points Abraham in the direction of Moriah, but then adds that he will reveal to Abraham the exact location when he gets there! Hebrews 11:8 confirms for us that the call of God in Abraham’s life involved some uncertainties: "and he went out not knowing where he was going." It was those uncertainties in Abraham’s journey which created a space that faith alone could fill.
Chris
Abraham headed toward Moriah, knowing only he was to sacrifice his son. For us this call has a painful component as well. “Leave your daughter, your only daughter Rebekah, whom you love. Leave your son-in-law Jorge and the children they will one day have. Leave the opportunity to live near them and see those grandchildren grow. Leave the chance to pour into them your love for Me on a day-by-day basis. Leave them behind in Miami and follow My call to LA.” Now we are not being asked to put our daughter to death, but the Lord is asking us to put to death the dream of being hands-on grandparents. In Hebrews 11:19 we read that Abraham believed that God was able to raise the dead, and that he did receive Isaac back from the brink of death. And we know that the Lord will more than fill our hearts as we follow Him by faith.
Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going.” This verse recalls Genesis 12:1 that says, "Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.'” In other words, between the “Go” and the “I will show” is a “not know.” And this is not the only time God sent Abraham on a mission without a map!
One of the special memories I will take with me from Taylor University is a course called Inductive Study of the Bible. Every semester the students and I unpack the story told in Genesis 22 known to Jews, Muslims, and Christians throughout the world as the Aqedah, the binding of Isaac. The passage begins as God commands Abraham, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” One of the first observations students make is that God’s directions to Abraham are not very specific! God points Abraham in the direction of Moriah, but then adds that he will reveal to Abraham the exact location when he gets there! Hebrews 11:8 confirms for us that the call of God in Abraham’s life involved some uncertainties: "and he went out not knowing where he was going." It was those uncertainties in Abraham’s journey which created a space that faith alone could fill.
Chris
Abraham headed toward Moriah, knowing only he was to sacrifice his son. For us this call has a painful component as well. “Leave your daughter, your only daughter Rebekah, whom you love. Leave your son-in-law Jorge and the children they will one day have. Leave the opportunity to live near them and see those grandchildren grow. Leave the chance to pour into them your love for Me on a day-by-day basis. Leave them behind in Miami and follow My call to LA.” Now we are not being asked to put our daughter to death, but the Lord is asking us to put to death the dream of being hands-on grandparents. In Hebrews 11:19 we read that Abraham believed that God was able to raise the dead, and that he did receive Isaac back from the brink of death. And we know that the Lord will more than fill our hearts as we follow Him by faith.
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