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Archive for the ‘Formation’ Category

Quiet Wednesday and Betrayal

Posted in Community, Formation, Grace on April 4, 2012| Leave a Comment »

It is Wednesday of Holy Week as we remember that fateful week in Jesus’ life.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread would start tomorrow and the excitement was building in and around the city.  The disciples were beginning to think about planning the supper – thinking about a place to eat together and all the preparations that would need to be made to make sure the Passover Meal was just right.

But one of the disciples was distracted by other thoughts.  At some point, Judas met with the religious leaders in Jerusalem and agreed to look for an opportunity to turn Jesus over to them.  His take in the plan?  30 pieces of silver.

Was he evil or was this part of his plan to force Jesus’ hand to step up and lead a revolt?  Any answer to that question is speculation but what we do know is that the trial and crucifixion were direct results of his betrayal and afterwards, he felt guilty enough to end his own life.

So in the midst of the celebration and festive environment, one of the disciples was at work plotting against Jesus.  For whatever reason, Judas had come to a place of realization that who he expected Jesus to be and who Jesus truly is were not the same.

It is easy, 2000 years after the fact, to condemn Judas and look on him with hatred.  But before we pick up the first stone to throw his way, ask yourself a question, “Am I any different?

Has your perception of God ever conflicted with the reality of God?  Let me ask it another way.  Have you ever made up your mind that God wanted something for you?  Maybe a job.  You prayed and read scripture and truly sought God’s guidance and felt that God must want you to have this particular job.  It was going to be great – you were made for this job and God wanted you to have it.  But then, for some unforeseen reason, you didn’t get the job.  Now what?  Did God mess up?  Did God drop the ball?

You probably felt betrayed or mislead.  For a time you might have even felt angry at God.  You might have even turned from God for a time with an attitude of “I’ll show you!”

But the reality of that situation is that God has a bigger plan.  God is still God and the plan is for us to grow into the people were created to be – through good experiences and bad.

So before we demonize Judas too badly, maybe we need to look at our own betrayal.

Jesus is about to be betrayed by one of the ones closest to him.  Will you walk the rest of the way to the cross with him or will you turn and run away and come back around on Sunday?

Stay close – Holy Week is about to get dark!

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How Will You Honor Jesus?

Posted in Community, Formation, Grace on April 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »

As we walk together through Holy Week, we are at Tuesday.  Mark records that two days before the Passover, Jesus was in the house of Simon the Leper having a meal with his followers.  While there, a woman came and brought a container of extremely expensive perfume and used it all to anoint Jesus’ head.

This sparked some debate among the group because of the extravagant nature of the act.  This perfume, we are told, was worth a year’s wages.  In today’s terms, according to the national average income for 2011 in the US, that would have equated to roughly $43,000.

For one, I don’t have $43,000 to spend on perfume but even if I did, I am not sure I would have been willing to sacrifice it all to put it on Jesus’ head as an act of submission, honor and worship.  But that is what this lady did.

Those present rebuked her for “wasting” so much money when that money could have been put to much better use.  But Jesus stopped them and explained that she was following her heart and not holding anything back, but rather, was willing to serve him and honor him in what would be a preparation for his burial.

As I think about this event, I have to ask myself: how do I honor Jesus?  Am I willing to worship him and serve him extravagantly?  Or am I only willing to worship and serve him with my left overs?

What about you?

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Walking Through Holy Week

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope, tagged , on April 2, 2012| 1 Comment »

Yesterday was Palm Sunday.  A day we remember as the day Jesus entered Jerusalem with his face set toward the cross.  The people who lined the streets on that Sunday had no idea of what was coming.  In fact, they were welcoming a king – the savior of the world who would restore Israel to its rightful place and banish Rome forever.

They cheered and sang praises.  They laid their coats down in the road as a sign of submission and praise.  It was a day electric with excitement and anticipation.

BUT . . .

Those same people, just a few days from then would be the same people yelling “Crucify him!”

This week we will be thinking about what Jesus endured that last week of his life here on earth.  Yes, Easter is coming.  The day of the resurrection is coming but between now and then we have to pass through some of the ugliest territory ever known to mankind.  We have to pass an open doorway and overhear plots to kill Jesus.  We have to look into the face of Judas as he decides to betray his friend and master.

We have to stand in the crowd as Jesus is tried and hear the screams of the people as they call for his execution.  Then we will witness that horrific event on Friday, when Jesus was beaten and murdered.

Yes, Sunday is coming, but we must not rush past this week.  True, it is not for the faint of heart, but it is necessary for us to linger here just a bit – pausing to remember.  Stopping long enough to feel the gratitude we must feel for what Jesus willingly did for each of us!

Stay with me!

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Do You Really Need a Savior?

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope on March 27, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Why does God offer us salvation?  Are we really that bad off?  Do we need to be saved?

The world would tell us that we are OK – that we can save ourselves.  Or worse yet, that we don’t need salvation.

The Bible teaches us differently.  It explains that we all have a sinful nature and that nature shows itself in the way we live.  We, by nature, want things our way.  Often, it is not that we adamantly want to go against God, but rather we simply want to have our own way.  While this seems harmless enough, if we are to be seeking to honor God but we choose to live otherwise, then we are not living as we were created to live.  If our lives are all about us, then yes, we need salvation.

If the Bible is not proof enough, look around.  The reality of a sinful, selfish world is inescapable.  I am one that chooses to believe that there is something good in all people.  But my experience shows me that all of us make bad choices that put us on paths that lead us farther and farther away from God.  We make those choices because we are inherently selfish.

Regardless of how good we think we are, at the heart of all of us is a rebellious streak and because we have all chosen to rebel at different times in our lives, we need a savior.

We are in the fifth week of Lent.  Our focus is on Jesus – his sacrifice, his life and his death.  It should also be on our sin – our rebelliousness.  It is our sin for which Jesus died.  It is my life he came to save.  And I am forever grateful and indebted!

Be blessed!

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Thinking About Connection

Posted in Community, Formation, Hope on March 26, 2012| 1 Comment »

I have been thinking.

Last week I mentioned that I have the opportunity to speak to a group of pastors and church leaders at a social media workshop today.  I asked for your help in defining the impact this ministry of Clay In The Hands has had in the lives of the readers. I have to tell you, as I have read all the emails and comments, I have been overwhelmed and humbled by how God is using my feeble attempts to communicate life in the Way – this journey that we share.

As I have continued to think about the presentation for the workshop and more importantly, why this ministry has become a part of my daily life – one thing stands out regarding impact.  Connection.

The fundamental reason that I take up room in cyberspace is to create a platform by which to connect with people.  Through the comments I received last week, it would appear that connections are being made.

God has taught me some things along the way:

1) Some days, it just doesn’t happen!  There are times that, regardless of how hard I try, the words just don’t come.  That’s OK.

2) Regardless of what I think of the post, God can use it in ways I never considered.

3) People are looking for transparency with integrity – we all need to know we are not alone on this journey.

4) People are gracious!

In many ways, Clay In The Hands is my own personal spiritual journal.  It is a place I can work through things and share some thoughts for the trip.  It is also a place to connect with others who are on the same path – some a little further down the road and some just getting started.  We are all in this together as believers.  We need each other!

Thanks for reading!

Be blessed today.

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Living From the Center

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope on March 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Where is your center today?  You might look at your midsection and say well – right above my naval.  But that is not the center to which I am referring.  What I am asking is where your focus today?  At the heart of who you really are – deep down – that place that defines you as a person.  Our hearts are the center of our being – that place that only you and the Other enter.  Those closest to us know it is there and may have even seen glimpses of it, but they have no idea what all goes on there.

That is the part of you I am asking about today.  Where is your center – your heart – today?  Only you can answer that question.

I can tell you where God would like for it to be; at rest and at ease in the very presence of God.  Just as you long for the constant swirling and pulling to subside within you – God desires it more.

So here is a short little exercise for you to try to help find your center and re-focus yourself for the day ahead:

  1. Get up and find a quiet place – maybe it is simply closing the door to your office.
  2. Sit still with both feet on the floor and your hands rested in your lap.
  3. Close your eyes and humbly ask God to clear your mind and fill your heart.
  4. Focus briefly on your breathing and then turn your focus to Jesus.
  5. You might even find the Jesus Prayer helpful at this point.  It is an ancient Christian practice that I find meaningful.  You simply repeat this prayer over and over in your mind, “Lord Jesus, Son of the living God, have mercy on me a sinner.”
  6. Close by asking God to stay with you throughout this day.

Give this a serious 5 minutes and see what it does for your focus.  With God at our center all else becomes more clear.

Be blessed today!

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A Little Time Away

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope on March 14, 2012| Leave a Comment »

We are in the midst of spring break in our area.  It is a time of year that our school calendar dictates the rest of the community, even if you don’t have kids in the school system.  Many people take their families and get out of town.  It is a time to get away and hopefully rest.

All of us need time to get away.  We need to take time to step back and refocus.  In the Gospels we see that Jesus set aside time to get away as well.

Let me encourage you today to take some time and just sit and rest in God over the next few days.  Let God speak to you and speak into you.

Refresh and refocus.  It will make all the difference.

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A Sacrifice That Demands

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope on March 13, 2012| 1 Comment »

This Sunday, as part of the Lenten season, we will be discussing the sacrifice Jesus made for each of us.  He left paradise, emptied himself and took on humanity.  He lived on earth for over 30 years teaching us how to live in a manner that brings true joy and peace, and then suffered a terrible death – all to bring redemption to a fallen world.

That sacrifice cannot be minimized and it cannot be ignored.  Jesus’ sacrifice demands something of us.  We must respond.  We cannot come face to face with this reality and simply turn and walk away.

Too many churches today are consumed with meeting people’s felt needs.  Don’t get me wrong, the church exists because of the needs of the people.  The problem is the felt needs and the real needs of people are not always similar.  Church for many people is a place to go and feel better – a place to go to “get fed.”  So in order to grow a church, many have turned to a consumer model of ministry – just giving the people what they want.

While some of that is necessary, I am convinced that we are not honoring God if we don’t tell people that following Jesus demands something of us.  We cannot look on the cross with gratitude without hearing Jesus’ words that we too must take up or crosses on a daily basis.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, many years ago, reminded us that grace without sacrifice is cheap.

God’s grace is free but it is not cheap – it cost Jesus his life and it demands something of us as well.

So remember today that as believers, we owe a debt that can only be paid by the submission of ourselves to the one who died for us.  But that is a price that has a heavenly return on investment!

Be blessed!

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In the Midst of a Monday

Posted in Formation, Hope, Motivational on March 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »

In the midst of a Monday . . .

I realize that for some people, Sunday is technically the first day of the new week.  But for the vast majority, Monday is when the week begins.  And Monday is seldom seen as a good day.  Have you ever noticed that people can’t stand Monday, but Friday is an entirely different mindset.

This will show my age and my taste in music, but back in the 80’s (the best rock era by the way) there was a popular group by the name of Loverboy.  They did a song that made the charts entitled, Working for the Weekend.  The idea is that Monday through Friday afternoon is just time we have to suffer through to get to the good stuff.

So if that is the mentality – that for the next five days we are biding time until the weekend – where is the motivation to make each day count?

I think we need an attitude adjustment.  We need to rethink how we approach this day we call Monday.

As believers, we are to strive to please God everyday, not just on Sunday.  Every day should be filled with possibility – not just the weekend.

So in the midst of this Monday, my challenge for you is to rethink what this day could mean – what it should mean.  Today is the day that God has made and we should be joyful about it.  It is teaming with possibility.

What will you do today to make it count?

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Who Are You and What Have You Done With My Son?

Posted in Formation on March 6, 2012| 1 Comment »

Last night our youngest son Bryson performed in a choir concert at the high school.  Music is one of his greatest passions and he is very talented!  Through junior high, he was a tenor – he could hit the high notes with precision.

But about a month ago, that all changed.  For him, it was not a gradual change, it happened over night.  He was getting ready for solo and ensemble competition – one day he sounded like a baritone and the next, he had changed to a bass.

His choir director told us that when he opened his mouth that day, she stopped him and asked, “Who are you and what have you done with Bryson?” The way she describes it, he now has a 275 pound linebacker voice in a 130 body.  And through her coaching and training, he as transitioned beautifully.  He has the control of someone much older.  We are extremely proud of him and very thankful for Ms. Groll.

As I think about all that has transpired and Ms. Groll’s comments, I am reminded of a fundamental truth.  Life is full of change and we are no exception.  We age, we change jobs, we grow relationships and lose others, we gain weight (and in my case, lots of it), our hair changes color – our lives are full of change.

But God looks beyond all that and focuses on the heart.  Psalm 51 talks about how God speaks to us in our inner most being and what God wants from us is not a bunch of activity but rather, a pure heart.  A heart that is focused on pleasing God is more important than anything we could “do.”

God is more concerned about who we become than what we do.

So regardless of how we may be changing on the outside, what is on the inside is what counts.

Bryson’s voice may have changed and that has been a good thing, but his heart is still as pure as ever and that matters more than anything!

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