Dear Family,
On my bike across Kansas, a few years ago, there was one day that really stood out. It was the day that my friends and i chose to ride a hundred miles. We were 2/3 of the way through Kansas, and we found ourselves riding the hills of eastern Kansas, but this was our day to do a century. The ride started normal. Cool morning. Little wind. And the road was primarily flat. But that soon changed.
It got hot, quickly, and the flat road turned into a hilly jaugernaut that almost ruined my plans of riding a hundred miles. But we pushed on. The wind increased. The temperature rose, and yet we rode on. It seemed like the miles just kept coming, with no end in sight, and i began to wonder if i had made the right choice: in riding across Kansas and doing a hundred miles in a day, on a hot day, in early June. And yet, we kept on peddling.
My friends pushed hard and traversed mile after endless mile, almost without effort, but i struggled and questioned. Then i heard our pit stop, for the night, was only a few miles away, i began to get happy, joyful, ready to get out of the saddle and rest. I caught up with my friends, and we were talking about the pit stop. We could stop, but we would be three miles shy of our goal of a hundred. It had been a hard day, but we had vowed to do a century this day. We came to a turning point, go left and rest, or continue straight for about five miles, ensuring we conquer that elusive century.
We chose to ride on, we were so close, and yet the job wasn't finished. Even though the hills that lay before us were some of the most heart wrenching hills we had ridden, yet, we rode on. We rode four miles in, turned around, and made our way back. Nothing could describe the joy i had when we turned the corner, moving quickly, heading to our pit stop. Why? Because we had had a long, exhaustive journey, and we knew the school would be our sign of stopping. When the school came into view, my heart almost lept out of my skin with the joy of being so close to being finished. That school became my olive branch, letting me know that there is an end to this struggle, even if i created it.
That day is a wonderful memory of many things. I rode a hundred miles in a day. I conquered my own self-doubt, when i wanted to quit, i didn't. And a school, promising rest, a cold shower, and great food, can be the greatest oasis one needs after accomplishing a goal. This day was my flood moment. That school was my olive branch/dry ground.
I rehearse this story, because Noah had to have had many moments, during his year long journey in the ark, questioning whether or not he could/would make it. When his children whined, Noah stayed the course. When the sun didnt shine for 40 days, Noah stayed the course. When they simply rocked back and forth for 150 days, Noah stayed the course. And when he opened the window and saw dry ground, Noah stayed the course.
And yet, i believe when God opened the ark and told Noah to exit, that land that he stepped down onto, for the first time in about a year, must have felt like the greatest soil his feet had ever touched. This land, whereever it is, was his oasis. It was the promise land. It was Zion. It was heaven. It was every prayer answered. It was the end of his journey, and now he could rest. He had conquered the ark and the challenge of rescuing creation.
What does a bike ride and a ride on an ark have to do with us? A lot. Many times in our lives we find ourselves traversing new roads, new paths, or difficult waters, wondering what to do next? Will we cave to the temptation to quit? Will we find someone else to do the work? Will we grow tired of the promises? Or. Will we, like Noah, stay the course? Will we, like my group of cyclists, go the full 100 miles, no matter how hilly, hot, or exhausting the journey may be? Because if we do, if we persevere, we will taste the sweet fruit of our own oasis.
We will step down onto dry ground, just as Noah did. We will get off our bikes and drink deep of the freshest, sweetest, water one can find. And we will see life differently and God differently. Our faith will have matured. Our understanding of ourselves will have grown stronger. And our ties as a community have faith will be unbreakable. It all can and will happen, if we only stay the course, united in our faith in God and each other.
Oh yeah, one more thing, when i finished my 100 miles, as exhausted as i was, i sang a song to God, because He got me through what i didn't have the strength to do myself. I sense this is what all people do, when they realize God brought them through. Noah offered a wonderful sacrfice to God, first thing, that brought a smile to God's face. Jacob built an altar to God after wrestling with the angel. And you and I, all of us, when we find our oasis, must worship God like we have never worshipped Him before, because only God can bring us to that oasis.
Have a great week, and i will see you when i get back from conference...
Amen and Shalom,
jerry
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Good afternoon family!
Its Thursday, and i am running a little late. Not for procrastination, but because i have so much to do and seemingly no time to do it. With preparing for camp, training for the triathalon, running around with Daniel, and somehow trying to keep my sanity, it seems time disappears like ice cream on a hot summer day. But i would have it no other way. This is what makes life interesting and worthwhile, making sure to breathe in every last breath there is...
But i dont want to get on my soapbox about sucking the nectar out of every inch of life. For those that know me well, know this to be my mantra, so there is no need to rehearse it. I only bring it up, because i want to highlight something. In our lives, we have two choices: wait on life to happen, wait on that burning bush moment and then begin living. Or. We can live each day, walking, to the best of our ability, in the presence of God, and let each day unfold as God intended. I dont know if God intends for me to have such a hectic pace, but at times i do feel it brings joy and peace to juggle so many hats.
Which brings me to Noah. Noah wasn't anything exceptional, until that fateful day when God called him to be incredible. Noah hadn't gained the favor of all of his fellow Israelites. Noah was just an ordinary man, whose life was simple. How simple? He walked with God. Each day of Noah's life, each mundane, normal, seemingly uneventful day, Noah walked with God. Dropping off the kids at daycare, Noah did it immersed in God. Plowing the fields for the crops, Noah prayed to God as each seed dropped into the welcoming earth. And spending time with his wife, Noah did it, with God's hand upon his heart. Sleeping, Noah slept in God's arms. Waking up, God was Noah's alarm clock. And any other normal activity, which we often take for granted, Noah did it overwhelmed in God's Spirit. But why?
Did Noah expect some great blessing? Other than his health and family, not that i gather. Did Noah want to appear pious and religiously disciplined. Nothing in the text illustrates that. So why? Why should/would Noah go to the trouble of basking in God's glory in all facets of his life? Because it is what one does when one loves the LORD. In the Jewish understanding of "walking with God," it is an almost intimate, sexual relationship. It is an immersion of openness and vulnerability. It is a marriage of complete trust without boundaries, lies, or deceit. This is what walking with God resembles.
And what was Noah's reward? At the spry age of, (i can only gather 500), God called Noah to build an ark. But what's an ark? Its a ship. Right? But Noah didn't know what it was. There wasnt a need for anything like that; they lived in the desert. And yet, God told him to do so, and this after 500 years of walking with the LORD. I have talked about the absurdity, in another message, about this demand on Noah, and how any normal person would have been rather skeptical, but we get nothing like this from Noah. From the text, the author paints a picture of Noah just doing what God told Noah to do. Build an ark.
Did he know how to build this ark? No. But Noah trusted God to show him. Did Noah know what to expect, flood wise? Probably not. Noah didnt know what rain looked like, but Noah trusted God. No matter how insane the request must have been, Noah responded with faith. It didnt have to make sense, because God had asked, and if God asks, God makes it possible. And all Noah had to do was walk with God.
You see, sisters and brothers, in order for God to trust us with an ark, we have to prove faithful with the daily activities of our lives. Our families. Our jobs. Our relationships. How we respond to anger or violence. How we respond to injustices. How we handle people who wish us ill. How we handle temptation. All of these and more become markers for God to use, to prepare us for a larger calling, a larger purpose. And if we are faithful with the small things, as Jesus says, God will give us larger tasks. Noah was faithful in the small things, and his faithfulness, his walk with God, proved legendary.
What was Noah's reward? An ark. No. More than that, Noah's reward is the legendary status of his life, his faith, and his story. That is ultimately how God rewards the faithful. Their story remains for generations, even after they have long gone home. Their story, their legacy remains as an illustration to us, on how to live. Can you think of someone whose faith guided you? Is there a name that comes to mind of someone, who you tell others about? What about their faith, their life, their story moves you? How can you honor their story with your own life? And most importantly, what hinders you from "walking with God," just as Noah did?
Add your thoughts and names to this blog, so we can have a foundation of those who impacted us. For me it was Jeff Riggenbach, Chris Cheeseman, and Manny Diaz. These stories will remain...God used them, and God, i pray, will use me as well. And God will use you too...Amen.
Shalom,
jerry
But i dont want to get on my soapbox about sucking the nectar out of every inch of life. For those that know me well, know this to be my mantra, so there is no need to rehearse it. I only bring it up, because i want to highlight something. In our lives, we have two choices: wait on life to happen, wait on that burning bush moment and then begin living. Or. We can live each day, walking, to the best of our ability, in the presence of God, and let each day unfold as God intended. I dont know if God intends for me to have such a hectic pace, but at times i do feel it brings joy and peace to juggle so many hats.
Which brings me to Noah. Noah wasn't anything exceptional, until that fateful day when God called him to be incredible. Noah hadn't gained the favor of all of his fellow Israelites. Noah was just an ordinary man, whose life was simple. How simple? He walked with God. Each day of Noah's life, each mundane, normal, seemingly uneventful day, Noah walked with God. Dropping off the kids at daycare, Noah did it immersed in God. Plowing the fields for the crops, Noah prayed to God as each seed dropped into the welcoming earth. And spending time with his wife, Noah did it, with God's hand upon his heart. Sleeping, Noah slept in God's arms. Waking up, God was Noah's alarm clock. And any other normal activity, which we often take for granted, Noah did it overwhelmed in God's Spirit. But why?
Did Noah expect some great blessing? Other than his health and family, not that i gather. Did Noah want to appear pious and religiously disciplined. Nothing in the text illustrates that. So why? Why should/would Noah go to the trouble of basking in God's glory in all facets of his life? Because it is what one does when one loves the LORD. In the Jewish understanding of "walking with God," it is an almost intimate, sexual relationship. It is an immersion of openness and vulnerability. It is a marriage of complete trust without boundaries, lies, or deceit. This is what walking with God resembles.
And what was Noah's reward? At the spry age of, (i can only gather 500), God called Noah to build an ark. But what's an ark? Its a ship. Right? But Noah didn't know what it was. There wasnt a need for anything like that; they lived in the desert. And yet, God told him to do so, and this after 500 years of walking with the LORD. I have talked about the absurdity, in another message, about this demand on Noah, and how any normal person would have been rather skeptical, but we get nothing like this from Noah. From the text, the author paints a picture of Noah just doing what God told Noah to do. Build an ark.
Did he know how to build this ark? No. But Noah trusted God to show him. Did Noah know what to expect, flood wise? Probably not. Noah didnt know what rain looked like, but Noah trusted God. No matter how insane the request must have been, Noah responded with faith. It didnt have to make sense, because God had asked, and if God asks, God makes it possible. And all Noah had to do was walk with God.
You see, sisters and brothers, in order for God to trust us with an ark, we have to prove faithful with the daily activities of our lives. Our families. Our jobs. Our relationships. How we respond to anger or violence. How we respond to injustices. How we handle people who wish us ill. How we handle temptation. All of these and more become markers for God to use, to prepare us for a larger calling, a larger purpose. And if we are faithful with the small things, as Jesus says, God will give us larger tasks. Noah was faithful in the small things, and his faithfulness, his walk with God, proved legendary.
What was Noah's reward? An ark. No. More than that, Noah's reward is the legendary status of his life, his faith, and his story. That is ultimately how God rewards the faithful. Their story remains for generations, even after they have long gone home. Their story, their legacy remains as an illustration to us, on how to live. Can you think of someone whose faith guided you? Is there a name that comes to mind of someone, who you tell others about? What about their faith, their life, their story moves you? How can you honor their story with your own life? And most importantly, what hinders you from "walking with God," just as Noah did?
Add your thoughts and names to this blog, so we can have a foundation of those who impacted us. For me it was Jeff Riggenbach, Chris Cheeseman, and Manny Diaz. These stories will remain...God used them, and God, i pray, will use me as well. And God will use you too...Amen.
Shalom,
jerry
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Geneology: Genesis 5
Greetings Family,
Growing up, i used to ask a lot of questions about our family tree. I would ask my mom about her grandparents, whom i never knew, and she would often tell me stories about how hard it was to understand them, because their Irish accents were so strong. Her grandparents, my grandpa's parents, were Irish immigrants, first generation Conways to settle in southeast Kansas. I loved to hear their stories.
Then i would ask my grandma about her family, and it was never as developed. I dont know if it was a mystery. Or if my grandma just didnt' care to share. Either way, i never knew much, except that the Hemry's came from Bohemia, or modern day Czech Republic. I think my desire and love for that part of Europe must be grounded in that part of our family tree. Other than that, i have little knowledge or story about that side of the family.
But i want to know more. I want to travel to Ireland and see if i can find some distant relatives. I want to look into logs and history books and hopefully find our story in Czech Republic. But why? What is this need to know where i come from? Who my family is? Is there a good reason?
Perhaps it is because deep down inside all of us is the innate need to know who we are, and if we can trace our family tree, it will help us discover more about ourselves. Knowing who we are helps us understand why we do certain things, why we like certain things, and why we respond to different situations. My Irish heritage, of which i am about 1/4 Irish, tends to reveal itself most when i lose my temper so easily. Or at least that is the stereotype, but i have noticed on that side of the family, there is a short fuse and a bunch of out spoken people. So. Maybe there is always a little truth in stereotypes.
As much as this trip down Jerry's family tree may have been interesting or in the least revealing, i sense we need to know how it ties to our text for today. Well. In Jewish heritage and history, one's name, one's family spoke volumes about who you were. Your name could get you places your gifts or intelligence couldn't. Your name brought power. Status. Wealth. And so to have a powerful name, such as Noah does, you could expect to have an upper hand, already.
Noah's family tree goes back, as all of ours does, to Adam and Eve. But Noah's is different. His lineage traces back to Seth, and his name goes forward to the likes of David, Solomon, and eventually Jesus. This is a powerful family tree, and it begins to paint the picture of how God's plan was set into motion well before anyone could have foreseen it. As exciting as it is to see how God's purpose was revealed through the generations, i wonder, what message can be pulled from this?
First of all, for me, i sense one of the key messages whenever we look at family trees, is that it is important to know who we are and where we come from. It is vital that we know our family story, so that we can know how it affects our physical, mental, emotional, and yes spiritual well-being. Knowing who we are paves the way for us to stop certain dysfunctions, but it also empowers us to deviate from our family norm and, with God's help, create a new story, a new family chapter that is void of the darkness.
Second of all, it shows how God works. God is good, and it humbles me, a lot, how God has such an amazing purpose/plan, and when i stand back and reflect on my life and the lives of others, God is more apparent than i realized. Often times, in my life, i cant see the forrest for the trees, but when i take a step back and refocus my eyes, my mind, and my heart, the full picture comes into view, and i see clearly, sometimes for the first time.
And lastly, one of the eye opening sections of chapter five, was the brief but powerful snippet of Enoch. None of the others have so much said about their faith and obedience to God, but this man, "walked with God." This man, "God took him." It becomes clear to me that Enoch was special, but i wonder why? Why does Enoch have such a special place in Genesis 5, while the others have just the basics? Do you have any ideas? Thoughts? Revelations? Please share, i believe God is showing us something as a family, and i cant wait to experience the fullness of God's beauty and glory in the midst of our community.
Have a blessed day, even as God's gentle rain replenishes this dried earth.
Shalom,
jerry
Growing up, i used to ask a lot of questions about our family tree. I would ask my mom about her grandparents, whom i never knew, and she would often tell me stories about how hard it was to understand them, because their Irish accents were so strong. Her grandparents, my grandpa's parents, were Irish immigrants, first generation Conways to settle in southeast Kansas. I loved to hear their stories.
Then i would ask my grandma about her family, and it was never as developed. I dont know if it was a mystery. Or if my grandma just didnt' care to share. Either way, i never knew much, except that the Hemry's came from Bohemia, or modern day Czech Republic. I think my desire and love for that part of Europe must be grounded in that part of our family tree. Other than that, i have little knowledge or story about that side of the family.
But i want to know more. I want to travel to Ireland and see if i can find some distant relatives. I want to look into logs and history books and hopefully find our story in Czech Republic. But why? What is this need to know where i come from? Who my family is? Is there a good reason?
Perhaps it is because deep down inside all of us is the innate need to know who we are, and if we can trace our family tree, it will help us discover more about ourselves. Knowing who we are helps us understand why we do certain things, why we like certain things, and why we respond to different situations. My Irish heritage, of which i am about 1/4 Irish, tends to reveal itself most when i lose my temper so easily. Or at least that is the stereotype, but i have noticed on that side of the family, there is a short fuse and a bunch of out spoken people. So. Maybe there is always a little truth in stereotypes.
As much as this trip down Jerry's family tree may have been interesting or in the least revealing, i sense we need to know how it ties to our text for today. Well. In Jewish heritage and history, one's name, one's family spoke volumes about who you were. Your name could get you places your gifts or intelligence couldn't. Your name brought power. Status. Wealth. And so to have a powerful name, such as Noah does, you could expect to have an upper hand, already.
Noah's family tree goes back, as all of ours does, to Adam and Eve. But Noah's is different. His lineage traces back to Seth, and his name goes forward to the likes of David, Solomon, and eventually Jesus. This is a powerful family tree, and it begins to paint the picture of how God's plan was set into motion well before anyone could have foreseen it. As exciting as it is to see how God's purpose was revealed through the generations, i wonder, what message can be pulled from this?
First of all, for me, i sense one of the key messages whenever we look at family trees, is that it is important to know who we are and where we come from. It is vital that we know our family story, so that we can know how it affects our physical, mental, emotional, and yes spiritual well-being. Knowing who we are paves the way for us to stop certain dysfunctions, but it also empowers us to deviate from our family norm and, with God's help, create a new story, a new family chapter that is void of the darkness.
Second of all, it shows how God works. God is good, and it humbles me, a lot, how God has such an amazing purpose/plan, and when i stand back and reflect on my life and the lives of others, God is more apparent than i realized. Often times, in my life, i cant see the forrest for the trees, but when i take a step back and refocus my eyes, my mind, and my heart, the full picture comes into view, and i see clearly, sometimes for the first time.
And lastly, one of the eye opening sections of chapter five, was the brief but powerful snippet of Enoch. None of the others have so much said about their faith and obedience to God, but this man, "walked with God." This man, "God took him." It becomes clear to me that Enoch was special, but i wonder why? Why does Enoch have such a special place in Genesis 5, while the others have just the basics? Do you have any ideas? Thoughts? Revelations? Please share, i believe God is showing us something as a family, and i cant wait to experience the fullness of God's beauty and glory in the midst of our community.
Have a blessed day, even as God's gentle rain replenishes this dried earth.
Shalom,
jerry