Back to Where we First Belong

Sisters and Brothers,

We took a brief hiatus from Genesis, so we could focus on specific Advent messages, but as we move past Advent and Epiphany Sunday, this Sunday, we have a chance to return to where we began. Genesis.

I realize that, for some, this book has little relevance or vitality to their story, today. And for thsoe that feel that way, I am sorry. I believe they are not only relevant, but when read through the lens of our current context, i sense Genesis has a lot to say to us. More than we may know. I also asked for a vote, and the church, as a body, chose to stay in Genesis, which i am thankful for. Because i am beginning to understand, finally, that if we begin something, we have to end it. It does no good to stop, halfway, and then move to something easier, more comfortable.

So we travel back, back to where it all began, back to where our story, as a people of faith, finds its foundation, and back to where the heroes of the faith discovered the God of all Creation. We go back.

This week's text comes from Genesis 31, and it is the rehearsal of when Jacob left Laban and journeyed back to Jacob's homeland, Hebron. Now this story, in its literal form, may not be able to "speak" to us, thousands of years later, but these stories, i feel, at least for today's time, should not be viewed only as history, but as a moral, as a teaching tool, to guide us in our own journeys. And if we allow ourselves to view this story as a way of illuminating our own story and struggles, i sense it speaks volumes to us.

In the text, Jacob flees Laban, because Jacob is afraid of what Laban would do if Jacob went to Laban and requested permission to leave. Jacob feared Laban would keep him from leaving. So, like a coward, Jacob fled, at night, with all his possessions and two wives. Laban never got the chance to kiss his daughters or grandchildren goodbye. If i were Laban, i would be angry too. But it raises a question. Does Jacob have a right to leave, so quickly, under the protection of darkness? Some would say yes, because Laban had treated Jacob terribly in the 20 years Jacob worked for him, and some would say yes, because God told Jacob to come home. However, when we run from any situation, without proper closure, are we ever free? Can the past catch up to us?

Yes. And it will. Laban caught up to Jacob, as our past, our choices, and our broken relationships will catch up to us, and we will have to deal with them, eventually. We cannot, like Jacob did, continue to run and hide and hope it "passes" over. It wont. Whatever is causing our pain, our struggle must be dealt with. And i sense if we, like Laban and Jacob did, finally sit down and work through our issues, we will find an amicable resolution. We can be healthy people. We can have healthy relationships. And we can face our past, resolutely, because we know God created us to handle anything and everything, if we put our faith in Him.

So folks, its time to quit running. Its time to quit hiding in the shadows playing games with each other. Its time to treat each other as family, sitting down together and, in love, God's love, work through whatever it is that is causing our struggle. Its time to face our demons and let God heal us. And its time to embrace the year of Jubilee that God is going to give us, so that we can be whole, joyful, and free. Come to the table, there is plenty of room, and God's love is abundant. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Love

Family,

I am sitting here, swaying back and forth, trying hard to focus with the amazing pulsating pressure in my head, but its not working very well. It seems that one's balance is directly connected to one's middle and inner ears, which means mine is completely stuffed. So. I feel like i am swimming at the bottom of a deep pool and trying to walk across a ship on some massive waves. Its a fun time for me, right now.

I bring that up because this past week i have felt a lot of love. I have felt the prayers of all of you. And i have felt the support for me and my family as i get better and, with God's help, hear better than i have ever been able to hear, before. So thank you. And this is vital, this feeling of being loved is key, for us and for Advent.

In our Scripture focus, Mary visits her cousin, Elizabeth, because Elizabeth is about to give birth. While visiting her, the baby, John the Baptist, jumps in his womb, because the Holy Spirit wants to let Elizabeth know that Mary was chosen by God for a special task. Did Elizabeth show jealousy because Mary's child would be greater than hers? No. Elizabeth celebrated Mary's call and journey and purpose. "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!"

Elizabeth celebrates with Mary and gives her a blessing. Why? Because of love. Love doesn't need to be right. Love doesn't need attention. Love doesn't need its own way. Love is greater than these, and love pushes us to embrace the other. More than that, love, true love, Godly love, the first fruit of the Spirit love, celebrates and delights in the ways God blesses others. Love doesn't look in the mirror and proclaim, "why me?" Love looks into the eyes of our sisters and brothers, and with all the enthusiasm we can muster, says, "Blessed are you!"

Love lifts up the other in our midst and makes sure they feel loved. Love walks with the widow, so that in her times of lonliness, she knows God is still with her. And love looks beyond the faults and pasts of others, instead it sees potential in that person. More than that, love helps that person see their own potential and God given purpose. Why? Because love, true love, Godly love is like the farmer spreading seed. Its our job to throw as much love out there, so God can produce a harvest of loving Christ followers who are ready to change the world.

I know the power of that love, from God and from all of you, now its my job, our job, to share that love with any and all. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Peacemaking...

Dear Family,

We have made our way to the third Sunday in Advent. Although each Sunday is not only significant and foundational to the Christian faith, i sense that this Sunday, peace, is one that we, all too often, overlook or ignore. Why? Because it is easier to hate an enemy and go to war with them, whether with words or swords, than it is to love them, pray for them, and reconcile with them. Christian peace is more than not drawing swords against a military, it is living a life of peace. Within yourself. And with the sister and/or brother you worship with. And this, my friends, i sense we dont do very well.

I know i dont. I hold grudges. I speak ill of those who i perceive have wronged me. I do my best to draw sides, so that others will feel the same way as i do, or so that i can ensure i win, even if it means a sister or brother must lose. I am ashamed of this behavior. I get sick to my stomach when i rehearse how poorly i have acted towards those i might have an "issue" with. My actions are far from Christ like, in fact they mirror more of the deeds and intentions of the enemy than that of Jesus.

But i know that i am not alone. In fact, i sense the church suffers from this ailment, and i dont know that we are moving towards a peacemaking position, any time soon. When we choose sides, and we speak our will over someone elses or even God's we make peace impossible. When we refuse to come to the table to work through our problems with others, we make peace a joke, a lie. And when we continually point fingers at others, blaming them, instead of examining our own faults, we destroy the chance of reconciliation. Peacemaking is about loving one's enemy all the way to Jesus. It is not about getting one's way.

Why can't we come to the table? What stops us from releasing our issues, our struggles, our anger, our hatred, and letting Jesus handle it? Where have we lost the message of Jesus? And when did we take up the mantel of us versus them? If we want to honor the Author of peace, the Prince of peace, we must lay our swords down, even if the swords are the most violent ones, our tongues, and let love guide us.

That is one of the most foundational parts of Advent. It is anticipating that the Lord of Lords, Jesus the Christ, will take up our struggle and hear our cries. It is releasing our anger to God, so that we can be reconciled to those we worship with. And it is about refusing to take up arms against anyone. ANYONE! When we, as followers of Christ, accept our cross, we commit to a life, not of this world, but of the One beyond the world: Jesus.

And He calls us to love our enemies. Pray for those who persecute you. Reconcile with your fellow believers. And live in peace with any and all. When we embody these truths, the world will finally see that Jesus is real. More than that, the world will witness something it hasn't witnessed since the Genesis of the church, 2000 years ago, the church as God intended her to be. A loving, accepting, discipling, and ministering body of people who have chosen to love without limits. Serve beyond common sense. And forgive seventy times seven. This is how the world will know our Father in heaven is perfect. Are we ready to show them?

Amen..

Shalom, Salaam, peace,
jerry

Every dark cloud...

Family,

There is a story that circulates around the internet about a young girl who witnesses a horrific scene. This story, though widely popular, is an urban legend. It is not verifiable. But it does tell a wonderful, powerful, moving truth about Jesus.

The young girl, whose dad was/is an alcoholic, and her mother fought him all the time. The fights would get violent, and the young girl would hide behind the couch, for her own safety. Both parents ignored her. They were too consumed in their own existence to even know that they had a daughter who watched and experienced every violent detail of their lives. But their fighting was about to escalate to a level unseen.

One night, after her dad had been drinking, yet again. Her dad and mom got into it, and it turned bad, quickly. The father grabbed a gun and shot and killed her mother and then turned the gun on himself, a murder-suicide. In a few seconds this beautiful young girl became an orphan. Or did she?

After some lovely people, from the community, decided to take her in, her story, (even if only legend), becomes historic. This new family, this loving family was different. They lived differently. They acted differently. They treated each other differently. And their reason? Jesus.

The young girls parents didn't go to church, but her new family did. And on her first trip to church, sitting in Sunday School class, she looked up and saw Jesus on the cross. She started to cry. She then said, "I dont know who that man is, on that cross, but i do know that he came down from there." Her teacher asked, "How do you know?" The young girl replied, "That night, when my daddy killed my mommy, that man on that cross was behind the couch, with me, holding me, protecting me."

You see sisters and brothers, whether the previous story is real or legend, doesn't matter. What matters is the truth it conveys. When we are in our darkest hour, if we have eyes to see and ears to hear, Jesus comes down, once again, from His cross, to protect us, to nurture us, to grant us peace. In our journeys of life, it is not a matter of if we will face dark days, it is a matter of when. And our stories becomes testimonies of faith and healing, if and only if, in those dark moments we can, like the little girl, lean wholly on Jesus.

He is there, you know. In those dark moments. When sin overwhelms. When pain becomes too much. When addictions destroy. And when a young girl cowers behind her couch. Jesus is there. That is the message of Advent, and it is the message of what we need today. We are in a darker time in our church's story, and now, more than ever, we, like the little girl, must lean on Jesus. We, like John the Baptist pronounced, must repent and turn around. And we, like so many who have come before us, must trust that the little sliver of light is more than the sun trying to break through the clouds. That little sliver is THE SON knocking at our doors. Let's let Him in and find the true joy of this season. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Joy to the World!

Dear family,

It is that time of the year when we put up Christmas Trees, we hang lights all over the outside of our houses, and we invite our friends and family into our homes for get together around warm fires. It is a time to slow down and just breathe deep the emotions of the Advent Season. It is a time of love and laughter as we spend time in fellowship. And it is a time to reflect on the true purpose of this season.

Is it about a fat man in a red coat? No. Is it about a baby, born in a manger, to two parents with no reputation and no real status? Yes. Is it about gifts lying under a tree? No. Is it about sharing our lives, our stories, and our love with others? Yes. This season is more than what American consumerism has made it to be. It is more than the nice songs and beautiful lights. It is more, so much more.

But the irony is, is this: the more is actually about becoming less. Let me write that again. In order to fully grasp and embrace the Advent Season and the full measure of promise it brings, we must become less. Less about ourselves. Less about buying stuff. Less about fighting over trivial issues. Less about storing up treasures for ourselves. And less about focusing in on our own existence. Instead, it is more about giving to others, surrendering to Christ, loving others more than we love ourselves, reconciling with those we have differences with, and it involves living, honestly and zealously, in the light of God. Letting Him be our guide. It is about becoming more like Jesus and less like Jerry.

When that becomes our story, becoming more like Jesus, than this Advent Season becomes something entirely different than what we have experienced in the past. We learn to wait with anxiety with the emergence of the Coming King. We learn to make sure those in our midst fully grasp the beauty, the mystery, and the awe factor of this season. And we learn that consumer Christianity is not at all what God intended when He sent His Son to become God with us: Immanuel.

I dont want anyone to think that buying stuff for others is wrong. It's not. But when that becomes the totality of Christmas, we miss the point. When it becomes more about singing certain songs instead of worshipping the Author of music, we miss the point. And when it becomes more about serving ourselves, instead of helping those Jesus considered the "least of these," we have missed the point. We stand on this side of Advent, the side where we have, at least ideally, embraced the promised hope, joy, peace, and love.

But for so many, who stand on the other side, those whom Jesus invited to the table, those whom Jesus got in trouble with for associating with, for them, this season is just another reminder how lonely they are, how unfortunate they are. But it doesn't have to be that way. We can buck the trend and make this season about the Kingdom of God, and we can help those suffering in poverty realize the treasure in heaven that waits for them. We can help the sister or brother chained to addiction find the freedom in the love of Christ. And we can help the confused and lost find their way through the power of the Holy Spirit. These are the gifts we should take to those hurting this season. These are the gifts that promise a life so full, so abundant, so rich that no money or material possession can even come close.

This is our charge. The people are out there. Let's help them feel the joy of Jesus. Let's help them experience the hope in Jesus. Let's create a space for them to be overwhelmed with the peace of Jesus. Lets tear down every wall that stands in their way of knowing the love of Jesus. And let's simply stop at nothing to make sure that everyone and anyone comes to know Jesus. The true Jesus. The real Jesus. The peacemaking, earthshaking, troublemaking, revolutionary Jesus. Im game. Are you? Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

What happens next?

Dear family,

I think its time for a sit down, town hall, reconciliation meeting. I wonder how we can honor God when i know there is strife, animosity, anger, and disappointment with one another, inside the church? We can't. More disturbing, folks, is that God will stop bringing us new people, if we do not find ways to heal what ails us. But in order for that to happen, something else has to happen first. We have to leave our pride at the door.

But i think, all too often, we want to win. We want to make sure the other person knows that they upset or even hurt us, and we won't budge or give in, because the other person deserves to know how wrong they were. Our behavior mirrors more that of Laban and Jacob, who have no qualms about deceiving each other, so that they can get what they want. They willingly dishonor the relationship, so that they can get what they deem is theirs.

In Laban's case, Jacob is free labor and a blessing that increases Laban's wealth. In the case of Jacob, he outwits Laban and gets the stronger, healthier, and most profitable livestock. They were so mad at each other that they seemed to scheme, over and over again, new ways to get over on the other. Reconciliation, when one's heart is as dark and deceptive as Laban's and Jacob's, is impossible. Reconciliation is not about making one person feel less than. It is about restoring and healing and unity.

We, as a church community, need this healing, now. We must be willing and able to do anything and everything to restore the health and unity and vision of our church community. We must, like we will witness from Esau, be willing to throw aside our grief and run to our sister or brother and embrace them, as a long lost prodigal. Reconciliation is about love, a higher love, a Godly love, and when we live in that love, we want nothing more than a restore fellowship. It is time, sisters and brothers, it is time.

It is time to put aside our differences, our hurts, our angers, and be open and honest with one another, so that the CHURCH can become what God created her to be. It is time to quit playing games of power control and gossiping and be vulnerable and upfront, so that the church can move the mountains God called her to move. It is time to stop the immature, passive-aggressive behavior that has permeating our congregation, so that we can have real relationships, Godly relationships, Christ like relationships. When that happens, God will work miracles through us and for us. But it takes people to have the faith in God to heal them and the trust in their sisters and brothers, even those that might have hurt them, so that true healing can come.

But it is also takes maturity and accountability. We have to be tied to one another and listen to one another, but we also have to vocalize our differences, instead of storing them deep down, where they can't be heard. More than that, when we bury our differences, instead of airing them out, so God's love and healing can invade us, the pain begins to sour us and poison us. It is time, folks, to let the poison out and find the new dawn God has in mind for us.

We dont want to be like Laban and Jacob, who continue to find new ways to deceive and outdue one another. Instead, if we are to be healthy and truly Godly, we must resemble Esau, who threw down the ugly past and ran to his brother, his long lost brother. We must look more like the prodigal's father, who rejoices that the relationship is viable again. And we must live more Christ like, who calls us to forgive our enemies, love our neighbors, and pray for those that persecute us. In these actions, God is made alive, and the world is transformed. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Journeys can be tough

Dear family,

All of you, or most of you anyway, know that i am a movie buff. I love movies. I use movies to help tell God's story and the Gospel. I love that movies are picture books to our journeys, and we can, more time than we realize, find that we have much in common with the characters. I sense that is what makes a movie successful. How does the audience relate to the characters? If the audience doesn't, than there is a chance the movie will flop, but if the characters and the story relate to life, than it makes us feel better.

I add this paragraph only because i want to, once again, return us to Middle Earth and Tolkein's novel, "Lord of the Rings." In the story, which is really seven books thrown into one amazing trilogy, Frodo has been given the task of destroying the "Ring of Power." This ring, which is a metaphor for sin, controls and destroys whoever wears it. Frodo realizes this, but it is still his call to carry this ring for the entire journey from the Shire to the gates of evil itself in Mordor. But it is his task, his calling, his duty, and he makes the journey, with all the highs and lows that come with any journey. And along the way i sense, if Frodo were real, he would acknowledge that this journey was God given. So in essence, this trek, this expedition becomes a pilgrimmage.

As any journey becomes a pilgrimmage when God ordains it.

What does Frodo have to do with Genesis 28? Everything. In our text, Jacob is on a journey. He is running from his poor choices. But he is also going after a wife, with the intentions, eventually, of returning and claiming his inheritance. So he sets off for a distant land. He is going to go from Hebron, just south of Jerusalem, to north of Syria. And he is going alone. No bodyguards. No servants. Nothing. He is alone.

But is he really alone? His first night who visits? God. And why? Because God has a promise to reiterate to Jacob. Jacob's descendants will be as numerous as the dusts of the earth, and on top of that, God was going to walk with Jacob for the rest of his days. When God makes that promise to Jacob, Jacob's journey goes from being an expedition to a far away land, to a pilgrimmage ordained and guided by God. Will Jacob face difficulties? Yes. Ask Laban about how he takes advantage of Jacob. Ask Jacob about a wrestling match. And ask them all about how Jacob will have to return, to his brother, who still is angry about Jacob's deception. It isn't an easy journey waiting for Jacob, but it is his task, his calling. And as Jacob continues to go, where God leads, God provides and bears fruit.

So it is with our journey folks. We are on our own spiritual pilgrimmage. We don't know where we are going. We dont know how was are going to get there. We dont even know what waits for us when we do get there. Jacob knew all those answers, so in essence, our faith journey, our pilgrimmage needs more faith. And here is the beautiful thing about faith, the more you have, the more you trust in our God, the more you go, blindly, where He leads, the more He shows Himself to you/us.

Our church is facing an unknown future. We have a lot of questions about budget, direction, leadership, and many more unknowns, but if we simply go to our God, in prayer, in seeking, in knocking, He will grant us the desires of our hearts. If we need resources, God will provide if we ask Him. He did so for Jacob. If we need more leaders, God will bring them up, if we ask. And if we need direction, God will illumine our path, but we must trust Him in lighting the way. We have to let go of what we want, and we must surrender to God's will.

When that happens, our journey becomes a spiritual pilgrimmage that leads us into our own promised land. Lets go. Saddle up. The journey is long, but God is waiting. Amen..

Shalom,
jerry

Sad day

Dear Family,

I write this after another tragic event in our common story as a nation. Yesterday, for whatever reason, Nidal Malik Hasan walked into a staging area for soldier about to be deployed, and he began to shoot and kill his fellow soldiers. Thirteen children of grieving parents are left to ask the most obvious question, why? Why did their children have to die? How did this happen on an army base? And what do we do now? That child, that son or daughter, was our future, our heir, our own promise, and now the acts of one angry person stole that chapter from those grieving parents.

Whenever an event like this happens, it humbles me. It stops me in my tracks as we hear story after story of who this man is, and how there were signs that he might not be the most stable person around. And it makes us question why didn't someone do something, sooner. I dont know. I dont know. I wish i had a better answer, any answer, as to why a soldier, who enlisted to serve, was on his way to Iraq or Afghanistan, would do something so sinister, so evil as to open fire on unarmed and unexpecting soldiers. These men and women thought the war was overseas; they never expected it to be brought to them. And that's what Hasan did. He brought a war and war casualities to the homes of our sons and daughters in the military. His actions cause us all to grieve.

And here i sit, in my comfortable chair, in my warm office, overlooking the forest that has already succombed to the still of winter, and i can only imagine what those families are going through. I can't imagine. I can't know. And it isn't just the families of the victims, but what about the family of the shooter? He has parents. An aunt that was interviewed. And i am sure he has cousins and other family members that are left with a lot of questions as well. What do we do? How do we respond? How do we go on? Again, i dont know. I dont know. Does anyone?

As i sit and reflect on the horrors of yesterday, i have another nagging thought. What's going to happen to all the beautiful Muslim sisters and brothers who will, once again, be under the microscope because of the actions of one person? For those serving the military, will the doubts of their fellow service people cause them to look over their shoulders? For the Muslims, who go about life condemning violent acts like Hasan, will they be heard over the zealous rants of the few? Or will we, once again, see terrorist behind every Mosque attendee, behind every veiled face, or behind every Arabic sounding name? I hope not.

I hope that peace is still our rallying cry. I hope that our president does his job and condemns this evil act, offers support, love, prayers, and whatever is needed to help the families who trusted his military with their sons and daughters to cope, and i hope he reminds us that this was the solo act of one person, not the ideology of a religion or group of persons. Hasan acted alone. Period. Our president must stand up, offer condolences, promise justice, grant anger, empower healing, and help our enlisted sisters and brothers, whether Muslim, Jew, Christian, Athiest, or Pagan to know they are valued, as safe as they can be, and that their stories, no matter what happens to them, will never be silenced. If our president is to be the leader he promises to be, now is the time for him to stand up and show us what kind of leader he is. For him to drop the ball, now when we need some answers, shows lack of respect and ability to lead a country in desperate need of hope.

We may never know why Hasan did what he did, even if he is able to tell us. But we can rally around the families of those who lost a loved one yesterday or has lost a loved one in any violent act or any manner that robbed a parent of a child or a child of a parent, we can rally around them. Pray for them. Love them. Support them. Be Jesus to them. And above all be the church God created us to be. We may never stop senseless acts of violence, ever. But we can change how we respond. Now is the time for peace and justice not revenge and hate. Will you, the church, stand with me and love all people, pray for peace, fight for justice, and stand, with our crosses showing, for victims everywhere. I need you with me, so we can, with God's help, usher in His Kingdom. Our world needs it now more than ever. Amen.

Salaam Meleikum, Shalom, Peace,
jerry

Family Fighting

Dear Family,

We can do some evil things to each other, cant we? When we think that we have something to gain, or we sense someone has something we want, and we want it badly enough, we will do just about anything to get it. Right? I sense that even the most faithful persons, in light of wanting something, bad enough, can do the most vile things imaginable.

We can become like Jacob. God called Jacob to be, literally, the name of Israel. And yet, this man who would be an iconic figure in the Jewish story, showed himself to be incredibly human. How? He conned his brother out of the very important blessing from their father, Isaac.

Why is this significant? Because the blessing was the ultimate gift a father gave his son. A blessings meant that that son would lead the family, and the rest of the family would answer to that son. A blessing meant that that son would be in charge of the faith direction of the family. That blessing meant the future of the household, and it gave the son, who received it, the open door to pave new grounds for the family. And even though Isaac wanted to give the blessing to his oldest son, Esau, Jacob conned them both.

And yet this man becomes a figure in the story of Israel that goes beyond this tiny infraction.

We could talk about how Jacob's actions were less than noble, and we could talk about how God seems absent during this incredibly sinister act. Chapter 27 doesn't talk about how the brothers end up. Do they reconcile? Does Esau hunt Jacob his whole life, holding onto the angst? Chapter 27 only deals with the act of betrayal that one brother does to the other, and how the entire family seems to be involved.

Isaac prefers Esau, but Rebekah prefers Jacob. Both parents lament that Esau married a Hittite woman. This family has issues. But what family doesn't?

Perhaps thats what we should focus on. Not that we all, at least in our idealized dreams, have perfect "Leave it to Beaver" families. But quite the contrary. We are human. We have human emotions. We have human frailities. And as part of being human, we do mean things to each other. I believe, in most cases, that those times when we are mean aren't intentional. Jacob was perhaps a little evil, but God promised Rebekah that her youngest son would be the blessed one. She was only ensuring the blessing fall on the right son.

Esau's anger was natural. He had lost out on what was a future. A chance to be great. Which of us wouldn't have been angry? Isaac, well he was just a blind old father who wanted to make sure his family was taken care of. Jacob, whose name means, "deceiver," really was the one who seemed to act out of sorts. But then again, maybe he felt he was the one to care for the family, and being a few minutes younger shouldn't have limited his leadership. Who knows? But all i do know is that when we invest so much into each other's lives, as families do, we can hurt each other.

In fact, i sense we can do more damage to one another than if we have nothing in common. The pain is deeper, because it is a family member who caused it. The ability to reconcile can become more difficult, because the cut is so fresh and painful. And when family is involved it can cause lifetime fissions that never heal. So what can we learn from Jacob, Esau, Rebekah, and Isaac?

That family's hurt each other. What else? I dont know. Why dont you offer some insight as to what this chapter says to you. How do we continue our journey when a family member has hurt us, deeply? How do we forgive? Can we forgive? What are your thoughts? Feelings? Ideas?

Amen.
Shalom,
jerry

Short but sweet...

Dear Family,

A wonderful sister, of the faith, let me know that sometimes less is more. What she made clear was that these blogs, though at times insightful, can be too long, and she grows bored with them when they exceed a certain length. The more i thought about what she had to say, the more i realized something. She is right. In our world of go, go, go, who has the time to sit down and read a blog that exceeds most term papers? No one. It is time for me, as the one supposedly in tune with society, to pay attention to what society has been telling me all along, and i was just too prideful to hear it.

The blogs, from now on, will be as short as i can make them. I will do my best to condense my ideas and revelations into a few paragraphs, hopefully inviting you all to add your stories, your thoughts, and your insights to what would have been my filibuster. To my church family, i hope the shorter blogs will invite you to read more and get involved more. To my sister who brought it to my attention, thank you.

That being said, i should get to the point of this weeks blog. It is about relationships. More specifically Isaac's relationships, whether it be with God, with Abimeleck, or with the other nomads trying to find a good water source. Genesis 26 is about what healthy relationships can and do look like, when we make them a priority.

First. Isaac continues the long tradition of listening to the will of God. God, in the beginning of this chapter, makes it clear that God would further the blessing He had promised Abraham. Isaac would add his name to the stars, but more than that Isaac could have the assurance that God would add many more stars to Isaac's heritage. Isaac accepts God's call as if it were second nature. Isaac just goes with the flow, trusting that God would provide, God would keep His promises, and God is seemingly more wise than Isaac or any of us. As i look at Isaac's faith, i stand humbled by my own unfaith. Isaac trusts God, completely, and i have a hard time relying on God for a few dollars. Teach me, LORD, to trust in you more.

Second. Isaac is not immune to failure. Just like Abe, Isaac finds himself married to a woman more beautiful than he deserved. He names Rebekah his sister, because Isaac feared the men would take her and kill him. He wanted to preserve his life, even if it meant he would have to give his wife up, just like his dad did. Luckily he gets caught loving his wife by King Abimeleck, and the king calls him on it. No harm done, except the lying part. What this teaches me is that even the most faithful and ardent believer finds himself or herself falling short when times are trying. Isaac isn't the model for me, because he is perfect. He is the model of faith because he is human. Just like me. Just like all of us.

And lastly, Isaac's relationship with the other nomads, i think, sheds a lot of light where Isaac's heart rests. When asked, by the king, to leave because Isaac had grown too powerful, Isaac does. When others fill up wells, which he dug, robbing Isaac and his household of water, a much needed commodity, Isaac just moves on. And when he finds a good well, and other nomads, those less than he, come to fight for it, Isaac just moves, period. Isaac chooses to give up an incredible asset to preserve the integrity of the relationship. Isaac, even though he was incredibly powerful and wealthy, chose peace over violence. He chose to move instead of fighting for a piece of material wealth. He risked his very well-being to keep from harming anyone.

What this teaches me is that maybe, just maybe, we, too, could just move on instead of fighting for something material and temporal. What would happen if we, like Isaac, chose peace instead of fighting, love instead of hate, and building up instead of tearing down? What would our world look like?

Oh yeah, one more thing that proves Isaac is a man of God, an incredible man of God. When Abimilech comes to sign a peace treaty/oath, Isaac feeds him and accepts his treaty. The king kicked Isaac out, when Isaac was powerful and wealthy, and the king forced Isaac to journey for water into areas not that welcoming to him. Isaac had all the reason to say no. But he doesn't. He agrees. More than that, he invites the king in and cares for him. What does this teach us about being right versus living right? Some questions i hope together we can answer. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Dull?

Family,

I heard something interesting this week on the radio. It was a sports talk show, and they were talking about some of the teams, in the NFL, that might need to change coaches. They named off the obvious lists of flops and teams that are gutter material, but then they named a team and coach that shocked me. The Tennessee Titan's head coach, Jeff Fisher, became the target of their debate. Should he stay? Or should he go?

Well, lets look at his resume. He took the team to the Super Bowl, and he was inches away from possibly winning. He has an incredible record, and in fact, last year, he won 13 games to only 3 losses, before losing in the playoffs to a strong Baltimore Ravens team. Looking at his resume, through the black and white script on a page, one wonders how his name would ever appear on a "hot seat" discussion, but then we have to realize that this year's team is 0 and 6, and this past Sunday they were embarrassed on national television.

But that's not what opened my eyes. I knew all this, what opened my eyes was the argument made by Trent Dilfer. They were talking about the fact that Fisher had been at Tennesse for nearly 15 years, the longest tenured head coach in the NFL, and maybe it was time for a change. I couldn't believe what i was hearing, until Dilfer said this, "Jimmy Johnson, (ex head coach for the Dallas Cowboys), told me, (Dilfer), that he feels that he should change jobs every five to six years, because the players grow dull of his voice." That opened my eyes. It was a powerful revelation that struck home.

And it made me think. Are you dull, or tired, of hearing what i have to say? I think so. To some degree, yes. We are creatures of habits, and i sense each person, whether they want to admit it or not, follows a certain personality type, and they repeat, in words, deeds, or whatever, things that speak to them. For me it is social justice, economic justice, community, radical discipleship, and sincere, authentic spirituality, and for the last six plus years, i have preached this, continually.

As i reflected on Dilfer's words, i sensed something in our church needs to change. I came up with two options, and the first, really, isn't an option as far as i am concerned. But here's what i came up with. First, i could, like Coach Johnson, resign and go somewhere else. Some where that would not know my core values and core faith statements, and i could preach a new message. Well not so much a new message, as preaching what speaks to me to a new audience. This could be an option. But i think its the cowardly/easy way out. It says that instead of growing and adapting and rethinking who i am, i will refuse to grow, refuse to learn, and assume that i know it all. I dont feel that way. So i thought about option two.

This option requires me to look at our ministries and church family with a new set of eyes. I can't get a new set, literally, but what i can do is listen to the voice of you, my church family, and be attentive to ways to reach you, in a new voice. A voice that you haven't heard from me yet. A voice that hasn't bored you to tears. This is the option i chose. It is a tricky choice. A difficult one. And one marked with a lot of chances of failures, because it means i have to get away from what i have grown accustomed to and operate in a space that isn't familiar or known by me. But on the other hand, it is in this space, in this unknown realm that i sense the greatest growth for me and for us as a church family is found. But i still need your help.

I need your voice. I need your input. I need your ideas. I need your fresh set of eyes helping illumine my own journey so that i can see things differently. I need your wisdom. I need your support. And i need your patience. No journey, especially one involving faith communities, is possible without the real support of our sisters and brothers. We need each other to thrive in the unknown spaces we call life. If you will join me, assist me, i will do my best to refresh my voice, and what ideas and revelations God shares, so that boredom is the farthest thing from your minds. I dont want to see anymore heads nodding off during worship, and i abhor watching people do "lists" while worshipping. To a certain degree, when these happens, it is my fault, and i have to recreate myself so that it stops. On the other hand, it isn't my fault. We, each of us, bring ourselves to worship for different reasons, and if the motivation isn't sincere or to honor God, well nothing anyone does will move us.

What does this have to do with Genesis 25? Nothing. And yet everything. Genesis 25, at least in one of my readings of the text this is what i gleaned from it, is about legacies. It details the end of two stories: Abraham and Ishmael, and it describes their family trees, the heirs to their fortunes. As i reflected on what a legacy is and what kind of legacy i want to leave, i realized that right now, at the West Milton Church of the Brethren, i am not leaving a very good legacy. I am not making a path for greater things to happen.

When i look back on the past six plus years, i feel a lot of joy and gratitude over how far we have come, but then i also feel a lot of sorrow and anxiety. Why? Because we are not where i expected us to be, at this point. I felt called, by God and this community, to lead us into deeper faith, life changing faith, and amazing ministries, and i believed we would be packed with worshippers, every Sunday. This hasn't happened. Not totallly. And i lament that i have not lived up to what i expected of myself. I have not honored my legacy, not yet.

Genesis 25 reminded me that we have but a few years to create a legacy that outlives us. Well, actually, we all have a legacy that will outlive us, but we have a few years to make sure that legacy is a positive one with Godly ripples. I want to return to my passion for this church's story and ensuring that we regain our momentum and honor our vision and mission statements. I felt a deep sense of remorse over losing some of that steam, and i hope you can forgive me for becoming comfortable and even apathetic with my role as your pastor. As much as i can help it, it wont happen again.

So we find ourselves at the end of Abe's story, rehearsing a powerful legacy that he left for all who follow. As i meditate on Abe's legacy, i wonder what my legacy will be. And i wonder what our legacy, as a church family, will be. Will we pave the way for a golden age at the West Milton CoB? Or will we allow the cultural tides to move us into irrelevancy and obscurity? I dont like being irrelevant, and i despise the idea of our church being obscure, so let's buck the trend of other churches and recreate our legacy that will not only outlive us, but it will cause others to tell our story for generations to come. Not only that, but it will empower future generations to add their legacy and their story to what we started. Amen.

Shalom and Salaam Meleikum,
jerry

Only as Good as My Word

Dear Family,

There is the story of two men who made a verbal agreement with one another. One agreed to sell a car to the other, for a mutually agreeable price, and when it came down to determine how they would seal the deal, the buyer grabbed the hand of the seller. Deal done. In response to this, the dealer said, "Well don't you want to come in and sign some papers, do some research, look at other cars?" The buyer said, "Nope. Don't need to. You shook my hand, testifying that everything you told was true. I trust you, and i made the deal official when i shook your hand."
The simple act of grabbing another's hand and shaking sealed the deal. No need for papers. No need to check up. One man's word was good enough.

My how things have changed. How many of us would have acted the same way? Do we still value the power of a handshake, the value of one person's word? Or do we question motives, so we put things in place to ensure that we get what we want without the worry of being taken advantage of? If we cant trust people, with a simple handshake, how can we ever be in community with them? If we cant take people at their word, how can we ever join in the journey of faith? And if we cant let people go, believing they will honor our agreement, without watching every step they make, how can we honor God with healthy relationships? I don't think we can.

And yet, the lack of trust emerges from previous experiences, doesn't it? We don't come into the world as raging cynics, doubting every motive of every person who walks. Do we? Was there ever a time when we believed someone, wholly, and we didn't need "proof?" We trusted them, so we accepted them as they were, and we gave them the benefit of the doubt. Didn't we? So if we are born trusting, believing the best in people, what happens? Where does our journey go that leads us all to points of mistrust and cynicism?

People let us down, don't they. I know, because i have made promises to so many people, and not intentionally meaning to let them down, i fail to keep those promises. I say i will be somewhere, only to not allow for my other commitments. I rushed into saying yes, before i took the time to make sure i could honor my commitment. And all too often, i have hurt many people, in the church and outside, because i didn't honor my word. In truth, i sense it becomes hard to trust in my word, after awhile, because we will let someone fail us only so many times, before we refuse to let them in. So. I have failed and will fail people. I will break promises. I will fail to show up. I will.

Its not because i don't care or am aloof. It's because i can be, at many times in my life, rather impetuous. I say yes, wanting to experience new things or make the person happy, without weighing the full compacity of what i commit to. This doesn't mean i have bad intentions. It doesn't mean, as some suggest, that i am irresponsible. It reflects a personality that is who i am: impetuous. I live in the moment. I live in the now. But there are drawbacks to being spontaneous. We jump without thinking.

Perhaps what we need is a way to seal the deal like the two men in the beginning or like Abraham and his senior servant, who Abe trusted to find a wife worthy of Isaac. Abe sat him down and made it clear to the servant how important this was, and Abe described the expectations, and then they sealed the deal by having an intimate pact. Having the servant place his hand under Abe's thigh illustrated an intimate moment with two close people. This was something Abe wanted to ensure the servant didn't drop the ball on. And he didn't. The servant saw the task through. He honored the agreement.

But Abe helped the servant see the fullness of what was expected. We don't always get that benefit, do we? Do we always have all the information before we agree to do something, join someone, or answer a call? Not always. We say yes, not always comprehending what our journey will be like. We say yes, wanting to make our friends and family happy, our God happy, our church happy, without "counting well the cost." And unlike Abe's great servant, we, or at least i know i do, find ourselves failing once again.

So how do we stop from falling into this trap? Take a step back. Take time to reflect on what's expected. Get all the information and determine if we can or cannot honor the agreement. Write it down. Make an intimate treaty with the person asking something of us, and make sure we keep that pact close to our hearts, so that we will do whatever it takes to honor that which we agreed to.

A person is only as good as his/her word. When we violate that trust, and we all have and will do, then it becomes a long journey of rebuilding bridges and reconciling relationships. It is a tedious process but one that we must also go through when we harm our friends and family. We have to be willing to dive into that space and go through the painful process of repentance and confession. But on the other hand, no matter how wronged one might have been, the other person must also join us in that space, ready, willing, and able to not rebuild that bridge, not only forgive and forget, but also offer their hand, once again, affirming their willingness to offer their trust to us.

When we dishonor a vow, a pledge, its not easy to rebuild that trust, but if we are to be a healthy, thriving church, it is a necessary step to go through. And its even more difficult, i sense, to offer that trust again, but this is, once again, a necessary step for us to go through if we are to truly be the Body of Christ. And it might seem impossible to not want to micromanage our friend or family member, ensuring they honor their pledge, but that only proves that trust was never there in the first place. Without trust, any relationship is doomed to fail.

So extend your hand to each other in honesty and honor, and let your handshake be the final witness to a verbal agreement between fellow pilgrims on a crazy journey. But if you aren't sure what you are getting yourself into, its ok, not it is right to step back, pray about it, and discern what God has to say. When you do, you will have the confidence that as you shake your family members hand, you have the blessing of God upon you. Which is really what governed Abe's servant--God.

When God directs, guides, and blesses, God also brings to fruition, as Rachel proves so mightily.
Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

New Day is Here

Dear Family,

I realize that this blog might cause some waves, but i ask that any and all to read to the end. Please do not stop after one paragraph or sentence, but take in the totality of what i feel moved to write about. It is a new day for America, a new and glorious day. A day where we can begin to dream about a world where we do live in peace and not fear. Today is a new day, a day of hope, a day of promise.

Why? Because President Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. This is monumental. It is key. And as one of the historic peace churches, this should be a sign, for us, that the Gospel of Peace, one which we adhere to, has the possibility to coming true. I dont want to talk about presidential politics or policies or even universal healthcare. That is not why i am blogging this morning. I am writing out of my own sense of joy and excitement, and i hope it can be shared by all.

No president had to face what President Bush faced. Within nine months of his first term as president, a bunch of radical jihadists crashed planes into buildings, proclaiming God's justice. And it put a new president, still trying to find his way, into the international spot light. If he acted too slow, the warhawkish citizens, seeking revenge, would scream that Bush was too soft, too weak to lead us. If he acted too quickly, the left leaning peace activist, such as was the case at Bethany Theological Seminary, would proclaim Bush was acting out of malice, and that Bush needed to be more patient. Give diplomacy a chance. Some even went so far as to blame Bush for the attacks, suggesting that our foreign policies created the 9/11 catastrophe.

I found solace in neither camp. But now, here we are, eight years later, and the war in Afghanistan shows no signs of stopping. The war in Iraq has claimed thousands of lives. Our sons and daughters have given their lives, sacrificing for what they believe in, and it has to stop. But not only our children, but the children of Afghani citizens and Iraqui citizens, those who never supported the Taliban or Hussein, find themselves running for shelter as suicide bombers kill more and more, without caring who they kill. Thousands upon thousands are the victims of these two wars.

But the ripples continued outward. The overall sentiment, towards Americans, was incredibly low. We were, whether you care or not is another discussion, hated by most people in the world. The sentiment was incredibly low, and as i traveled, internationally, twice during these eight years, i can attest, from personal experience, that Americans were not accepted nor looked favorably upon. We were quickly becoming the ire of most of the world. Why?

Because most of the world viewed us imperialist trying to force an ideology upon the rest of the world, especially those parts of the world which promised a huge gain for us--oil in Iraq for example. So we were hated, well more specifically our government was despised. It was so bad that in 2003, when i traveled to Germany, right before the invasion of Iraq, we were warned not to go to Europe, because we would not be welcomed. Needless to say, our image, internationally, was tainted. But now that has changed.

I dont care which side of the fence you find yourself, or if you find yourself on either side, but when a political leader is awarded a prize for making peace, in a world being ripped a part by violence, oppression, and war, then it has to give us hope. I empathize with President Bush. He made choices out of his desire to protect American interests. He is a patriot with deep roots in the American ethos. But my allegiance, my identity, my pledge is not, first, to America, it is to Jesus. And Jesus calls me to love my enemies and pray for those that persecute me.

Loving my enemies makes it hard to fight them. Praying for those that persecute me empowers me to love them. And when i seek peace, instead of violence, i create spaces for healing and reconciliation. Today is a good day for all Americans. We are closer to having peace, living in peace, and being peaceful than we have been in eight years. I dont blame President Bush for the wars. I blame hate and religious zealots for the wars. And President Obama doesn't deserve all the credit for laying foundations for peace. He has a slew of advisors helping him see the world differently.

But the groundwork has been laid, and peace is possible. That is something we, as peacemakers, should all celebrate. Today Americans are seen favorably in the world. Which is to say that through the efforts of diplomacy and working towards healing with our Muslims friends, the world sees America as being that leader in peacemaking. Something our world needs desperately. And for that, we all should shout, AMEN!

Shalom,
jerry

I realize that this might, or at least i hope it does, cause some great conversations about why peace is important. I hope, down deep, that it doesnt become a political debate. I am not writing this to support Obama. I am writing this to support peace and the possibility of peace. Please offer insights, thoughts, and questions. Thank you for being the most amazing brothers and sisters i could ask for...

Nothing Lasts...

Dear Family,

There is one constant in this world: change. As information continues to become available, at rates beyond our comprehension, the world around us continues to change. The migration from "hometowns" to where jobs are proves that life has changed. Fifty years ago, after the children were raised, most stayed close to home. But as the recent trend, specifically Ohio, illustrates, children aren't staying home. Though the population of Ohio grew from 2007-2008, by nearly 8269, that number represents new births and foreign immigrants, the statistics for migration prove that adults are leaving Ohio, by a rate of nearly 40,000 in that year alone.

Why? Some might be for retirement, we are a mobile people, we can go to any part of the country or world, within a 24 hour plane ride, so we have more freedom to move as we need to. Jobs are a key issue. Ohio focused its economy, for so many years, in the industrial sector, those jobs have moved elsewhere as GM, NCR, and many more illustrate. The jobs are no longer here. They are in India, China, Mexico, or states that offer better tax breaks. Needless to say, the jobs leaving creates a need for young families to follow the jobs. No jobs. No families. It adds to the migration as well.

Why all this talk about migration from Ohio? Because whether we want it to or not, change comes. As life evolves from our birth to our death, change continues to occur. I bring it up, because we have choices to make as change comes to us. We can embrace this change as a reality, as part and parcel of what it means to be human, as a stage in our evolution as humans, or we can bury our heads in the sands, denying the change, refusing to accept what is inevitable. One breeds peace. The other choice brings turmoil. Which one do you think we should choose?

How does this connect to Genesis 23? Well in this chapter, Abraham and his household are facing change, real change. For the first time, since we have joined Abraham on his journey, real, painful, difficult change has come to him. Sarah has died. His partner gone. His soul-mate no longer walking with him. The mother of the promise no longer gets to see the pride of her life: Isaac become the man he soon will be. This change could have crippled Abraham. But it didn't.

He chose to honor her. He chose to give her a place of eternal rest, one which will be the home for all of his family, that honors her story and her legacy. He recognizes that this was inevitable, and he has to continue living. He decides, though not easily, to make a positive outcome out of which was a painful experience. He proves, by his faithfulness to her story and her legacy that good can come from what appears as total darkness.

Psalm 30 reminds us when talking about God's anger/wrath and our pain, David writes, "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." (Italics added) Whatever momentary struggles, trials, difficulties, growing pains, or mourning we may be engulfed in, no matter how dark it seems, we have a promise, from God, and Annie, that the sun will come out tomorrow. We can bet our bottom dollar. That tomorrow, no matter how far off tomorrow may be, there will be sun.

We can face the changes that life brings, if we have our eyes focused on God, just like Abe did. He wept over Sarah. He had plenty of reasons to do so, she had been beside him through many seasons. They shared an amazing journey. He was justified in weeping. But Abe also realized that he must continue going on, must continue living, must continuing honor God, and the best way to do that is to live a life of praise. A life which knows that though our darkness be great now; praise comes with the morning. And the morning always comes on time.

Change is coming to us, in many different forms, and we can lament these changes, or we can trust that God is in control of every facet of our lives together. If God cares for the birds of the air, the grass in the fields, the flowing streams, and the changing seasons, won't He care for us too? Aren't we more valuable to God, who created us in His image, who breathed His breath into us, who sent His only Son to die for us, who walks with us even now, won't He care for our every need? I think so. No. I know so. And knowing that grants me the peace to embrace the changes that come in this life, because I know the author of change is behind the changes that come our way.

He is the God of the universe, and He is the God of the atom. Nothing that exists stands outside His control or His presence. Nothing happens without His knowledge. He is in control, brothers and sisters, and we can have peace knowing, like Abe, that even the most grevious change in our lives can be used to glorify the Creator of all things. So. Will you join me in this journey of highs and lows, valleys and mountaintops, and of joys and sorrows? I hope so. Because though i know God is in control of my life and the change, it is so much more enjoyable to go through these life cycles with family. Amen..

Shalom,
jerry

Good point...

I dont know how to respond to a specific post or response, so i have to do a blog as a response. I have tried to figure out to simply do a response, but i keep getting "failure" notices. It's like College Biology all over again. No matter how hard i tried, i couldnt figure it out.



Anyway. Here is my response to the comment made about politics from the pulpit.



I agree that choosing a side, politically, is wrong, and if/when i have done that, i am wrong. I apologize to any and all that hear me endorse one candidate or another. I do my best not to do that. I know that i have spoken highly of the historical significance of electing Barack Obama, because of our history as a country mired in racism and oppression, but if that has ever been understood or appeared as an endorsement, i am very wrong. And i apologize. However, i do think we need to talk about what is happening in the world, and politics are part and parcel of our world. We need to talk about how our elected officials are making choices that may or may not honor the kingdom of God. I only desire to create a space where the discussion can be had.



I am a passionate person who has spent my entire academic career studying politics and social justice issues. They are part of my story and my identity. I have found biblical support for what i have felt is "right," and i do my best to anchor all of my views, biblically. If any can illumine where my views diverge from Scripture, i invite and encourage the correction. But just as i welcome all opposing views; it should also be granted to me as well. I have not attacked any personal ideologies, as far as i know, and i pray i never will. I welcome a healthy debate, where we can share our ideas and thoughts without the fear of exclusion or ostracism. The true sign of a healthy relationship is being together, not because of our similiarities, but because even in our differences, we choose love. The higher law!



Thank you for commenting, and again if i have pushed an ideology, i apologize. I do ask this, though, if i have, please point out when, how, and where, so i can, if it is on DVD, replay the sermon and check my words. I have a short memory, and i need to be held accountable, just like everyone else..



have a blessed day..

jerry

Birthday Party

Dear Family,

I realize that this is my second post, in one week, well on the same day really. But that is intentional. The first post wasn't connected to our journey through Genesis, but it dealt with some thoughts and feelings i have had for a while, so i wanted to share those thoughts with all of you. This post, now, is for Genesis 21, our chapter for Sunday.

It is a glorious chapter, but it is also a sad one. We read about the joys of childbirth, and Sarah finally gets to laugh. Whether she is laughing at the irrationality of having Isaac at her age, or if she is laughing with joy at having an heir, or if she is laughing at the mockers who must have reminded her, daily, that she had failed to provide an heir for Abraham. Whatever the cause, and perhaps it all of these and more, Sarah finally gets to laugh. More than that, she gets the last laugh.

But with the birth of Isaac, Ishmael quickly finds himself on the margins. Abraham has an heir, a son, who will inherit Abraham's household. Ishmael is no longer needed. Sadly, as Sarah illustrates with her demands that Ishmael and Hagar be dismissed from the household, it's not that he is no longer needed. He, and his mother, are no longer wanted. They are forced to leave, again, and fend for themselves, or so they thought. And here, as Abe struggles with forcing them to leave, we can get the sense of Abe's fatherly love for Ishmael.

Abe doesn't seem to want to make them leave, but Sarah pushed and God made sure Abe knew it would be ok. God promised Abe that even though Ishmael wasn't in the household, anymore, the blessing, the promise of a nation was still on Ishmael. God would make Ishmael a powerful nation, one that would earn respect. Though Abe was booting them, God was not.

There is something profoundly Divine about this reality. Often times i get the sense that we want to kick people out who don't believe like we do, think like we do, live like we do, or share our faith. So in response to our differences, we shut doors on them. In some severe cases, i know of churches and church leaders who have condemned those who were different. But if we can gain anything from Hagar and Ishmael's experience, it is this. God will bless who God wants to bless, regardless of our limited, human understanding. More than that, God's love, God's mercy, God's kindness, and God's wisdom stretches to those beyond our margins of faith. And i sense that is a good thing. NO. It is a God thing.

So Ishmael does almost die in the desert, but God rescues him and Hagar. God makes this outcast, this 'mistake' into a powerful nation. God keeps His promise to Abe to bless all of Abe's offspring, even those outside the Hebrew "household." But the chapter doesn't end there. Does it? Sure we don't hear much of Ishmael or his mother, but we beleive he is the father of the Muslim religion. Other than that, he all but disappears into the realm of stories told but quickly passed over for the chosen son: Isaac.

And yet our chapter has another significant event, doesn't it? Yes the birth of Isaach happens, praise God. Yes Ishmael and Hagar get booted, and Ishmael becomes a powerful nation, to God's glory, but something else occurs. Abe finds himself at odds with Abimelech. Over what? Water. The most precious commodity in the desert, and Abe feels like Abimelech stole a well and water from Abe. Abe was furious. He had a right to be.

Without water how would Abe care for his family, his flock, his future? He wouldn't. So Abe goes to Abimelech, instead of complaining about him, Abe goes to him to deal with this situation. They talk, like adults, and they realize they can work this out. But here's the kicker. Abe gives up seven ewes to reconcile with Abimelech. What does this tell us about reconciling with our sisters and brothers? For me, at least, it demonstrates to what extent we should go to in order to restore the relationship. Even if it means i have to give up something meaningful to me, i should be willing to do so, in order to honor the relationship.

I wonder, family, what would happen to our relationships if we approached them, like Abe, willing to do whatever it took to restore that relationship? I wonder what trust we would build, with each other, if we went to each other and were that honest, instead of backstabbing or gossipping. And i wonder how God would be glorified by our authentic desires to have healthy, life giving companionship/community, so much so that we give what we can to make sure the community is cared for. I wonder what could be. What about you? Amen...

Shalom,
jerry

Politics

Dear family,

The great Swiss theologian, Karl Barth, said that every theologian, (or every Christian for that matter) should read the Bible and the newspaper, together. So that every Christian would know what was happening in the world, and for today the source of information, regarding the world's affairs, well its beyond comprehension. We can know what's going on in Palestine/Israel with the click of a mouse, and we see pictures of whats happening, live. We turn our televisions to our favorite news source, and we hear reports of Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, and North Korea, just to name a few. We, today more than ever, are bombarded with information, daily, and that's a good thing, because we are in the world.
And we should be. We should educate ourselves with the lives of others in our current context. We need to learn how they live. What they face. Why they think the way they do. And How their story affects ours. We need to do these things, and we need to have honest conversations about what we see, hear, and experience. It is what helps define us as a community of faith.
You see, sisters and brothers, the other part of Barth's quote is, "But interpret newspapers, (all media outlets), from your Bibles." Or in other words, make sure, when you read the papers, that you do so with the lens of faith on. We should never interpret the world, and what is happening in the world, with our lens of nationalism or militarism or even democracy, but through the lens of faith. It is essential for us, as followers of Jesus, to see the world and interpret the world through the eyes of Christ. Period.
Why do i bring this up? Well it has been brought to my attention, on more than one occassion, that i speak too often about politics. That i should leave that topic alone, all together. Why? What good does it do us, as a community of faith, to ignore something so elemental to our identity as citizens of this global world. We must talk about politics. We must talk about economics. We must talk about war. We must talk about poverty. We must talk about universal healthcare. And we must do all of these things with the integrity of faith. We must come to the table, regardless of where our opinions lie, and have honest conversations about our thoughts and feelings on all that is happening in our world. If we don't. We are not allowing the Spirit of God to invade and inform our choices.
When we, as a church family, relegate political and social conversations to the world, we deny God's power and place in our daily existence. We dont need to pray over who to vote for, because we have already, more times than nought, aligned ourselves with one politician or another. We dont have to pray over healthcare or rising military budgets, because we already have all the answers, right? We live, more than ever, at a time when the people of the world and the United States find themselves polarized by "issues." And if the church doesn't have a voice in this, we are a lame duck social gathering. But that is not why God created the church.
God didn't create the church or call believers into a passive, "lame-duck" existence. No. He created both for the purpose of fulfilling HIS will in this world. How do we know what is HIS will? How do we know how to honor GOD'S desires? We have to have honest conversations, as a community, about where we are and where our world is. And through the collective voice, collective gathering, the Spirit reveals God's purposes.
But more important to coming to a consensus, as a body, we must read the world's news through the lens of the Bible. We have to let the Bible inform and conform our understanding to God's. It is a dangerous thing to approach the world, and the politics, economics, ecologies, and wars without the wisdom of God guiding us. If we negate God's wisdom, we fall victim to a narcissism that demands what we want, even if it means we deny what God wants.
Or we can do what God desires: Seek first His Kingdom, and the rest shall be given to us as well. Stay informed on what's happening, we are in the world. But remember to do so through the eyes of Christ, so that we don't become of the world.
Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

What happens?

Family,

Fear cripples us. Doesn't it? Fear makes us act irrationally. Fear makes us lock our car doors when we drive in certain neighborhoods. Fear makes us lash out at people who look different, act different, and think different. Fear has many shapes and sizes, doesn't it? We can be afraid of the other in our midst. It shows its face when someone of a different race or creed enters our community, and we begin to wonder what will happen. But it's not the only fear that shows up in our lives.

We can fear death. And this one, for most of western culture, seems to be the most relevant. Perhaps at the root of all other fears, is this almost innate fear of death. We lock our doors, because we dont want someone to hurt us. We dont let our kids go to certain parts of Dayton, because we dont want them to get hurt. We dont travel to certain parts of the world, because we fear it could cause us harm. Fear crippples us.

And there are other fears as well. Can you name some? Add your own list of fears to the bottom of this blog, hopefully it will create a conversation, a dialogue about how fear does us no good, but it only keeps us from living. More than that, when it comes to faith matters, fear infringes upon our ability to live out what God created us. This, my friends, can be the most damaging truth about fear. Fear interferes with God and God's plan for us.

Abraham lived in fear. Sure, as Genesis teaches, Abe was faithful. He did a lot of great things, in God's Name and to the glory of God, but Abe also felt the real pain of fear. Fear pushed Abe to tell Sarah to lie about their relationship to Pharoah, inviting the king of Egypt to take Sarah as his bride, violating God's covenant. God rescued Sarah and Abe from that dysfunction, and it would be nice if we read about how that proved God's ability to keep his word to Abe. But Abe, like you and I, like all of us, like each and every person who has ever walked this earth or breathed earth's air, was human.

He, once again, found himself in a foreign land, because he still didnt have a home, and he feared what would happen to him and Sarah if they didn't lie. Once again Sarah told her usual half-truth, and in response to this, the king of Gerar takes Sarah into his household to be his wife. But this time, God quickly intervenes, directly addressing Abimelech in a dream. Letting Abimelech know what would happen if he continued to keep Sarah in his household. Death would be his future. Not only his own death, but Abimelech would lose his entire kingdom.

Abimelech pleads for understanding. Abe lied to me, God. I didn't know she was his wife. Abimelech screams for justice, for some sense of right to come from this. He was innocent, right? And God knows it. God makes it clear that this is why God visited in Abimelech's dream, to stop Abimelech from corrupting Sarah. Abimelech obeys. But this time there is a twist.

When Pharoah confronts Abe, Pharoah kicks Abe and Sarah out of Egypt. He blesses them with an increase in livestock and servants, but he exiles them too. He sends them back to the dessert, the dried earth that they had fled for hopes of greener pastures. But Abimelech doesn't do that. Instead, per God's orders, he asks Abe to pray for him, and he grants Abe land in Abimelech's kingdom. Abe is finally going to have a final resting stop, if he wants. Abe prays over Abimelech, and all is back in order.

But again, here is irony. The women of Gerar were barren, because of Sarah's place in Abimelech's household, but after Abe's prayer, the women could conceive. Here's the irony. Sarah was still barren. Granted not for long, but she still had no child. The promised heir still absent. The women of this kingdom were going to have children, but Sarah still didn't know whe she would get to laugh. God's promises are assured, but when God's timing doesn't mesh with ours, which is often the case, fear becomes our natural crutch.

But what we dont understand is that fear cripples. Fear interferes. Fear limits. Fear robs. And fear keeps us from feeling the fullness of God's blessing in our lives. But what else is there when we face danger, difficult seasons, unfulfilled promises, or even death? What else can we feel, but fear? Sure there are stories of saints who stood firm, until the end, but most of us aren't superheroes. We face the realities of this life, with all the hardships and pain, and i sense it is natural we feel fear. Fear is natural. It robs us of life. But it is natural.

I sense it isn't that fear is wrong, but living an entire life in fear saddens God. Why? Because there is no hope, no faith, no sense of anything stopping the darkness, and God didn't create us to live in darkness. He created us to live in light, in hope, and in truth. We will have moments of fear, Abe did, but it's how we respond to those moments of fear that truly define us. Abe acted poorly, but at other times Abe moved mountains. The beautiful thing of God, and i hope for us eventually, is that we celebrate those mountains, while letting the pockets of fear to disappear like the changing seasons.

It is time, folks, for us to live in faith. We, like Abe, have been wandering around for a long time, trying to discern where our "home" would be. We suffer from an identity crisis, but it is time for us to do the hard, faith-filled work of listening to God and trusting in God. It is time for us to take up our crosses, to deny ourselves, and to know that by letting go of the things of this world, God will give us a new creation, and a new earth to grab a hold of. Greater than that, as Abe and Sarah will soon discover, when God calls, and we respond, God provides. And yes, God also opens our eyes to experience what a full life, in God, truly feels like. For Abe and Sarah it will come quickly in the birth of the one who creates laughter: Isaac.

For you and me, it will be how we find our identity in the midst of this journey. I sense we are in a desert, as a body, but a desert is only temporary, and it can be full of incredible revelation, if we trust God is waiting on the other side. I believe He is. Do you? If so, join me in living new, full lives of faith, leaving fear at the footstool of the evil one. Amen.


Shalom,
jerry

Wrestling Match

Family,

I have often talked about my good friend, Manny Diaz, because he was so influential to my finding my path into the ministry. But more than that, he was the first evangelical, that i had met, who made it quite clear that it is ok to ask questions of the Bible. He taught me, right away, that the answer, "The Bible says so," simply does not work, all the time. And in other cases, the Bible has stories or incidences that make us question.

Genesis 19 is one of those stories, at least for me, that often raise my eyebrows. It is full of the threat of violence, or more specifically rape, and it ends in incest. But it also has a father offering up his only daughters, as bait to spare strangers. And it, of course, has the total destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This is a chapter full of darkness, rash decisions, pain, and for me at least, confusion.

What do we do with a text so full of darkness? How do we, with authenticity, have an open and honest conversation about a text that many just pass over, because of what it involves. I dont think i have found Genesis 19 on the lectionary, and i am pretty sure most of my pastor friends avoid it like the plague. But is that the answer? Is avoiding difficult text or difficult situations really helpful, healthy? No. It isn't.

I think we have the freedom, as was shared in small group, to be angry at this text. Any father of daughters, or any children, would be angered at the audacity of Lot to offer his pure daughters as a ransom for complete strangers. I think its ok to talk about our feelings of this text. How we find it repulsive and unacceptable. How it violates everything we know about what it means to be human and a parent. Its ok.

Its ok to suggest that Lot is not a godly man, if that is how we read the text. But it is also ok to read it and sense that Lot might be doing what he feels is best. Even if it doesn't make sense to us. At the core of Lot's issues is the reality of welcoming two strangers/ angels into his household. Lot's desire to be hospitable ranks higher than the well being of his daughters. Lot knew that those strangers came under his roof, expecting to be safe, expecting to be cared for, and expecting to have an experience that is positve. Lot doesn't want to break their trust.

But what does this say about Lot's parenting skills, as my friend Melissa raised? What about the role of women in that culture? Could it be that women were really seen as property and not at all human? So that enabled Lot to treat his daughters differently? He went after his son in laws, who laughed at him, but he was ready to throw his daughters to the wolves. But what does this say about God?

Kendra offered a great question. If God promised to save Sodom, if He found ten people, why didn't God look harder? Or was Sodom really that corrupt, that evil? What made them evil? Was it their desire to rape, and yes the Hebrew points towards a violent act, them two strangers? Or was it that their violent intentions proves their failure to be hospitable? I dont have many answers, but i do have a lot of questions. More than that, i have listening ears, because i need to hear how you read this text.

Finally, the daughters of Lot get him drunk and sleep with him. They do this out of desperation. But what is your reaction? What are your thoughts? And does it make the whole situation ok when we realize that two great peoples: Moabites and Ammonites come from this time of desperation? Or do the ends not justify the means? I invite, no i encourage your responses, your thoughts, and your anger or whatever feelings come from Genesis 19. Lets craft, together, a message that truly comes from us, as the Body of Christ. It is a joy to journey with you all, and may God's Spirit illumine His word and His purpose in each of us, so that we might continue walking in the Light. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Not Even Larry the Cable Guy...

Family,

There is this comic named, Larry the Cable Guy, and his humor is, well its grade school to put it nicely. He tells jokes that are far from intellectual or mentally challenging, and most of his jokes could have been heard on the playground, during recess at the local grade school. And yet, he is widely popular and incredibly successful. He makes people laugh, because he tells stupid jokes about himself and his family that makes all who listen, laugh. I know i did.

And yet, not even Larry the Cable Guy could have created a joke as funny as chapter 18 of Genesis. This chapter is full of irony, sarcasm, wheeling and dealing, and a lot of hospitality. The author introduces us to three strangers who come upon Abraham, and Abe instantly begins to care for their needs. Abe heard God's promise in the last chapter, about Isaac, and perhaps Abe is thinking these three strangers are there to make sure it happens. Abe senses something Divine about these guys, and so he goes out of his way and makes Sarah go out of her way to give these guys the best welcome they could have.

This isn't funny as much as it is standard for people of that part of the world. Welcoming strangers, waiting on them hand and foot, is normal, expected. It was also a tradition, found in other Eastern narratives that strangers would visit, and the birth of a child would soon follow. Perhaps Abe felt these strangers were there to make something Divine happen. But they didn't. Not yet.

Instead they made Sarah laugh. They told Abe, once again, that he and Sarah would have a child, and they were to name that child: Isaac. This is laughable. Abe is one hundred years old, and Sarah hints that he is too old for this to happen. Not only that, but she says, sarcastically, what, "Now? Now? Now God is going to give me the pleasure of raising a child? Now? When Abe and I can barely walk? That's funny stuff right there, i dont care who you are!" She must have been thinking.

The LORD calls her out, and Sarah tries to lie her way out of this sticky situation. But who can blame her for being sarcastic, doubtful? She was in her nineties or close to it. Abe was one hundred, well past any child bearing, raising age that was normal, and now, now when they could barely get along, now God was going to give them that child. Given the situation, perhaps i would have laughed too. Because thinking about the aburdity of this promise, at that time, yeah it is laughable.

No matter how ironic, impossible, or improbable this is, God simply reminds Abe, and all of us, that nothing is impossible with God. NOTHING! God can do all things! God can move mountains. Create matter from the abyss. Breathe life into clay. And even give a hundred year old patriarch an heir. But by the grace of God indeed. So God makes all these powerful points, helps Sarah see the truth, surely Sarah will be having that son soon and very soon at that, right?

No. God said in about a year, so they still have to wait. Not only that, God offers no further explanation. They are going to have to wait, even longer, for the blessed heir. What does this have to teach us? Everything about how God works. And everything about how difficult it is to remain faithful as God's plan unfolds, some times quickly, in the blink of an eye and other times through the journey of a hundred years. In reality, God's timing means everything, even if it doesn't mesh with our agendas and plans. God's Will be done. Not ours.

It is funny, when you think about the impossible promise God gives. It is. This elderly couple was finally going to have a child. Sarah past menopause. Abraham more than likely is no longer able to have children either. And yet, now the promise will come true. Now the heir comes to reality. Now all those shattered dreams become flesh and bone. Now. When neither can truly enjoy the pleasure of chasing little Isaac around. Now. When neither have the strength and energy to see Isaac fulfill his full potential. And now. When they are beginning to prepare themselves to go home and be with God. Now their dreams come true. This is irony at its finest.

But the beautiful thing about irony and God; it fits. Only when things seem totally impossible can we trust that it was God's hand all along. It is these moments of hilarious miracles that remind us who the author of miracles is: God. Not us. Not science. And not any doctor. God and God alone. And God always makes it on time: His time.

We just have to be patient, who knows what God has in store for us? Whatever it is, i know it is not beyond His ability to fulfill His wish. I need only be available to receive the promise, the gift, and the miracle, even if i am way over the hill. Abe received it, and Isaac made him proud. So what are we waiting to receive? Hopefully whatever God has in mind. For it won't work any other way. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Have you ever?

As a kid my cousins and i made a promise to each other, that we would always stick together, no matter what. Each of us, at that point, had experienced divorce and moving and other events that disrupt the easiness of life for any and all young kids. So we banded together. United in our desire to help each other through the choppy waters of transition and change, and we did. But with any promise, there is a chance, a risk that someone will break the promise, so we did what careless kids will do, we made a pinky swear, with blood.

That's right. We stabbed, with a pin, each other, and we mixed our blood, proving our allegiance to one another. By shedding our blood, we testified to our commitment to this promise. We had a visual reminder, a real showing of how much we were going to give to this promise. And for a long time it lasted, until my cousins moved to New Mexico, and life happens for all.

I sense this is what God wanted from Abraham and all men who call on His Name: a real sense of commitment, something tangible, sacrificial, illustrating our vow to God. All too often we readily give our vocal promise, and all too often, at least i do, we fail to keep them. We get busy. We choose the "better" road. Perhaps we didn't realize the fullness of our promise, so we, with remorse, break it. Or, as often is the case, we simply forget. But when we have to give of ourselves, and in truly a sacrificial way, we can never forget. We, and God, will always remember the pledge we make with our Creator, and that makes the promise all the more difficult to break.

And yet, it happens, doesn't it? Even though we have given of our blood, our flesh, as a testament to our covenant with God, don't we, like my cousins and I, break our promises still? Aren't there times when we still fail to live up to what God desires, demands of us? Or perhaps the demands God gives us are too strict, too costly, and we have to bow out, choose the other road? In some cases, even though we have given of ourselves, is it possible we even forget? If this is how we hold our end of the promise, what does God do with us?

It says in Genesis 17 that if, IF, Abraham remained faithful, God would give him a son: Isaac, which means "He laughs." Because at 100 years of age, having your first heir is laughable, but God made it clear: do this and this will happen. God was telling Abraham, show me your allegiance, once and for all, and the promise of the stars in the heaven will finally come true. God even gives the son a name: Isaac. But for the first time God demands something of Abraham--God wants to see how committed Abe really was. Abe, yeah he passed this test.

Abe does what is commanded, so Abe can expect a son, within a year. But what happens after the son? What happens ten years down the road? Twenty? Will Abe forget, as we all do? And if he forgets, as i have done so many times, what will God do? Here is our dilemma, and here is where we have to rely on God more than ever.

Sisters and brothers, God doesn't suffer from short term or long term memory loss. God never will have amnesia or alzheimers. God's faculties and cognition are beyond our ability to comprehend, and for that we should be thankful. Thankful that God remembers His covenant and His end of it. Thankful that God remembers our faithful times. And yes, thankful that God remembers our unfaith. So what do we do when the Almighty holds, in His hands, all that we have done well and poorly? We trust in His love.

For above all things, His love, as manifested in the person of Jesus, holds the ultimate covenant together. His love removes our past, clears our present, and prepares our future. God doesn't forget, but God never holds against us, how badly we have failed. If we will remember and turn to Him. When we do, God is the father of the prodigal son, God is the redeemer, and God is the one, from the cross, saying, "Today you will be with me in paradise." Why? Because God remembers His promise to us, no matter what.

And God's promise cost Jesus everything, so God will never forget! My cousins and I don't talk about that summer day in Chase, KS, but i do remember our promise to each other. And down deep, in our heart of hearts, i sense we still look out for each other, even from the miles that separate us. If we, as humans can do that, how much more can and will our God care for us, if we remember. Amen.

I Do.

Dear Family,

Have you ever made a vow? A promise? Given your word? We offer these with the greatest intentions, but how often have we failed to keep our promises, our vows, or our word? Too often, i think, life happens, and we find ourselves betraying our friends or family, not intentionally and not to hurt them, but all too often, it happens. Why? As stated earlier, life happens.

For me, it destroys me when i break a vow, when i don't keep my word. Sometimes i am not even aware of it until someone illumines the fact that i failed, and when that happens a rush of guilt and shame overcome me like a flood. And i want to hide my head and run away. But i can't. I have to live this and live in this world, which means that i will, again, break a vow, a promise, or go back on my word. Which raises, at least for me, a vexing question. Should we remain unattached to one another, never offering a promise or a vow at all? Should we be completely uncommitted, so that we don't have to fail, miserably?

Both are risks, aren't they? We can give our word, whole heartedly, with all the intentions and desires to see it through, only to fall when something happens, unexpectedly. We appear as aloof, irresponsible, a liar. Or. We can do the other and never commit to anything, remain neutral. Sure it affords us the right to come and go as we please, without ever letting anyone down. But doesn't it also keep us at a distance from others? Being non-committal doesn't seem to be the answer either. What are we to do?

I sense this is an age old question. How to balance the desire to commit with the reality of a life full of uncertainties? Often times i fail, terribly. How about the rest of you? Have you found yourselves falling short of a committment you made? Or have you failed to commit at all, hoping the safety of distance will keep you out of the frying pan?

Which is the path of God? In chapter 15, we have another odd addition to the Abraham narrative. We don't have a story, per se, in this chapter, instead we have a conversation, or a series of conversations, between God and Ole Abe. This isn't so much about Abe's interactions or behaviors as it is a dialogue between the Creator of the promise and the receiver of the promise.
And it has to happen, doesn't it? I mean Abe has to be at a point where Abe begins to question God's word, all together.

Abe didn't have a child. No blood heir, so Abe was going to have to leave his wealth, status, and the promise with someone who was born, as a servant, into Abe's household. Abe laments this reality to God, which is a powerful thing. Abe doesn't let God off the hook, does he? Abe calls God into accountability. "Where is my heir that you promised?" Abe knows that Abe is well past childbearing/rearing years, so the promise has to be something of a daydream, long gone. And Abe left his homeland, because God promised land and a nation, both of which seem like broken promises. Abe is, rightfully so, angry with God.

God allows, no more than that, embraces the anger of Abe. Why? Because most of us would not get angry or confront someone, who broke a promise with us, if we didn't trust them. We would do it only if we knew the relationship would survive. Abe isn't blasphemeing God. Abe is honoring God. Abe shows God incredible respect by being open and honest with Abe's feelings of failed dreams. God, on the other hand, listens and reassures Abe that the promise still holds. And here's the kick in the pants: Abe accepts God at God's word. Why? Because as God put it, Abe is a righteous man.

Righteous people can handle a delay in any promise, because they know that God will see His promise through. Righteous people don't fear the darkness, because they know that the author of Light will, once again, illumine the darkness, helping them find their way. And righteous people, like Abe, look to the stars and hear God offering reassurance, and they say, OK. Faith in God, trust in God leads to a lifetime of peace. If our lives are in turmoil, it is time to regain that faith/trust in God, which spoke peace to the storm.

Our small group read this text as a reminder of how intimate God longs to be with all of us. God allows our questions, our anger, and all the He asks is that we, like Abe, stare into the night sky and proclaim that God is God. God wants to walk between our offerings and engulf what we bring to Him with His glorious fire. He longs to take us by the hand and show us the journey He has in mind for us. And He waits, as Abe did, for us to return to the promise we made to Him at our baptisms.

It is time, folks, to return to the promise. Our promise to each other. Our promise to God. But also God's promise to us: "Surely i will be with you, even to the end of the age." In order for that promise to hold, we must be trust Jesus at his words. When we do, we will be that tree which bears good fruit in season. And isn't bearing fruit what we have desired all along? Amen.

Shalom,
jerry

Turn of Events

Dear Family,

There is a wise cliche, "The grass is always greener on the other side," and it is often used, in case we have forgotten, to reference how we often think life has to be better than our own existence. We see our neighbor's huge house, and we want it. We watch as our sister or brother buys a brand new car, and we want that too. Or, we see the lush green pasture our mother farmed, and we long to be the next to till that soil. However, as is often the case, looks can be deceiving.

That huge house comes with enormous heating and electrical bills that push one to the brink of foreclosure. That new car, well the insurance alone will cripple you. And as for your father's pasture, sure you have seen it produce, experienced its fruit, but maybe you never realized how hard you mom worked to keep it all going. The huge debt used to finance the crops often goes unnoticed or talked about. The outer appearance looks amazing, but all too often we miss the layers underneath that can stifle the soul.

This is what happens to Lot. He looks at the fertile soil of the region around the Great Salt Sea, and he runs to it, envisioning a crop a hundred times, no a thousand times what Abraham could ever expect from the rocky, hilly soil of Hebron. Lot probably begins making plans to expand his farm, his "flock," but what Lot failed to notice or realize is that he was no longer under the blessing of God. He was left, alone. To fend for himself. To secure his own way. To make it. And as is often the case, when we leave God behind, bad things happen.

Lot falls into enemy hands, and he becomes the war property of foreign kings. Not that this is the only bad reality for Lot. He lives with the men of Sodom and Gomorrah, who would play a significant role in his story not to far from now. Not only was he a victim of war, but he was also a victim of wrong time, wrong place. He lived with the sinful men of his generation, and he failed to see the ramifications of living with such men. I think i have a clue.

When we surround ourselves with godly men and women, we act accordingly. But when we allow ourselves to follow the ways of wicked humanity, all too soon, our actions become wicked as well. The best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry when coupled with the wicked plans of wicked people.

Lot was two strikes away from being left out, but something happens to save him. Someone escapes the invading kings and warns Abraham about Lot's situation. Abe goes to the rescue. Abe not only chases after Lot, but Abe, with the fullness of God's blessing and promise resting on his shoulders, defeats the four kings with men trained in his flock. They may have known how to defend, but these weren't professional soldiers. They were members of Abe's household that had special training, in case something came up, demanding their speciality. And it did. These brave men, with the hand of God upon them, free Lot and win the war.

Here's where the story takes an odd turn. Marching in to bless Abraham is Melchizedek, a priestly king from Salem, or Jerusalem. This Canaanite king/priest offers bread and wine to Abraham, and he blesses Abraham. In response, Abe offers a tenth of the income from the battles to the king, a foreign king, who served a "foreign" god. But Abe gives Melchzidek a tenth, and Melchzidek gives Abraham a powerful blessing. What does this mean?

Who is Melchzidek? Other than what we have here, we have no other reference to him in the Old Testament. In fact, he is almost forgotten until Hebrews picks up on him in Hebrews 7. In this epistle, the author returns to the priestly king and paints a godly picture of this king. But then the author does something incredible, the author of Hebrews uses Melchzidek as a means to point to the ultimate Priest/King: Jesus Christ.

Could it be that Melchzidek was a divine presence, ushering in the promise of God, and Abe, being a faithful man, realized it and offered what he could? Could be? But whatever role Melchizedek plays in the Abrahamic narrative, ultimately the priest/king points to the One who is the ultimate example of Priest and King: Jesus. And Abe illustrates how faithful followers of the One should act: humble, faithful, and obedient. When that happens, life is good.

When we become obedient, worship becomes 24/7-365. When we surrender our will to Jesus' and become faithful, carrying our cross, peace becomes real, no matter what we face. And when we are humble before God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, confessing our sinful nature to and our dependence on the Triune God, life becomes meaningful and real. Life, my friends is what Abe experienced daily. Life is what the apostles knew so much about. And life is what Jesus promised to all: abundant life.

Life is what we seek, and when we surrender and obey and humble ourselves, life is what we get. True life. Authentic life. Joyful life. Abundant life. Amen.

Shalom,
jerry