Unusual and Fitting

Last Friday was one of those challenging days in ministry placing generous demands and offering great opportunity. A friend, and the brother-in-law of a church member, was tragically killed and I was asked to help with the service. This posed a few challenges, since it was out of town and preceded a wedding I had agreed to perform that evening. Making the six hour round trip, I arrived home to change into wedding attire and on to the wedding with a generous 10 minutes to spare.

What a great honor to be asked to participate in the case of both events. I have always said I am perfectly willing to be one of the crowd offering support and respect from the audience. But, when asked to take the lead role with either I am humbled. However, humility assumed new shades of meaning at the memorial service. My friend loved a great joke. He didn't mind feeling the brunt of laughter and he carried a reputation for pulling jokes on others. At his memorial service the unexpected happened.

The funeral home chapel was filled to capacity. I had requested the family write down reflections and memories of the member suddenly and tragically lost and they had responded beyond expectation. For perhaps 15 minutes I shared their thoughts with the audience allowing all to be impressed and occasionally laugh at real life experiences. When the service concluded and people were passing by the casket and out of the chapel, one older gentleman relying heavily on a cane, ambled up to the front, came face-to-face with me and informed me in no uncertain terms he had not been able to hear a thing and I needed to do something about the sound system. His voice carried throughout the chapel. He walked out the side door and the family broke into gentle laughter feeling much as I did (I would learn later in conversation with them). Though an unusual experience it felt strangely fitting for the affinity my friend felt for moments of unanticipated laughter.

As for the sound system…well let's just say visiting preachers have very little pull.

In the Distance

So how far can one be from God and still find Him? Or, to consider the question from the opposite direction, how far into the distance will God pursue a man? I don't know a definitive answer, but I see in Scripture a definitive God. Whether influenced by the metaphor of a father longing for the return of his lost son, or the image of Jesus deeply moved by humanity's condition of spiritual disorientation; God's self-sacrificing actions forge our expectations our God, who will dare to deliver up His only Son for our spiritual freedom, will wait patiently and reach deeply into our darkness and turn on the light.

What we preachers reminisce about, develop dialectical discourses regarding, and even tap for inspiration; God allowed me to experience vicariously. For years my friend had been one of the last through the doors on Sunday mornings and first to leave the assembly. He staked out a place at the rear of the auditorium during the assembly, successfully avoiding interaction with most. But, approximately a year ago life came crumbling in on him and in desperation He reached for a God who had always seemed allusive of bona fide satisfying intimacy.

With every other avenue spelling failure he began to open to God. For the first time in his life when he read the Scripture it made sense. Prayers became the substantive language of a seeker, rather than the guilty words of avoidance. Moving from the back of the auditorium to the front he began to engage more people, plug more intimately into the worship, and experience God more as an advocate than an adversary.

Last Sunday morning I rushed through the fellowship center heading for the office, following class, to drop off class material and make sure I had all of the needed material for the sermon. My friend caught me and asked if I would baptize him the following Saturday. Why Saturday? He is very shy and only wanted family and a few friends. All week long I have anticipated last night. And as he stood before witnesses professing his faith we all witnessed what God can do when the lost wants to be found.

This morning with a picture of the baptism on the screen we introduced our church to our new brother. He stood and resounding applause expressed the emotions of the church. The words of a song are resonating in my mind in facilitating my friend's overcome heart of emotions, "I once was lost, but now I am found; was blind but now I see." How far can one be from God and find He is right next door? Far! How pursuant is God of a wondering soul? Very!

Angels Unawares

As typical, children from the neighborhood attended our Vacation Bible School, with no other connection to our church other than they wanted to come to VBS. On the first night we unfolded a carnival with a large bouncing slide (which the adults enjoyed as much as the children), an inflatable jumping room, games and crafts, hot dogs, and snow cones. In the midst of the fun, I met a talkative nine year old little girl. OK "talkative nine year old" sounds redundant, but you have the picture. She told me about her family, her hobbies, and what a great time she was having at VBS.

Now our strategy is to place the refreshment time at the end of the night, outside under our portico, and have parents to pick their children up there while enjoying the refreshments themselves. This allows us as workers to get acquainted with them. On the second night of VBS I saw the mom of my new little nine year old friend and thought "I recognize her." As we talked I learned she worked at Wal-Mart and that was where I remembered her.

Flash forward a week, a trip to Wal-Mart early in the morning for an oil change, and as I entered the store there she stood calling a customer to pick up his vehicle. My first thought was to wave so as not to appear rude. My second thought was of being glad I saw her before displaying a bad attitude, negative spirit, anger, and I think you know where I am heading. OK, while Wal-Mart typically provides my oil changes, every experience has not been an exemplar of customer care and satisfaction. I go there because they are cheap and one of our members, who I have great respect for, now runs the shop.

I doubt very seriously the Hebrew writer envisioned VBS, oil changes, and Wal-Mart when he wrote, "some people have entertained angels without knowing it," 13:1; but there certainly seems to be a principle we can run with anyway. In line at McD's, checking out at HEB, driving down the freeway, waiting for the pizza which was suppose to be ready for pick-up in 20 minutes and now it is 40 minutes later, and on and on. We never know when God is checking out our hospitality through unassuming circumstances. We never know when the gracious attitude shown at VBS finds validation, or invalidation on a quick trip to Wal-Mart.

Flashback

As Carolon and I prepare for a transition to the Westhill Church of Christ in Cleburne we are bringing various ministry functions to a close. This effects changes in our time and commitments, including a redirect of what has become a Sunday morning routine. The weekly Shepherds/Ministry Staff meeting at the Alvin Church of Christ happens at 8:00 AM each Sunday. But, two weeks ago I suggested to my fellow leaders the remaining weeks I was on staff my plan included bowing out of these meetings, except for when they specifically asked me to attend. This would allow them to work on their own transition at our departure. In the absence of a meeting to launch the day, how would I start the teaching/preaching engine? By visiting one of America's richest locations for sermon reflection – Starbucks! Those of you who teach and preach know precisely what I mean.

Our local Starbucks is inside Kroger. As I walked into the sitting area, a Kroger's employee was kicked back at a table waiting for a ride. He had no car, was living with his sister and brother-in-law, had one child out of wedlock to whom he was being forced to pay child support, and predictively had no money. How do I know this? Because he poured out his pain, to an unsuspecting fellow employee; and I listened, while working through the morning homily. The guy innocently asked, "You off work?" and in response he received a bitter ear full. I'm guessing the next time he sees "Mr. My Life is Hard," he will duck and dodge.

Jump forward one week, I walk in this morning and the only change is the story is being told to another employee. Everything else remains the same. The events of the past week provide the only tangible indicator time has passed. His story is typical of how many of us remain stuck in a life frame which is not personally flattering, self-esteem building, or hopeful. Rather than take responsibility we elect to feel offended by life and justified in passing the blame for any indiscretion, regardless of how offensive, on to someone else.

Jesus' profession on what His arrival on earth delivers is "life to the full." And yet this life, His life, "life to the full" is an evasive philosophical proposition at best; and an elusive presentation of reality at worst as long as we view our life through the lens of paralyzing self-pity. We are not created for life by the least common denominator of existence, but to pursue life with excellence.

Yes, this Sunday I will likely continue my new routine. I wonder if the story will change?

Driving Rain on a Sunny Day

Tuesday afternoon the sky opened and a driving rain fell for about 15 minutes. Is this unusual? No! But, what was unusual was how bright the sun shone while rain drenched the earth. The eclectic nature of the experience proved to be a precursor for the day I encountered Wednesday. In the morning convincing the a/c repair guys if the air conditioning was working adequately people wouldn't be signing up for free memberships to the auditorium sauna during VBS in the evenings; and in the afternoon meeting with the bride of an upcoming wedding. Add to this deep study time in prep for the Wednesday night "Faith Café" and Sunday sermon, a foray into troubleshooting technology issues, a brief conversation with my son who is working in England this week, a heart-to-heart talk with a young man at church about my impending move to another ministry, and the rush of VBS. Then, to put the final touches on the day Carolon and I turned out the lights at a local restaurant with good friends from church.

I've heard people talk about how tedious life is, but somehow such moments of transcending passivity and taciturn reality evade my experience. Quite frankly I like the assortment, rush of energy, and demands of a multitasking world. It fits my personality. And yet at this moment, on the brink of a 4^th of July holiday, the office being closed, and entering a no planned event zone (at least for two days) I find myself welcoming the "quiet life" Paul found through prayer (1 Timothy 2:2), and the psalmist found through a Shepherding God. Take a deep breath, smell the fragrance of life, step off the roller coaster, and relax. Even God rested on the seventh day!