How Majestic is His Name...

This morning I am concerned the illustrations on this blog will give some pause to wonder about my calling. After all if District Committees and Conference Boards of Ordained Ministry didn't try to put the screws to me I'd have to wonder whom else they let through without checking. I'd really just like to make this plain.

I love God, and I am amazed at his creation. As Psalm 8:3,4 puts it, "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established: what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them (NRSV)?" God has a wonderful and awe inspiring creative spirit. For reasons that are His alone He has seen fit to give me a bit of that same spirit. I tried making a career out of using those gifts, but it didn't work. I almost quit drawing because of that experience. However, God used this gift to help me to recover, and has encouraged me to keep drawing. I am still trying to work out how God would like me to use this gift for his Kingdom, but creative communication has appeared on every spiritual gift inventory I have taken.

I have absolutely no doubt God has called me to ordained ministry. As an elder in the United Methodist Church I will do everything I can to serve God, my family, the church where I have been placed, and then if I have a little time I may squeeze in a little time to draw. If God shows me ways to use this gift to benefit His kingdom I will gladly do so. For me it's no different than helping a class room understand a difficult passage of Scripture on their own terms or stopping to help a motorist with a flat tire on the side of the road. I love God, and will serve Him gladly.

Nice to know I've still got it...

Winnie the Pooh & Friends Praying

...but what I've got is still up for debate. This is the illustration I did for our baby's room. The prayer on the right is the one my folks taught to my brother and I. The characters from left to right are Eeyore, Rabbit, Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh, Piglet and Tigger. They're all praying with the exception of Eeyore. He's looking at everyone else. Tigger is bouncing on his tale in the background because if anyone in the Hundred Acre Wood is Pentecostal it's probably Tigger.

The Unexpected

Unexpected - 1. not expected or anticipated; 2. causing surprise or wonder or amazement
eg. A boy walking through the woods was unexpectedly attacked by a wood burning stove with an ax to grind.

The unexpected is often difficult to handle. We get our lives all set in the direction we want to go, and then POW out of the blue our plans get changed. Here's just one good example from the Bible. Joseph was having wonderful dreams of being raised up to rule over his ten older brothers, when they attacked him and sold him into slavery. It happened to me to! I had this good job working as a product designer. Sure I was struggling a little, but I thought if I just kept my head down, and kept on plugging I could work through the difficulties. God was calling me to something else. Joseph held to his faith, and God blessed him; making him overseer of all Egypt. After a difficult walk through the wilderness God brought a wonderful woman into my life. He has guided me to seminary, where I am now married with our first baby due any day. Our lives do not often turn out the way we plan, but if we hold to our faith they will turn out as God intended. To do that means deciding to look to God when things get hard.

WWJD

God is absolutely worthy of living our lives to suit Him. To live as Christ lives brings joy, peace and contentment. American culture encourages rugged individualism with the ethic of he who has the most toys at the end wins. The American dream as it is cast today, the hunt for more stuff, fame and fortune, me me me the individualist does not bring any of those things. Sometimes I fall into that trap. When I am furthest from Christ I question myself, and my confidence falls. When I am furthest from Christ I want to huddle together with people I know and ignore those I don't because I want to feel safe and secure. I know there are times when I've been over bearing, short, callous, defensive, or talked way too much; all because I was afraid of either ridicule, or being made fun of, or just making mistakes and letting people down. I don't think I'm alone. I think that's part of the reason why most churches are so clickish. The apostle Paul had something to say about this kind of fear. "Only let yourselves be worthy of the gospel of Christ[.]" In my life I have felt very little comfort in possessions; although I find myself longing for them from time to time. I have felt more fear and dread when I have focused on me, myself and I, than on top of any mountain or hanging from any rock wall. My greatest place of comfort is with Christ surrounded by those who love Him as much as I do, and usually more. I have felt best about myself when I am reaching out to others for the Kingdom of God. It isn't about me. Thank God it's not all about me...

The Mountain of God

In the Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis the boy Eustace and his classmate Jill are transported to Aslan's mountain in the world where Narnia lives. After Eustace is blown to Narnia by Aslan, Jill is given a specific set of instructions. She is specifically told the air upon the mountain is clearer, but down in Narnia it is much thicker and it will be difficult to hear the voice of Aslan.

Here in the real world, away from works of fiction, the Christian walk is full of mountain top experiences. Many people have them, if only once in their lives. These experiences touch us in deep emotional ways. Unfortunately we do not remember emotions as well as we are taught to remember ideas and facts. We may remember what happened, and not be able to relive the sensation. I think this is very similar to what C.S. Lewis was trying to communicate in the Silver Chair.

Jesus spoke to this problem in Luke 21:34-36 when he tried to teach the Sadducees who were testing Him. Jesus told them to watch their hearts so they will not become confused by this world. The air is very thick here in the real world. We have all kinds of distractions, specifically in American society. These distractions are a trap. Do not be seized by them. Please do not forget there is a place where the air is clear, and you can hear Jesus' voice very clearly right beside you.

Live By The Sword

About a month ago I was looking at Jake Parker's blog and saw he was drawing Samurai. This got me to thinking about the movie "The Last Samurai" and a presentation I saw by James-Micheal Smith, a Gordon Conwell student giving his final presention for graduation. I've been wondering for some time about how to use the gifts God gave me for illustration in ministry, and I thought I would give this a try.

There are a surprising number of references to armor in the Bible. Paul uses the imagery of armor three times; Ephesians 6:10-20; Romans 13:12; 2Corinthians 6:7. With each of these illustrations the point is to lay aside the darkness and sin of former lives, to become a new person. It's really wonderful because the person inside is no different, but that which we put on has a new purpose with a utilitarian nature. The image is unlike the white washed tombs of the Pharisees. We are not meant to be monuments which are to be mourned, and posthumously honored. The armor of God is the light to share God's grace and love with others. That's why when Paul describes it in Ephesians each piece of the armor is a character trait.

The Samurai lived lives of discipline and service. It is said they would "live by the sword, or die by the sword - their own, or their enemies." If we Christians were to live that way what would be the sword in our lives? Paul refers to the "sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God." What if Scripture, and the good news of God's love for the world were our Sword? What if we lived lives "by the sword" that shared the love of Christ before we spoke our first word? What if the death we die is knowing we have finished the race well, or that we have been dishonored and disgraced by the sword of the world which is sin? It kinda puts a whole new twist on "Onward Christian Soldiers," don't it?

Remember What You Seek and Why

Many people are familiar with Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." This verse is part of a letter written by the prophet Jeremiah to the exiles taken to Babylon, and it is often a "crutch" verse for people when they face difficult struggles in their lives. In my prayer time this morning I was drawn back to this chapter. As I was reading through the chapter verses twelve and thirteen stood out to me. "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart." The last part of verse thirteen all but knocked me out of my chair because it is so similar to Deuteronomy 6:5, and Matthew 22:37. As a Christian walking home I have to remember to whom I am walking and why. I have been blessed to have experiences where I have felt the Holy Spirit draw near and it was an incredible experience. However, with the passing of time feelings fade. This verse is like the hymn "Seek Ye First The Kingdom of God," in that it reminds me I have to stay on task. I have to stay focused. It's hard when there's always other stuff to do. There's always work, and school, and pretty soon Karen and I will have baby too. I am not begrudging the blessings and tasks I have been given. I am saying with all of the busyness in my life it is often difficult to stay focused on one thing. I wonder if God is against multi-tasking.