Forgiveness | The Freedom of Forgiveness

One thing I have learned in my sixty plus orbits around the sun is that people are going to behave poorly. The reasons are often complex and far reaching but the bottom line is that every one of us gets hurt on some level by the selfishness, insensitivity and/or cluelessness of others. Not only do we get hurt… but most of us dish out our share of hurtful behavior. I suppose it is part of being human.

Albert Einstein is quoted as saying that

“the difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has limits.”

To be human is to be flawed… to do dumb things… to be selfish… to be a sinner. That is why forgiveness is so important. Forgiveness is the antidote for the hatred, resentment and angst caused by hurtful behavior. The more destructive the behavior, the greater the need to forgive and I know that often it is very difficult to really forgive and let go of the anger. When I feel resentment or anger toward some person or some situation, that negative emotion occupies my mind and robs me of the ability to think rationally. It really is a kind of a bondage in my mind and the crazy thing is that this person that I am upset with most likely has no idea that I am angry. Forgiveness sets us free from this bondage.

I recently had a neighbor that was a challenge to live near. This neighbor would do things to intentionally antagonize; like pointing speakers toward my house and blasting music all day or power washing twenty pounds of dirt onto and in front of my property.  Sometimes it worked. I got angry and raised my voice more than once at his behavior and the words that came out of my mouth were mocking and spiteful. I am not proud of that angry response. At first my prayers about these incidents were generally directed toward changing (or disappearing) this person but then I realized that my unforgiveness was the real issue. Resentment for my neighbor robbed me of the ability to have compassion and there can be no compassion without humility. First I had to humble myself and instead of ignoring or mocking my neighbor, I had to ask him to forgive me. Curiously, my neighbor did not quite know how to respond to this except to fire back another profane volley of hostility but my heart was softened and I realized that this man had likely experienced suffering in his life that I would never understand. I found, with my neighbor, that forgiveness is (unfortunately) not a one-time event. I had to forgive my neighbor almost every day when I noticed those resentful feelings start to creep in.

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”

This neighbor never really softened toward me and is probably still walking around with a measure of resentment in his heart but I am only bothered by this because I know this person is limited and diminished by his unforgiveness.  I am grateful that following Jesus’ example of forgiveness has allowed me to break free from this bondage. While it is important to forgive each other it is equally important to forgive ourselves. The life of Jesus represents that forgiveness each and every day. Forgiveness for ourselves and each other is a freedom we were designed to experience.

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About the Author

Joseph was born in Pendleton, Oregon. He attended the University of Oregon from which he graduated in 1979. He then served as a medic in the US Air Force.

Joseph has been married “to the same woman for 38 years” and they have four awesome children. He has enjoyed careers in forestry, education and software. Currently Joseph is retired, substitute teaching when possible and enjoying traveling with his wife.

New Creations | Dogged Obedience

If you’ve ever owned a dog, you know what a wonderful source of love and companionship they can be. Most of the dogs I’ve owned, however, could not be trusted off leash in community situations. We did have the honor of enjoying a big yellow Lab in our family for 14 years and Ollie was one of those dogs that could be relied on to behave (tennis balls and squirrels notwithstanding). Our current dog; Sadie, is sweet and gentle but sadly has earned a short leash existence.  It is a beautiful thing to see a dog that can operate without the need for constant supervision… a dog who can be counted on to do exactly what the master has trained it to do and not wander off to do whatever those other, unwise dogs, might do. Dusty has mentioned their dog Hammy in this context. If I recall correctly, Hammy lost many an opportunity to do enjoyable things with the family because he just could not be trusted to be obedient.

An analogy can be made to our human experience. As we acquire knowledge and learn to apply what we’ve learned it can look a lot like ‘Wisdom’.  But what does it look like when apply our hard earned wisdom?  I believe it looks a lot like ‘Obedience’. Knowledge is to wisdom as wisdom is to obedience.

Wisdom is the application of knowledge
Obedience is the application of wisdom.
~Anonymous

I heard this phrase a decade or so ago and it has stayed in that little corner of my brain reserved for the profound. I first understood that this quote was attributed to Solomon but find that this is not included among Solomon’s writings in the books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes or the Song of Solomon. In any case, as I grow older, it is becoming increasingly clear that this progression from knowledge to wisdom and then on to obedience is vital in our journey to understand and carry out God’s will in our lives.

John 14:23
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”

The word obedience often carries a negative connotation as it is often perceived as conflicting with our independence or free will. Mandated obedience is not what I am talking about here. If someone tells us that we have to do this or can’t do that, it just makes (many of) us want to do the opposite. We can certainly learn about obedience through the consequences mandated by the mortal authorities in our lives. However, wouldn’t it be great if we could move beyond the need for negative consequences toward the kind of obedience that occurs naturally through wisdom: Obedience that springs forth from our hearts because we have wisdom enough to understand that doing God’s will enlarges our ability to be independent and gives focus to our free choice.

God does not operate by leashing us until we prove we can be trusted. God instead provides us with opportunity, every moment, to be a New Creation… to apply our wisdom as a new being obedient by nature because we trust God enough to let go of our old selves as he refines our knowledge into wisdom and our wisdom into obedience.

Thank you Lord for the gift of free will that I may choose to obey your teachings. Please help me understand Your vision for my life and provide the power to carry out Your will through beautiful obedience.  Amen.

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About the Author

Joseph Scheyer was born in Pendleton, Oregon. He attended the University of Oregon from which he graduated in 1979.  He then served as a medic in the US Air Force.

Joseph has been married to the same woman for 38 years and they have four awesome children. He has enjoyed careers in forestry, education and software and currently is a substitute teacher and loving it! Joseph gives his time working with our kids’ ministry and helps out in Sunday worship by running the video screen when asked.

"Eternal Thanksgiving"

Devotional originally posted August 11, 2016

This human being (or is that “being human”) gig is not an easy one. We live in a crazy, complicated and contentious culture where terrorism, mass shootings and random violence are becoming so commonplace that the shock of these events threatens to give way to resignation. This year we have the added craziness of a political system gone haywire to make sense of. Too often I still find myself frustrated by people, events or circumstances that plague this fallen world. It would be easy to allow these feelings to take me down the all too familiar roads of anger and resentment or worry and depression.

Sometimes I wonder where God is amidst all of this turmoil? I must admit that there have been times when it feels as if God has abandoned us and left us here to get through this world on our own…  but then I realize that God is right where God has always been: Within. Within me, within you, within the sunset and the rainbow, whether we recognize it or not we are interconnected by His internal, eternal presence. God will always live within our hearts and souls and no terrorist or politician can change that.

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Some years ago, I entered a treatment program to overcome an addictive behavior.  One of the most important parts of my rehab was to write a page or two in a journal at the end of each day. The idea was to reflect on what went well and what did not go so well and to learn from the experience. I always ended my journal entries by listing three things for which I am grateful. The gratitude entries didn’t have to be anything major because remembering to be grateful for the little things can help keep us grounded. I remember one night being grateful for rose petals, bottle-caps, and opposable thumbs.

One of my best defenses still, against the world, is to keep adding to that gratitude list. The simple act of writing down those people, events, and circumstances that are blessings, helps me better appreciate the experience of the present moment.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.  ― Bill Keane

After all… How can I continue to operate in frustration when I am thinking about how others have contributed good to my life? How can I fail to understand the gift of each day as I experience life’s small pleasures? How can we not feel a sense of abundance when we take a few moments to think about the beauty and wonder that surrounds us?  Thank you Lord for the gift of this day, help me learn better how to walk with you in it.

“I AM WHO I AM.”

Exodus 3:14
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Sometimes I wonder where exactly God hangs out. We are given an image of God in a cloud shrouded, pearly gated heaven where He looks down upon us from a reclining position with flowing white beard. As comforting as that image is, I find it a bit confusing; if God is reclining in a cloud bank somewhere, how could He hear all of our prayers or keep track of everything; like the declining number of hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30)? We know that Jesus came to live among us a couple of millennia ago, died for our sins and then rose again. But where did he really go when he finally ascended into heaven and where does He hang out as we await the promise of His return?  Maybe we are not supposed to know where God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit reside… and we probably wouldn’t be able to comprehend it anyway. But I can’t help it, I am curious. I really want to know.

Where would God need to be in order to know everything about me long before I was born and still be with me at the moment my body passes from this earth? Where in our known universe could God exist in order to know all of my thoughts, words and deeds? There must be another place where God operates that is outside of our understanding of time and space. That this place (wherever it is) allows God to connect with each of us is no small miracle.

2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

The place that most people ask the “where is God” question is when He seems absent. Yes, where is God in the moment of a terrorist act? Where is God when thousands are dying in wars and where is God in the face of man’s overwhelming inhumanity to man?

Sorry to disappoint but I don’t know the answer to these questions. As far as where God is when things go horribly wrong, I believe God is present but we are simply seeing the consequences of our free will actions in a culture where so many choose to live godlessly. Despite our godless culture, my sense is that God does indeed somehow live within each and every one of us and within the world around us. I don’t pretend to understand this but believe I have encountered God on many occasions here on earth through His people and through His amazing creation: a hug or a touch in a time of need… the cry of a newborn… the beauty of a sunrise… the graceful flight of a heron… a thoughtful gesture… a smile… a random act of kindness… that familiar melody that stirs your heart. Sometimes the trick is recognizing when we are in the midst of an encounter with God. Understanding these moments as the gifts they are is a true blessing.

Time is God’s way to keep everything from happening at once.
~Anonymous

Considering God’s ability to exist outside of time, it’s ironic that we can only connect with God in the present moment. I think sometimes we get so caught up regretting the past or worrying about the future that we neglect our continuous connection with God in the present. When we are able to enjoy each moment as a gift we understand how God’s timing is always perfect.

The Wonder of Us

Psalm 139:14 ‘I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well’

I remember the sense of wonder my infant children had as they were discovering fingers and toes. I then recall seeing that sense of amazement start to dampen as they grew and matured into adulthood.  I think it is important that we not lose that sense of awe in our bodies. Is it not miraculous what our eyes can do… what our ears and noses can do? It is amazing what our hearts do every day, not to mention the mass of neurons between our ears pulsing with electrical energy, that we call brains. Our brains are able to operate all of our various systems and organs in the background while allowing us to move our mouths and limbs in amazing, sometimes even annoying ways. If you drill down into the very makeup and nature of our bodies, you discover miracle after miracle from the way that cells divide in the womb to form an embryo, to how the nerves and vessels are laid down, to how our noses and ears keep growing long after most of our other body parts have stopped. Our Creator shows astonishing attention to detail (and perhaps a sense of humor with some of us).

It takes effort to properly care for our bodies but it is important that we do so because in essence, these bodies are not really ours to do with as we wish; our bodies belong to God.  God provided these bodies as a vessel to carry our souls through life. We must be good stewards of this gift and eat wisely, exercise and respect this gift in every way. This is not about worshiping the body but it is about understanding that God created the body as a home for the soul and gave each of us the responsibility to care for it.

Good health is not simply a physical body that works well. Good health is a healthy soul in a healthy body. Just as the body is nourished by certain foods, the soul needs spiritual nourishment. Our awareness of God must be nourished with activities such as study, prayer and virtuous acts to help the soul connect with God. A healthy soul is necessary for a healthy body and a healthy body is necessary for a healthy soul.  I find that when I am able to keep that sense of wonder alive, the struggle to nurture my body can seem almost effortless. Thank you Lord for the gift of our bodies and the amazing wonders before us and within us.

Pain on the Brain

Pain comes in a variety of styles and sizes.  We are provided ample opportunities for good old physical pain. Then there is emotional pain, psychological pain, spiritual pain and perhaps intellectual pain (although I may not be qualified to experience that last one).  Loss is painful, change can be painful and I don’t care what they say, words can hurt just as much or more than stick and stones. Pain does not discriminate based on race, age, gender, religion or socio-economic status. Perhaps most importantly; in my experience, growth almost always involves some kind of pain and or suffering. Sometimes it seems as if we humans were designed to learn things the hard way. Like it or not… pain is an inevitable and often a major part of our human experience.  

2 Corinthians 1:5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

Why would God make pain such an integral part of the human experience? Why is there so much suffering in the world? How can God allow righteous people to suffer?

I don’t really like thinking about pain, much less writing about it. I feel compelled to write this because my body is showing clear signs of wearing out. I will not bore you with the details but suffice to say that physical pain, in several places, is now my constant and unwelcome companion.  I am not complaining; my physical life has been truly blessed to this point, but I need now to understand the lesson that God is providing through this experience of pain.  Unfortunately, recognizing that pain is designed to help us learn does not always help us comprehend the lesson.  After much reflection, I believe that my body is screaming (at me) to “GET MORE FLEXIBLE”.

Do you not see how necessary a world of pains and troubles is to school an intelligence and make it a soul? John Keats

We have a choice about how to respond to the pain that nags at our bodies or our hearts. The trick is to not allow pain to nag at our souls. Understanding that pain is a natural part of the challenge of life can help. I would not actually go so far as to say that pain is a blessing, but there are countless instances where pain was the first step on the road to blessings.

There are dozens of different modalities that we humans have devised for coping with our smorgasbord of pains; from drugs to acupuncture to titanium bracelets.  No matter how we choose to manage our various pains, knowing that God is there to comfort us and that we are part of a greater good is vital for our spiritual health in this regard. One key to our ability to deal gracefully with physical pain is to understand deeply that our bodies are but temporary vessels in which our spirits dwell. Life is challenge, is it not?  When we begin to appreciate the eternal nature of our soul, it makes sense to challenge ourselves (and our bodies) to help change this world for the better. instead of dwelling on our inevitable, persistent and multifaceted pain, we now need to find ways, through God’s grace, to rise above the pain and bless our families and communities.

Thank you for the gift pain… may the lessons to be learned come more easily and gracefully as we move along the road toward God’s redemption.

The Eve of Redemption

In 1964, a man named PF Sloan wrote a song called The Eve of Destruction. Barry McGuire and his gravelly baritone turned it into a hit song in 1965.

The eastern world, it is explodin',
Violence flarin', bullets loadin',
You're old enough to kill but not for votin',
You don't believe in war, but what's that gun you're totin',
And even the Jordan river has bodies floatin',
And you tell me over and over and over again my friend,
You don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.
No, no, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction

Is it remarkable that lyrics written more than fifty years ago may even ring truer today? The eve of destruction. For those of you not old enough to remember, the 60’s were tumultuous days and this song was definitely in tune with the undercurrent of the times. These days feel equally tumultuous to me with the current political situation in this country. There is much unrest, just like in the sixties… except more complicated somehow. Sometimes it can feel like we are careening down a long tunnel toward a horrific, violent demise as a culture… or even as a species.

Don't you understand, what I'm trying to say?
And can't you feel the fears I'm feeling today?
If the button is pushed, there's no running away,
There'll be no one to save with the world in a grave,
Take a look around you, boy, it's bound to scare you, boy,
And you tell me over and over and over again my friend,
Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction.

Admittedly, fifty-three years is a long “eve” for any event (or is it?). A lot has happened in the last five decades but the world is still turning and we are still bopping around on it. If we dwell on all the darkness in this world, it can be difficult to believe that virtue and goodness will ever triumph. I must admit to wondering if there is hope for God’s promise of redemption but I refuse to believe that our only option is to simply live out meaningless days in a pointless life.

What I missed (hey, it’s been said that if you remember the sixties, then you weren’t really there… so I must plead the fifth on any further explanation) in the song at the time was in the chorus: No, no, you DON’T believe we're on the eve of destruction. The song is written as if a plea to those that do NOT believe we are destroying ourselves. I did not realize it at the time, but those words were written for me. Despite so much overwhelming evidence to the contrary, I am compelled to believe in the inherent goodness of all human beings. Therefore, I have found reason to stand upon God’s promise of redemption as written in Isaiah:

The world will be filled with the knowledge of God as the waters cover the sea.
Isaiah 11:9

Redemption is not some future event that we are awaiting, but it is available to anyone at any time. In fact, I believe that redemption is at hand. To fulfill God’s promise of redemption, we must understand that a divine spark resides within each and every one of us. We must then use this spark to help illuminate the darkness that fills this world… feed our souls. We cannot illuminate the world, of course, without first illuminating our own lives so that we can rise above our self-centeredness and surrender to God’s will.  We Christians honor the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as the instrument of our redemption and there are people all over the world, who believe in God’s promise of redemption, living lives of honor and integrity.  

“Redemption is God telling us that the reason for which He created the universe will be realized: that goodness will prevail.”
Simon Jacobsen

Something is happening in the spiritual realm. God is fulfilling this promise of redemption in individuals all over this planet every day and the spirit of the redeemed heart cannot help but draw others toward that spark… as we are drawn toward the miracle of redemption.

And I tell you over and over and over again my friend,
I do believe we're on the eve of redemption.
Yes, yes, I do believe we're on the eve of redemption.

"Faith & Reason" by Joseph Scheyer

When my career as a science teacher took me to a Christian High School, I faced a crossroads when I found that our Biology text stated that, (pardon my paraphrase) “…based upon genealogical evidence tracing the lineage of mankind back to everyone’s ultimate ancestors: Adam and Eve, the earth was created approximately 11,000 years ago.  My reason (backed by tons of geological data) tells me that the earth is billions of years old.  I mean… I have rocks in my house that are much older than that.  Why would God create the earth only appear to be billions of years old? I simply could not teach this to the students and so must confess that we found a way to skip over that chapter (at the risk of leaving a gap in their High School Biology education). Does this mean I lack faith? Did I let my sense of reason blind me to the truth of the creation?  When the students asked, I explained that this was one view of creation and that as their science teacher, it is best to examine all of the viewpoints before advancing any conclusions.  I also let them know I did not share this interpretation and invited discussion with the understanding that having faith does not mean that you abandon reason. 

In the science department of the university, I found the disdain for Christian faith almost palpable at times …  and then I’ve run across a few in my Christian journey who think that science and reason somehow threaten our faith. Each side sees science and God as oppositional. In my experience, faith is not the absence of reason but enhances reason just as reason can edify faith.
With reason, we can think about the marvels of God’s creation and we can begin to sense the depth of His infinite presence. Reason also helps us understand that our human knowledge is limited and see how much is beyond our abilities.  Knowing that you cannot know God --- while in His presence --- provides opportunity for the inner statement of trust and humility that is faith. Faith then becomes the instrument we can use to tap into the truth beyond what we know.  Reason edifies Faith.

Faith in God compels us to use our intellect and logic to appreciate and integrate our faith... there is no doubt that God wants us to Know Him. God wants us to use our finite tools of logic to seek to perceive Him with our mind so that we can expand our scope of, and our ability to, use reason to understand God. Faith enhances reason. 

It is through Faith that we experience the essence of God and it is through Reason that we experience the expression of God. 
~Simon Jacobsen

Faith and reason together can be powerful but We must take care to not allow our reason to quiet the inner voice that tells us what we know, in our hearts, to be true. On the other hand, a healthy mind recognizes its innate limitations, acknowledging the many experiences and understandings beyond the scope of our own logic. When I hold a baby in my arms… or a bird or a leaf -- and see the miracle and wonder of their creation-- it is clear that their existence is an extension of Gods remarkable love, just as I am, and you are.  

Because we weren’t there at the time of creation, I guess we will never know if the earth was created at the time our textbook stated or if Gods creation plan was to form the earth over four billion years ago. In any case, I’m grateful that God gave us the ability to use our sense of reason to fortify our faith as well as to use our faith to bring power to our reasoning. 

"Living with Body and Soul" by Joseph Scheyer

Have you ever experienced a moment when it seems as if you can feel God’s presence … when you have that profound sense of awe and wonder that God is indeed by your side? Alternatively, do you ever remember feeling abandoned by God… wondering if a connection to the divine is even possible?

Being human is a challenge on many levels. On the one hand our divine soul cries out to God, seeking the spiritual connection like the flame of a candle, as it ever reaches ever upward toward heaven. On the other hand, our body - our animal soul - seeks to satisfy itself, like the wick of the candle holding the spiritual flame down to the material world in which we live.  Personally, I have had a very difficult time in my life keeping the animal soul in check so I can keep my internal focus on the divine.  Some of it has to do with the way the combination of nature and nurture in my early years helped to shape the way I respond to situations. Some of it has to do with choices I make to feed that animal soul because it simply feels good… and my body does like the feeling of feeling good.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 
~Galatians 5:16-17

The dichotomy of the body and soul is all around us: Materialism vs. Spirituality.  When the needs of the body are being met, the animal soul has no motivation to transcend beyond this earthly plane. Fortunately, God provides us with a divine soul as a means to rise above those base instincts. The body is dependent on the material tools that interact with the world through our senses of sight, smell, sound, touch and taste and is driven to meet its physical needs. Conversely, the soul strives only to connect with God and is, therefore, the very reason for our existence. This does not mean that the body is bad… after all, our bodies were created by God with those incessant physical needs. These bodies of ours have an awesome potential for good and it is the spiritual soul that can energize and direct the body to unite with the divine.

Dusty often talks about the concept of “Soul Care”.  So… how do we care for souls?  How do we nurture that part of us which yearns to connect with the divine presence of God? How do we unite our body and soul? First, I believe, we must recognize that we are indeed divine beings; created in the image of God. We must also realize that the need to put daily effort into nurturing our divine souls. Worship, meditation, prayer, study, fellowship and virtuous acts are some of the tools we can use to strengthen our soul connection with the God of the universe. Finally, we need to understand that while the body tries to keep us bound to this earth, the divine soul has the power to lift us above and beyond the material toward that divine spiritual connection. 

"Eternal Thanksgiving" by Joseph Scheyer

This human being (or is that being human) gig is not an easy one. We live in a crazy, complicated and contentious culture where terrorism, mass shootings and random violence are becoming so commonplace that the shock of these events threatens to give way to resignation. This year we have the added craziness of a political system gone haywire to make sense of. Too often I still find myself frustrated by people, events or circumstances that plague this fallen world. It would be easy to allow these feelings to take me down the all too familiar roads of anger and resentment or worry and depression.

Sometimes I wonder where God is amidst all of this turmoil? I must admit that there have been times when it feels as if God has abandoned us and left us here to get through this world on our own…  but then I realize that God is right where God has always been: Within. Within me, within you, within the sunset and the rainbow, whether we recognize it or not we are interconnected by His internal eternal presence. God will always live within our hearts and souls and no terrorist or politician can change that.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
~James 1:17

Some years ago, I entered a treatment program to overcome an addictive behavior.  One of the most important parts of my rehab was to write a page or two in a journal at the end of each day. The idea was to reflect on what went well and what did not go so well and to learn from the experience. I always ended my journal entries by listing three things for which I am grateful. The gratitude entries didn’t have to be anything major because remembering to be grateful for the little things can help keep us grounded. I remember one night being grateful for rose petals, bottle-caps, and opposable thumbs.

One of my best defenses still, against the world, is to keep adding to that gratitude list. The simple act of writing down those people, events, and circumstances that are blessings, helps me better appreciate the experience of the present moment.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present. 
― Bil Keane

After all… How can I continue to operate in frustration when I am thinking about how others have contributed good to my life? How can I fail to understand the gift of each day as I experience life’s small pleasures? How can we not feel a sense of abundance when we take a few moments to think about the beauty and wonder that surrounds us?  Thank you Lord for the gift of this day, help me learn better how to walk with you in it.

"The Gift of Giving" by Joseph Scheyer

Have you ever done something to help another person with no expectation of a reward for your efforts?  I have to admit that there is a part of me that does crave (at the least) recognition for altruistic acts. Even when I do something extra around the house, I often find a way to make sure that my wife notices. When I discern this need for recognition, I have to question myself about my motivations.

“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.”

― Amy Carmichael

When I was a boy growing up in eastern Oregon, my father worked for the State as a juvenile parole officer.  This brought him into contact with some families that had very meager resources.  I remember one impoverished family in particular that my Dad took under his wing: They had a boy about my age and I was asked to give of some of my clothing so that this boy would have something that wasn’t threadbare. I don’t remember if I gave willingly or grudgingly but I do remember the look of amazement on this boy’s face as I handed him my used clothing. To him, those old shirts and pants were a treasure. I didn’t really understand it at the time but now I am grateful that my father had the compassion to help provide for this family in need and at the same time set a benevolent example for our family.

Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, said the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

~Malachi 3:10

It seems clear that our impulse for charitable giving occurs because of the love of God. As His love fills our hearts, charity becomes second nature. When we choose to serve others for the love of God, we are neither motivated by the hope of recognition and reward nor by fear of punishment. Many of us have experienced that generosity is an expansive energy; the more we give, the more we receive. Unconditional giving somehow divinely generates resources that are reflected back to us in surprising, seemingly unconnected ways. 

Mother Teresa admonished us to “Give, but give until it hurts.”  It is not difficult to scoop a little off the top of our abundance for others but when we are asked to reach past our comfort zone of giving, we can best follow through when we understand that we don’t really possess anything but we are simply stewards of what God has created for us… only then can we truly trust that the bounty in our care can be distributed divinely through our obedience. Give until it hurts means that we trust in the wisdom of the creator (God’s economy) more than we trust in our own wisdom (the world’s economy). Jesus provides the ultimate example of selfless giving when he gave his life so that we may experience life abundantly.

Most of us appreciate being recognized for the good we do, but isn’t it delightful to be the anonymous donor of goodness? It is indeed better to give than to receive.

"Resilience" by Joseph Scheyer

A few weeks ago I got a call from my supervisor at work who summarily informed me that my job of fifteen plus years was being eliminated.  It was a punch in the gut. Boom… find out on Tuesday that your last day is Friday. Ouch. I really enjoyed that job. I worked hard at it and did good work. I got to help others, learn new technical concepts and interact with a wide variety of people all over the world. I have a lot of friends at the office and I could work from home if I needed to. I belonged. I must admit to some feelings of hopelessness, anger and despair and probably dwelled on some of those feelings longer than was healthy.

“No matter how much falls on us, we keep plowing ahead. That's the only way to keep the roads clear.”
 ~ Greg Kincaid

Once the shock wore off and I began to take stock of my situation, I realized that it’s easy to hitch our self worth wagon to our jobs. However, our jobs do not define us. Jobs and careers are a way to pay the bills and put food on the table but there is more to life than working and taking care of practical matters. I now understand that this is an opportunity to lean on God in ways that I have not had to do for awhile. At my stage of life the task of finding employment can be a bit daunting but I am not ready to fade slowly into retirement and if I am to overcome this setback, I must practice resilience.

In my way of thinking, resilience means operating with hope and the key to resilience is spirituality. I am not talking about religion here… to me, spirituality is an inner understanding that we are all interconnected by a power much greater than ourselves. Our connection to that power, and to each other, can only be realized through love and compassion. When we practice spirituality, we bring meaning and purpose to our lives. When we practice spirituality, we are able to let go of who we think we are supposed to be and embrace who we really are; imperfect and lovable beings. We know that we are loved by a God that understands completely who we are and where we are on the road to salvation. Practicing spirituality means hope.  Hope is not a feeling but a way of thinking that we attain when we set goals, understand how we can achieve those goals and believe in ourselves. 

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

If the God of the universe believes in us and loves us, we must be able to believe in ourselves and love ourselves.  Sometimes the most courageous thing we can do is to understand that we are sufficient just the way we are. 

 Job 1:21-22 and exclaimed: “I left my mother’s womb naked, and I will return to God naked. The LORD has given, and the LORD has taken. May the name of the LORD be blessed.”

"Room for Trust" by Joseph Scheyer

Being human has never been an easy gig. Our world…this culture… this life has plenty of confusion, disappointment, isolation, pain and complications.  On the other hand, we get to experience times of joy, excitement, compassion, connection and satisfaction. To be human is to mess up… to do dumb things… to fall far short of the Glory of God over and over again. It is also to laugh and share and witness the beautiful, amazing and miraculous. Why do we keep believing and persevering through the troubled times? What motivates us? Is our value based upon how much we do right and how little we do wrong?  Does God love me more when I help others and less when I am selfish?

A few weeks ago Dusty shared a delightful sermon, through the magic of video, named “Two Roads, Two Rooms” by a man named John Lynch who spoke about performance based faith.  One road leads to good intentions, where effort motivated by guilt requires us to manage our sins so that we can look good for each other and so find acceptance. Maybe we can even accept ourselves (what a concept). The other road leads to grace, requires humility motivated by living out our identity in God which enables us to stand with God to authentically work on our sinful nature together. I know which road/room I want to stay on but as a human being, I can easily, and often do, find myself wandering from one to the other. 

Mr. Lynch explained that since Adam first looked over his shoulder and realized he was naked; humans have operated as if our salvation is based upon performance. We must live righteously to be accepted and worthy of God’s Love. While “Godly Man (or Woman)” is an ideal worth striving for, Godliness rarely manifests through human effort.

In Ephesians 2:10, the Apostle Paul writes: “For we are his workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we may do them.”
I think what Paul is saying here is that genuine salvation is entirely of God and it inevitably results in a life of good works. In other words, if we understand that God’s love and acceptance is based upon who we are rather than on what we do, we will naturally live by the golden rule.

The ironic thing is that God already knows our actions, behavior and our hearts. Furthermore, God already provided the gift of Jesus to take care of our fallen human nature. This means that there is nothing I can ever do or attain that will get me closer to salvation than I am right now. If we believe that God is really who He says He is and trust that we are unconditionally loved and accepted, we will naturally operate as if we belong in God’s Kingdom.  Integrity, honor, respect and consideration for one another will be second nature. Thank you Lord that you love me and for the gift of salvation that allows me to be authentic and work to be a better person.

"Wrestling in Unbelief" by Daniel Blomberg

Have you ever wrestled in unbelief with the words you were hearing? Sure you have. I will never forget being told that my cousin, Janet Kay, was dead when I was 5 years old. I didn't want to believe it and couldn't accept it.

The same was true in 1999 when I got the phone call from the nursing home informing me that my mom had just died. I couldn't believe it! I had just left her bedside and gone home to grab a quick lunch. After all, the nurse assured me it would be OK to go grab some lunch, right?  On the drive over to the nursing home to see mom, the radio played “Amazing Grace.”  
And back in 2005, I couldn't believe or accept the doctor's words when he said, "You have Kidney cancer." But it was true, no matter how much I denied it. That word "cancer" is a word we all dread hearing. Immediately our minds fill with fear, anxiety, and denial.

That's kind of how I am feeling right now. I just met with a neurologist who told me: "I think you have had a stroke!"

He followed that by saying he wants me to have yet another MRI, to confirm his diagnosis. But based upon my symptoms, he is ordering physical therapy right away, and another MRI.

I feel like someone kicked me in the stomach. I don't want to believe it or accept it. But the reality is, I can't move my left hand like I should be able to. It is weak and uncoordinated.

I guess I won't be painting the house anytime soon, if at all!

But, praise God, I am still here, and I can still walk and talk normally! What is that scripture verse, "Give thanks in all things."? Lord, thank you for sparing me. Thank you for today and the gift of life, for family, friends, and loved ones. You are worthy of our praise and our worship!

Amen

"Light of the World" by Joseph Scheyer

I thoroughly enjoyed the recent “I am” series by Dusty and crew.  In particular, I find myself thinking a lot about the verse in John 8:12 when Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”. 

Love and light seem like two sides of the same coin while death and darkness are two sides of a very different coin. It seems like this earth has always been a battlefield between light and darkness.  The forces of darkness are constantly trying to take us out of the truth illuminated by ‘the light of the world’. Darkness can be seductive and because we are sinners, it is tempting to use that cover of darkness to keep our shortcomings from being known. The longer we hide our iniquities, the more power they have over us. Sin can only grow in the darkness, the light of the world promises to deliver us from the darkness of sin.  Light allows us live in this world. Jesus embodies a vision of truth about God and about life, our origin, and our destiny. Light promotes growth and life. The light of Jesus’ life brings us the promise of everlasting life. Light warms and comforts. Jesus wants us to experience the beauty of an illuminated life. Light dispels darkness, which stands for evil. Jesus pierces the darkness of sin and death and conquers them. All the darkness in the world cannot put out one candle flame. Jesus cannot be overcome by evil.

As a former science teacher where Physics was my favorite subject, I’ve long been fascinated by the nature and attributes of light. Light is wonderful and mysterious…just like God.  For example: Light travels so fast that a ray of light could circle the earth more than seven times a second (it would take a sound over three days to make a circuit around the earth). Visible light is but one part of the electromagnetic spectrum that includes radio waves, microwaves, Infrared waves, ultra-violet waves, x-rays and gamma rays.

Curiously, visible light is in the center of all these other parts of the electromagnetic spectrum and can be separated into its own spectrum of colors. (ROY G BIV was my right hand rainbow man when we studied light in my science class)  Science can’t really tell us what light is other than to say it is made up of electromagnetic waves. The fact that light behaves both as a wave and as particles makes it unique among physical phenomena. I realize that not everyone is interested in the science of light (ok, I guess as an ex-science teacher, I can’t really help myself) but it is part of the wonder.and I see a significant connection between the remarkable physical attributes of light and our remarkable God who created the light out of darkness and sent to us the light of the world. Both are unfathomable, immutable and omnipresent. God provides for us a path to love and fulfillment, light illuminates that path. God loves us so much that he allows us to choose to follow the light or to be drawn into the darkness.

I, for one, choose the light of the world.

"Interdependent Living" by Joseph Scheyer

As much as some of us value independence and cherish those times of solitude, the fact of the matter is, we need each other.  God designed us to be in fellowship with one another and not to walk through the trials of this world in solitary. It is not that God cannot communicate with us in when we are alone; in fact, our times of solitude are often the times when God speaks most clearly. It is, however, as we find in 1 John 1:7. “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”  In other words… walking with God leads us toward true fellowship with each other. 

The world’s economy equates strength and independence with the ability to take charge of our lives. It is good to be able to take care of ourselves; to feed and clothe and provide shelter for ourselves. It is also good to be able to make decisions independently and to have the personal strength to stand behind those choices. However, if we rely only on ourselves, our thinking can get off track and our decisions skewed. As Proverbs 27:17 tells us, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” We need that annoying neighbor or relative to learn patience and compassion and how to deal with adversity. We also need that special friend to experience acceptance and accountability, and then we need that soul mate to understand what love really means. Our vertical experience with the Love of God is not really complete without that horizontal experience with each other. 

I am convinced that God designed us not for independence but for interdependence. When you get right down to it, it is the people that we are able to touch and the people that we allow to touch us that determine the level of fulfillment that we walk with each day. The more we allow others to see who we are (intimacy = into me see), the more we are able to connect with each other and understand the true nature of God within us. Dealing with others can be messy and it takes effort to develop relationships, but I have to believe that it is God’s plan for us to learn and grow with each other. After all, our joys and triumphs are empty when experienced alone and there is little doubt that sharing our burdens makes them bearable. 

Some time ago Dusty brought in a guest pastor by the name of Dan Russell.  Dan was a former champion wrestler who gave insight into the importance of our fellowship and left us with the acronym HELP:  Hang - Eat - Laugh - Pray … Together.  What a beautiful and elegant way to describe some basic tools to reinforce God’s design for us and bring fulfillment to the body. I look forward to the threads of our lives woven together in Christ. 

While it is good to know how to be comfortable with those times of solitude, what we take from this life and more directly, what we are able to contribute, is almost always a product of the lives that we are able to touch (and that we allow to touch us). God’s Love for us is unconditional but the quality of our Love for each other is what adds fulfillment to the human part of our journey in God’s Kingdom. 

Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.”

Acts 2:42 “And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

"Unwavering Faith" by Joseph Scheyer

We were blessed to hear a great sermon on Sunday from Quinton Williams (or Q as he is often called). Q started things out by describing a family outing where the intention was to witness one of our most scenic natural wonders at Multnomah Falls. This journey then detoured to a scene of remarkable feats of human ingenuity interacting with nature in the kite surfers on the Columbia at Hood River. I very much appreciated his opening the sermon this way because it seems sometimes easy to lose that sense of wonder at what God is creating all around us. I use the present tense here because it feels to me as if God’s creation is ongoing. The beauty of a towering waterfall or the majesty of a mountain easily sparks that sense of wonder but I think we may often overlook those wonders that occur each day around us in less spectacular (but just as wondrous) ways.
 
The earth itself and its variety of persistent life is indeed a miracle of major proportions. Our ability to create sounds with our vocal cords (or to type out sentences with our fingers) so that others can understand the thoughts that rumble around in our brains is absolutely wondrous. The fact that we are walking around on this orb of rock and water, with our opposable thumbs and hair growing in surprising places, is perhaps the biggest miracle of all. Photosynthesis, the carbon cycle, Coriolis forces… the electromagnetic spectrum… I could go on and on but the point is that I pray I never lose that sense of wonder at what God hath wrought here on this remarkable surface of our existence.
 
Ahem… ok, back to the sermon. 
 
Q got us back on the message track by describing some of his story growing up in Alabama as a football player with aspirations of taking that endeavor to the next level. He decided instead to follow God’s direction... much to the puzzlement of his friends and family. It was pointed out that we all have our stories and that it is not uncommon for the journey of our story to reach that place where our wheels spin and we feel stuck. Faith is our greatest tool in that battle to gain the traction we need to transform our stories in a way that will expand God’s presence in our lives and in the world around us.
 
Q took us through two stories of healing through Faith as told in Luke 8:40-56. Miracles created by faith; the first from a father seeking healing for his critically ill daughter which was seemingly interrupted by a woman ostracized by her medical condition. These are stories of contrast unified by the faith to know that the power of His touch could bring about a transformative miracle of healing. Such steps of faith are never easy but the reward is always worth the risk and both Jairus and the woman found that once they made that decision to give their lives to the Lord, they could no longer stay hidden: Two people transformed through faith by the power of Love in the person of Jesus Christ who is the greatest wonder of all.
 
Once we make that critical decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God, most of us will do our best to author our stories with works of service and kindness and then humbly place that before the Throne with the expectation that God will bless the decisions we’ve made and sign off on our stories of good deeds and intentions.  Q wrapped the sermon with the compelling notion that true faith means not authoring our own stories. True faith is, instead, placing the blank slate of our lives at His feet with a faith that allows God to author of the story of our lives. What an amazing and beautiful concept… that God would understand how to script our lives to bring fulfillment and the power of love to our existence and to those around us.  Hallelujah.