Beautiful Snow

What a beautiful morning it is... My trees in the back yard have been brushed with frost and snow. The whiteness has touched almost everything in my yard. I can't help but to think of two songs I heard years ago. These songs play often in my head through Christmas; "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" and "Whiter Than Snow." One of the stanzas says, "Whiter than snow, wash me and I will be whiter than snow." The prophet Isaiah writes, "Come now, let us reason together, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be whiter than snow... ( Isaiah 1:18)"

The big and difficult thing for me is to choose to believe and trust that I am truly forgiven. Or as the Scriptures teach -- that I am whiter than snow. I am invited in the Isaiah text to reason with him. To discuss with him my thoughts about forgiveness and my struggles. I am invited to come. It is funny when I do come to him and listen to His "reasoning" I find myself within that truth -- of being clean -- of being whiter than snow. Then I am motivated to want to live out who I am.

I want to live in the truth that, because of Jesus, I am holy and blameless. I want to live in the truth in a theological sense. But also, I want to live in that truth pragmatically. I want to in increasing measure live out the holiness and blamelessness of Jesus Christ.

I am truly thankful, at the core of my being, that I have been washed. I am thankful for a Savior who has come to set us free. This morning I am just allowing that truth to bless me and to be brushed across the topography of my heart.

Your partner in the gospel,

Pastor Paul

In the next 20 to 30 years

Bonnie and I just returned from a week of vacation in Florida. We spent our week at her dad’s place which is located in a small community for people over 55 years old, a retirement village. I found it quite interesting. The place was full of wonderful senior adults many of them enjoying life and contributing to those around them. But this was not so for others. I was struck by how empty and seemingly quite meaningless life can be if your heart and life are not prepared for your tomorrows. I found myself pondering what my life might be like when I am in my senior years.

Assuming, which can’t be assumed, that I will be living 20 or 30 years from now I wonder… How will my spiritual habits sustain me in the future? How will my financial preparation sustain me? Who will my friends be? Am I caring for my health in a way that will make my senior years productive? Will I desire to be serving Jesus with a similar passion that I do now? I know that there are a lot of variables, but not everything is up for grabs is it. Whatever is to come I would like my spiritual life to be full of vitality and in a giving mode. In order to have this hope I know there are some things that I need to modify in my life today so that I can be ready for tomorrow.

Visiting this retirement community for the week also made me think of my mother. She is 77 years old and still teaches a weekly Bible study to young women. She became a follower of Jesus when I was a high school student. Giving through teaching God’s Word has been a part of her spiritual life for as long as I can remember. I admire that in her. I read recently a quote from Philip Yancey: “We must serve or we die.” Each one of us is given a gift that is meant for the rest of us. It is an interesting paradox in the life of a Christian – the more you give yourself away the more you live!

Which brings me back to the things I am pondering: what modifications do I need to make today so that my tomorrow is vital?
Your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul

NOT JUST COFFEE

We all know it instinctively, I think, that fellowship is more than just sharing a cup of coffee. Fellowship as I look at it in the New Testament seems to be about sharing life. It implies a depth. As I was looking up the word, kononia (fellowship), I was reminded of a few things and taught a few things. I was reminded that fellowship is about real relationship, depth of relationship as I mentioned earlier. But I was taught something about how this depth is created. I found it really interesting that the word for fellowship implies within it a “generosity.” What a wonderful understanding -- relational generosity. Fellowship is being a relationally generous giver – giving of ourselves in relationship to others. Fellowship is being a relationally generous receiver – receiving relationship from others.

Wow, imagine if we could create a Church where relational generosity was the norm. If we fellowshipped by being generous with our gifts, our talents, our stories, our vulnerabilities, our weaknesses, and our sinfulness. But not stopping there. But striving as well to be relationally generous receivers; receiving other’s gifts, talents, stories, vulnerabilities, weaknesses, and sins. I am thinking I want to strive toward relationally generosity. But as I write that I know there are things that are risky about it. I wonder if I will be able to take the risk – at least gradually.
Your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul

Being What We Need

It is so easy to think of ourselves as independent individuals or to think of ourselves as just a part of a big whole - the Church universal. Both are true but can leave us a bit stilted. One can lead to incredible self-centeredness and the other to an individualistic or anonymous style of faith. The Bible is clear that we are meant to be fully a part of a local church family. Caring and being cared for, encouraging and being encouraged, serving and being served. When the church functions well – there is nothing like it on the face of the earth! I have been struck lately by how significant the Church family is too many of us – especially in times of crisis and struggle and times of rejoicing! When I read Acts 2 it is clear that “those people really cared about each other!” Can we, dare we settle for anything less?

I must confess that as HOPE Covenant Church grows there is part of me that fears that we will not do well at caring for one another or even knowing one another. Part of the problem is that we put the onus for being loving and caring on “the church.” Truth is “we” are the church and in order for us to receive from “the church” what we need, we need to become examples of what we need.
Blessings on you as you love God and love others in Jesus name.
Your partner in the gospel,
Pastor Paul

Fall Success

This has been a great week of reinvigorating of activities and the life of the church for many! The fall season is here! Sunday in worship we had a bunch of people in attendance. It is great to see so many college students making attendance at a church a priority in their lives. Last night (Wednesday) the house was a buzz with people! Kids were coming to their Wednesday night programs and ministries. The youth (lots of them) coming for the fall kick off of tacos, iced coffees, to hang with other youth, and listen to music. Adults came for worship, prayer, and study of God’s Word. This has been a “successful” week! or has it?

It struck me, again, recently how God measures success. I don’t think He measures based merely on numbers of people, although every person that we count – counts to God. So I think He likes lots of people gathering together, but there is more. I think God measures our hearts. Are we, collectively and individually, growing more and more in love with Him and are we more and more learning to love others. As many of you know, there were several of us who worked at the Northland’s Rescue Mission this past week helping to create a setting of beauty through gardens and patios. It was a lot of fun. But here is what happened to me.

As I served, doing something I naturally enjoy, I found my heart getting bigger. I liked the people I was serving alongside (Bonnie, Clayton, Zona, Vince, Myron, Sharon, Cowboy, Freddy, Barley, Todd, Bob, Esaad, and others). I was riding a few days later with one of my kids past the mission. There was someone outside that I recognized so I beeped the horn on my truck. “You find some new friends, dad?” was the “teenage” question asked with a smile in the voice. I just smiled back. But the answer is “yes.” Maybe I can’t truly call them friends, but I do care and if I could go so far as to say I think I love them more had I not taken the time to serve with them. My heart grew when I took the step to serve and to get to know a bit better, and to care. I think that is what God will measure in us as a church…are we loving more?

May you be blessed as you love the Father and love others in Jesus name,

Paul