Memories of New Life

I woke up this morning to the sound of my wife's alarm clock, which is really just the K-LOVE playing one of the top Christian hits of the day. The song was "Everlasting God." At the end of the song a child reads a passage of scripture from Isaiah 40:

The Lord is the everlasting God
Creator of the ends of the earth
He will not grow tired or weary
And his understanding no one can fathom
He gives strength to the weary
And power to the powerless
Even youths grow tired and weary
And young men stumble and fall
But those who hope in the Lord
Will renew their strength
They will soar on wings like eagles
They will run and not grow weary
They will walk and not be faint

When I woke hearing this, in honestly blindsided me. I could probably attribute part of it to the fact that it was 5:45 in the morning, but more so it created a flood of memories. In came this flood of thoughts of when I had first come to know the awesome power of God in my life. And what followed that was this intense desire to be close to God, this new feeling. I was so wonderful, like one feels when they first start a new relationship. All you see is the good things in this person, but as the relationship wears on it becomes familiar. And familiarity is not a bad thing, it is what it is. The people closest to me are the ones who I have become familiar with.
But isn't it true that sometimes, most times, when we become familiar with something we lose our passion to work at it?

This is where I am having some difficulty right now. Monday, Jim (Lead Pastor/Boss/Friend) asked us the question: "Why do we do what we do?"

Well I could list off a whole bunch of "Sunday School" answers for why we do what we do, but none of them would really be meaningful to my own persona of why I do what I do. And to answer that question honestly would take more than just words. Because that is what life has always been for me. A litany of words that define who I am supposed to be, who I want to be, but not necessarily who I am.

So I woke with this intense desire to be in a place that I was 6 years ago at this time. My spiritual life was much different then. All I wanted to do was soak up every word of teaching about God from anyone willing to teach it to me. I could not wait to be a missionary to my own people and to show them this newness that I had found. Now I just feel like I am getting burnt out. There is so much output of energy for others, yet I am not taking enough time in my life to "wait on the Lord."

And the words that woke me this morning totally blew me out of the water and made me want to be new again. Even youths grow tired and weary, young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength...

Renew my strength O God, make me new again...

Epic Heroism-Imaginary or Reality

So I was recently granted permission by my most benevolent wife to purchase that which I have wanted since I was a freshman in college, a PS2. Now granted, they are on their way out, and there are probably better ways I should be spending our money.

Probably my favorite game is one called God of War. In it you play a warrior named Kratos who seeks the pardon of the Gods for the incredible and brutal war mongering he used to partake in. They agree to grant him this wish if he would do one thing-defeat the God of War Ares in his siege on Athens. So you embark on an Epic journey.

This is all very timely considering our church has begun a study on a book called Epic by John Eldridge. I also not understand why "gamers" become so addicted to these games. We have something in our DNA that makes us want to be heroic. To change the world in Epic proportions. When they begin to play this game it give them this sense of worth, like they are impacting and changing the world for the greater good. The only problem being is this...it is not reality.

The big question is, what would happen if these people took their motivation to be heroic out of the realm of games and into the world of reality. What if they became epically heroic to a child who has no decent role model; To a widow that needs some love? What if they took the drive to beat "one more level" and changed it to being an impact on one more soul.

Jesus Christ was heroic. Not only in his death, but also in his life. He calls each and everyone of his followers to be desperately heroic. To stand in the Epic tale we have been dropped into and to love as he loved. Love as if nothing else in the world matters, because it does not. Creating chain reactions that the world knows about.

How incredible it would be to see humanity take their imaginary heroism and turn it into reality...

Rainy morning in the Jeep

I got out of bed this morning after my wife left for work. (She is a teacher) I turned on the PS2 because it is just fun. As I was sitting there I heard thunder, and thought nothing of it. Then it started to rain, but because I was engrossed in my game I did not register that the top to my Jeep was down and rain was pouring in.
I drove to work on a wet seat....