Beauty and Rest

These are two things that are often lacking in our lives. As I am waiting on the coffee to brew pre 6 a.m. I can hear one of my little girls jump out of bed and running through our upstairs. For me, time to read and think and drink coffee in silence or at least quiet is very restful and beautiful. Perhaps I think of those coffee times as more beautiful when they are quiet. I am starting to learn that the quiet is great. But the little feet running downstairs is greater. There will always be a sense of joy from being still and just knowing God is sovereign. But there is great joy in my daughter pretending to read and drink coffee with me. I am always looking for a more restful state or something that just seems simpler. There seems to be a deep call to enjoy the grace of the  moment, no matter the moment. I often think that in these moments God has forgotten how important my time with Him is. We all have times when we think we know what we need. We are tired, empty or soul sick. We think we need a vacation or at bare minimum a sleep in day. Maybe what we all need is the wisdom to see the gift of the moment. The beauty of simple conversation with a 2 year old. The fostering of a good morning ritual for my children. Many of these perspective shifts don't happen because we just start thinking them. They take a grace anvil to waken us up to the presence of God in our own homes and lives. We live life in the mundane and God is very present in our lives. I pray that I will see Him at work in my own heart and my own home. I pray that you will see it more clearly as well.

Grace and peace

The same old thing

So the other day it was a particularly crisp fall morning. What was unusual that morning was that I didn't have somewhere to be immediately. I didn't have tasks to accomplish right then nor did I have small children fighting for my attention or each other's toys. What struck me in that moment was a great grace to me in my estimation. I was drinking a cup of coffee just like I do several times a day every day. What was unusual about this cup was not where it came from, its strength or freshness. What was different was my enjoyment. As I was drinking slow sip after slow sip, I kept thinking, "man this tastes good." I wasn't thinking about getting up and getting going. I wasn't thinking about how late I stayed up or how early and dark these fall mornings come. I was just enjoying the taste and warmth of the coffee. It was in that moment that I realized the danger of routine. I don't mean just driving the same way to work every day but that might need a little changing every now and then as well. I mean how life just keeps rolling on and I start to take things for granted. Or I do things or handle things so often and become so familiar with them that beauty and wonder are excused from the conversation. God really impressed upon me the freshness of the Gospel. That while I teach and challenge myself and others so much of the time with how important it is and how much Jesus loves me and you, it was easy to miss enjoying those truths. It was easy to miss enjoying Jesus. And in truth I remembered that this is what I was made for. Not just superficially skating through life attempting to avoid as many pitfalls as possible. No I was made to enjoy God and all that He gives me. I was made to marvel at the simple beauty of the Gospel and the greatness of Christ. Life can make coffee, relationships with spouses or friends and even our relationship with God just another thing we do. As God grants you the opportunity, take time to enjoy Him today. Remember that all your sin has been paid for and you have full access to the presence of God. I know that life and busyness will encroach again but I am encouraged that God will be faithful to renew my understanding and enjoyment of Him again.
Grace and peace

Coffee Diversity

As we enter coffee shops it is often times overwhelming the array of products, brewed coffee and espresso choices. In the midst of such diverse offerings, there is a commonality that is present. The dress of baristas, the general styling and the overarching purpose are shared as integral to their commitment to and valuing of the mission of the establishment. What is joyful tabout going to get some coffee and hear world music or pop or whatever while sharing some of the same basics that other patrons are enjoying as well. When I go to a shop I don't always love the music, or the decor but it's essential purpose is why I am there anyway-namely for good coffee. In this evaluation I find great analogy to the church of Jesus Christ. It is meant to have all sorts of room for different music styles, decorations and people. What is meant to be unifying are the key structures and the purposes for which the church exists: namely glorifying God in Christ and leading people to find the joy of God in His supremacy. The Gospel itself is what binds church members together and gives them shared purpose and common ground for deep joy. It is not sports team affinity or time of meeting or style of dress that gives unity. For if it is looked to for that it deeply disappoints by its shallow appointment. Diversity is great in a coffee shop both with what you are consuming  and who is consuming it. In a church that same diversity is beautiful when worship of God is enjoyed while observing baptism, the Lord's Supper, the preached Word and singing. It is also beautiful when those worshipping are from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and ages. The styles and occurrences aren't nearly as important as the singular heart posture that is brought to Worship. In this diversity we find a deep commonality as the blood bought children of God through Jesus Christ.

New books and music

After attending the Sovereign Grace conference: Plant! about 10 days ago I was given (and purchased) several new amazing books. I have also purchased four new albums that I really enjoy. I think of how I love to read and and listen to music in a coffee shop.  A lot of times the music is random but interesting. The newness of it is definitely inviting. Sometimes what is truly awesome about those experiences is that it changes so much that even if it's awful you know it won't last long. Trying new things, within reason and orthodoxy, is helpful to the soul. Jen and I were discussing the other day how pickyness can be very unhelpful besides deeply annoying. Whether it's food, music, books or friendship there is always something fun to the new. But I am often thinking of how I need to be careful and not to start valuing the new over what I already love. I need both not one or the other. I need ancient truth and fresh ways to walk in and share it. I need an ancient God who is an ever present help. As I work through these new books and enjoy the new music I hope that you will take a chance on something new along these lines. There is so much amazing music that says so much about who God is and what He has done in and through Jesus without sacrificing musical quality. There are really old books that would be new finds for most of us that teach us great truth.
The music: Aftermath-Hillsong United
                 Here for You-Passion
                 Awaken the Dawn-the Getty's
                 Risen-Sovereign Grace

The books (some of them): The Church Planter-Patrick
                                          Generous Justice-Keller
                                          Delighting in the Trinity-Chester
                                          Reverberation-Leeman
                                         Church Planting is for Wimps-McKinley

Let me know what you think of them if you check any of them out.
Grace and peace

Community Coffee

Coffee shops are very appealing places. There is tons of marketing research that goes into how many coffee brokers enhance the environment to appeal to a wide range of people. Marketers are always looking for a connective thread in their research that goes beyond products or furniture. Starbucks wanted their shops to be a place that if people weren't at home or work/school this was where they would be. They call it the third place. There are bulletin boards and people can post all about lost dogs and upcoming events. This gives(along with the warm colors and comfy chairs and cool music) another layer to the warming invitation that they intend. Now despite all that researchers have come up with, there is a connective thread to the human condition. There are many actually but one of the key ones is the desire for relationship. This can be many or this can be few but people are built with a desire for and even more importantly, a need for relationships. Life is far too difficult to walk it out on your own. There have been times and seasons that we have been forced to carry on for a while without much or maybe any help. But we have longed for friendship and conversations that might ease the burden or be of some help. Many of us have sought the solace and comfort of community and relationship in coffee shops. But what a coffee shop offers is the facade of community. You can sit close to people and listen to music (intimate), eat food(intimate) and talk about your preferences or things that you support (intimate). All these can be done without entering the messy world of real relationships. What is so sad is that coffee is a fine beverage when enjoyed alone. But to sit and sip and have some conversation and laughter is truly one of life's greatest gifts. Just as coffee is intended to stimulate the brain and get a person thinking and talking, so the Gospel is to set us towards thinking and talking about Jesus. In community we can discuss our struggles and the pray for each other and be a resource of God's grace. These are true gifts that we need in the church. But they cost us so we hang out in the same places but never talk about anything that matters. We do all of these intimate things in church but yet don't really love and serve one another. I genuinely hope that churches can understand how important community is and move from a coffee shop model to a Biblical one.

Life viewed well

I have often wondered how to really help people see life well. It has been so difficult to labor for the people of faith knowing that apathy is rampant and theology is weak. You can give invitations without explaining the Gospel. You can complain about a lack of leadership and then balk at every instruction pastors give. I have come to view life certainly through the lens of Scripture but I would suggest that we think of life and how we view as maybe how my view of coffee has changed and grown over the years. I used to hate it. When I had to sample it at Starbucks, I would be honest and tell them this one tastes like different dirt than that one. I loved the smell and was committed to trying to like coffee. Over time and exposure I began to cultivate a taste for this fine brewed beverage. When I was in college I would only drink it when I had to and then with lots of cream and sugar. Back then I was in it for the jolt and the sweetness. Why would anyone want a drink that was bitter? What I began to discover on my coffee journey was that this was about subtlety. Coffee is about little notes of flavor and metaphorical descriptions. Buttery or nutty only hint at what is really there by evoking an understanding through previous flavor connections. Coffee is great by itself when it's hot, well crafted, and stands alone as a beverage. I say all this about coffee because I see redemption in it. If when we were  younger we could only drink very sweet coffee, I would equate that with some of our immature understandings of life. When were younger, in the faith or in years, we would prefer life to be easy and fun and sweet. In fact the sweeter it was the happier we were. As I have gotten older myself and so many others have learned to enjoy the simplicity and even the more interesting bitter flavors in coffee and in life. When we see the bitter in life as from the hand of a good and gracious God we can find the joy in it. This doesn't mean the sweetness should not be enjoyed or celebrated .But it does mean that we should not just discard something because it doesn't tickle our pallet in  the easiest way.

Organic Growth

There is a lot of study going on and has gone on with the importance of taking care of how farming, plants and food sources should be guarded regarding how much is added to their origins and sustenance. We place such a significant priority on clean food and clean farming. If we could get this at a cheap cost, we would buy it even more. Coffee is certainly no exception for the desire to have fair trade and organic growing and sustenance techniques. I applaud this desire and support organic and fair trade practices when and where I can. I also think that organic growth is essential for the church of Jesus Christ.

We are made to worship and to be in relationships. This is at our core and while not easy, this is where we supernaturally function best. Jesus knows us better than we know ourselves and spoke to this in Matthew 22:37-40. When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replied it was to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. He also said that what was naturally to flow from this kind of deep love for God was real love for our neighbors. He would even say that this covered all the law and prophets. I truly believe that this should be what marks every church of every denomination. This is where organic growth and sustenance can really be seen and start to happen. But when we just look at the bottom line and stop caring about our responsibilities for each other and the world, all we are left with are attendance records, business meetings and program evaluations. If as churches and Christians in local fellowships we begin to invest ourselves when and where we can in these organic growth possibilities, we might just see ourselves used to help the world and church be more of what God wants and what the world really needs.
Grace and peace

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