Advent Calendar

I found this online Advent Calendar at Christianity Today. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I am.

The sport of politics and the nobility of public service.

The two heavy-weight contenders boxed it out 'til the bitter end. Round by round the punches flew. Along the way their respective "corners" repaired the damage and patched their boxer so he could keep fighting on. When the final bell rang the exhausted and bloody fighters came out of their corners one last time for the victor to be declared. And then... what did they do? They hugged! They claimed to be friends! They promised to work together for the good of others. How strange is that?

Politics is sport. Campaigns are a game. The politicians know that. Unfortunately, many others are not as quick to forgive and forget as are the players in the game, especially since the flames of division continue to be fueled by those who profit from controversy and debate.

This week I had the opportunity to attend a forum in Washington D.C. with government and faith-based leaders to discuss ways to collaborate for the common good of the poor and suffering. I've come away with a new appreciation for the many brilliant people of faith in both parties and throughout government agencies who are working together behind the scenes to address real human needs. Politics is sport, but true public service is a noble endeavor. I pray for people to raise above the fray and find ways to work together to preserve life, care for the suffering, reduce poverty, prevent injustice and strengthen families.

The game is over, now it is time to come together. The challenges before us will demand that we put our faith into action by sacrificing for the sake of others. Government can't do it alone, the church can't do it alone, private enterprise can't do it alone, and all three can't do it together without God's help. It truly is time to humble ourselves and pray, and turn from our destructive selfish ways, and seek the heart of God for others.

Election Thoughts

I have been trying to think of a way to respond to people's questions about the election and then I saw this blog post by my friend and colleague Jeff Leake, pastor of Allison Park Church. I can't say it any better, so I here is how I wish I had said it first...

As Election Day approaches, I am being asked this question from a growing number of people. What do you think? McCain? Obama? Who should a Christian vote for? Now, I know in just listing this question on the blog, there is the potential for a flurry of comments for or against candidates and issues. Can I ask for you to guard your words in leaving comments? Please don't use the comment section as a plea for one or another of the candidates.

First, my hope for the future of the USA does not rest in this election. I believe in voting. I also believe that good leadership is critical to any nation, church, family, or business. But I believe that God is big enough to work in and through whatever happens on Nov 4th and beyond.

Second, my primary concern is with the Kingdom of God and not with the United States of America...

Read the rest of his blog post by clicking here.

Reason for Hope

Are bad times good for us? Apparently so. That's what author Andy Crouch writes about in a recent article in Christianity Today. It's a long article, but if you have the time I recommend it to you.

Thanks, Don, for pointing me to this.

Silver Linings

It's been a while since I've made a blog entry, but with all the scary rhetoric about the economy and the election I feel the need to think out loud. I don't pretend to have the answers to the economic crises nor do I think that either of the presidential candidates are the magic solution to these or other major problems facing our nation. But I'm the kind of person who likes to see the silver lining within these clouds of despair.

Regarding the economy I share the anger and fear that everyone is feeling. But the silver lining is that we are collectively learning some hard lessons about the dangers of unchecked greed, unmanageable debt, and the vanity of money as our source of security. Check out what the Pope said about this. Could it be that our generation will learn the hard way what our parents and grandparents generations learned the hard way in the 1930's? Will there be a spiritual awakening as a result of all this material shaking? I hope there will be.

Regarding the election I find it more difficult to see the silver lining. The politics of fear and hate coming from both parties, the spin-meisters, and the crazy internet character assassins creates an uneasy atmosphere among friends, families, co-workers, and even fellow believers. I am a peacemaker at heart and it grieves me to see the damage this is all causing. Politics is a blood-sport and I am ready for this election to be over. I don't know why anyone would want to go through this process in order to be elected. But one silver lining is that many Christians are becoming more focused on the reality of an eternal kingdom that is not limited by national boundaries and dependent on any one political party or candidate. Here is an interesting opinion article that a friend sent me about the ways many evangelicals are returning to the "good news" roots of evangelicalism.

More and more I am falling in love with and looking to Jesus as the source for my hope, my security and my inspiration on how to live a meaningful life.

What other silver linings might there be in the clouds of despair out there? I'd really like to hear your thoughts. I'm sure if we look we can find many more.

May God Bless You

At the conclusion of his message at the Willow Creek Leadership Conference last week, Craig Groeschel read the following Fransciscan Benediction. Thanks to Don Greb who was there and shared it with the rest of us during our staff devotions this week.

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

May we all be so blessed.

The Peace of Wild Things

There are times when I wake at night and my mind fills with concerns about the issues of the day -- problems my children are facing, struggles weighing heavily on people in the church, or fear of things that could go wrong. It doesn't help matters when I've had a cup of coffee too late in the day.

It was nice to pull away from things around here and have my family together for a few days in Cape Cod last month. It was our first time there but hopefully it won't be our last. The natural beauty and peaceful surroundings made it a special time for all of us. I even found a new appreciation for bird watching. I confess, though, the whale watching was a little more exciting.

One evening before our meal my daughter Bethany read the following from a book of poems she had been reading:

The Peace of Wild Things
by Wendel Berry

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds,
I come into the peace of wild things
Who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

I hope you have a place where you can go to escape and, as Jesus said, "observe the birds of the air and the flowers of the field." I find rest from my worries when I remember that the God who cares for them cares even more for the things that bring me anxiety. Maybe that is why I slept a whole lot easier when I was on vacation.