Hidden in Plain Sight

An Inkling

I’m definitely out of season, but here’s where my mind is wandering today…

Have you ever watched children on their first Easter egg hunt?  I’m always amazed that they don’t see what I can easily see, that egg right there before them on the ledge, or propped between the branches.  They have to learn where to look and how to spot.  And gradually they do learn.  After two or three egg hunts, and some tutoring from their parents, they gain an eye for finding the eggs, and then seize them eagerly.

I think the Lord must have a similar experience with us.  His gifts are right there before us, and still we don’t see.  So he does what parents do with their toddlers.  He points out the eggs to us, and even moves us toward the not-so-obvious treasures – until we see and grasp. 

And with the Lord, the eggs never run short, not even when the big kids have combed the turf first.  What gifts has he hidden in plain sight for you?

Blessings,

Keith

Fool for Christ or Just Plain Fool?

An Inkling

Years ago I had a visitor in the church I served in Louisiana.  I was busy doing something religious, when in walked a fiftyish woman in jeans and a tee shirt.  I thought she was a transient and asked if I could help her.  Much to my surprise, she asked not for food or money, but paper!  She said, “I am a missionary telling people about the Holy Spirit, and I need some paper to make fliers.”  I didn’t know what to make of her, so I got her some paper.  She thanked me, gave me her card, and headed off with her satchel on a little cart.  Her card, made with a rubber stamp, said:  “TRUTH FOR CHRIST ANGLICAN MISSIONARY EVANGELISM GOOD SAMARITAN PEACE CORP.  What is your truth?  Your truth for Christ today.  MARY ELIZABETH GODWIN, Missionary Worker, Halifax, Nova Scotia.”

She reminded me of another woman I had not thought of in years.  “Peace Pilgrim” was stenciled on her sweatshirt.  She said that God called her to travel around and call for peace in Vietnam.  All she had were the clothes on her back and a small satchel.  She walked until someone offered her lodging, and fasted until someone offered her food.

Are such folks fools for Christ or just plain fools?  It’s hard to say, especially when you consider some of the characters in the Bible.  Jeremiah wore yoke bars rather than a sport coat.  Ezekiel carted his suitcase all around and skipped his wife’s funeral.  John the Baptist lived in the boonies and ate bugs.  Even Jesus would have a hard time registering to vote, having no regular mailing address. 

No one can accuse us of being weirdoes.  No sir!  We are respectable.  We’ve got good manners.  We’ve got class.  We’re foolproof.  God is surely proud to have such accomplished children. 

Of course, unlike Mary Elizabeth Godwin and Peace Pilgrim, it’s hard for us fully to understand a Savior who had no place to lay his head.  And when we read Paul’s words about the gospel being a scandal, we just shake our heads in wonder. 

Someone said, “Wherever Paul went there was a riot.  Wherever I go they serve tea.”  Alas.

No foolin’?

Keith

Jesus is Lord - Specifically!

An Inkling

It’s our most basic affirmation of faith:  Jesus is Lord.  If you’re a Christian, you’ve said it in some fashion.

Here’s what’s usually in our heads when we say it:  Jesus is Lord of all the world, he will guide how the big story works out, and I want to serve him as he does.

Here’s what’s NOT usually in our heads when we say it:  Jesus is Lord of this chaotic mess that I’m in right now, he will guide how this specific story works out, and I want to serve him as he does.

It’s ironic.  We assume the Lord has the big picture covered.  And yet we operate as if he’s unaware of and uninvolved in the specifics of our everyday lives – and particularly when the chaos factor rises – be it health, work, family, finance (choose one or more!).  We’re so busy trying to gain some lordship over the chaos ourselves that we lose sight of who is in fact Lord.

And so I’ve started consciously stating my belief in his Lordship in specific and chaotic situations.  For example, “Jesus is Lord of this emergency room trip.”  “Jesus is Lord of this financial mess.”  “Jesus is Lord of…”  And he is!

Which means I can go back to my role – serving him as he carries out his role.  I can trust that he will get it right.  What a relief!

Jesus is Lord – specifically!

Blessings,

Keith

What If They Find Out?

An Inkling

The big debate of the summer was launched by Ed Snowden, when he revealed the extent of the NSA’s surveillance.  Some support such surveillance, since it helps prevent terror attacks.  Others oppose it because it gives the government too much power over us – power which may be misused.  Logical reasons can be cited for both.

Such logic may provide the light for this debate, but its heat rises from elsewhere – our fears of being found out.  What if they learn things about me that I don’t want anyone to know?  What if my carefully crafted image is revealed to be a façade?  What if I’m known as I am?  Such fears run very deep.

Emergency bulletin:  it’s too late.  You’re known.  Already.  Completely.  Mr. Snowden is a mere piker in pulling back such veils.  The scripture has long since laid that one bare.  Here’s but one example:  No creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Heb. 4:13). 

Debates about the limits of government power are always in order.  We engage in such debates with greater wisdom when we’re not driven by our fears of being found out.  It works the same with our relationships.  Once we are comfortable being known as we are, the relational contortions driven by fear begin to fade.

And what’s beyond debate is the great good news that the very One who knows us fully loves us deeply – as we really are.  Indeed the verse above from Hebrews is surrounded by long descriptions of the forgiveness we have through Jesus Christ for the very things we had hoped to keep hidden.  And from such does true freedom come!

Here’s looking at you (and loving you!)…

Keith

Taking on a Look

An Inkling

We can’t resist.  Whenever we see a newborn we scan the features to see whom the baby favors.  Never mind that the head is still misshapen and it’s hard to get a good look at the eyes.  The speculation begins.

But really you can’t tell about such things until the baby is becoming a toddler.  As the fat cheeks slim and a neck emerges, as hair fills in and eyes take on a steady color, then we can really see what the little one looks like.

With a week of joint Vacation Bible School, I believe we’re getting to that toddler stage in our relationship with Westwood Baptist Church.  We had done a couple of Thanksgiving services together, and our women had gotten together.  But with the VBS week we’ve begun to see what this “baby” will really look like.

This year, rather than doing our own VBS, we joined in Westwood’s.  They have VBS in the evenings, and all ages join in.  They have worship, dinner, classes, and recreation (like learning to play drums, play soccer, or praise dance).  So it was great fun for us St. Giles folks.  Hopefully we added to the joy for the Westwood saints.  They said we did.  And the traits of these common life endeavors began to show their look. 

And there’s more to come.  Church on the Avenue, the new church meeting in Mary Munford School, also joined us in the VBS week.  The three of us are investigating how we can bless Thomas Jefferson High School next year.  It’s the closest high school, and it has some real challenges.  Our service there will take on a different look through our combined efforts.  We’re not sure where that will lead, but we believe God is calling forth new looks in this corner of his Kingdom.

He does that, you know.  There is endless fascination in discovering the look of his latest creation.  And there’s even more fun in being a part.

Blessings,

Keith

The Starker Beauties

An Inkling

In February of 1987 Sarah and I visited Wichita Falls, Texas, to be considered for a pastoral post.  North Texas is not exactly lush any time of year, but in February it is particularly bleak.  As we left town and reviewed our experience we each wondered aloud what it might be like to live in such an austere place (actually I think word we used was “ugly”).

I was discussing this soon after with one of my mentors, and he said, “You know, God spreads his beauty everywhere.  There are just some places where you have to slow down and get up close to see it.”  Then he went on to describe his own experiences in north Texas, relishing tiny flowers that can be seen only by stooping down, noting how life can take root even in the harshest settings, observing the endless contour and texture variations of the topography, etc.

I thought of that this week as I traversed some stark scriptural terrain.  This summer I’ve been preaching in Isaiah.  While there are starker scriptural landscapes (think Leviticus or Nahum), compared to the recent year spent preaching from John, beauty in Isaiah is found by moving slowly and stooping down.  But there is certainly beauty there.  

God spreads his beauty everywhere.  There are just some places where you have to slow down and get up close to see it.

We greatly relished our years in north Texas.  We discovered its beauty, which in turn has given me a better eye for the more verdant beauties of places like Richmond.  So, too, with Isaiah and John.  So, too, with various seasons of life.  So, too, with the variety of people I meet. 

God spreads his beauty everywhere.  And one of his many ongoing projects with us is to develop our eye for full variety of his beauty.

Blessings,

Keith