Make me new...

Lord, on the outside I may appear righteous,
but that is only because people can neither see my heart 
or know my thoughts.

Make me new, make my heart new.

I say what people want to hear, because it's easy.
But without a foundation of truth there will be no trust.
If I cannot trust, I will struggle to love.

Make me new, make my words true.

How often I forget of your faithful provision,
how easy is it to forget of your unfailing love.

Make me new, restore to me steadfast love and faithfulness.

I say in words, "I forgive you."
But my heart is a fortress of bitter resentment
leaving no room for your radical grace.

Make me new, restore to me your likeness that I may forgive
and respond in love.

Too often I know what is best for me, as well as for others,
yet my knowledge keeps me from giving life-breathing encouragement
and keeps my ears from listening to life-saving perspective.

Make me new, break down my stubborn pride.

You have created me in your image to reflect your likeness.
Yet too often I bear the image of another,
and resemble the likeness of hatred, pride, and a self-centered, conditional love 
of a finite human trying to be God.

Make me new, Lord, created in your perfect image and likeness to do good works
and to reflect your love, joy, peace, and justice among the nations.

Lord, you make all things new.

Make me new, again.


And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."  
Revelation 21:5 ESV 

Muscle Cars and Mexican Food

With only 5 days and $140 (could have easily been less if I had been 25 years old), I bopped around the Pacific Northwest meeting people, celebrating the wedding of my old roommate and his beautiful wife, and experiencing God around every corner.  I didn’t have much time to explore Seattle, Tri-cities, and Portland, but was there long enough to know that I want to go back. 

Grant and Laura’s wedding was beautiful.  Beautiful bride and bridesmaids, sharp groom and groomsmen, muscle cars, family, friends, and Mexican food…  all the secret ingredients to a perfect wedding.  Congratulations to the newly weds!  I am so glad was able to make it out there for the special occasion, and was grateful for the added bonus of doing a little traveling with my friend Ben Bosse (I saw some of the most interesting things while traveling with Ben) and being able to do a little exploring of my own. 

In all of this bouncing around Washington and Oregon, meeting new people and seeing old friends, I was reminded how much I love hearing people’s stories.  Where they are, how they got there, where they aspire to be, and how they feel God plays in to all of that.  Fortunately I met some pretty kind folks at the wedding, on the road and while visiting a friend at Portland Bible College (PBC), and everyone had a story.

Sarah was my ride to Portland.  She does interactive media for the Trailblazers, combines fashion and her love sports, and loves to tell it like it is… I learned a good bit sharing a ride with her, specifically that girls can know what they are talking about when it comes to sports.  Do not test her knowledge when it comes to Basketball, guys.

Dale helped me kill time at Safeway while waiting for my friend Ben to get off of work in Portland.  He recently turned 83 years old, enjoyed sharing prostate jokes, has been in Portland since 1953, is now currently on a diet per doctor’s orders, taught me the meaning of the word “tumescent”, and left me encouraged that one day I might be as young as him when I’m 83. 

While Dale and I didn’t share the same spiritual beliefs, I think his many years of living still left him with some wise words worth sharing.  Do everything that you can so you don’t miss anything you could have done.  Not bad advice for anyone, but could be greatly misleading if we only do things for ourselves.  I think he meant for this statement to be focused on both our own passions and love for others.  If any of my new friends in Portland are reading this, check in on my buddy Dale at the Safeway where NE Fremont runs into NE Sandy Blvd.  He likes to sit at the tables outside and watch for the moon between 5:30 and 7:00 pm. 

Solomon was a traveler we met with some friends from PBC on his way to Seattle. He reminded me that people aren’t always a product of their own decisions, and sometimes life is harder for some than it is for others.  Both of Solomon’s parents died by the time he was 13, was emancipated at 15, and has been traveling the country since 16.  He is 23 years old and loves to read.  Even though he seemed to have little, he was very content with what he did have.  I’m sure Solomon wouldn’t mind any extra prayers, if you remember it would be greatly appreciated. 

My friend Ben from high school introduced me to a ton of amazing people at PBC where he just started going not to long ago.  I didn’t get to spend as much time in conversation with many of them, but was incredibly encouraged by their faith, obedience, and pursuit of God.  What God did at PBC was truly amazing, and a total answer to prayer.  I am forever grateful for my short stay here and cannot wait until the next time I run into these friendly faces again.  Thanks to all of those who fed me, drove me around, prayed over me, and delivered some very prophetic words from the Lord.  God is certainly using you all for awesome, awesome things.  I will be thinking about you guys and praying for you often. 

As for now, back in Nashville… landscaping, cleaning pools, coaching soccer, teaching climbing, and just trusting in Jesus for whatever is next.  Adventure on, friends.

You have to live, you know?  If you want to go anywhere in the world, pick up a book and read it.

-Dale

Freedom, Money, or Both?

Yesterday I shared a cup of coffee and good conversation with a complete stranger, but our conversation didn’t feel that way. Granted, this was an arranged get together...  but encouraging non the less.

We talked briefly about my upcoming pilgrimage to pursue deeper relationships with those from other cultures and my desire to connect people in America to greater needs around the world.  After a few encouraging words and a little advice, our conversation shifted to American culture.  Both of us agreed that we had a “secret” desire to see a less distracted culture, one where we do not constantly witness people acquiring stuff to make us happy or more comfortable. 

Then he said something that was so simple, yet so profound. I had to write it down. 
Freedom is what money creates in our society.

I was immediately brought back to my notes from last week’s sermon on Matthew 6.  There was so much truth behind these words that I actually became a little overwhelmed.  This idea that I have struggled with about American culture being a distracted culture, seems more accurately defined as a culture that is pursuing “freedom”.  The more “responsibilities” we have, the more money we need in order to receive freedom from those responsibilities… vacations, cars, clothes, and the like.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… …For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

The eye is a lamp of the body.  If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.  If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

No one can serve two masters.  Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve both God and Money.

Matthew 6:19-24

One of the reasons we are sooo distracted by a consumer market is because we desire freedom.  There is more to it, but I strongly believe this to be a large part of why we struggle with stuff.  If I could only have “this”, then “that” would be better.  We are looking for freedom in things and money, when really it can only come from God.  It is not only with money, though.  This is also true for many areas of life.  Work, relationships, and achievements are often pursuits of what only God can fulfill… security, love, and affirmation.   

Do we still need money?  Well, that is an interesting thought; and I want so badly to say, “No”.   Billions of people are living on much less per day than you or I ($2 roughly), but when examined closely it is all assigned a dollar value.  Yes, the world operates on the exchanging or trading of some form of currency, but Jesus is quick to warn us about what or whom we serve.

You cannot serve both God and Money.

The more we turn our focus [eyes] towards trusting in something [Someone] greater than ourselves, and our own power, we can find freedom.  Likely in the form of less stuff, and more sacrifice.  What was the model the Christ and his followers laid out for us?  They gave it all…  they trusted Him with everything they had...

I feel like I have had to say this on multiple postings, but please do not come to the conclusion that I believe possessions to be bad.  This is not that case.  I know that great good can come from those who God has given much.  I am not asking everyone reading this to sell everything (however, if God puts it on your heart I won’t stop you).  For me, I need constant accountability about where I spend my resources, because I have not been given much, and my desire to do “good” is much bigger than my bank account. 

So here is my question for all of us, how are we pursuing freedom? 

Are there needs, locally or globally, that we are ignoring in our own desire to be free?  Do we need to entrust our desires for freedom to Someone else?  Or, are we trying to serve both God and Money?