A Cause Worth It

One of the quotes that has served to frame my life in the last several years has come from President Teddy Roosevelt.  I have included it here today.

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.  The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly...who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never know neither victory nor defeat." - Teddy Roosevelt 

         The call to follow Christ means that we participate.  Did you hear that? Participate!!! The cause is worth dying for to see the nations come to know the glory of King Jesus.  There will always be those who watch and criticize, and if they were honest, they long to be in the arena of taking the gospel to their neighborhoods or to the nations.  I want my soul to never be cold and timid, but white hot in pursuit of his name.  You? 

Any resemblance?

Here is Canyon and I at Schloss Benrath in Duesseldorf.  We had a great day of weather and took a trip down the road a bit for a walk in the park and welcomed sunshine.  He has begun to consistently crawl and as normal is getting into everything. What a blast we are all having with him.  I am just thankful that he has inherited his father's great looks.

Greatness

What is Greatness?  Well, obviously God is greatness and so much more than that word's meaning contains.  Greatness is also what you can see in the picture above.  This has come to Duesseldorf in the last 2 months.  Can you say Boston Creme?

We Need the Old Again

The picture is of some castle ruins just outside the city of Plaidt in the Rheinland Phalz.  The castle was at one time a place where life flourished until it was attacked by another castle called Burg Eltz. That was over 500 years ago.  Ever since then, it has lied in ruins. No repairs.  No attention.  Only disrepair.  All but forgotten except by those who occasionally walked the trails near Plaidt, until recently. There has been in recent days new work to restore and raise the castle.  The Old becoming new again, generations later.
     

I was reminded today of this passage of old from Isaiah 58:12, "And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in."  Since we live in a day where the Ancient Foundations of our faith have been attacked through ideas of Postmodernism, how should we respond?  What should we do?  I am convinced after almost 4 years of living in Postmodern, Post-christian Europe, that we must return to that which is ancient, and which is completely fresh and relevant.  The ruins of what we see as an ineffective church need to be rebuilt with a focus on what founded our faith - a trust and belief that Christ alone is HOPE.    We have lost the connection of the Generations and it must be found again.  It cannot be an "us" vs. "them" or a battle between that which is "Modern" or "Emerging".  We need the truth.  When we focus on the Ancient, all of the generations are impacted for the good, if we believe the truth of this text.      

The text here says we can get new names, or a new reputation that could transcend the worlds view of the church.  Oh to be called the "Repairer of the breach" and the "Restorer of streets to dwell in".  Is that not our task today?  To build upon the Ancient foundation of truth and repair the brokenness of the city and the streets where people live and do life.  This is our task and it will come, when we return to that which is Old.

Country or Ranch?

I have a really deep question to pose to you today.  We were watching the new remake of the movie "Flicka" last week when our son Dillon said, "This movie sure has a lot of Ranch Music?"  So my question is, Is this a better word than Country Music?  What do you think?

Is it really any different?

Something interesting occurred to me today as I reflected upon various people in the gospels.  So many of them did exactly what I want to do throughout my day, week, and life.  Their desire from 2,000 years ago is not really any different than my desires today.  Their longing, not really different than my longing.  Their hopes, not really any different than mine and their search to be near Jesus, is not really any different than my search.  I have that in common with those who I see walking in the pages of Scripture.  Luke tells the story of a woman who after years of seeking medical help and all to no avail, makes her way through the crowd just to touch the garment of Jesus. There she finds the healing she could not find.  I find that I want to touch him today as I need his healing.    

Later, Luke goes on to tell us that a tax man closed his business one afternoon and ran and climbed a tree so he could get a glimpse of Jesus as he passed by.  I also don't want to miss those moments when Jesus is present.  I would even climb a tree if I had to.  One night during a fierce storm, Jesus' fisherman friends are in fear and have to wake him up for some help.  Yeah, he was asleep and in no fear of the troubles of the world.  I also, forget that Jesus is not fearful of the things I face, but he is calm, knowing all is going to be okay.There are days my life is like Mary of Bethany, who poured out expensive perfume, simply for the purpose of honoring, anointing, and bowing before King Jesus.  Though people around me may think my life a waste, Jesus finds it beautiful and enjoys the gift as I lay me and my stuff before him.

So I am reminded, be it briefly today, that the desires of my heart are not really different that those before me. That is why, in an ever changing world, that I stay about seeing, savoring, treasuring, climbing, reaching out, and pouring my worship to him who died, rose, went, and is coming.  To him alone be honor and glory.