Brennan Manning

Happy Summer Solstice Eve

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I had to look because I wasn’t sure if Summer starts today or tomorrow. Of course, summer starts in Tennessee whenever it darn well pleases and lasts as long as it darn well pleases, kind of like the actor who wins an award keeps on droning well after the allotted time has passed. Or like that houseguest who just flat out refuses to leave.

But it’s officially Summer Solstice Eve. I know that’s not really a thing, but it should be. Tomorrow is the longest day of the year, so the days start getting shorter from here all the way until December 21. Or maybe it’s December 20. Then it can be Winter Solstice Eve.

But I’m thankful for each season, even summer. Despite of all the sticky humidity, I’m still love summer (but not as much as fall or spring). I’m a fan of the longer days and the slightly less traffic on the roads until school starts back in August. I like being able to wear shorts and sandals so everyone can see my pasty legs and hairy feet.

I learned a long time ago that any day’s good when God is in it. As long as God wakes me up, He has a purpose for me. His plans for me are still good, so I can celebrate another 24 hours of being alive. The moment I fail to appreciate my own life, I cease to live and start merely to exist.

I also love summer because I love A/C. I know that I have an escape from the heat by going inside. Seriously, whoever invented the air conditioning unit needs a federal holiday where we can all stay home from work and bask in the glory of the A/C. I’d spend all day sitting directly in front of an oscillating fan and not consider it time wasted.

Happy summer! May you find your way to the nearest ocean or lake or pond. Or river. Or neighborhood swimming pool. Or maybe just step in a puddle. It’s gonna be a hot one. But for me, summer is great because it will help me to appreciate fall all the more. And all God’s people said . . . . AMEN!

Planting Seeds

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“Planting seeds
inevitably
changes my
feelings
about
rain.” (Luci Shaw)

Growing up, I wasn’t overly fond of rain. It was something that inevitable spoiled my fun plans for the day. Rain meant staying inside and doing dull stuff (or at least what seemed dull to me at the time but would probably seem like a paradise now). I had to stay in and read or watch television or take a nap.

But these days, I find rain relaxing and soothing. To a point. I’m still not a fan of rain that lasts for several days with no sun in sight and only grey overcast clouds. But then again, if I were a farmer, I might think about rain a little different.

Think about the seed. It falls into the ground. It stinks into the mire. But instead of being set free from the mire, it gets buried further and further down into the earth, a kind of death. But then the rain comes, and from a seed dying and breaking open, new life is born.

Jesus said, “Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love,“

Those parts of life that seem hard and cruel are the parts that lead to new life. The way God seems to press us into the earth instead of heeding our cry for relief leads to the seed cracking open, sprouting, and multiplying into a harvest. God knows what He’s doing.

Trust God in the dark and be thankful for the rain.

A Personal Shepherd

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I’ve been going through a short devotional plan on my Bible app. It’s a 7 day walk through Psalm 23. So far, I haven’t learned anything earth-shattering. There haven’t been any mind blowing revelations.

But one thing that’s been living in my head rent-free is from Psalm 23:1. The Lord is MY shepherd. That’s probably something I’ve overlooked for most of my life. In fact, I’ve heard this chapter so many times over the years that sometimes I zone out when someone starts reading it.

But the Lord is MY shepherd. He’s not a generic, one size fits all shepherd. He ministers and guides each of His own sheep individually with the utmost care. He knows that sheep on their own have no ability whatsoever to take care of themselves or to defend themselves against any kind of attack.

I still love that in Jesus’ parable, the Shepherd left the 99 to go and look for one lost sheep. In my book, a 99% retention rate is good. Actually, it’s better than good. It’s incredible. But for God, that one mattered more at that moment than the 99 who were safe and secure.

I don’t have to worry if God will meet my needs. I just have to read the rest of verse 1. I shall not want. I shall not be in need. My God will supply all my needs through Christ Jesus. He who did not spare His only Son, how will He not along with Jesus freely give me everything I need for life and godliness?

I have a Shepherd who is MY shepherd. I have nothing to fear.

Thank You, Lord, that You are MY Shepherd. You will lead me beside still waters, and You will give me rest. You will provide for my every need and lead me in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. Amen.

Revisiting Rivendell

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Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Audible. The latest listen is The Lord of the Rings, one of my favorite books ever. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve either read or listened to this trilogy (which technically is really one book divided into three parts). I always forget how incredible the story is and how Tolkien created an entire world complete with mythology and languages out of his own imagination.

For me, revisiting a favorite book is like going to a familiar spot on vacation. You know what to expect. You know what’s coming. Yet there are those moments you forgot that come back to mind once you start the book. And this is one case where as much as I really liked the movies, the books were way better.

I always used to imagine what it would be like to go on a quest like the one Frodo and friends end up on. Part of me still thinks it might be exciting, but the whole sleeping on the ground is a bit less appealing than it used to be. I’d prefer the comfy dwellings of Bag End with all its Hobbit furnishings and multiple meals and so forth. I do feel that I am a Hobbit at heart.

But also there is so much of the gospel in these books. So many of the characters have Christlike qualities and make noble sacrifices for the good of the company. Plus, there’s the whole good versus evil theme that never grows old.

I recommend starting with The Hobbit (or if you’re really adventurous and brave, start with The Silmarillion, which gives you a rich and detailed historyfor how Middle Earth came into being). It helps if you’re reading to find a hardback copy with good illustrations. It help to visualize what you’re reading.

If that makes me a nerd, so be it. At least for the next few weeks, I’m a happy nerd.

Declaration of Dependence

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“We have to realize that we cannot earn or win anything from God; we must either receive it as a gift or do without it. The greatest blessing spiritually is the knowledge that we are destitute; until we get there Our Lord is powerless. He can do nothing for us if we think we are sufficient of ourselves; we have to enter into His Kingdom through the door of destitution. As long as we are rich, possessed of anything in the way of pride or independence, God cannot do anything for us. It is only when we get hungry spiritually that we receive the Holy Spirit” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest).

I think Jesus said something about this. Blessed are the poor in spirit? That seems to ring a bell. It’s only when I realize that I am spiritually bankrupt that I can open my hands to receive what God has for me. It’s only when I confess my own destitution that I can be useful to God. As long as I think I bring something to the table when it comes to serving the Lord, I get in my own way.

The way to blessing is through a declaration of dependence. We can go to God and say that we are completely helpless and can do nothing apart from Jesus. We confess that our own righteousness is like filthy rags. We declare that it’s only through abiding in the Vine that we can grow and flourish.

Lord, I commit myself to You. I know that apart from You I have nothing and I am nothing. Everything good in me is from You. I make my declaration of dependence in You and want to live from now on in the freedom of being nothing other than Your beloved child in whom You are well pleased because when You look at me You see Jesus. Amen.

Another Post About Worship

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“To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God; to feed the mind with the truth of God; to purge the imagination by the beauty of God; to open the heart to the love of God; to devote the will to the purpose of God” (William Temple).

My absolute favorite definition of worship is still the one by Louie Giglio. Worship is giving God His breath back. The more I think about that one, the more I love it. There’s so much to unpack with worship being our response back to God with the very breath He put in our lungs.

But this is a good one. I really like this one because it encompasses all that worship is. We do tend to limit worship to Sunday mornings or the occasional worship night. Most of us use worship and praise interchangeably, but worship is more than singing songs.

As I’ve said before, worship is declaring the worth of God in every area of your life. You proclaim the goodness of God in the workplace by doing your job well. You proclaim the goodness of God in your home by loving your wife and family more than yourself and loving God more than your wife and family.

I believe that you can’t just show up on Sunday and expect worship to happen. If it’s not already a part of your everyday life throughout the week, then when you show up on Sunday, you’re just singing songs and going through the motions. Anyone can manipulate a feeling, but true worship goes beyond an emotional experience.

Lord, help us to worship You in spirit and in truth in everything we do. May we declare Your worth every time we open our mouths, whether it’s in song or encouragement or exhortation or simply breathing back Your breath. Help us to remember that it all came from You and it all belongs to You and that we have nothing apart from You, but You love us still. Amen.

Strangely Dim

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“Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full, in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his glory and grace” (Helen Howarth Lemmel)

For some reason, this hymn popped into my head out of nowhere today. What particularly stood out to me was the line about how the things of earth growing strangely dim. That’s a great way of putting it.

When I take photos with a camera, I like to focus on the subject and blur out the rest so that whoever’s looking at the photo will know exactly what the focal point of the picture is. Everything else fades into the background and becomes blurry.

That’s a picture of what happens when we look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Everything else fades into the background. Everything else loses focus. All those problems that seemed so important and critical seem way less important in comparison.

There’s something about the power of praise that sets everything else into perspective. A mindset of worship has a way of keeping us from spiraling over temporal things that preoccupy our thoughts the majority of the time.

What is keeping you up late at night? What keeps you from sleeping and gives you anxiety throughout your days? Perhaps if we could turn our eyes on Jesus — not just cursory glances or occasional sightings but full intentional gazing on His glory and grace — then maybe those things would grow strangely dim in comparison.

Lord, help us to see You more clearly and to see everything else in comparison with Your matchless glory and grace. Let everything else grow strangely dim so that we can see that You are all that ultimately matters in the end, and all Your promises are still yes and amen. Thank You for loving us. Amen.

The Deepest Spiritual Lessons

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“The deepest spiritual lessons are not learned by His letting us have our way in the end, but by His making us wait, bearing with us in love and patience until we are able honestly to pray what He taught His disciples to pray: Thy will be done” (Elisabeth Elliot).

If anyone knew about deep spiritual lessons, it was Elisabeth Elliot. She was twice widowed and her life was never an easy one from her birth until the day God called her home. But she learned so much wisdom that she was able to impart to so many others, including me. Her legacy of faith has outlived her and still speaks to the goodness and faithfulness of God.

I’ve learned the hard way that sometimes me not getting my own way is not only good but a blessing. I sometimes look back and thank God for saving me from my own desires and from me getting what I thought I wanted or even needed at the time which probably would have destroyed me.

The older I get, the more I understand that God knows way better than I what’s good for me. The older I get, the more I find myself praying that old prayer that never fails: Thy will be done. It’s the only prayer that has yet to steer me wrong.

Look at the disciples. None of them had any idea when they started with Jesus what the rest of their lives would look like. All but one ended up being martyred for the faith, and the last one ended up as a lonely exile on the island of Patmos. But again, their legacy lasted far longer and still speaks hundreds of years later.

That’s it. The simplest and best prayer to pray when you don’t know what else to pray is Your will be done. Even when you have a good idea of what you want from God, it’s best to caveat it with Your will be done. I’d rather have God disrupt every single one of my own plans and desires if it means His will for my life is accomplished.

Lord, have Your way in every one of Your children. Teach us to love what You love, and desire what You desire. Above all, Your will be done in us and through us. Amen.

Hey June

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Admit it. You didn’t just read those words. You sang them. I know I did (at least in my head). But can anyone pinch me because when did June get here and where did April and May go?

In less than three weeks, we’ll hit the day with the most daylight in it (which also happens to be the official first day of summer). After that, the countdown to Christmas is on. Well, at least for me it is. Most of you have other anniversaries and holidays on your radar, but since I am afflicted with Obsessive Christmas Disorder, then that’s where I’m focusing.

I keep thinking a lot about what my boss at my old job used to say: any day without a toe tag is a good day. I like it, but I think it’s not necessarily all good. For those who belong to Jesus, to live is Christ and to die is gain. It’s a win-win. So while not having a toe tag is a good day, maybe the day you and I get our toe tags might be sad for some, but it will be our best day ever.

Also, I want to apologize to any olden people for making fun of you when I was a kid when you said that time flies. I get it now. It does. The older I get, the faster it goes. At the same time, the older I get, the more I realize the less I need to be content. You know the old saying that you can’t take your toys and possessions with you when you die. There are no hearses pulling U-Hauls that I’ve seen lately.

Hello, June! Try not to be too hot and humid right away. I like to dip my foot in the shallow end of summer before I jump in. Send more breezes because it helps me sweat less and everyone around me in the vicinity of my armpits appreciates that. Oh, and less bugs this year would be great. Thanks!

Hymn Night 2026

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The main campus of my church hosted a hymn night. It was better than advertised and even better than I thought it would be going in. Of course, they sang all the classic hymns that I loved growing up and a few newer ones (including a couple that I wasn’t familiar with before tonight).

The highlight was when they brought out Bill Gaither to talk about one of the songs his wife had written back in the day. I have to say he’s very spry for a 90-year old. I hope I’m doing half as well as he is when I get to be that age (unless Jesus comes back, then it won’t matter).

Throw in the Gaither Vocal Band and Larry Gatlin for a couple of songs, and calling it a great night would be something of an understatement. But the best part of the night for me was still those old hymns that still speak even though the writers have long since graduated to heaven.

One song that struck me forcibly with the power of the lyrics was called “I Then Shall Live.” It felt like an old hymn, but apparently isn’t since Gloria Gaither co-wrote the lyrics:

“I then shall live as one who’s been forgiven.
I’ll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
I know my name is clear before my Father; 
I am His child and I am not afraid.
So, greatly pardoned, I’ll forgive my brother;
The law of love I gladly will obey.

I then shall live as one who’s learned compassion.
I’ve been so loved, that I’ll risk loving too.
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges;
I’ll dare to see another’s point of view.
And when relationships demand commitment,
Then I’ll be there to care and follow through.

Your Kingdom come around and through and in me;
Your power and glory, let them shine through me.
Your Hallowed Name, O may I bear with honor,
And may Your living Kingdom come in me.
The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor,
And may You feed a hungry world through me.

Amen, Amen, Amen” (David Phelps / Dp / Gloria L Gaither)