Ragamuffin Gospel

Get Away

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“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived” (Henry David Thoreau, Walden).

Sometimes I think Thoreau had the right idea. Lately, I feel overwhelmed by the amount of information coming at me from every direction at literally every waking moment. I deliberately stay away from watching any kind of news programs, yet I still feel like I’m drowning in a flood of images and stories, mostly tragic and sad.

Every now and then, it’s good to get away from all things electronic and technological. Every once in a while, it’s good to lose yourself in the beauty of nature and drink in deeply the silence of the woods.

I love Radnor Lake State Park because it is as close to Eden as I can get these days. It’s as close as I can get to how we used to be before we became social media junkies, craving the next Instagram or Facebook fix. I saw a woman walking through Radnor with nature in full bloom all around her who would not look up from her phone. That’s a sad commentary on what we value and where our priorities lie.

Nature has a way of resetting the default on our brains to where they’re not always running like a computer with 50 tabs open at the same time. I still believe that nature is a place where we can better hear the voice of God, away from the distracting noise and clatter that constantly demands our attention.

I think I could live in a place like Walden Pond for a year or more. I could use a break from all the media madness. Maybe I’ll settle for reading the book.

 

What to Do in Light of Recent Events

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Alton Sterling. Philando Castile. Brent Thompson. Patrick Zamarripa. Michael Krol.  Lorne Ahrens. Mike Smith.

These are the names of the men who died recently. They were all human beings, created in the image of God. They were all people that Jesus bled and died for. That gives each one of them great worth and should merit our grief at their passing.

Based on what I heard in a sermon today, this is what I believe we should do in light of these recent tragic events.

  1. Pray. Pray a lot. I don’t mean the polite and genteel kind of praying that you do before meals or in Sunday School. I mean the kind where you come boldly before the throne of grace with sighs and groans and tears of intercession. Pray like the life of the nation depended on it, because it very well may.
  2. Don’t jump to conclusions without knowing all the facts. It’s typical to assume that a) anyone shot by a police officer must automatically be a criminal and a thug in the very act of committing a heinous crime or b) that any police officer who shots anyone of color must automatically be a racist. The mistake Job’s friends made was trying to figure out who to blame instead of trying to ease the pain of Job’s suffering.
  3. The best thing Job’s friends did throughout the story was what they did first. They sat down in silence with their friend in his grief and pain. They didn’t offer words. They offered their presence. Maybe more than all our explanations or arguments what people need from us is our comforting presence, to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.
  4. Confess that while we may not be racists, that’s not enough. Too many of us watch in silence and do nothing in the face of great evil. Our silence often equates to our consent of the evil. We must repent of a long history of impeding the quest for racial equality and harmony. We must do better to love our neighbors who don’t look and speak and act like us.

I must confess that I have too often rushed to hasty judgment instead of rushing to my knees in prayer. I confess that I have harbored prejudicial thoughts toward those different than I. I confess that I was one of the ones who gave consent to evil by my silence rather than speaking out against the wrong.

Lord, forgive us all. Lord, make us one as you are One. Lord, help us to love our neighbors and ourselves as you have loved us.

Amen.

 

Look for the Helpers

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“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers – so many caring people in this world” (Fred Rogers).

When disaster strikes and when injustice occurs, it’s one thing to criticize and bemoan the injustice, but it’s quite another to take positive steps of action toward ensuring that the world becomes a better place where injustices happen less and less.

Jesus said that there would be trouble in the world but to take heart for He has overcome the world. Those who help best are the ones who not only meet the physical needs of those who hurt but also offer the hope of the overcoming Jesus.

The Whole Gospel that Jesus commanded us to take into all the world, especially to the hurting, is to give a cup of cold water AND the living water of life in Jesus. It’s to offer not only bread to the hungry but the Bread of Life as well.

I believe more than ever that those who constantly criticize the state of the world and those who are in it are the ones sitting on the sidelines. The ones helping are usually far too busy to have time for any kind of criticisms. They are the ones who know that it’s far better to light a candle than to curse the darkness (as the old cliche goes).

I believe that we will more than likely see more and more tragedy, injustice, and sadness. Abba’s children know that darkness and evil will not have the upper hand or the last word. They know that every single act of kindness done in the face of evil actions makes a lasting difference for the kingdom of Heaven.

 

Celebrating My Life

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I’m still exhausted. Being sick will do that. Add in a few nights of not sleeping so well. Let’s all be thankful that tomorrow is Saturday. And God’s people said, “Amen.”

I still count myself as extremely fortunate. I ended up with an apparently light case of pneumonia. A friend of mine ended up in the hospital with it.

In the light of recent events, I think all of us should take more occasions to celebrate our own lives. There’s no guarantee of a tomorrow for you or anyone you love.

Let me add my own two cents worth. Yes, black lives matter. For way too long in this country, African-Americans only counted as 3/5 of a person and were looked upon as property to be bought and sold rather than people made in the image of God. That is a grave injustice that we as a country are still paying for.

Ultimately, every life matters. Everyone made in the image of God matters because everyone matters to God.

Ultimately, God’s love will conquer hatred and violence and ignorance and apathy. Ashes and defeat are not the end of the story. Victory and hope are.

So, I repeat again: every single life matters. I matter. You matter. Never forget that.

 

Weary Part II

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I’m still weary. Only this time it’s a different kind of weariness.

I’m weary of violence and hatred seeming to always have the upper hand. It’s not a matter of guns or no guns, knifes or no knifes. It’s a matter of what lies within the unredeemed human heart when it gets its own way. You don’t overcome hatred by more hatred (even if it’s a different kind of hatred). Only love– God’s love– overcomes and conquers hate.

I’m weary of impatience wherever I find it, especially within my own heart. I know from personal experience that good things truly come to those who wait, yet it still goes against those ingrained instincts and that voice that always wants to have what it wants now.

I’m weary of the constant overload of information and the dearth of true wisdom. We have so much more knowledge now than we’ve ever had in our history, yet we seem so much more foolish than ever before in our choices and our character.

I’m weary of my own continual reluctance to trust God in the every day business of living. He’s never steered me wrong, yet I am still slow to listen and hesitant to take Him at His word when He does speak.

I’m weary of believers who try too much to look like the lost world they’re trying to save. What makes Christians attractive is not how much like everybody else we are but how different we are (hopefully in a good and loving way and not in a harsh and condemning way). I’m most weary of the fact that most of the time I’m too good at being incognito in my faith.

I’m thankful that all these things that are so tiresome are not the end of the story. The end is victory and overcoming and rest. Just as Jesus sat down at God’s right hand after His atoning work was finished, so shall we all finally find rest after Jesus comes back to redeem and restore history and humanity.

 

 

Happy 4th of July

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It’s officially Independence Day (or as some jokingly refer to it on social media, Treason Day by us ungrateful former British subjects).

I didn’t go see any fireworks today because 1) I’m still in recovery mode from pneumonia, 2) I’m dog sitting in Bellevue and didn’t feel like driving cross-country, and 3) it rained on and off most of the day.

I am thankful for my freedoms. You can criticize this country and its history and policies (and there’s admittedly a lot we’ve gotten way wrong over the years) but remember that one of your freedoms is the right to criticize without fear of being labeled a traitor and/or arrested by said government.

We must be doing something right for there still to be so many who want to come here (whether legally or illegally).

Yet for all that, I have to confess something. For those who profess faith in Jesus, it’s not God AND country. It’s God THEN country. We may be citizens whose pledge allegiance to a flag and a president but our ultimate allegiance is to a King and a Kingdom.

It’s helpful to keep that in mind going into yet another Presidential election. We need to be reminded yet again that our hope isn’t in the man or woman who sits in the White House. Our hope isn’t in the nine people who sit on the U. S. Supreme Court. Our hope isn’t in passing laws and statutes.

The current problems we face aren’t nearly as much political as they are spiritual, so we don’t need a political platform as much as we need a Savior.

The way of the cross still isn’t drinking the Kool Aid of one political party or the other. It isn’t more Christians in political office. The way of the cross is still this– “Whoever wants to be first must be last, and whoever wants to be the greatest must be the servant of all (Mark 9:35).

I hope you’re enjoying your extended holiday weekend. Just remember that as great as America is, it doesn’t even begin to compare to the Kingdom of God that’s already here and yet at the same time is on its way.

 

 

Dog Sitting in Bellevue Again

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Once more, I find myself in the area in West Nashville known as Bellevue. I get to take care of three of my favorite dogs in the whole wide world.

They are two beagle mixes and one Jack Russell mix. The last one is a little mixed up in the head, but he’s also very endearing and lovable and fun to be around.

The bonuses for me are that McKay’s, my favorite used book/music/movie store is very nearby, as well as Loveless Cafe (which I think should be required for everyone who comes through Nashville).

I’m still in recovery mode from pneumonia but I believe I’m feeling much better than I was yesterday. I don’t feel quite as fatigued (although it still doesn’t take an awful lot to wear me out). Part of my prescription is an inhaler, something I haven’t used or thought much about since I used to have to carry one around for asthma back in the day.

I don’t have any plans for the 4th of July Weekend. I plan on hanging out with these canines and resting a lot. I’ve seen lots of fireworks in my lifetime, so missing them this year won’t cause me too much psychological harm.

As always, God is good, life is great, and I am blessed.

 

I’m Sick Part Two: The Diagnosis

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I finally broke down and went to a walk-in clinic. As it turns out, I have pneumonia.

Let that sink in. That is one scary word right there. I mean, people die from pneumonia, right?

In my case, what I have is nowhere near that bad. I got a shot in the butt (which was awkward) and a prescription for an inhaler and some pills. I should be as good as new in about a week or so.

At least now I know why I’ve had the on-again, off-again fever and fatigue. The condition has a name and a cure.

I have a lot more sympathy now for those who struggle with health issues and undiagnosed ailments. It’s hard to continue feeling bad and not know why you feel that bad. If it looks like there’s no end in sight to the illness, it’s much harder to endure on a day to day basis.

God, be with all those whose ailments have not yet been given a name and give them strength to bear under this season of suffering. Grant to the doctors wisdom and understanding to be able to diagnose and give hope to those who are weary with waiting for answers.

Most of all, bring healing in Your own way and in Your own time to those who need it most.

Amen.

 

I Just Can’t People Today

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So, the low-grade fever is back. I still feel blah (but nowhere near death’s door). I still managed to get in all my Wednesday activities (before I was aware of The Return of the Fever).

I participated in the Summer Singles Series at The Church at Avenue South. Afterward, some of us went out to eat at Las Palmas. It wasn’t the best meal I’ve ever had, but that really wasn’t the point. It was being around people.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t people very well today. I’ve been in brain fuzz mode all day long. My mental capacity is about at the level of “Fire bad. Tree pretty” (those who know what TV show I’m referencing are awesome).

I spent most of my mental energy keeping my eyes open. I felt like that pug in the videos who is fighting vainly to stay awake in the middle of the day. It’s the pug life, fo’ reals, y’all.

Anyway, some days it’s okay not to be the most social person in the world. Sometimes it’s okay to be alone with your thoughts. Introversion (or just slightly less extreme extroversion) is not a sin. Some of the best minds have been introverts. Especially when they could keep their eyes open.

As I mentioned previously, if this is as bad as I’m going to feel, I’m okay. I can still function (just not without the aid of much, much coffee) and I can still fulfill all my adult obligations.

The key, as always, is to be thankful for being alive and still in mostly good health. The rest is still gravy.

 

I’m Sick

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It’s official. I have a fever and I feel bad. I’m sick.

As much as I like to think that I am brave and stoic in the face of illness, I’m not. Actually, I’m a bit of an overdramatic martyr, truth be told. In my own passive aggressive way, I want everyone around me to be aware of the agony I’m in so they can feel appropriately sorry for me and buy me nice things and do nice things for me.

I regaled more than one person with the thrilling tale of how I drove from work with the A/C off and the vent on because of the chills. It was brutal. I didn’t even sweat one drop the whole way, even though I normally would have been perspiring like the pig that’s about to be bacon.

I made sure that people saw how I was shaking and shivering under all that nasty air conditioning when I was clearly not well. Anyone should have been able to tell that just by looking at my poor miserable face.

Yet here I am, sick. Honestly, I’ve felt much crummier and if this is the worst experience I go through, I’m doing alright.

I know several who are worse off than I. I have a friend who has been to doctor after doctor trying to diagnose and lingering illness that causes her to be extremely fatigued and with a weak immune system to fight off infection. I know several who are fighting courageous battles with cancer, including one who recently lost his battle.

Viewed the right way, illness can be an opportunity rather than solely a burden. You can always serve those who are worse off than you (and if you can’t physically serve, you can send encouraging notes or texts letting them know you are thinking and praying for them. Encouraging words tend to have the same effect on those who write them as with those who receive them.

You can use illness as a means to stand in solidarity with those around the world who suffer daily from hunger, malnourishment, disease, and abuse. You can use your aches and pains as a reminder to pray to the Healing God for those everywhere who live daily with chronic pain and diseases.

This just in. I’m not at death’s door just yet. I’ll probably be right as rain in a day or two with hardly a memory of all my dire suffering.