Engaged

I watched my daughter try on wedding dresses yesterday.  I handled it quite well.  They handed me a box of tissues once, but I didn't require any medical attention.  To be honest, I didn't do the flash back thing.  I didn't mourn.  I didn't wrestle with how much smaller the years seem in the rearview mirror.  I sat in awe and watched.  All that other stuff happened last night when I tried to sleep.

Thought 1.  I thought about the worst day of my life.  I remember dropping her off at college and driving home.  I can't spend a lot of time on that memory or I break out in hives.

Thought 2. I thought about how proud I am of her.  I've had that feeling a lot from my kids.

Thought 3. I thought about a lot of laughter.

Thought 4. I thought about some of the storms we've walked through together as individuals and as a family.

Thought 5. I thought about the years I've spent praying that the Lord would protect her for the one he has for her and that he would protect that person for her.  I thought about the thread of God's grace that ties a dedicated infant and a wedding together.

Thought 6.  I hugged my wife and thought about what an amazing mom she is.

Thought 7.  It took a while, but I got to the mirrors.  Watching her stand on a platform looking at the woman reflected in the mirrors.  Then, God showed up this morning and taught me.

I don't think we let God be the proud parent.  Sometimes we are so critical and angry about who we are and what we aren't that we can't receive the beaming love of the Father.  He doesn't look at the redeemed through their sin, he looks through the perfect sacrifice of his Son.  I have been clothed with righteousness in Christ.

I heard God ask me why I don't bask in love and pride as he looks on.  Numerous times Bre and I locked eyes yesterday and I smiled and gave a small nod.  She was amazing.  I think I need to be robed in the beauty of Christ and let God look on and be proud.

Church - be ready, stand in the mirror, wear Christ, smile big, and receive the Father's nod.

Revelation 19.7  Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!  For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.

I know Bre is glowing, but so am I.

So is God.

Engaged,
Pastor Dave

Baby Talk

I made numerous trips to the hospital yesterday. It included good news and bad. The day ended holding a baby close to my chest. As I held her I thought about the heart that was healing from surgery one floor up, the cancer that was claiming its home two floors up, the snow storm that was coming, the stuff going in Syria, the fact that the sign needs to be changed again, the gas pric….

No I didn't. To be honest, reflecting back, I don't remember thinking about anything.

Holding that new life did something. That one day old girl didn't erase everything else, make pressure go away, or protect me or anyone else from anything. But, somehow for 5 minutes she captivated my thoughts from everything else. Tons of potential in a 7 pound body.

Innocent. Needy. Helpless. Holy. She opened her eyes a few times. She grunted. Then she helped me with my sermon for Sunday.

Jesus said to Nicodemus, you're not anywhere near the kingdom unless you're "born again." (John 3) Innocent because of the grace of God. Needy for the direction of God. Helpless without the Spirit of God. Holy through of the presence of God.

I've been thinking. We're following the Lord into a ministry of growing people in Him, but we need to hear the call to be born again. Some of us may have tried to learn to ride a bike in the womb. Birth - then bike.

For some, it may be that's why sin is so hard to leave, empty religion has such a tight hold, faith is shallow, forgiveness is impossible, and transformation has been reduced to self-adjustment. Maybe we've turned being born again into being a better person. Maybe we've surrendered those words to the abuses of the past or sacrificed them on the altar of "there are no absolutes" - I want them back. Born again. Born from above. New Life. Saved. Words that reveal the changed life of following Christ.

I don't hunger for them because they are relevant or old fashioned, but because Jesus said "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." I'm glad that baby and I had a talk. She had a lot to say.

OK with Baby Talk,

Pastor Dave