Monday, August 24, 2009

Attack through Exclusion

Maybe I am just having a bad day but I feel the overwhelming urge to landblast a very popular and quite effective web site as a result of my experience with them today. I will do what I can to restrain but, again, I feel compelled to write not so much about the service, or the fact that a posting made today requesting pro bono web design was pulled (the ad was titled "Need help reaching men for Jesus - see link https://post.craigslist.org/manage/1339298020/itf56) and then when I changed the title but left content it, cannot be found (please see if you can find http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/cpg/1339576866.html) when actually searching the Jacksonville, FL...oops, the name came out, for listing # 1339576866. If it is found, I will be glad to retract my statements. However, it goes to a larger issue.

There is a thought that has permeated our society for decades: If we remove God from our schools, our businesses, our media, our everything, we can live our lives the way we want to and that little voice in our heads and the pit in our guts will go away. That is like turning the radio up in the car so you won't hear the brakes grinding every time you push the pedal. In our heart of hearts and despite what we will admit, we know what the consequences of ignoring the brake noise are (or the voice in our heads or the gut pain for that matter) but we do it anyway and keep driving and driving and driving until one day when we need the brakes to stop the car in order to keep it from running into a school bus full of kids or off a cliff, the car doesn't stop. Not only does the crash kill everyone in the bus, those in car die as well. Let's take the other scenario - car off a cliff. At least the children in the bus are safe but the family in the car is dead and just as the car plummets to the ground, the souls of those inside the car plummet as well, into eternal separation from God. At what point are we going to step up and step forward and say "Enough is enough."? If we do not acknowledge what is going on and take steps to correct it, we have no one to blame but ourselves for the condition of our families, our communities, our country.

Hey dad, whose responsibility is it to get the brakes fixed? If your answer is, "My wife takes care of the car repairs." is your answer to the question, "Who is responsible for the spiritual well being of your family?" the same? Are you ignoring God, your responsibility as a man, a husband, a father, and putting everything, to include the eternal destination of your family, in someone else's hands? Man, grow up and grow a pair. And for those of you not married or without kids, you are not off the hook. God has called you, as well, to step up.

The time for apathetic, non-involved, emasculated, checked out, head in the sand, not-my-problem, "there's nothing I can do", "my voice doesn't mean anything", "someone might call me weak", "I am afraid to step forward because I might actually have to live like a Christian", men is over. Take a stand. Put on the full armor of God and stand. Stand on the Word. Remember the old hymm,"Standing on the promises of God"? What a great message of hope, reassurance, and reality! He promises never to leave us or forsake us. He promises He will return and take His own home with Him. He also promises judgement for all. He promises eternal separation from Him for those who do not know Him or accept Him into their heart as their Savior. Jesus promises to disown those before the Father who disowned Him before men. Jesus promises to spit out those who are luke-warm. In other words, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, the Lion of Judah, the Lamb of God, the One called Faithful and True whose eyes are blazing fire and dressed in a robe dipped in blood who, when He returns on a white horse to judge and make war, will bring the fury of the wrath of God Almighty with Him, is saying, "Go hard or go home." We might better take notice and heed His charge. My advice, take your Bible with you to the brake repair shop.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Middle Relief

Isn't it a huge boost to the old self confidence when your boss, your coach, someone you respect and admire says, "You are the man for the job" or "I need somebody to take care of this and you are my choice."? Especially when the task you have been given is something you either want to do or feel you is something you have been called to do. I use the latter because what if the one who gave you the nod is God? More on that in a bit.
When I think of 'getting the nod', I immediately think of a relief pitcher. Go figure. More specifically, I think of a middle reliever or a set up guy. For those non-baseball fans, the job of the middle reliever and set up guy, while they are not exactly the same, is essentially to take over for the starting pitcher and shut the opposing team down until the closer is brought in to seal the deal. While I never pitched in the big leagues, or beyond high school for that matter, I have been brought into games as middle relief and asked to, "get us through this inning," or told, "gimme 6 outs. That's all we need." Some of those times were less stressful and important as others. But anytime we are asked to 'take the mound', we are literally on an island (take a look at the pitcher's mound on a baseball field), alone, and totally exposed. We are on the spot and we must deliver or our team loses. It's that simple.
Now, in the case of the '6 outs', if the next 6 batters are players we are familiar with, know their weaknesses or how to get them out, or they are 8 year olds hitting against a 16 year old, we feel pretty confident and have no reservation about 'taking the hill and flinging the pill.' However, when the next 6 batters are completely unfamiliar to us and word on the street is that they are first round draft picks of the Red Sox, Yankees, Rays, Dodgers, Braves, and D'Backs and will be heading straight to the show after our game, that is a completely different scenario and one that will throw a little apprehension into the mix. Let's add to the scenario that everyone we know or have known is in the stands or watching, as the game is being televised nationally and on Armed Forces TV around the globe, and our team's future, to include the well-being of our families, are on the line and dependant on our ability to 'get 6 outs'. Despite the confidence we may have in our ability to throw a baseball, the scenario presented is one that would cause the butterflies to stir in even the most seasoned, experienced, and "faithful" pitcher...at any level. Much less one that is 16 years old.
When we are called by God to 'take the mound' we oftentimes feel like that 16 year old in the last scenario. And despite the confidence we have in ourselves and in our ability, we often feel overwhelmed, apprehensive, probably a bit inadequate, and, quite frankly, scared. And when God calls us, especially into ministry leadership, a great deal is at stake (as in the last scenario) and we are out on the island. The opposing batters want nothing more than to put a pounding on the new guy on the mound, bat through the order a couple of times, and put a monster number of runs on the scoreboard. However, as the old adage goes, God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called. And despite the lonely feeling we may have standing alone on the pitcher's mound, we are not alone. As God was with Moses, Joshua, David, Gideon, and so many others whose stories and accounts are told throughout Scripture, He is with all those whom He calls. As He told Joshua, "...Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 (NIV), He says the same to us today.
So the next time you are in the bullpen warming up and get the nod, take the mound with confidence knowing that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is with you. And despite the line-up of opposing batters to be faced, take heart. He is with you. Besides, who do you think created the wicked 12-6 curve ball? Keep it real.