Living within the sacred.

The sacred.
It is not strictly for the holiest of us.
The sacred was kept hidden.
The sacred was closed off to the “public”.
Only those who were cleansed could enter.
Those who did enter the space of the sacred who were not cleansed would die.

God’s holy presence makes a space sacred…nothing else will do.
No amount of gold, incense or prayers can make something devoid of God sacred.

But the sacred moved…
On the day of death.
On the day of the cross.
The day when Jesus died for the sins of the world, the sacred moved.
not far away from Golgotha, the temple stood.
The place where the presence of God resided within the sacred holy of holies.
That dark and mighty day the sacred space moved.
The very presence of God relocated.
He wasn’t evicted…perhaps in a way He was.
He wasn’t changing…God is the same today and yesterday.
But circumstances changed.
The plan of salvation, the day of redemption unfolded before humanity who had not it recognized Him.
The curtain to the sacred tore.
Its space now vacant.
No, God ~~had not~~ would not abandon them,
but the space became bigger.
The sacred expanded.
Satan and Death were conquered.
Beyond our human understanding and our existential vision, something supernaturally remarkable took place.
Messiah had come.
Death was defeated.
New life was possible and available to those came seeking.
The sacred space didn’t move, it became available to everyone.

-Living within the sacred-

Truth:
living here within the sacred takes time.
Not because God’s presence isn’t enough but because many times we are still dealing with stuff.
We are still in need of full surrender.
We have not completely relinquished our old patterns of life to fully embrace this new creation Christ has won for us.
Living within the sacred requires our full devotion to the Risen Lord.
Living within the sacred requires us to embrace our own crosses and to lay down our selfishness only to pick up His image of selflessness.

This is the beginning of Holiness.
The Holy Spirit can, and will, take up residence within a new sacred space – our lives.
He will transform us.
He will begin anew within us…
but living within the sacred demands our allegiance and attention.
Living within the sacred requires us to embrace fully the divine plan of redemption.
We can live here.
We can grow here.
We can be holy…here.
The Holy Spirit will transform us…
the only question is are we willing to live here no matter what the cost or earthly sacrifice?

Something more for us to ponder today.

April 6, 2015 2

Looking At The Cross

I’m not here to proselytize,
no, we will never be moved from our positions and convictions by mere words.
9 times out of 10 most will never be “saved” by signs on billboards saying “Jesus Saves”
or by a “Preacher” on a soapbox with a bullhorn.
No, none of these things seem to penetrate the heart.
None of these things contributes to the glory of God…
it only adds to the noise.

It’s a slow walk…
This path towards the cross.
The place where Jesus was killed was literally called the place of the skull because it looked like a skull cap.
It was never pretty.
Death. Is. Not. Pretty.
Even when the Son of God faced death…it was not pretty.

Death is brutal.
Death has its claws into the sides of humanity and many learn to fear it.
Even Jesus prayed for the “cup to be taken from Him” while in the garden of Gethsemane, yet He was still faithful and He still went through with it.

Blood was spilled.
People spat in His face.
A crown of thorns was forced upon Jesus’ head…
more blood was spilled.
The path that Jesus walked is called the ‘Via Dolorosa’ which means “the way of suffering” or “the way of sorrow”.
No, this was not, by its own a rite, a “glorious” day…and yet we look at the cross,
we explore His gruesome execution,
we peal back the “polished” veneer of the cross’ description,
and we discover just how much our Father in Heaven desires to rescue and redeem us from our sin tattered lives.

We linger here…
we must not overlook its importance and its horror.
Divine carnage, blood, suffering, pain.
We ought not turn our eyes away too quickly in order to get to the “good stuff”… just yet.

Divine love was broken and spilled out for us.
His blood became our atonement.
His sacrifice our salvation.
His willingness our redemption.
Perhaps THIS, above all else, speaks louder than any of our “big” words could.
Perhaps THIS, the mark of suffering could capture the hardened heart.
Perhaps THIS, is where healing can take place…
if only Christians would get this.
if only we would live this.
if only we would “take our crosses” (no really) and selflessly follow Him.
I’m not being preachy here,
I’m listening to the groaning of my own heart
and this truth rings out in me.

So I look at the cross… for a little bit longer.

April 1, 2015 1

The Ministry Tool Kit, 5 Tech Tips And Tricks

There is something to be said about working smarter not harder.
That doesn’t mean that we don’t work, mind you…it just means that perhaps there’s a smarter, more effective way.
Today on Pastorsponderings.org, I would like to explore some of the tips and tricks of ministry.
I would caution you though that these are simply tools of ministry and that these elements ought never take the place of person/pastoral studies as well as hard work and scholarly thought.

I remember in seminary (College For Officer’s Training) instructors expressing the need to have ministry files and preaching calendars. These elements, if prepared ahead of time, can save pastors from rushing around on the weekend or when a crisis hits they have spare messages and/or bible studies to reach for. Preparation is key!

1. Prepare!
This is the first tip to ministry. Don’t get blinded sided by how busy the life of a pastor can be. Work ahead of schedule, stockpile thoughts and ideas. Prepare to be bombarded, at times, by the “hecticness” of life. The Boy Scouts were right…”Be Prepared”…if you plan ahead, the late night cramming session won’t be necessary.

2. Dropbox/Cloud Storage.
I am sort of a tech-head. I use technology when it suits me. It has saved me at times when my computer has frozen up or crashed. Saving my sermons and other such pertinent information on a cloud based server can help preserve needed information in the future. It may seem tedious saving it twice…but it doesn’t hurt to have a backup, especially if the information pertains to finances, sermon prep and other administrative documents.

Make sure you pick a cloud device that has lots of free space, and if desired you can always purchase additional gig space in the future if the need arises. Most of the time, however, the start-up free space offered is more than sufficient. There are numerous platforms by which you can use these cloud based sites and applications for both android, windows and apple.

Save onto the cloud, make sure your password is complicated enough but not too complicated to forget…and save often!

3. CCLI/Songselect Subscription
For just over a $100 a year, you will have access to a plethora of worship songs both old and new.
There are other subscription based worship groups out there but none are linked like Songselect is to CCLI…and since there are the occasional audits from CCLI anyway, it doesn’t hurt to have an inventory of your songs already available to you. There are a couple of subscription options to choose from. Since I’m predominantly a guitar player, I utilize the basic membership which includes unlimited guitar chords to thousands of worship songs as well as traditional hymns. The beauty of this subscription is that you can link it to other software that perhaps your church already has such as MediaShout, ProPresenter…etc.

4. MediaShout
There are numerous song/scripture/lyric presenters out there for Sunday worship that do a far better job than the traditional Powerpoint software. I have used some, but admittedly not all. I cannot comment on the ones I haven’t personally used, but the ones I have used I can say that it can make life a lot easier. Again it comes back to the principle of thinking smarter not harder. Having software like this at your church can ease the load of having to build worship sets from scratch every week. I cannot tell you how great it feels to have a library of worship songs that are ready for me to choose from, and if it’s not there yet I can link my Songselect account to MediaShout and pull up that new song I need for the up and coming Sunday. Some might consider the cost of this software to be too much, and I certainly don’t work for this company or others I’ve mentioned, but I can tell you that they do certainly pay for themselves in the amount of use I get out of them.
I know that there are many other such software companies that offer similar services and I would imagine most of these would work just as well within your ministry.

5. Tablet For Ministry
Again, don’t get tempted to lean too much on technology, but don’t be afraid of it either. Take a risk from time to time…these modern devices can help to improve your ministry or provide you resources at the touch of a finger or two.
I personally use my iPad to preach from. I bought an app about two years back called ‘Documents to Go’ (before Microsoft Word was available on an Apple device). I usually write my sermons from my computer, save it to Dropbox and upload it into Documents to Go. I find it easy to use, it stays lit when I am preaching and I potentially can go paperless while still maintaining a library of my written sermons on my device or on the cloud.

I do have Bible Apps on my tablet, but honestly, I still use my personal Bible for study and while I’m preaching on Sundays…somethings won’t ever change for me. Perhaps you already feel comfortable using these devices, perhaps not. If you think you can use it, then give it a shot…if not, don’t sweat it. These are just a few suggestions to help you in your ministry.

How About You?
Do you have any other “Tech” Tips and Tricks for ministry that you can offer us today?
Leave your comments below…share, and join in the conversation. I promise to post your suggestions in the future, and I will have other tech tips and tricks in the coming weeks that perhaps can aid you in your ministry right now.

Something more to Ponder today.
God Bless!

March 31, 2015 2

Dear Salvation Army, The Death Of The Uniform Skirt.

February 10th, 2017 Edition #118

It finally happened.
The Salvation Army’s women’s uniform has officially changed.
The days of the skirt with those awkward “gasping for air” tight pantyhose is finally over.
The skirt has finally gone the way of the bonnet and the high collar uniform.
Some say that it is about time, while others claim this is the beginning of the end for our Army. Either way, the change in uniform policy has come, and time will tell how it will effect our army.

One officer brazenly indicated that with the expiration of the uniform skirt the equality within the sexes could finally be realized.

Is this true?
Could we be seeing all additional walls between “official” roles torn down all because of the death of the skirt?
Could it have been that simple?
Some would contend that officer leadership roles had already begun changing well before this uniform adjustment, but I recently sat down with a few female officers to discuss just how this new policy change will effect all gender roles within the Army.

The Interview:

So, tell me about this new uniform policy?
“Well, I don’t know about everyone here, but I am absolutely thrilled to see the army finally taking this modern step forward! I can’t tell you how good it feels to not be required to wear those constricting pantyhose at official events and other occasions. I mean numerous changes have occurred within the men’s uniform shirts over the years but THIS change is just remarkable!”

Looking back, what sort of rationale did you hear of in regards to why the Skirt/Panyhose and High Heels were required for “Full Uniform”?
“Oh, there were a lot of interesting reasons that I have heard. Some of the craziest were –
-‘The tunic does not look good without the skirt.’
-‘If women no longer wore skirts they wouldn’t know how to sit ladylike anymore.’…
…”One person even told me: ‘I don’t have a problem with it, so why should you?‘
“Another one I have personally heard was, ‘You can wear pants in the office, so it’s not like you NEVER get to wear them.’
…Someone told me once, ‘Skirts are more formal than pants…’ To which I said, “then why don’t men need to wear them too, for the sake of formality?”
-‘Skirts are feminine, pants are not.’ They told us that we needed heels so that we stood ‘more erect’ and had a better frame.” (In response to this comment another woman added, “Are men required to wear something that requires them to stand ‘more erect’ and have a better frame?”)

Why is this new change in uniform so important? Are there any opportunities now that you have that you didn’t while in the skirt?

“I always hated that it impaired my ability to play drums on Sundays. It was frustrating having a talent and not being used because I was uncomfortable playing a drum set with my legs wide open in a skirt.”

“I already see a difference in my own life, I used to get swollen feet/legs at the end of the day and now I don’t. I was always concerned about my back and my health when wearing heels because of the skirt. Now that I don’t wear the heels anymore, my back pain and worry for my health is also gone!”

“Prison ministry is certainly different now, I no longer have to wear the skirt and personally I feel less like an object while in this specific ministry!”

“I don’t get judged anymore by other women officers by the length of my skirt…that used to always drive me crazy when someone would tell me my skirt was too long or too short…that kind of judgment is gone now!”

“I used to have to do nursery work from time to time during the holiness meeting and inevitably I would be holding a child and their Velcro strapped shoes would catch on my nylons…I always ran them…now I don’t have that problem…and that certainly saves me some money on more nylons every week!”

“I have seen a difference in some of our women soldiers in our corps. Some were never keen on wearing the skirt when in full uniform, but since this change, they are back in full uniform on Sundays!”

“I used to fall a lot while in high heels. I even twisted my ankle a time or two, once rather severely. Now I wear flats with my uniform pants and I can’t tell you how good that feels, and I’m sprain free!”

So I’m hearing you say there are a lot of opportunities now, do you think this effects the way others see women performing official “Officer” roles?

“Absolutely! I think the uniform skirt put certain limits on us at times. I believe there is an element of respect that comes with wearing pants with full uniform that we didn’t have before. This is all new, but I have already seen the positive effects this change has had on my ministry and my leadership as an officer.”

What would you say to someone who wants to bring back the skirt or is clinging to this now obsolete uniform?

“I think the army made the right choice in this new policy, but I think if someone still wants to wear the skirt, no one should stop them from doing so as long as they don’t look down their noses at the rest of us wearing our uniform pants in full uniform.”

“I always felt a little bit judged by people, most of the time it was other women in uniform, who had this kind of ‘standard’ that they seemingly forced on all the other women around them while wearing their skirt and pantyhose… I don’t think that is going to change much now it will just mean they are judging us according to how we wear this new full uniform. But I would say that if you want to cling to the old uniform great, just don’t judge us by your standards…isn’t that kind of what the pharisees used to do?”

—————————————————
Well, there you have it.
Those that I talked with about this new uniform policy change seem to really like it.
The impression that I got from these women was that this is a good thing, and that some gender barriers are now down (assumed or recognized) within the identity of the Army as a whole.
Will this be the end of the army? I don’t think so. The Salvation Army has changed often within its 152 years, and I believe that it will certainly adapt as we move forward in the battle of saving souls and serving suffering humanity…and who knows, perhaps we will look back at this moment in our history and say “that was a minor event in this mighty army for Christ, or perhaps it will be said that this was a mighty turning point in gender equality and leadership roles. Who knows, perhaps time will tell.

***A satirical article from a non-existent news source in the future…who knows…it could happen!***

March 30, 2015 1

Dear Salvation Army Soldier, Don’t Forget Your Children!!

I write this pondering today because it is personal.
This is something that often weighs on me.
I have four beautiful children.
I don’t just say that, but if you were to ask me about them, I might just gush about the things they do that make me laugh, and how talented they are and how proud I am of them. In case you couldn’t tell, I love my kids. For those of you out there reading this who have children too, I am sure that you love your children as well!

my kids2 — My older boys – Isaiah (15), Zechariah (14)

Ministry and Kids:
Growing up in the Army had its ups and downs, it’s joys and its not-joys…but my parents were very keen on the need to instruct and love their children in the midst of the busyness of officership.
They carved out time.

They made sure we were not left behind.
We did ministry together at times.
We helped during hectic Christmas seasons (though honestly we hated it sometimes).
We led songs. Sang solos. Played in the band. Helped out with youth programs…and yes we were “the example” to other kids (although we often chaffed at that). In and through it all we were not left behind.

The Dangers of Ministry:
We can get lost in the deep waters of savings souls.
We can thrive upon our “success rate”.
We can puff ourselves up with importance in the roles and positions we are appointed to.
The waters of ministry are as vast as they are deep.

I have heard of officers who put in 50-60 hours a week in the office while their families never see them.
I have seen these over-worked soldiers of our army face to face. They are good people. At times I have caught myself in this trap as well. I am certainly not saying “don’t work”…but I am saying be careful not to get lost in “the work”. Be aware of the burnout cycle of soldiers, and signs that accompany it. Take time away. Take your days off. Spend quality time with your families. Do what is necessary. Help the hurting first…let the paperwork and reports wait til last if you have to.

Secondly, don’t get buried by the crashing wave of performance and approval. This danger caters to our need to make others happy. We can easily become people-pleasers all of the time. We might waste valuable quality time with our families because we are so concerned about making sure leaders, soldiers and others all happy with us and our work. Beware of this danger.

“I saved souls but I lost my children!”
I would forever live a life of regret if this became my response to the Lord when I see Him face to face.
Can feel the anguish and pain in attempting to say this?
Sure some will argue that it’s not a parent’s duty to save their children, no, but it is a parent’s duty to “train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it“. (Proverbs 22:6) Just because we put on our uniforms and walk out into the “mission field” doesn’t mean that we no longer have this first mission field to care for.
Our first mission field IS OUR CHILDREN!
I really don’t care what others say about this.
If your opinion differs from mine then so be it.
If we have the capacity to procreate in this world, then it is our responsibility are parents to train our children and to teach them.

Will there be others there to help teach them? Of course.
Will we need help? Absolutely!
Will there be difficult days? Naturally.
BUT…We bring our children along with us in this ministry!
Don’t leave them behind.
Don’t neglect them.

Things to consider (and please don’t get discouraged):
There are some officer’s kids and soldier’s kids who are growing up hating the Army because they never see their parents.
There are some officer’s kids and soldier’s kids who, once grown, will never darken the doors of a corps building ever again.
We only get so many years with our children and then they grow up and leave our homes, make those years count!
Sometimes it is necessary to be parents first and soldiers/officers second.
Sometimes that priority list has to take a back seat to the home life.

Questions:
How can I be a better parent? (There is always room for improvement, but don’t beat yourself up!)
How can we incorporate our families into our ministry more efficiently?
When my soldier/officer priorities need to take a backseat to my family will I show up and be present to them?
What are the needs of my family right now?
Am I fervently praying for my children, my spouse, my family?
Do I show my love to my family enough or do I need to be more intentional in this display?

Something more for our Army to ponder today!
To God be the glory!

March 25, 2015 0

Dear Salvation Army, 5 Thought Provoking Quotes From General Eva Burrows

One cannot completely quantify someone’s life into five simple quotes, and I am certainly not about to start that today on pastorsponderings either. General Eva Burrows was promoted to glory last week at the age of 85. We celebrate her life, and we recognize too the joyous celebration in heaven she is now receiving.

She was, from all accounts, a godly woman. She was a well loved and respected General (the second female General) of The Salvation Army. She had a passion to serve the risen Christ, and she propelled the Army forward while leading as its General. I had the opportunity of meeting General Burrows as a child, and from what I recall she never forgot your name. People mattered to her. Her leadership spoke of helping the homeless and hurting, changing the dynamics of communities and better equipping our Army to make that happen. We were extremely fortunate to have General Burrows as our General and leader. Though it has been years since she retired from officership, her legacy is one to be admired and serves to push every soldier forward into the fray as we all strive to serve the risen King.

With that being said, here are
5 thought provoking quotes from General Burrows.

1) “We have to be careful in this era of radical feminism, not to emphasize an equality of the sexes that leads women to imitate men to prove their equality. To be equal does not mean you have to be the same.”

2) “In spite of the way many people are turning away from God, not for other gods, but for no god; in spite of the mess we are making of this beautiful Planet Earth which God has given us, God still loves the world.”

3) “In family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds close together, and the music that brings harmony.”

4) “If we’re not growing, we must feel guilty, because we are not fulfilling Christ’s demand.”

5) “Homelessness is not just an isolated social evil. It is the catalyst and the breeding ground for other problems such as marriage difficulties and family breakup, stress, unemployment and alcoholism…”

General Burrows was the kind of leader that was a mover and a shaker in our army world.
She was a servant and faithful soldier even after retirement.
Her passion, leadership, and grace lives on in the lives that she touched.
Our army is better because of her faithfulness to the Lord.
Our army needs more Eva Burrows who are will to serve and lead.

I am not putting General Burrows on a pedestal today, I am simply pointing to a person who wished to resemble the very Christ we all serve today. May we do likewise in every aspect of our lives…from the corps halls to schools, orphanages, clinics, divisional and territorial offices and beyond. May we strive to reflect Christ in all we do and say.
General Eva Burrows, well done good and faithful servant!
Something more for our Army world to ponder today!
To God be the glory!

March 24, 2015 0

Dear Salvation Army, The Voice of Dissonance?

Is there such a thing within our ranks as a dissonant voice?
Is this even something considered?
Sometimes I wonder if individuality can be present within a quasi-militant organizational model such as ours.
Is there ever a place for such a voice?
Can iron sharpen iron without healthy friction?
Is punishment instantly doled out to those with a conflicting voice?

By dissonant I don’t mean a voice of extreme dissent or open rebellion, I mean one who has constructive things to say to the organization as a whole…is this possible? Does that voice really matter? Does the Army still need dissonant voices? Will those voices really make a difference? Or does it sort of resemble this:

I do not wish to throw gasoline onto a fire.
I do not wish to lick an open wound (I know, gross euphemism…sorry).
But I do wonder what sort of place these dissonant voices have in an army that often times spurns abnormal or divergent (sorry book/movie series) soldiers?

Worst Case Scenario of Dissonance:
Divergent, dissonant voices are expelled, sometimes publicly, sometimes quietly with little to no fanfare.
They are driven further and further away from sources of influence and squeezed until they either capitulate or comply to the common “group think”. Hence the “my way or the highway” leadership model. Decisions made by leadership within this scenario do not handle constructive criticism of any kind, and will lash out and punish anyone who raises pertinent questions that challenge the present leadership and its decision.

Best Case Scenario of Dissonance:
Divergent/dissonant voices are listened to, constructive criticism is welcomed in order to make the Army better. Leaders still lead and make the decisions but welcome other voices to help make the organization better. One can still agree to disagree but without the fear of retribution of faulty, insecure leadership. The best case scenario is not the easiest for the organization, but would preserve its constituency while providing ownership to the “group”. BUT…Pick Your Battles!
Dissonant voices can become just like traffic noise if not careful on what battles are waged through constructive criticism. Traffic noise is loud and indicate when someone is coming, but if you constantly live with the noise, it will eventually become tuned out and ignored. If one constantly challenges authority and argues with every voice of reason and “unreason” that voice will eventually lose all power and credibility. If you must challenge authority and leadership…pick your battles and make sure you look for traffic!

Organizational Questions to consider:
Are there times when the voice of dissonance is needed in our Army?
What can one do to ensure dissonant voices of concern are listened to?
How can we tell when we have become the one in need of listening instead of speaking?
Does this army have room to grow and to become better defined and equipped?
How does one know which battles to pick?
When does pride become our blinder and prohibit us from seeing the “big picture” or the “other side”?

The Resonating Dissonance…
In the grand scheme of things, The Salvation Army was born from such a voice.
William and Catherine Booth began this mission because it seemed that no one else would.
They moved from the “accepted” group think into something new, and the transitional go between was this voice of dissonance. Jesus was a dissonant voice in His day. He, at times, upset the “group think”. He challenged the “law”. His way was obviously divine, life saving, deeply personal and yet salvation for the whole wide world. How can we become a resonating voice of dissonance in our world? How can we bring into the focus the need to become better aligned with Christ? How can we align our harmony with the orchestra of God? Can this army thrive within THAT voice again? I believe that we can. I believe that it isn’t too late for that. May we strive to be an ever forward moving army! May we guide the wounded hearts to Christ. May we never stand in the way of His Holy Presence and His moving in this body of Christ! May we use our voices both as individuals as well as an Army to make the name of Christ resound, so that hope is given, love is shared and joy, unspeakable joy is forever dispersed among His people.

Something more for this Army to ponder today.
To God be the glory!

March 23, 2015 5

Dear Salvation Army, Would Jesus Be A Soldier?

Admittedly it’s a facetious pondering today…
but I think it’s something worth exploring in round about way.

Would Jesus…(if He walked this earth today) be a soldier of The Salvation Army?
Some of you would say, “No, He would be the General”…

But…
when it comes to our mission.
when it comes to our purpose.
when it comes to serving suffering humanity…
would Jesus be a soldier?

Would He hang out with the undesirable people?
Would He converse with that smelly person in your soup kitchen that no one else wants to sit by?
Would He go into the homes of the abused, the drunkard, the hoarder, the unclean, the lowest of the low?
YOU. BET. HE. WOULD.

Would He fight on even when He was tired, busy, discouraged, angry, facing all kinds of adversity?
ABSOLUTELY!

It IS really a silly pondering to consider today, but it is a necessary one.
Sometimes we must peel back all of the orders and regulations.
Sometimes we must step around the finance minutes and the policies and procedures.
Sometimes we put aside the “busy work” lingering on our desks and in our “bring up” files…And just consider what it would take for Jesus to wear this uniform and for Jesus to serve those in need regardless of the hour or the inconvenience.

Because…
If we are an Army of Holiness.
If we are theologically and philosophically aligned with the “Holiness Movement”

THEN
Jesus is in uniform
Jesus is a Soldier
Jesus is a part of this mission.
Because the Holy Spirit has taken up residence WITHIN us!

So in a very real sense…
We are the very hands of feet of Christ.
We are that representation of Christ to the world.
We are called to imitate Him in every way.

SO…
here is where the rubber meets the road:
Are we?
Are we representing Christ in the very best way?
We are NOT perfect by the world standards.
We do have issues…sometimes many.
We all come with our own baggage and burdens.
But He can free us from these.
Do we try to be the best soldier that we can be?
Not to please the General, or our Corps Officer, or the Divisional/Territorial Commander…but to please God.
To honor Him with everything we do…are we THAT kind of soldier?
Are we loving people regardless of how they smell, where they come from, how they dress, the various walks of life they reside in?

This is front line ministry.
This is vital ministry.
This can be hope to countless hopeless causes and cases.
This…
what we do…
matters!

Something more for our Army world to ponder today!
May His glory shine in all we do!
Soldier on!

March 19, 2015 4

Dear Salvation Army, Are We Slothful?

Go ahead, leave comments below and tell me how offended you are at this question.
The truth is, I kind of hope we are all offended by this in some way.
If we aren’t offended…
If we aren’t in some way incensed…
if we aren’t in some way spurned into action…
then I fear the pondering posed today is in fact true of us.

I do not think this is the case, but it is worth exploring today.

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…” Colossians 3:23

Sloth is more than just laziness.
As a Christ follower, sloth takes on a deeper connotation to mean one who is spiritually or emotionally apathetic.
One who is physically, spiritually and/or emotionally inactive.

Obviously this isn’t indicative of The Salvation Army I know and serve within…
yet, are there moments?
are there those within its ranks?
are there corps and soldiers in need of this kind of wake up call?
could it be me?

I Am A Runner.
I don’t say that to indicate that I am a good runner.
I don’t say this to sound prideful or boastful.
I run because I have hereditary heart issues in my family and I want to stave off those problems in my life later on.
I find running tedious if I am honest.
I grudgingly put on my running shoes in the morning and my aim is to complete my required three miles.
Some days I languish under the strain of those three miles.
Other days it seems to go by rather quickly and it feels good!

Then there are those days, even multiple days when I don’t run.
I sometimes make up excuses as to why I am not able to run on a particular day.
Momentarily it is a relief.
It seems the burden is lifted…but soon enough I feel a little guilty.
I know I should be completing my run.
I know when I have missed the mark on these personal commitments to my health and well-being.
When I miss a number of days and then put on my running shoes once more, I find that I have lost a step or two.
I also find that my endurance is not as it should be and in a small way, I have lost a little bit of muscle mass.
I have become inactive in just a few days, and I need to get back to it.

So What?
Dear Soldiers,
in the very same way a runner who takes a break finds it harder to run again, are we soldiers as fit as we should be on the front lines of this mission? I don’t wish to offend you today, but perhaps to spur us all onward. Have we lost a step or two? Have we grown tired or weary and left the fight? Are we sidelined by internal battles within our corps? Are we inactive all together?

More pointedly
As soldiers sometimes we have seen it all.
We have heard all of the stories people tell us in order to get help from us.
We have been “around the block a time or two”.
Have we become calloused?
Too thick skinned that we no longer feel anymore?
Has sloth entered our lives because we have “settled” into our comfy seats in the corps buildings and we have stopped reaching out anymore because we expect “them” to come to us?
Apathy is the gasping breath of dying Army…and I am sure none of us want to be a part of dying Army!
If we stop caring about the souls of people…
If we stop fighting for the worthy cause of Christ…
If we stop caring about each other in order to better ourselves…
We will, in fact, be the cause of the final death throws of William Booth’s vision.

So, if I have offended you in this pondering today…good.
This is a reconciliation call to myself…and to you.
This is a wake up call to everyone who serves within this army.
We cannot and will not be an ever forward moving army if we do not first commit everything and every resource we possess (and do not possess) to the Lord.

If you are already “running”, if you are already actively engaged then I applaud you!
This isn’t a guilt session, and we need YOU to lead the way!

Let’s lace up our shoes…
Strap on our boots…
get out of the pews…
Pray for a softening of our hearts…
and flee anything that would cause us to fall into the trappings of sloth.

1) The Saviour of men came to seek and to save
The souls who were lost to the good;
His Spirit was moved for the world which he loved
With the boundless compassion of God.
And still there are fields where the laborers are few,
And still there are souls without bread,
And still eyes that weep where the darkness is deep,
And still straying sheep to be led.

Except I am moved with compassion,
How dwelleth thy Spirit in me?
In word and in deed
Burning love is my need;
I know I can find this in thee.

2) O is not the Christ ‘midst the crowd of today
Whose questioning cries do not cease?
And will he not show to the hearts that would know
The things that belong to their peace?
But how shall they hear if the preacher forbear
Or lack in compassionate zeal?
Or how shall hearts move with the Master’s own love,
Without his anointing and seal?

3) It is not with might to establish the right,
Nor yet with the wise to give rest;
The mind cannot show what the heart longs to know
Nor comfort a people distressed.
O Saviour of men, touch my spirit again,
And grant that thy servant may be
Intense every day, as I labor and pray,
Both instant and constant for thee.

(Except I Am Moved With Compassion, Albert Orsborn)

Something more for our Army world to ponder today!

March 18, 2015 2

The Beauty of Faith And Fear Living Together.

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1

The truth is, we DO face fear in this life.
The truth is, we DO suffer from paralysis from time to time because of fear.
If we allow fear to take up a permanent place within our hearts, we rob ourselves of experiencing the joys of life that God offers to us. Fear can only have power if we allow it to have power in us.

That is easier said than done when all of a sudden a moment of crisis takes place and our hearts plummet over that jagged cliff of trepidation and dread. It is easier said than done when we come to the end of our ropes and we have nothing else to cling to. It is easier said than done when we exhaust all hope and resource and still we can’t afford to make ends meet.

Fear is real.
But so is faith.

Questions to ponder today:
Is fear ALWAYS bad?
Is there ever a place for fear?
Does fear ever coexist with faith?

I once heard a phrase that I still struggle with.
The phrase was spoken to a group of us in a church meeting once.
It goes like this: “Faith and fear can’t exist in the same space”
I’m not sure I agree.
Sure, it sounds good on paper and all.
It’s a good mantra to utter in the face of adversity.
But is this saying really true?
I just don’t think it is.
It could be an awesome “battle cry” to rally the troops and help encourage the discouraged…but I think faith and fear sometimes go hand in hand.

I suppose the word fear has to be defined in this conversation.
I think there are varying degrees of fear to think about when we talk about “faith AND fear”.
We don’t want to generalize fear to mean something all encompassing when it comes to “what we are afraid of”, rather I believe the kind of fear that is present within faith is a trepidation rather than a full blown paralyzing fear. I like one of the definitions of the word “trepidation” because it sort of crystallizes to me how faith and fear can coexist together in us.
The definition I think that fits is this:

‘Trepidation’ – a trembling motion.

To me this means that although we do not know what the future has in store for us, there IS STILL MOTION in us.
It sort of sums up that coined phrase “stepping out in faith” for me.
Although we have said “yes” to Christ and we have made that proclamation to the world around us, there is still the motion that is needed…and within that motion is a trembling.

Perhaps some of us dig deep and that trembling isn’t ever noticeable.
While in the rest of us that trembling aspect of faith is extremely evident.
It is more than mere nervousness of the unknown, it is a moving fear that propels faith to action.
It is more than reverence for God “fear and trembling”, it is an action verb that puts fuel on the fire of our faith.

Do you have fear today?
If you do have fear, I want to tell you that it is okay.
Don’t ever think that just because you’re fearful that there is something wrong with your faith walk.
Fear CAN exist within faith, and if understood and utilized correctly, it can help us to put feet and movement to our faith!

Something more to ponder today!

March 17, 2015 0