Preached at the Vista on June 5th. Check it out!
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Chasing Daddy
I love Thursday evenings. Thursday afternoon I don’t get home until around 530 or 6. Jade leaves for our high school girls bible study as soon as I get home usually, and I get to keep Gemma all evening by myself. Normally we play the whole time until we eat something, and we almost always end up watching “Buzz” before the night ends. One thing that we have been doing lately is playing chase. Gemma usually initiates it with taking something that I have: keys, my hat, my phone, the pen I’m writing with. She then runs away from me looking over her shoulder for me to chase her. I wait until she wanders back around me to unexpectedly scoop her up, blow some raspberries on her tummy and stand her back on her feet so that she can take off again. When she comes back around I only have to crouch my head a little and lift my hands and give her a smirky stare and she turns and runs. Sometimes I’ll chase her for several minutes before catching her. Sometimes I’ll chase her to the other side of the room and then turn to run, allowing her to chase me. Sometimes I’ll tickle her and then turn and run away from her. Sometimes I let her get away. Many times I catch her. But all the time I let her catch me in the end. She’ll try to tickle me, or mess up my hair, or smile as hard as she can with wide eyes and then G-bear hug me as tight as she can. We laugh. We fall down. We laugh some more.
I love Thursday evenings because I love my daughter. I love hanging out with her. I love how cool she is. Her personality is amazing. And spending that time together with her one-on-one is so special to me. But it isn’t complete. There is always something missing.
Something happens at the end of our time together every single Thursday evening that is absolutely incredible to watch. It’s a noise that makes Gemma’s eyes light up like stars. It is the sound of the garage door lifting. When she hears it she knows what it means. She knows that a few seconds after that sound her mommy will come through the door. Usually she runs to be there when that door opens. And every time when that door opens, she looks at me with her mouth as open as a hungry hungry hippo and then turns to embrace her mom. After that we will go back to whatever we were doing, but this time Mommy is included in the fun as G demonstrates and shows Mommy whatever it was we were doing. In that moment, I have so much joy its almost too much to contain. Everything feels right. There is peace no matter what turmoil has plagued my mind that day. No matter what junk I have to deal with on Friday. No matter what things weigh on my shoulders. Thursday evenings when my wife and I are making a Gemma sandwich and she grabs our necks to make us kiss, and then she sticks her head in the middle of our movement ending up with our lips on each of her cheeks. That is what G loves. That is what Jade loves. That is what I love.
I think many of us are taught that the most important thing for a Christian to do is to spend time with God. Every day we need to put aside time to spend one -on-one with our Lord. While that is important and true, I think it is incomplete. Don’t get me wrong, I grew up believing in quiet times, and still to this day if I don’t spend time with God I turn into a real jerk. But I think there is a lot more to intimacy with the Father than a few minutes in the morning, or even the whole morning of one-on-one time with the Father.
God made us in His image. He is a unique God with the unique ability to be in relationship with Himself: Father, Son, Holy Spirt. We are created in His image, yet we lack the whole three-in-one ability thing. God is naturally (or really supernaturally) already in relationship with Himself; always has been, always will be. He created us to be in relationship with Him. And He also created us to be in relationship with other believers. One with each other. One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
I believe that intimacy with God is the key to revelation. But I also believe that community with other believers is the keyring that holds those keys.
Yes, we need that one-on-one time with the Spirit of God, communing with Him, encountering Him in intimacy and going deep in His Spirit. And if we run to the mountain of God and make our home on top of the hill to reside with Him there indeed is extreme intimacy with the Father. And God blesses those that spend that quality time alone with Him. But that alone is incomplete. It isn’t whole. There is something missing.
Community with other believers is the third piece. Revelation comes with intimacy, but resurrection power comes with walking in the fullness of God. The revelation doesn’t mean as much in the absence of others with whom we can share that revelation. Our hearts might leap at the mysteries of God, but our eyes don’t light up and our mouths don’t drop until other people walk through that door. And simply having a casual relationship with those people is alright, but true joy and delight doesn’t come until we intimately and deeply know the ones that are coming through that door. When we grow deeper in the Spirit and when we grow deeper with each other, that is when true joy, true peace and true power collide. That is ultimately when true love is shown. That is when everything is right and complete and full and whole. And that is when the revelation is the most meaningful.
Playing a game of chase with the Father is fun, especially when He catches us, kisses us and embraces us. And every time we chase Him, He will eventually let us catch Him. And though that time with Him is so special and intimate, our eyes light up when we hear those closest to us are about to come through that door. And when they do, and we embrace them and draw them in to the places we’ve been with the Father, and when position them on the other side of us making a Holy Spirit sandwich and when we’re going in for the kiss and Jesus sticks his face right in the middle and allows us to kiss His cheeks together, THAT is what I love. That is what we as a community of believers love. And that is what our Father loves!
Just a Kiss
The Sunday morning after Christmas, the Lord showed me something incredible, magical, yet horribly convicting and … sucky. I woke up early and went through my routine – bathroom, shower, teeth, shake hair out, clothes, shoes, kiss the girls, then out the door. While I was getting dressed, G and Jade were laying in the bed and just talking and laughing. I bent down to G and asked, “Can I have a kiss?” She replied with a loud and rebellious, “NO!” It took a moment to process because that had never happened before. I always got my kisses in the morning. I was hurt. It was weird. Uncomfortable. Something wasn’t right. She knew what I as asking for but she didn’t want to kiss me.
After I came to I said, “Okay, if you don’t want to kiss me that’s fine….” I walked off and finished my routine, putting on my shirt and socks. It really got under my skin. I wasn’t mad at her. I wasn’t even angry over the situation. I was shocked that she didn’t want to kiss me. Not because I had just bought a billion presents for her pleasure, and not because I was leaving and needed my goodbye kiss… I was shocked because she’s my daughter, and even more, I am her Daddy. And the fact that she didn’t want a kiss when I asked for it just killed me inside. So after I got ready to go, Jade said to Gemma, “You better give your Daddy a kiss.” I bent down and she again said, “NOOOOO!”
My heart sank again. And a few moments later, as I began to walk off, she started to pat the bed next to her. She wanted me to first sit down next to her and then give kisses. Mostly because I desired it so badly, I laid down next to her and she climbed on top of my chest and gave me a slobbery, snotty kiss. It was great, but not what I wanted. I wanted her to kiss me because she wanted to. Not because her Mom told her to and really, not even because I asked her to. I wanted it out of her own love for me.
I saw a few pictures of my self as I reflected on the mornings events on my way to work. How many times do I pass up a kiss for my Father with a shrug of my shoulder? or even when He asks for one, I reply with a blatant, rebellious, “NO!” I finally reluctantly give in when I hear a convicting sermon or read a verse or book or hear a song that reminds me, “I better kiss my Daddy.” I dont wan’t kiss Him because I’m told to. I want to kiss Him because I want to. And He wants that same thing. He wants a kiss out of my love for Him, not out of my shame, conviction, or guilt for not kissing in the first place.
Or taking it deeper and flipping the situation around, I think about how Gemma wanted me to sit and lay with her a while. I think she knew that a goodbye kiss really means that Daddy is leaving for the day. Maybe she didn’t want to kiss me because she knew that it was one little kiss and that after that Daddy was out the door. How much does Jesus want us to sit and lay with Him?? How much does the Spirit desire us to lay and soak in His presence. Is it merely enough to kiss Him and then go on about our day? So many times I take part in a prayer meeting, worship service or bible study and give a small kiss to the Lord. That kiss could look like a prayer, song, maybe a small stirring of my heart. That kiss could be a fluttering thought of intimacy, possibly a quick cry of repentance from a lingering sin, or a simple prayer of thanks for all the blessings in my life. But is that truly what God desires??? Just a kiss? Just a small, goodbye kiss as we walk out the door? Or does He want us to sit with Him a while before that kiss? The Holy Spirit desires intimacy with us! Jesus desires to know our inner man, our spirits and the depths of our souls. That doesn’t happen with a kiss out the door. That happens with sitting with Him, waiting with Him, lingering in His Spirit.
so.. what am i about again??
so the other day i was thinking about what exactly my ministry is all about and i decided to try to define it…. here’s what i got.
we exist to connect real students to a real God by setting, stoking, and fueling the fire of God in their hearts.
CONNECTING
We want to provide a place where students can be real with each other and with themselves, where the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is revealed to them and received by them.
SETTING THE FIRE
We hold that Jesus Christ is the Lord, Savior, Rescuer and Redeemer of our lives. God, by the work of His Holy Spirit, calls, woes and moves our heart towards Christ and when God calls us to that we can do nothing but grab a hold of Him and hold on for the journey of our earthly lives. The Vista|Youth wants to cultivate an environment and setting in which God can call students to Himself. We do that by offering a weekly gathering called PYRO, which incorporates prayer, Bible study and teaching, worship through music and singing, group discussions and conversations and open, honest community. SETTING THE FIRE is all about introducing students to God and allowing the Holy Spirit to move on their hearts, calling them into a relationship with Him.
STOKING THE FIRE
There are many stories of people accepting Christ when they were younger and then, one way or another, loosing track of the excitement, faith, or ‘fire’ that they once had. Many think that living a life for God is a walk in the park, yet the stark reality is that following Christ is a long and difficult journey. Sometimes you feel close to God and other times you just don’t feel like He’s anywhere to be found. The truth is that God is constantly calling His children back to Himself. The problem isn’t Him, its us. We fall off course, lose hope, get lost, and often end up feeling all alone and wondering if the whole concept of God is real or not. God is real, and He is calling us back to himself. We want to create an environment that students can come back to their God. We do this by holding involved and active worship and prayer, spreading the Truth of the Gospel and God’s Word, and haveing open and honest conversations about our faith journeys; questions and doubts, struggles and fears, distinguishing truth and non-truth are all apart of those discussions. STOKING THE FIRE is all about bringing back to God those kids whose faith has gotten stepped on, thrown out or lost in the shuffle of life, and getting them stoked to live for Him.
FUELING THE FIRE
We believe discipleship works itself out over time by following God, following others that follow God, and teaching new followers to follow God. In order for that to happen, students first need to be encouraged to seek and chase after God, growing in their relationship with Him, knowledge of Him, and desire for loving Him. Secondly, they need a godly person to follow, learning disciplines, skills, and how to live a lifestyle of worship, and growing in knowledge of scripture and spirituality. Lastly, they need the skills to teach others how to live for and be in love with God. We want to teach students how to be in love with Jesus. We want to provide Godly men and women of faith who students can follow and learn from. We also desire to equip students with tools they need to show others who desire to follow God how to follow God. Our goal in this is to see new believers grow in their faith and ultimately lead others to Christ and show them how to follow God. FUELING THE FIRE is all about pouring into students’ lives, allowing them to learn from leaders, volunteers and each other, and giving them the encouragement and tools they need to be excited, sold out, and on fire for God.
Baby Steps
My awesome daughter, Gemma, is eight months old. She is absolutely the greatest part of our lives and my wife and I find something new to laugh at as she makes fresh discoveries everyday. ”What can I put in my mouth? Can I move my hands like that? Is that the dog making funny sounds? What else can I put in my mouth?” Lately, G has been pulling up on the furniture to stand up, mostly to grab for the forbidden remote control or iPhone or something else too valuable to get baby slobbered, which are apparently the vary things that attract said baby slobber. Nonetheless, this latest discovery has been interesting to watch. She puts so much effort into accomplishing her goal and it makes me wonder what is going on in her head. I imagine it goes something like this: forbidden object spotted, army crawl to the couch, figure out how to get from my stomach to my knees, reach up as hiiiiiigh as I can and grab on tightly to as much material as I can, pull with all my strength and try to avoid the head bust if I slip, now that I’m semi-up work my feet to where they are underneath me, whew… now to that remote!
A couple of thoughts about this whole process of watching my daughter learn to stand and walk make the wheels in my head rotate a little faster. Firstly, it is ironic how she always wants the things she cannot have. If I put one of her toys, decked out in all sorts of colors, shapes, noise-making devices, and all other supposed baby-attracting bells and whistles, up on the couch, she will look at it with half a glance and then look for something else that is more interesting and usually, more forbidden. Why does she work so hard to pick up something that she knows she will get in trouble for grabbing, chewing, consuming, or playing with, especially when her dad has given her a toy that was made for her to play with and enjoy in all its fullness? Secondly, I do not expect her to walk on the first attempt at a step. I have no doubt that soon she will be hauling on all two’s going ninety-to-nothing, but I know that it will happen with many falls, scraps, bruises, and scars to vouch for her accomplishment, and I will be proud of every single attempt that she makes. The craziest part is this makes scary sense to most of us. Do we not go after things we know our Father has forbidden us to chase with laborious effort and a crooked smile? Do we not skip over the great blessings and gifts that He gives us only to run to things that feed our sinful nature and lead us into destruction? At the same time, the Father loves our every attempt at the next step, whatever that step may be. We will undoubtedly stumble and fall and sometimes we might get scrapped up or even scarred, but with each fallen attempt we are one step closer to getting it right. But also undoubtedly, our Father is proud of every single step. He is good. He is loving. And He calls us His own. He looks on us as proud parent looking upon his child learning to walk, looking past the falls and bruises to the end result. His love overcomes us, overwhelms us, and sustains us. Let us chase after the good things our Father puts in front of us, learning to walk in His ways and in His truths, overcoming the failed attempts by getting back up and taking another step, eventually to run towards Him with all of our effort going ninety-to-nothing.
