Sent

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As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. John 17:18

Followers of Jesus are never left to wander hopelessly in a desert, trying to find their way. Rather they are the sent ones, going into the world on mission for and with God. No two lives look the same or assigned the same God-given task.  Yet in the going, they are on mission – a mission that brings hope, life and presence.

Henri Nouwen wrote that “Each of us has a mission in life. Jesus prays to his Father for his followers. We seldom realize fully that we are sent to fulfill God-given tasks. We act as if we have to choose how, where, and with whom to live. We act as if we were simply dropped down in creation and have to decide how to entertain ourselves until we die. But we were sent into the world by God, just as Jesus was. Once we start living our lives with that conviction, we will soon know what we were sent to do.”

Jesus understood living life on mission. His prayer in John 17 reveals the depth and purpose of his mission. He understood and accepted the task that God had given him. Now He is at the point of completing His task and praying for His disciples. The tasks will be unique but each will undertake to carry out their God-sized task of being the sent ones.

Past generation Olympic runner Eric Liddell grasped his mission for God. He shared that “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” Liddell channeled his running glory into his missionary calling to China and ultimately dying in a concentration camp to glorify God.

Current Olympic swimmer Caeleb Dressel is finding his life mission in that “It’s the reason I’m in the sport—not just to go fast times, but to inspire people and show them where I find my happiness with what God’s given me.” “Swimming is my life, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. This is what I’m supposed to be doing, and God gave me the talent, and I’m going to do that for him…”

Finding one’s mission in life may not be through Olympic glory but the dark nights of cancer. Liberty University graduate Jane Marczewski, who goes by the stage name Nightbirde found herself on America’s Got Talent stage. She probably wouldn’t have chosen to battle cancer yet in this God-sized moment she was able to sing her original song, It’s Ok and through singing encourage and inspire thousands. “You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy,” going on to say, “I have a 2 percent chance of survival, but two percent is not zero percent. Two percent is something, and I wish people knew how amazing it is.”

“In the daily rhythms for everyone everywhere, we live our lives in the marketplaces of this world: in homes and neighborhoods, in schools and on farms, in hospitals and businesses, and our vocations are bound up with the ordinary work that ordinary people do. We are not great shots across the bow of history; rather, by simple grace, we are hints of hope.” – Steven Garber

Living our lives daily on mission comes with the promise and provision of Jesus’ closing words of unity.  Let the years of our lives always be lived as years on a mission.

“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)

God is great,

Lynn

By Faith

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“Make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks.” (Gen 6:14-16)

Standing in the shadow of the Ark replicate at the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky, I was overwhelmed at the size and scope of this wooden structure. At 510 feet in length, 85 feet in width, and 51 feet in height it is simply immense. Regardless of the impressive size of the structure, far greater is the story of salvation which is the real story of the Ark.

Life on earth had not been the same since the rebellion in the garden. Granted, there had been some spiritual bright spots within the generations. Abel sought to genuinely worship God even though it cost him his life. (4:4) Enoch sought such a close intimacy with God that he “walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him.” (5:21-24) Methuselah lived to the ripe old age of 969 years. However, the spotlight has to shine on a man named Noah. “Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.” (6:9)

In spite of these few bright spots overall the lifestyle of people on earth didn’t look good. “The LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. (6:5) Creation that had been declared “good” by God has deteriorate to the point that “the Lord was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth.”

Somewhere along the way parents forgot to pass along the stories to their children of how “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.” (1:31) People got so busy with life that they no longer “heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden” (3:8) No longer did anyone grieve over sin which had caused God to drive their ancestors from the garden of Eden.

“Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.” (6:11) No longer was God able to enjoy the beauty of his creation because of the wickedness of mankind. Those once cherished moments of relational intimacy that had marked creation now “grieved him to his heart.” He had reached the point where “the LORD said, “I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” (6:7)

Can you imagine such grief? Yet one man “found favor in the sight of the LORD.” In the midst of wickedness, violence and evil, this one man, Noah, found favor as he walked with God blameless and righteous in the midst of society. One man chose to walk with God and stood in the gap. Through this one’s faith, generations would experience life.

Noah was given a God-size task, to build a boat in the middle of nowhere. Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives went to work. It wasn’t easy to cut the trees, saw the planks, build the rooms, gather the food, collect the water and listen to the laughter and ridicule of their neighbors. Yet “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.” (6:22)

Noah could have joined in with his siblings and neighbors to simply fit in with the culture around him. Surely it would be easier to be part of the party than to be an outsider. Yet “By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.” (Hebrews 11:7)

“Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark…” and there Noah sat with his family and all the animals for seven days. The door was closed and there they sat with all the mooing, grunting and chirping. Waiting is hard.  Noah could hear his brother’s voice ridiculing him. Maybe Mrs. Noah could hear the high pitch whisper of her sewing club talking about how foolish she was. Jesus used Noah as an illustration about being watchful when he said, “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.” Otherwise life as normal “until the flood came and swept them all away.” (Matthew 24:36-39)

Noah obeyed, yet seven days can seem like an eternity. Did I hear correctly?  Doubting if all the years of living a righteous life was really worth it. Looking down at his calloused hands from all the manual labor. What does he have to show for his life?  Seven days! Then he hears the first drop of rain and he bows his head in worship.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.” Hebrews 11:1-3

God is great,

Lynn

Living Life as a Character or with Character

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For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face. Psalm 11:7

…and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. Romans 5:4

How are you living life; as a character, or, with character. The dictionary definition has multiple meanings for the word character.  “moral or ethical strength; integrity; fortitude; reputation” or as a “person who is peculiar or eccentric.” You can also be the actor who becomes the character “portrayed in a drama, novel or other artistic piece.”

It seems our modern culture is producing more characters than those with character. Steve Carter in an interview shared that “we push competency again and again over the development of our character.” Carter had a front row seat to character issue as he replaced Bill Hybels as pastor of Willow Creek Community Church following numerous allegations against Hybels.

Over the last few days, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned his office after multiple investigations into sexual misconduct. In his parting interview he gave as his rationale; “In my mind, I’ve never crossed the line with anyone, but I didn’t realize the extent to which the line has been redrawn. There are generational and cultural shifts that I just didn’t fully appreciate, and I should have — no excuses.”

Flawed characters are on display whether in the world of church life, politics, business, Hollywood or your neighborhood. Household names that were once revered are now in tatters because of a misshaped character. Their character sought after fame, fortune and power. Singer Whitney Houston said, “Success doesn’t change you. Fame does.” The writer of Proverbs says in 4:19, “The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what they stumble over.”

Yet, for as many broken vessels that you can name, there are countless others who strive to live with character. Character that has long-lasting impact is never forged in darkness. “The ability to see and the practice of seeing God and God’s world come through a process of seeking and growing in intimacy with him. God is seen by those who long for him.”—Dallas Willard

Legendary coach Bobby Bowden died this last week and in all the tributes about his career, the success of his football program and the insane statistics produced, it was his faith that garnered the most attention. One of his former quarterbacks, Danny Kanell wrote, “those numbers pale in comparison to the number of lives Bobby Bowden impacted for eternity. He was more preacher than coach. More father figure than mentor. More friend than teacher. It’s important to know WHY he was kind and thoughtful. It was not to recruit or get favorable press. He was who he was because of his relationship with Jesus. A lot of Christians preach one thing but live another. Coach Bowden lived his faith daily. That is his legacy.”

Living with character is possible as we grow in intimacy with God. My desire is to live life with character but I know daily that I have to let God continually shape me for Him. One of my life verses and prayers come from Psalm 69:6. “Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me, O Lord God of hosts; do not let those who seek you be dishonored because of me, O God of Israel.”

What a character or what character! Your choice. How are you living life? As a character or with character.

God is great,

Lynn