A Lasting Declaration

Declarations can be good or bad. Declarations are not usually the result of an emotional whim. They tend to come after a lot of time, thought, and consideration is given to the matter which they are designed to address.

Although it's not always the case declarations typically follow a prolonged experience or situation that prompts it. For example, a university administration may declare zero tolerance on campus for drugs/alcohol after several incidents involving them. A young man may declare his love for a young woman after an extended period of dating and drawing closer. A house may be declared "termite free" after a lot of hard work by a pest control company. A particular room in a house could be declared to be "pet free" after an incident involving Fido in that particular room. Declarations have consequences.

Our Declaration of Independence was not a knee-jerk reaction to British tyranny. Remember, we had been at war with Great Britain for over a year before the Declaration was written and approved by the Continental Congress. The Declaration put in writing the cogent desires of the 13 colonies to be free from British rule. Specific complaints or grievances against the British Monarchy (specifically King George III) were addressed in the Declaration. The principles stated in the Declaration are viewed as a filter through which the U.S. Constitution should be interpreted. It wasn't written until 11 years after the Declaration. President Lincoln was an ardent supporter of reading the U.S. Constitution in light of the truths/principles stated in the Declaration most notably:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

What declarations are you making these days? At work? To your family and friends? Before God? Be careful about making hasty declarations.

The signers of The Declaration of Independence thought through their declaration and most of them paid a very high price for taking such a noble stand. Declarations are risky. Aren't you glad those 56 men had the courage to take such a stand for freedom! Happy Birthday America!

Waiting, Again!

Once again we wait and pray as time passes. We are back in a familiar place, "hurry up and wait". A routine scan at Wake Forest Medical Center revealed an unexpected tumor near the ones removed in 2009. Friday was a quick trip to Winston Salem for a needle CT biopsy in Interventional Radiology at NC Baptist Hospital. I continue to thank God for the dedicated men and women of WFUMC and their compassion, professionalism and level of care.

"Suspicious for lymphoma," was my doctor's words given my history. Although scar tissue, a benign tumor, or a rare peritoneal condition are also among the possibilities. We leave this time to God and those handling the pathology, knowing that God is the One who created human pathology and DNA! This is familiar territory for us. Waiting, watching and praying are a spiritual discipline for us. I'd like to think we have improved in the application of this discipline since the medical ride of 2009. Once again we wait with eyes fixed on Jesus and hope that abounds no matter what word comes back from Wake Forest.

It looks like some type of chemo cocktail, or surgery but we will wait and not get ahead of God-gifted physicians. We will take the next step with fervent prayer and the wise counsel of a seasoned medical team led by my personal favorite, Dr. "A"! I owe that man and Wake my life, or at least a kidney :)

Join us as we pray and remember Job's words to his wife who said he should curse God and die: "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity ?" (Job 2:10b NAS)

Hanging on only because of sweet Jesus!

My Weak Link In His Strong Chain

The notion of strength through weakness is quite a paradox. In our culture the weak are not considered to be very strong. From the time we are children we are told to drink all of our milk so we will have "strong" bones. We learn very early that "weak" teams are usually on the losing end of competition. Weak finances don't move economies or companies forward. Weak bodies aren't the picture of health. Weaker animals become food for strong ones. Weak foundations don't make strong buildings. Weak political parties, or candidates rarely hold the incumbent seats in office.

Yet the biblical story repeatedly points to strength displayed in the weakest of people and places. Over and over we find ordinary people doing extraordinary things through the power of God. Weak widows, weak children, weak blind/lame individuals and powerless people are empowered by God through Jesus Christ to bring God glory. In Acts 7, a weak and woefully outnumbered apostle named Stephen stands up to the Jewish leadership and boldly declares the gospel to a crowd bent on tradition and ritual. Stephen is stoned to death for his strong stand for Christ, but Luke makes an interesting observation at the height of the faceoff:

But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

God's glory is revealed to and through a man dying at the hands of those who were considered to be among the most powerful in their culture. The weaker becomes stronger!

The Apostle Paul spoke of his "thorn in the flesh" and many scholars believe it may have been related to poor eyesight. Whatever it was we know that the Apostle had a physical condition that was a source of nagging pain for him. But like Stephen, Paul chose to let his weakness bring God glory. In 2 Corinthians 12 he writes:

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

I don't know about you, but if I'm honest I have to admit that I rarely view my weaknesses, especially physical ones as an opportunity for God to display His power and become stronger. It's probably because of my limited vision. Instead of looking for God, we often look at ourselves and our immediate pain, problem, or trouble. Paul and Stephen, were fully aware of their weaknesses, or position, but instead they chose to focus on the glory of God! May God help us to have the vision and perspective of Stephen and Paul.

Chosen! Adopted! Valued! Prized! Wanted! Heirs!

Recently while studying Romans 8:15-17, I was reminded once again what it means to be a child of God. It is a simple, but profound biblical truth for those who follow Christ. Here's Eugene Peterson's take on it in The Message:

This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It's adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike "What's next, Papa?" God's Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are. We know who he is, and we know who we are: Father and children. And we know we are going to get what's coming to us—an unbelievable inheritance! We go through exactly what Christ goes through. If we go through the hard times with him, then we're certainly going to go through the good times with him!

"What's next, Papa?" I love that imagery. What a prayer to start the day!

A Miracle

These are among the first publicly released photos of U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords who was shot in the head by a lone gunman at a town meeting in Arizona last January. Her miraculous recovery reminds all of us that courage in the face of danger is at the heart of the American spirit. Giffords congressional office has released several photos of the congresswoman on her Facebook page. We continue to hold her and all of the victims in our thoughts and prayers. Her recovery is a light of hope to the families and friends of the other 12 victims and the six people who were killed in the sudden and brutal attack. It also reminds us that terror whether foreign, or domestic cannot kill the spirit.

Congrats South Carolina!

Congratulations to the University of South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team and their super regional baseball victory over UConn on Sunday! The win sends the Gamecocks back to Omaha and the College Baseball World Series, where they will defend their 2010 national championship! Good luck Gamecocks and Coach Ray Tanner!

Grace Has No Regrets!

Former NFL NY Giants star receiver Plaxico Burress walked out of a prison today after serving 20 months on gun charges. According to the NY Daily News, Burress stopped briefly to talk to the media outside of the Oneida Correctional Facility:

"It's a beautiful day," Burress said as he left the medium-security Oneida Correctional Facility in upstate Rome. "It's a beautiful day to be reunited with my family. I want to go home and spend some quality time with them."

Wearing shades, Burress thanked God and "all my fans all around the world for the thousands of letters, for their unwavering support."

Asked about a possible return to pro football, Burress answered, "If and when everything gets settled, when they get back on the field, I'll be ready."

To be fair Plaxico did not use a gun in the commission of a felony toward someone else. However, he still unlawfully possessed a handgun in a NYC night club when it discharged in his pants. At best it was poor judgment that potentially endangered others, and at worse it was a total disregard for the law. New York's handgun laws are very stringent and you would have to be living on another planet to know otherwise. His actions give lawful, responsible and trained handgun owners a really bad image. The only thing he needs to carry in the future is an Ipod.

This wasn't Plaxico's first brush with the legal system. He has faced several civil lawsuits since he was drafted, and twice had temporary restraining orders filed against him in connection with domestic violence, but both were dismissed by the courts. However, like Michael Vick the former star player has served his time.

My friend Craig Loscalzo is known for saying, "You never regret extending grace." If you are a Christ-follower think about the implications of that statement in the context of Jesus' counsel to forgive and pray for our enemies, as well as Paul's reminder that we are to be reconciler's because we have been reconciled unto God by Jesus Christ. Reconciled people should be models of reconciliation toward others, even those we don't like, or those who have hurt us!

With that in mind I say welcome back to free society Plaxico! You have served your time and earned your release. I hope you have learned the lessons of gratitude, humility, responsibility, and serving others while in prison. Prove the naysayer's and cynics wrong by modeling a life of integrity, character and responsibility. Give back to the game and its fans who made you wealthy. Resist the temptation to talk about yourself in the 3rd person as so many celebrities and athletes are prone to do these days. Don't start tweeting and avoid YouTube posts. Ask Ben Roethlisberger about those. You've been away from cameras and microphones for nearly two years, I would advise that you continue to avoid them until you can talk about others, or your team more than yourself. I would also suggest you let your work in the training room and on the field (whenever the lockout ends) speak for you while saving most of your conversation for your loved ones and family.

Welcome back Plaxico! I wish you and your family well. It's not going to be easy, but you can do it! As someone with deep flaws I can attest to the power of forgiveness and humility. As a beneficiary of grace, I have learned the importance of extending it toward others. May you find grace too!

A Much Needed Prayer

As a minister's child and pastor I believe I have a deep and unique appreciation for the prayers on behalf of our spiritual leaders. As a child I was a beneficiary of those who prayed for my pastor father. As an adult layman, I knew the difference our prayers made in the life of our pastor, David and his wife, Amy many, many years ago. Now 20+ years later I can testify to the immeasurable strength, hope, healing, humility and support the prayers of the faithful bring upon those who lead. Prayer is probably the most under utilized and underestimated action those in the faith community can practice on behalf of their spiritual leaders. Prayer is the foundational support for those in ministry whether pastoral staff, elders, deacons, small group, or other leaders in the local church.

Dr. Richard Foster offers the following prayer for spiritual leaders. Let me encourage you to pray this over your pastor, small group leader, or a deacon in your church. They will be absolutely blown away, I promise!

I pray, dear God, for our spiritual leaders.

• Increase in them the charism (spiritual grace) of faith that they might preach the Word of God with boldness.
• Increase in them the charism of wisdom that they might always lead us with compassion and strength.

I intercede, O Lord for our spiritual leaders.

• Grow in them the fruit of gentleness that they might understand our frailty.
• Grow in them the fruit of peace that they might be free of manipulation.
• Grow in them the fruit of love that they might always serve out of a divine well spring.

I plead, gracious Father, for our spiritual leaders.

• Protect them from the attacks of the evil One.
• Protect them from the distractions that render their work ineffective.
• Protect them from the criticism of well-meaning people.

All these thanks I ask in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen