The Life of a Prodigal

"I hate you!"

"I don't want to stay here anymore!"

"I'm leaving!"

Words no one ever wants to hear but words that slipped through the cracks of a broken heart and a disappointing past.

I had screamed those words at my parents as I packed my duffle bag full of video games, a change of clothes, and a pack of Little Debbies.

They had denied me a privilege that I was certain I was entitled to receive. And what was worse? They let me pack my bags and begin the hike out the driveway and down the road without hesitation.

What were they thinking?

There was no begging me to stay! No coercion or manipulation! Just a heart melting under the heat of my insincere and selfish rants of disappointment. Waiting.

All of us, at some time in our lives, have done this. We've thrown a fit in the middle of the cereal aisle. We've screamed at friends and family. We've ranted on social media assuring the world that our voices would be heard.

My childhood tantrum and my parents' loving and somewhat unsuspecting response leads me to ponder another familiar story in the Bible.

It's the story of the "Prodigal Son." It's a son who demands his inheritance before the death of his father. When he squanders all his wealth on worldly living and finds himself literally in the 'muck and mire' of a pig's pen, he decides to make a plea of desperation.

But before he could speak one word of the apology he had hoped to recite, the "Prodigal Father" lavishly placed the finest clothes, feast, and title on this young boy. "You are my son!" Wow!

We're just like the son. We're quick to point fingers, place blame, scream obscenities about how unfair life has been, and run recklessly in the wrong direction. Then, when we find ourselves in the pit of despair and sorry for our mistake-ridden past, we attempt to fix our mess all on our own.

God the Father, just like my parents and just like the prodigal's father, is waiting. He doesn't need our apologies as much as he needs our attention. He will let us say the despicable and do the unthinkable only to create a greater awareness of our need for him.

Seriously, how long were the video games, a change of clothes, and some Debbie Cakes going to sustain me? How long will doing this our own way really last?

The Father is waiting. He's watching. And he's simply counting down the seconds to make an all out sprint in your direction, while you are "still a long way off!"

God is Great

God is great, God is good...

Without fail, my son quotes the remaining lines of this child-like prayer offering his vow of thanks for every meal. Sure, it's sweet to hear him say this prayer and we all say thank you and good job and such a posture of faith.

But aren't we just like him, mechanical in our acts of giving thanks, peeking out of one eye just to see if everybody else is nice and neatly bowing with reverence amidst our religious routines? 

The "God is great, God is good" routine will always suffice to the average onlooker. But it makes its greatest appeal to the ones who have surpassed the gentle prayers around the dinner table to desperate pleas around hospital beds, cancer patient rooms, counselor's chairs, and homemade altars. 

It's in those moments that we've placed God on the stand to test his goodness. Can the God who made the stars involve Himself in the daily routines or even the emergency situations of my life? If I call His name, will He answer? 

One of the songs at the top of my iTunes playlist is Kristian Stanfill's "The Lord our God" that says:

Promise Maker, Promise Keeper

You finish what you begin

Our provision through the desert

You see it through til the end

In the silence, in the waiting

Still we can know you are good

All your plans are for your glory

Yes, we can know you are good

The Lord our God is ever faithful

Never changing through the ages

From this darkness you will lead us

And forever we will say 

You're the Lord our God 

God's goodness shouldn't rest on whether He detours our journey away from the desert places in life. His goodness shouldn't rest in His decision to let His silence deafen us to a place of desperation. His goodness is certain no matter our circumstances because He cannot deny Himself. 

 

What we must learn to see is that "He will see it through to the end" and "all His plans are for His glory." He will not leave us feeling abandoned forever. He will always remain faithful to Himself. Yes we can know you are good! 

Do You Love Me?

"I love your blue eyes and your beautiful smile."

"You are so sweet. (Pause) Can I ask you a question, do you love me?"

"Yes, I love you."

"How do you know?"

"I just know."

"But how do you know? What are you willing to do to prove it? Can you show me?"

Pause.

Did you see that? Without even realizing it, the conversation immediately went from "tell me" to "show me." 

(Pardon the illustration that appears to breed a moment of romance)

Remember the story of Jesus and Peter on the shore following a wearisome few days after Jesus's death and resurrection? Many of the disciples, including Peter, returned to their former trade of fishing when Jesus approached them on the banks of the sea.

The conversation between Peter and Jesus must have been so intense. "It's Jesus, it's really Him" he must have thought as he cast himself into the sea and began to swim to the shore. In the midst of the conversation Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?" 

How irritating it must have been as he continually responded in the affirmative. Three times. Three times Jesus asked him this. Surely there was no irony in Peter's three previous denials of Jesus the night before His crucifixion.

Feed my sheep, Peter. Quit telling me that you love me and show me. Do something. Obey my command. Put me first.

There's no questioning Jesus's love; it's evident in the invitation. Now, Peter's love was placed on the stand of action.

So, 'do you love me' may be better asked, 'how do you know you love me'?

I've been asked this question, "How do you know you love me?" and I didn't feel I had an adequate response. 

All I know is "love does."

Just Say Yes!

Recently I shared meals with family and friends at some of the finer restaurants in the south; Waffle House, Cracker Barrel, and Buffalo Wild Wings. 

The waitress at Waffle House was shuffling duties between the cash register, drink machine, and customers' tables. Yet, in the midst of all the hustle with only two employees serving a house half full, my friend and I chose to affirm her hard work with a generous tip; we simply placed our "yes" on the table for her performance. 

The waiter at Cracker Barrel told us all about his bicycle remodeling project as he scurried from table to table delivering chicken and dumplings and glasses of sweet tea. I felt like I should offer him a chair and sit down to chat over coffee but he had plenty of tables to serve and our ticket was ready for pickup. Again, his generous service left us compelled to leave a generous "yes" on the table. 

 

The waiter at Buffalo Wild Wings had a busy shift covering tables for UFC fight night and the NFL playoffs. And this one crazy Pittsburgh Steelers fan was more than a fanatic; I probably would have left a bigger tip if they would have asked that guy to leave (or given him a free order of wings to keep him busy at his seat). Nevertheless, with a crowded room full of sports fans our waiter kept our glasses full and our table clean. Surely, we could leave a generous "yes" on the table for his performance too. 

Really, that's exactly what God in Christ is hoping to get out of our lives. Placing our yes on the table by acknowledging his perfectly completed performance on the cross. 

It would release us from attempting to prove our own self worth in a less than stellar performance of self righteous deeds. We become token tippers throwing change on the table hoping to appease any disappointment God may have with our begrudging attitudes or shameful actions. Or maybe we flaunt a few dollar bills on God's table trying to impress our fellow comrades with our deep pockets. 

And really, God becomes quite disgusted and broken hearted by our attempt to manipulate Him with some kind of payoff; temporarily saying yes for him to pat us on the back before we repeat our same selfish behavior.

God doesn't want your token tip, a few dollars in the plate, a promise to do better, your church attendance, a prayer, or reading your bible on occasion. God wants you to place your "yes" on the table; to acknowledge His superior performance, a performance that you can never match or repay. 

He wants you to sign and date the check to your life. There's no need to complete the line for what it's for, the amount, or  the memo line. He's not looking for a season of time or you working off the balance of some amount. He wants everything; he wants you to go all in. 

So, sign the check, hand it to Him, and place your "yes" on the table! 

Greetings Favored One!

Have you ever had one of those "Oh my God! I can't believe this is happening!" moments?

Imagine being a Jewish teenage girl (kind of difficult for us guys with a beard, I know) at the turn of the 1st century and hearing the voice of an angelic being, "Greetings, favored one!"

And as I scanned the rest of the story, here is what I saw unfolding from the most unbelievable news in the world.

Finding favor routinely asks, "Who, me?"
"She tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be" (Luke 1:29). We live in a 'cause and effect' world full of if-then conditions for our life. And Mary was a simple, ordinary Jewish girl. No name or resume really to brag about. No wonder she was looking around to see where the voice was coming from, why she had become the target of a heavenly calling. Yet God is routinely using the ordinary to bring about the extraordinary for all the world to see.

Finding favor may result in unfavorable circumstances.
"You will conceive and bear a son...How will this be, since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:31,34). Many onlookers in the 21st century have romanticized Mary's situation, as if to say, "How lucky was she?" Really? A Jewish girl engaged to be married, now pregnant, in a law-driven world where she's destined to be criticized and shunned by friends, family, and perhaps even her future husband. Yet God is taking what appears to be unfavorable among men for the purpose of displaying His glory.

Finding favor resigns itself to the new normal.
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (Luke 1:31). Sometimes, whether you asked for it or not, you are handed what will become your new normal. You can't change or manipulate the situation. You must simply adjust your perspective to what now is. God is taking what was dead and creating life, what was once dark and now bringing to light, as in this case, through the presence of a newborn child.

Finding favor relies on faith in God's promise.
"For nothing will be impossible with God" (Luke 1:37). Being asked to carry out such a task as bearing the Son of God can be, no doubt, pretty daunting. Scary. Fearful. After all, the angel did say, "Do not be afraid." And the only way that any of us can ever sustain this life God has called us to is by resting in the promises of God.

Finding favor rejoices in growing obedience.
"I am the servant of the Lord, let it be done according to your word" (Luke 1:38). God is sovereign and has set in motion a plan for all of our lives. God has also given us a choice, free will, to accept or reject the display of His grand story. And the confirmation of God's favor in our lives rests in our willingness to receive and respond in faith to this favor that God has pronounced over us.

But here's the real twist to the story; it was never really about Mary. And it's not about us! God's plan of redemption was to send His son to earth. Mary was the instrument by which God would accomplish His purpose. Ordinary, simple, Jewish teenager, Mary.

Lest we slip back into our old way of thinking that God's favor is still somehow attached to our name, talent, or entitled mind, let me remind us all again, it's not. Finding favor is grace; a free and undeserving gift! Grace in the form of Immanuel, God with us. God is finding favor on all the world. He is simply asking who is willing to conceive, in faith, the precious gift of His Son!

Making the Team

I recently had the privilege to speak to a high school basketball team. As tryouts passed, cuts were made, and rosters were posted I was asked to come and give some words of motivation and inspiration for their ensuing journey together. 

So you know what I said? 

"Work hard and good luck!" 

Really. 

How much more motivation do you need than to know that when you put that practice jersey on it will fuel the sweat, blood, and tears necessary to place talent, skill, and perseverance on the front lines every time against every opponent you face this season? 

Now for the rest of my 10 minute rant that found me re-living my glory days. 

I reminded the players how they longed to get the attention of the coaches; making every layup, meeting every pass, always in a defensive ready position. 

I told them how I knew all they really wanted was the coach's approval; good enough to contribute to the team. And they got it the day the rosters were posted.

Then, I reminded them what was coming; the apparel. Team sponsored gym bags, matching shoes, name plates above their locker. 

The Christian life is no different. We long for God's attention. We want his approval. We want his apparel. And we chase after those things just like trying to make a basketball team. Hard work, extra effort, asking God for the goods. 

But I've come to realize that the Christian life is so paradoxical. We get God's attention not by presenting our talent and skill but by making pleas of desperation, admitting we're just not good enough. We find His approval, not in our deeds of righteousness that He counts as filthy rags, but in the righteousness of His Son covering our sin-stricken hearts. His apparel is not some pair of designer jeans or a list of good fortune, rather it is being clothed with a sword and shield to declare war on the enemy's attempt at ceasing the greatest mission on earth.

We all have circumstances in our lives that at times feel daunting. God is not impressed by our attempts to prove ourselves or call on Him like some genie in a bottle. He actually does want to hear our cries for help and He really does want to aid us through the guiding hand of His Holy Spirit. Remember today that the greatest victory in all the world is choosing to advance the only kingdom that will outlast all the substitutes this world has to offer; team Jesus. 

Is God fair?

In short, "No."

You've heard, read about, or even experienced personally stories where the good guy went down and the bad guy went free. Tell me, where's the justice in that? 

 

If God wanted, He could play the role of 'cosmic cop' and stop all the injustice yet He doesn't. Why? Because God's not fair. 

If God wanted, He could play the role of ingenious 'miracle worker' and heal all the children with cancer, AIDS, and other terminal diseases to give them hope for the future. But the innocent are still suffering. Why? Because God's not fair.

And the list goes on.
 

There are so many instances in the world where God's fairness apparently does not exist and people feel they are warranted to say, "God's not fair."

Yet consider this. What if you were the villain standing before the judge? Or you were the patient who received the cure? It's easy to point fingers at God and others and scream foul until unfair treatment actually leans in our favor.

 

We want to believe, in our own minds, that we are good people. Sure, we all make mistakes. But compared to others, we're really not that bad. Or what about those of us who think, "I deserve this!" Like we brought something of worth to the table of life that was unique and necessary.

What if God being unfair was to our advantage?
 

Grace, by definition, is an act of breaking the rules; a gift that has not been earned or deserved. Undoubtedly, it's close companion, mercy, is also an unfair act of denying justice its power. Being granted the freedom to walk away debt-free from an obvious act of rebellion. 

How dare God declare us guilty? That's not fair! Yet, how dare Him pave a way to His presence through a blood-stained cross? Shall we also say, "That's not fair!"

 

We are owed our own death sentence for not being quite good enough. Yet in His unfairness, Christ declares, "Mercy!" Left to wander through life searching for our own way to wholeness, Christ declares, "Grace!"

 

God is so unfair that He forfeited His own rights to win that we may gain the ultimate victory of eternal life. So, is God fair? No. God is shouting, "I'm not fair" through the lens of mercy and grace.

Bread & Fish

Maybe you're thinking, "I've heard this story a thousand times!"

Consider this thought about the baskets of leftovers; where were those 12 baskets before the meal?

Jesus had a great following because of the eye-opening miracles and the ear-penetrating parables He told throughout the region. It was getting late in the day and one of the disciples suggested that Jesus send the crowd away.

Wouldn't you, if you were Jesus, have wanted to say something like, "Don't you realize these people are following me because I'm like a Rock Star?!!!"

So, one of the guys brought 5 small loaves and 2 small fish; a little boy's lunch. Surely some of those in the crowd had decided to follow Jesus wherever He went that day and packed their own meal; perhaps, a picnic for the whole family. Why didn't the disciples retrieve their lunches as well?

So, where did those 12 baskets come from? Were there some selfish attendees holding tightly to their baskets? Did they not want to nominate themselves as Jesus's 'volunteer of the day?' Was personal comfort more important than risking a moment of hunger?

Aren't we a lot like the people in the crowd? We want to see the show without paying the price of admission? After all, who doesn't like free? Yet, that's exactly what Jesus calls us to do; pay the price of admission!

Choosing to freely loosen your grip on what you consider to be most valuable in life is much more rewarding than God prying it from your hands! While Christ has paid the ultimate price for our admission, He has called us to a life of sacrifice and generosity.

Walking on Water

Have you ever walked on water?

I didn't think so. Me neither!

Many of us have heard the story of Peter walking on the water. The one where Peter abandons the security of the boat being rocked by the waves to risk walking with Jesus in the middle of the storm (Matthew 14).

This story often reminds me of the risk vs. reward paradigm we encounter with pivotal decisions we face in life; decisions regarding family, education, career, retirement and the like.

It's so easy to snuggle up close to the comfort and convenience of what we know rather than the risk and complexity of the unknown.

Years ago I began praying this phrase that I hoped (and still do) would become the epitome of my faith; "Lord help me to be who you want me to be, do what you want me to do, and go where you want me to go."

The real struggle has been not to limit or insinuate God's intent for my being, doing, and going. God has never scripted a 5- or 10-year plan for my life. He has simply called me to walk by faith. He hasn't given me a highlighted map of my journey. He's only pointed me in the direction of the next step; out of the boat.

Stepping out of the boat requires (1) trust, (2) hope, (3) peace. Trust is releasing all control into the hands of a sovereign God. Hope is placing great confidence in a victorious Warrior. Peace is finding calm assurance in a faithful Savior.

These lyrics have become a mantra for refueling my faith:
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever you would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
(Hillsong United - "Oceans")

While life may be easier, more comfortable, or seem more secure by staying in the boat, God is wanting to stretch our faith and confidence in Him. The greatest life worth living requires stepping out of the boat onto the surface of life's ocean calling on His name, coming to Him, and clinging to His outstretched hand. Lord, I trust you because "You've never failed and you won't start now!"

Keeping Score

My son is playing soccer but since he's in the youngest age division we aren't supposed to keep score. Yet I can't help but press the button on the scoreboard of my mind every time they score a goal. There just seems to be something intrinsic about tallying the score.

Each time my son's team scores I find myself celebrating inwardly or aloud, high-fiving the players and telling them "Good job!" And every time the opposing team scores I find myself becoming enraged at their lack of defense and intensity.

Then I'm forced to remember, "They're four!"

It's so easy to keep score in the daily routines of our life. Those moments we feel a win coming our way because of our good deeds, the sacrifices we make, and the moral aptitudes we display for others to consider our greatness.

But the real test comes when others violate the rules of the game. When someone breaks the rules by lying, cheating, betraying, stealing, gossiping, and so on. They've done that one thing that has sparked unforgettable and unforgivable anger and resentment. We've tallied the score and feel defeat knocking on the door.

Now we're forced to continue playing by the rules or consider bending what we know to be right to catch up, tie the score, and move ahead. All because we've been trained to keep score!

Keeping score can be exhausting. If we're constantly counting the punches thrown by others we will eventually feel overwhelmed by the countless opponents demanding our attention. 

Rather than experiencing the frustration of tallying the score, we must learn to find the ultimate victory in showing mercy (James 2:13).