I've been flashing back 14 or 15 years this week.
As our high school senior and 8th grade kids head off to school each morning, it's been fun to hear our 3-year-old whine about wanting to go to church...literally, every day! It may sound wierd to get joy out of hearing your toddler tearfully beg to go church. But it took me took to when our older kids used to do the very same thing as toddlers. Honestly, I'm really glad that ritual is continuing in the lives of our kids!
Why would a little kid cry to go church every morning, anyway? What makes that so awesome is because they see it as a FUN place! They know they will feel LOVE there and maybe even see a FRIEND there. They intuitionally know it's a safe place to get interact with other people. And while our toddler is still too young to really connect with FAITH, I think that she senses the presence of her Creator and God in that place.
It's amazing what our kids can teach us isn't it?
I wish more adults felt the way our toddlers feel about gathering with the church, I really do. But honestly, sometimes going to a worship gathering can feel just the opposite to adults - boring, judgmental, lots of strangers, and a little scary.
The answer is probably not pulling out the "play dough" for adults -- but working hard to keep our gatherings creative, celebratory, genuine, and "real" definitely helps. Rather than crayons, we need to keep serving the coffee...and lots of it!
Psalm 100: 4-5 expresses the joy God wants us to experience when we gather with His people for worship. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
DEEP WATER
Jesus climbed into Simon Peter's boat and said, "Put out into deep water." This would end up being the exact day and occasion that Jesus would call Peter to follow Him as a disciple (Luke 5:4-11). You talk about deep water! Peter thought he was simply hitting the deep for another fishing excursion, but he would leave his boat that day as a "fisher of men."
I've been thinking about Jesus' phrase, "Put out into deep water." It became real last week as I kayaked through the breath-taking San Juan Islands in Puget Sound with a few good friends. One of the things that drew us there was the possibility of paddling with the orcas that reside in these waters off the coast of Washington state and Canada. The deep channels of the Sound provide a perfect habit for killer whales.
The closest we came to the orcas, while in our kayaks, was about two miles. They swam by at 10 knots, closely followed by a procession of high speed whale-watching boats. Not quite the death-defying encounter we had imagined. It was an adventure trying to spot them through our binoculars, though!
To kayak with orcas on that day would have required paddling into deep (very deep) water. But niether the conditions of the channel nor our timing would allow it. Deep water is risky. Deep water can be dangerous. But deep water is usually where the "orcas" are.
Even though Simon Peter was skeptical, having fished the entire night before with no luck, he listened to Jesus and set sail for deep water to let down his nets. He raked in so many fish that his nets began to break and his boat nearly sunk under their weight. The Bible says he was "astonished" by Jesus' power. Peter's life and mission in life changed from that very moment on. But it would never have happened if had he not put out into deep water.
Before leaving the San Juans we had our close encounter with killer whales. After a long day of paddling we set up camp on an island with a lighthouse. The problem was that the lighthouse was on the other side, a 5-mile hike away. We weren't sure it was worth it...until we heard the orcas may pass. We hit the trail. Half-way we met a couple on their way back from the lighthouse. They informed us that the orcas had already passed and we'd missed them! But we decided to press on, to put out into deep water, so to speak. The result? Beholding 27 orcas swim past our perfect perch on the bluff just a few yards away! Bulls slapped their tails and fins. Mothers and calves emerged and dove in unison. The spray bursting from their blowholes was so loud you could feel it.
Question. Is Jesus asking you to put out into deep water? Where is God calling you to take a risk in life, in faith, in relationship, in vocation, in obedience? You may feel a little skeptical about it. You'll certainly have to press through disappointment and discouragement to get there. But life's greatest experiences usually take place in deep water!
I've been thinking about Jesus' phrase, "Put out into deep water." It became real last week as I kayaked through the breath-taking San Juan Islands in Puget Sound with a few good friends. One of the things that drew us there was the possibility of paddling with the orcas that reside in these waters off the coast of Washington state and Canada. The deep channels of the Sound provide a perfect habit for killer whales.
The closest we came to the orcas, while in our kayaks, was about two miles. They swam by at 10 knots, closely followed by a procession of high speed whale-watching boats. Not quite the death-defying encounter we had imagined. It was an adventure trying to spot them through our binoculars, though!
To kayak with orcas on that day would have required paddling into deep (very deep) water. But niether the conditions of the channel nor our timing would allow it. Deep water is risky. Deep water can be dangerous. But deep water is usually where the "orcas" are.
Even though Simon Peter was skeptical, having fished the entire night before with no luck, he listened to Jesus and set sail for deep water to let down his nets. He raked in so many fish that his nets began to break and his boat nearly sunk under their weight. The Bible says he was "astonished" by Jesus' power. Peter's life and mission in life changed from that very moment on. But it would never have happened if had he not put out into deep water.
Before leaving the San Juans we had our close encounter with killer whales. After a long day of paddling we set up camp on an island with a lighthouse. The problem was that the lighthouse was on the other side, a 5-mile hike away. We weren't sure it was worth it...until we heard the orcas may pass. We hit the trail. Half-way we met a couple on their way back from the lighthouse. They informed us that the orcas had already passed and we'd missed them! But we decided to press on, to put out into deep water, so to speak. The result? Beholding 27 orcas swim past our perfect perch on the bluff just a few yards away! Bulls slapped their tails and fins. Mothers and calves emerged and dove in unison. The spray bursting from their blowholes was so loud you could feel it.
Question. Is Jesus asking you to put out into deep water? Where is God calling you to take a risk in life, in faith, in relationship, in vocation, in obedience? You may feel a little skeptical about it. You'll certainly have to press through disappointment and discouragement to get there. But life's greatest experiences usually take place in deep water!
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