The Shepherd's Apprentice

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May 17

The saying is sure:
If we have died with [Christ], we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful
— for he cannot deny himself.
2 Timothy 2:11-13

The first petition reflects a common Biblical theme. In Matthew 16, Jesus said, "those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." When we unite our lives with Jesus and die to ourselves, then we shall "live with him" -- now and eternally.

The second petition reflects that this journey of life can be hard and this journey of faith can involve persecution. The crown won't come here, in this life, but in the end, those who are faithful will "reign with him."

The third petition we don't like to think about.

But something happens in the fourth petition. Going into this reading, I would have said that "denying Christ" and "faithlessness" were the same thing. Perhaps they are not.

It seems to me that denial is intentional while faithlessness (doubt) is unintentional. We'd like for it to not be this way, but our faith often rides a roller coaster along with our circumstances. And thanks be to God, a down day will not exclude us from the kingdom. God remains faithful even when we waver. He loves us, forgives us, woos us.

In Christ's Love,
a roller coaster guy
who will not deny
(God help me)

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May 16

I have singled him out
so that he will guide his children
Genesis 18:19

One of the greatest calls that any of us can have is to guide our children. So ... do you know what American parents tend to wish most for their kids? "I just want them to be happy."

Happiness, however, is situational. Therefore, happiness is always fleeting. And if our goal is for our kids to be happy, we are teaching them to be consumers (trying to buy their next glimpse of happiness) and we are teaching them to look out for me, myself, and I (self-centeredness).

Now ... that's certainly not all that we teach our children. We clearly teach them other good things -- like being moral and compassionate -- but then we leave them oddly conflicted. Their self-centeredness (personal happiness) constantly struggles with their sense of compassion (morality). What wins? A stunted view of right and wrong. "I'm compassionate if and when it makes me feel good (and is convenient)."

As soon as morality is subjective, however, our children lose the ability to discern right from wrong. All we have left is an experiential (feelings-based) morality. If it makes someone feel good, it must be "okay for them."

What's the answer? We return to scripture. The verse above is not the full verse. Scripture tells us that God singled out Abraham "So that he will direct his children to keep the way of the Lord." If we believe that the fruit of the Spirit is joy and if we believe that joy includes and far exceeds happiness, then we know now the compass for guiding our children. We don't teach them happiness (which encourages selfishness); we teach them righteousness and holiness and faith (which encourages servanthood). We ground their lives in godliness because the Lord will uphold them even when life's situations are trying.

In Christ's Love,
a guy who doesn't want to be happy
... just spiritual, fruitful, and joyful

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May 15

"He shall come down like
rain upon the mown grass"
Ps. 72:6

One of the things I love about scripture is how specific it can be. This Psalm doesn't say, "rain on grass"; it says, "rain on mown grass." That means I can smell it! Can you?!

The smell of mown grass is the smell of summer.

Rain also has a smell ... and a feel. Here in the south, a summer rain almost clings to you. It cools things off, awakens the fragrance of parched plants, and envelops you in it's humidity.

That's what God's presence does, says this Psalm. Soothes. Awakens. Envelops and surrounds.
God is near you. Can you see him? Feel him? Smell him?

In Christ's Love,
a guy who needs to go outside
instead of sitting at his computer
and experience a little of God's goodness!

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