I know that full well

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Do you? Are you fully convinced about the ever-present, lavish abundance of God’s work in your life? When was the last time your breath was taken away by the incredible design and artistry of the Almighty?

While in Alaska this summer, my family walked into the performing arts center in Anchorage to watch a short film on the Northern Lights. I had wanted to see them live, but was told that the summer was the worst time of the year to catch them. So settling into a theater to watch them on screen was a bit underwhelming.

Until I saw them in action.

Hues of green, red, blue, and yellow lit up the sky like ballerinas twirling and leaping across the global stage. Waves of colors flickered and splashed effortlessly around the dark horizon, provoking incredible displays of momentary beauty. The blackness of space provided the perfect canopy for God to paint the sky with a majestic spectacle of his glorious handicraft.

I sat in my seat, mesmerized by what I saw. One cannot watch this phenomenon unmoved. Then a little spark began welling up inside me, an urge that moved me deeply enough that I started to cry. I wanted to worship God right then and there; jump up and down, clap and cheer, hold my hands up in humbled awe at what I saw on film.

We and the world we inhabit truly are a masterful achievement. That might sound arrogant at first, but if you look at it through the lens of recognizing the scope and shape of who we are and how we are made, one cannot but acknowledge that a truly gifted and expert Craftsman designed all this.

I see this happening in two ways:

We are an incredible product. Seriously, we are a complex creation. Regardless of how marred we are by the presence and effects of sin, we retain a Dynamite Design that continues to preside to this day even in the face of sin, death, and darkness. It's like a tiny flickering candle in a dark winter's night.

We undergo and incredible process. When we give our lives to Christ, we begin a remarkable process whereby God radically changes us from the inside out – all the while we are living in the land of half-way-there, not-quite-what-I-had-in-mind,  already-but-not-yet. And we’re surrounded by half-finished projects (or half-baked, if you will) that God is not finished with yet either.

This fall, as we begin our march of togetherness in our growth groups, do not lose sight of the amazing reality that is at work among us, in front of our very own eyes. It’s a work often times hidden, but nonetheless real and ongoing in the hearts and lives of your group members.

May you see, with your own hearts and eyes, the truly majestic dance of light the Father is showcasing for his Glory and our salvation in the lives of your group members.

Just like you and me

I’ve been spending Thursday mornings at a local rescue mission, working in the kitchen to help prep food for meals for the residents and people off the street. I love it. One morning, I got to slice up 40 lbs. of beef. They were calling me “the butcher” by the time the morning was over. The crew is a lively bunch, as you can tell.

On one occasion, one person introduced himself to me, with my prompt response being “how long have you been a resident here?” To which he clarified “I work here. I’m on staff.” Oops.

Once the embarrassment of that moment subsided for me, it led me to a reflective thought: as I scanned the room, I realized that it was hard to tell the difference between staff and resident. This is not meant as a slam to the staff; it’s meant as a realization of just how close we all truly are with one another.

It reminded me of how at a similar stage we all are when it comes to the need for God’s abiding grace. On this matter, we’re all in the same boat. Regardless of circumstances, appearances, and surface level manners, every one of us is greatly in need of the love of Christ. At the foot of the cross, we truly are one and the same.

It also brought to mind the story Jesus told in Matthew 25 about broken people in great need of love and redemption, and the choice that some made to step up and contribute. One of the questions that people in the story asked the Son of Man was “When did we see you in need?”

To both those who chose to love others, and those who chose to ignore the need, the presence of God might not have been easy to spot. But Jesus’ response is penetratingly clear: “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” In a way, those who chose not to help never saw it coming. They never saw the need because it wasn’t written in the sky or flashed in front of them with neon letters. It was easy for them to miss the need, and focus on something else. And miss God in the process.

When Adolf Eichmann, famous Nazi war criminal, was brought to trial, one writer who covered the affair was astonished at what she saw: a person who looked as normal as the common man or woman on the street. It left her with an uneasy realization that a man who could commit unspeakable horror would not appear as a hideous monster, but instead just like you and me.

Just like you and me. That’s what every desperate, broken, hurting, wounded person on earth looks like. The choice for us as followers of Christ is to decide whether or not they are a worthy recipient of the grace and love of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ answer is a resounding yes. 

What will yours be?

Year of the Servant

©iStockphoto.com/NatanaelGinting

Ok, so there’s no Chinese calendar year by that name – it certainly sounds more ennobling than rat, pig, or donkey, right? (Apparently, this year, it’s the year of the Horse. I was born in the year of the Goat. Yippee.)

I was thinking the other day about themes for this year; words or phrases that I would want to rally my heart around; that resonated in me; that would remind me of the primary, essential, majorly important truths for my lie that God has been articulating to me recently.

One word has continued to return again and again – servant.

It has been a slow emergence in my soul over the past few years that to live humbly and look for ways to give of myself to others is at the core of what it means both to follow Christ and also to serve others in love. By being sensitive to His promptings, I am practicing the very obedience I pray for and desire in my personal times with Him.

And it’s clear from the Scriptures that this focus on being a servant is at the bullseye of its message for us. In reality, it's at the center of the 2nd part of the Great Commandment - to love your neighbor as yourself.

It’s clear from scriptures that God desires us to have other-centered hearts and serve others in love. We read in Galatians 5:13 that "you, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love."

It’s clear from scriptures that serving others not like yourself, or giving to those hurting and in desperate need demonstrates the redemptive dignity of actually blessing Jesus Christ himself.  in Matthew 25:40, we read that Jesus said "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

It’s evidently clear that He uniquely equips us in different ways and degrees to share and give out of the strengths that we have so we can bless others. (Romans 12:6-8)

The Word is clear also that as we engage in love with others – serving where it’s needed, giving out of the overflow of what God’s giving us – we are providing a moment to glimpse the very heart and presence of Jesus in our midst.

So as I embark upon this chronological journey through time over the next 11 months, I am hopeful that my heart and mind will be open, receptive, and sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit – that when He calls me to stop me in my daily traffic jams and make a move with Him to help another, I am responsive and not resistant to Him.

I hope you'll be willing to join me and discover the passion of God to see a world blessed due to your service.

May you also discover the joy, the satisfaction, and the new ventures that arise from those moments where you listen and respond to the Holy Spirit and make this year the Year of the Servant.