Hebrews 12:1-2 - A Tribute to Running

So last week, I was running with one of my running partners and discussing a video we had seen about prayer. The teacher was discussing a scripture on prayer and relating it to running the Boston Marathon.

This got us thinking about the different places that the Bible talks about running....and then I decided that one of my next posts would connect running and the Bible, so here it is. This one is for my friends that are runners and have ambitious running goals.

The first scripture that comes to mind when I think about running is in Hebrews, chapter 12, verses one and two:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

I can relate to this scripture and the picture of a race. When you think of a marathon, or any race really, there are those people who run and those people who stand on the sidelines encouraging and cheering on the runners. Having been in a couple of races, I know how it feels to have someone cheering and encouraging you, it gives that burst of energy and that feeling that you can go a little bit farther. it is particularly helpful when you are tired and starting to think about stopping.

Not only that, hearing the stories of runners who have completed marathons or other races, challenge and encourage. Their passion and drive are very inspirational. I have two friends that are runners that encourage me. My friend Lizzie, who is training to make a qualifying time for  the Boston marathon and my friend Maddie who takes running seriously, but also knows how to make it amazingly fun by doing races such as The Color Run, The Zombie Run, The Superheroes Run...They both remind me that running is a discipline and a passion.

This scripture takes that image and feeling and puts it in the context of pursuing our faith. At times staying strong in our faith can be really difficult. Maybe we are facing a lot of discouragement; Christians acting in ways that don't seem Christ-like, having to make unpopular choices, standing on beliefs when it would be easier to take another path. God never promised life would be easy. In fact the Bible tells us that as followers of Jesus, we will be persecuted and scorned.

Paul reminds us with this scripture of those of faith who have gone before us and have finished the race and are cheering us on to finish. We can be encouraged by their stories and their journey.Think of stories of faith. I find Jonathan in the Bible very inspiring. He balanced honoring his father (who was trying to kill God's anointed, David) with a loyal friendship to David, and constantly lived a righteous life. Just a few months ago I wrote a blog about some everyday Christians that show courage and have inspired me, called Four Stories of Courage.

Do you have people that inspire you. Past or current Christians?Who inspires you to keep going when you feel like giving up?

Don't stop! Following God is an audacious goal. Never easy and always a challenge, but hold fast; run the race; hear the encouragement of those who have gone before you and and cheering you to the finish line!

Luke 11:5-13 - Expect Results

If I haven't mentioned it before, the small group I am apart of is studying prayer. This week, the focus was on Luke 11:5-13:

⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶ a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷ And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity^[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

⁹ “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
¹¹ “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for^[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

One of the discussion points was praying audaciously with an expectation of results. At the end of the meeting, I challenged the group to pray audaciously as we shared our prayer requests and then live in a way that expects results...

A little background: One of the people in my group, Lizzie, has been my running partner for the past six months and I started running with, Chase, another of the group members last week. 

The next morning I was meeting with Lizzie and Chase. I arrived and Lizzie was there. When Chase didn't show up, we started running around the parking lot while waiting. After a few minutes, I sent a text to make sure Chase was still planning to come...no response. Eventually we decided to run part of our route.

When we arrived back to the parking lot, Chase was there. Even though time was tight, we decided to run a little bit more and called him over to join us. As soon as he joined us, he asked, "Do you have my phone?" He couldn't find his phone and he had been delayed looking for it and had finally come, hoping that I had found it (the small group meets at my house). I had not, so I called home to have Thomas look for it, but he didn't see it among the chaise or couch cushions. So as we completed our run, I prayed out loud, "God, help us find this phone! We really need it to show up."

So I headed home with Chase following me. He was hoping that the phone would be on the side of the road where he had parked the night before. I kept thinking about all the kids who walked down the road on their way to one of the two schools in the neighborhood...

When we arrived back to the house, Chase started looking along the road and I went to check inside again. He quickly came in...no phone! I decided to just remove all the cushions to check there again. Chase started to insist that was unnecessary...and then we saw it...his phone.

God answered our prayer and we celebrated! I loved the way God had brought us on this journey. We talked about praying audaciously and expecting an answer with the whole group and then God gave the three of us that were meeting together for a run the opportunity to practice it the next morning. God was faithful and the phone was found. The story was shared with the whole group, and now with you.

Have you ever talked about some section of scripture and then seen it applied almost immediately in your life? I feel like it happens all the time when I engage with God and others, how about you? I would love to hear your stories.

Romans 9:21 - What is Your Role?

Over the weekend, as I was listening to the message in church and my eyes wandered past the scripture being read and talked about, down a few verses and I came across Romans 9:21.

Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

 (yes, I confess, my mind wanders beyond the borders of the message during church)

 It started me thinking about different people's roles in sharing God's message and working for God's Kingdom. I myself have at times, thought, "OK, God, what is my role in your plan? What great thing do you have planned for me?"

This verse reminded me that sometimes the answer (from an earthly perspective) is none. God does not intend for each person to be a great evangelist or to be saintly in good works...we were not all formed to be Billy Graham, Martin Luther King Jr., or Mother Theresa. We will not all be known throughout the country or the world for our work and faith.

Some of us were intended to be known just as that person who smiled while passing out food, the person who listened when pain and frustration were being poured out, that person who wrote a letter to point out a community injustice. Some of us were intended to be the glue that holds people together and keeps them pointed in the right direction.

From an earthly perspective, that isn't great, but in God's Kingdom, those things are. Remember that Mark 10: 43 tells us,

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant...

The larger-than-life spiritual heroes are important. They motivate, inspire and bring people together. They spread a message to a vast number of people. The problem is, that it is the personal piece that keeps things going and makes the work deep and long-lasting. Those spiritual heroes can't have personal relationship with all those people who they motivate and inspire. That is when the common, or everyday Christian takes over. That person does the work, the lesser known work, the simple, everyday work; just living a life right with God.

There is not more value to one or the other, although sometimes it feels like that famous spiritual hero is more important than you or I. Each of us is a part of the tapestry of God's design. The song. Through Heaven's Eyes always reminds me that every contribution is important and sometimes we don't fully know how important.

So how can you see what your life is worth
Or where your value lies?
You can never see through the eyes of man
You must look at your life 

 What is your role? Do you value it?

God does!

1 John 4 - Walk in Love

When I read statements of condemnation and hatred from Christians in the news, I struggle with how to respond. Part of me wants to get angry and cry out against this, but I also don't want to be like the people I am upset with; I want to make sure my response is thought out, so what did I do? I went to the Bible...and came across this scripture in 1 John, chapter 4:

⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Reading it definitely caused me to stop and think, in fact it raised a lot of thoughts and questions....so WARNING: Possible stream of consciousness coming.

Look at verse 7 and notice that is says that EVERYONE who loves is born of God and knows God. Anyone who loves, and I don't know anyone who has never loved, is from God and knows God. We all have something inside of us connected to God. For some, that may draw us to God and for some that may be an ignored or not understood part of our being. But consider, if everyone is born of God (or comes from God), that everyone should be treated and revered as God's creation. If you are trying to live as God asks and love, this verse does not allow for us to pick and choose which people we respect and treat with dignity, it tells us that all who love are of  God. So where does hatred and condemnation come in???

In verse 8 we see, "God is love". If God is love, than each act of love is God revealed. SO God is revealed through another person's loving actions. The person may not always be loving and we may not always agree with the person, but at least part of the time, that person is revealing God to us. If you separate yourself from that person, you are separating yourself from the opportunity to have God revealed to you by that person...and consequently receiving less revelation of God. Is that what you want? Less God? At least most Christians claim they want more of God. So how do you accomplish experiencing more of God if you are spouting hatred and condemnation?

I love what verse 10 tells us. It says, :This is love." It is getting ready to hear what love is, but it starts by telling us what it isn't. It isn't that we love God. Why isn't it? Well, our ability to love is flawed. Point in case, we say things which condemn and express hatred for others. Our love is tainted and impure. So what is love? Love is that God loves us. Here we are, impure and sinful, but God gives up Jesus to be sacrificed so that we may be seen as pure. Love is something pure and holy. What we express is a shadow of love because it is not fully pure. What God expresses is love, pure and holy, and the example of love we strive for.

Verse 11 encourages us to follow God's example of love. If we are receiving pure and holy love from God, we need to try to reflect that out to people. This is not done through hatred and condemnation but through encouragement, discipline, and acceptance of people. This does not mean you like or love everything about a person, sometimes they disappoint you, or reject you, or hurt you, but we need to respond in love. Sometimes people disappoint, reject and hurt God too. God so loved that god sent Jesus to die for us that we might be forgiven and seen as pure and holy. 

Judgement is for God, for God has full and complete understanding, only God is worthy to judge and we need to leave that to God. Instead of hatred we need to speak and act in love. Instead of condemning, we need to reach out and accept people and let God worry about the rest.

So my response? LOVE. In love if I have access to the people speaking out in hatred and condemnation I can point out that there words aren't loving.  I can make sure I am not passing on these statements, thereby growing the problem, and I can speak words of love and encouragement into these situations.

Will you join me in walking in love?

Galatians 6 - Do For One What You Wish You Could Do For Everyone

What can I do?

Have you ever asked yourself this question? Child prostitution, fair trade wages, genocide...these issues can all feel so big, what can one person do?

So many times we see injustice around us and feel inadequate to make a difference. Just driving my car through the city, I will see a number of people who are struggling and begging for money. I can't afford to meet all their needs or even meet all their needs for just one meal. And if I gave them money, how do I know it would be used in life-giving ways?

I think we have all wrested with these questions at one time or another. Galatians 6:2 tells us to:

² Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

We can not ignore the struggles and injustice around us. But how can I change the world?

Well recently, I heard someone say, "Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone." The truth is that I can't help everyone and if I were to try to spread around the money I had available to help those in financial need, each would get such a small amount that no one would really be helped. If we are to have an impact, we need to really invest in the right way. You need to go deep, rather than wide; go long-term, rather than short-term, go time, not just money.

The idea is that we need to find the issue and area that we feel God calling us to and then find the place to focus that attention. In Galatians 6: 9,10 we read:

⁹ Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ¹⁰ Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

If we examine our life and circumstances, the right opportunity will present itself. But we need to be aware and ready to do good and invest. No one person can solve a problem, but if you pick one person...one situation and really invest, you can have a great impact.

Now it is possible that you are reading this and thinking, it isn't fair to not help everyone. It is true, it might not be fair to take one homeless person for a meal and not another, but the truth is, it is OK not to do for everyone what you would do for one. If you only did things for one that you would/could do for everyone, you would be overwhelmed and overextended and no good to anyone. It is OK to just do for some.

What is the injustice or issue that God is calling you to? Can you identify one person or one place where you can invest deeply, over the long-term, with your time? You might not be able to do for everyone, but you can do for one.

Isaiah 1:17 - Defend the Oppressed

This past week, at the small group meeting I attend, this scripture came up and it caught my attention. Enough so that I have been thinking about it for a couple of days.

¹⁷ Learn to do right; seek justice.
    Defend the oppressed.
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
    plead the case of the widow.

The phrase that jumped out at me was " defend the oppressed". My first thought was to consider who are the oppressed?

 Maybe because it is also National Coming Out week, I started thinking about the LGBTQ community. Everywhere we turn, we hear about issues that relate to the LGBTQ community such as marriage equality which has become a talking point for political debate in this election year. And today, we are reminded of Matthew Shepherd, who was killed because he was gay on this day in 1988. I modified my question to, is this community oppressed?

I decided to look up the word oppressed and found the following definition at the top of my Google search: 1. To keep down by severe and unjust use of force or authority.

Looking at that, there is no question that in a number of countries, this community is oppressed. In 17 countries, you can be legally put to death for being gay. And in many more, you can be beaten and harassed with no consequences for those who perpetrate these acts. But what about here in the USA? Is this an oppressed community?

I look across the country and consider all the states that are trying to get legislation passed regarding marriage. Some to allow same-sex couples, and some to make a marriage outside of a man and a woman unconstitutional. I consider the inheritance rights of married couples and their ability to pass on property to their spouse, while unmarried, couples must pay huge inheritance taxes to do the same...

Were women oppressed when they were not allowed the right to vote? Shunned from the workforce?

Were African Americans oppressed when they were forced into slavery? Segregated?

Were American Indians oppressed when they had their land taken from them?

I think we would say yes!

Is the LGBTQ community oppressed? I would say yes. The real question is, what do we do about it? How do we defend this oppressed community? Or do we?

 Shamefully, the church as a whole did not defend the other oppressed communities I mentioned. In fact, the church always seems to be divided when it comes to issues surrounding oppressed peoples. The Bible is often used to defend multiple positions of issues. That is as true today with issues surrounding the LGBTQ community as it has been with many other communities.

I guess the first question you have to ask yourself is whether you see the LGBTQ community as oppressed. Next, you have to consider if you believe that you are called to defend the oppressed, and finally, what that looks like.

Being national Coming Out week, maybe the first step is to listen to hear and understand the people of the LGBTQ community. next, consider what ways they are being oppressed and think about how you are called to defend the oppressed. It might be as simple and stopping a conversation that is negative, judgmental and offensive, it might be what candidate you vote for on election day, it might be praying about the situation and for the LGBTQ community, it might be talking to people around you about the issues, or making public declarations and gestures.

However you hear the call of this verse and understand the issues and what action you take is really between you and God, but I ask you...to consider this...Is the LGBTQ community oppressed and what do I do about it?

The Broken Road

Have you ever looked at the path of your road and felt like you really hadn't done enough? Do you ever feel regrets over things not done?

A few weeks ago I was at a conference and saw an interview with a young lady of about 23 who was talking about her missionary work in Africa. She spends her time there working with children and over the past four years, she has been called to adopt seven of them. It is really amazing all that she has accomplished!

But sometimes when I hear these things, I start comparing my accomplishments to those I am hearing or reading about. It can be very discouraging, but it is important to remember that we are products of our experiences. Those experiences prepare us to be the right instrument for God at the right time.

When I walk down this road of thought, I often think of the song, God Bless the Broken Road. Look at these lyrics to verse two.

I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true

While this is a song about finding love, I relate to this verse also in the sense of my life with God. There have been many times and years that I have just passed through. Many experiences, that if I had been more connected or faithful, I would not have experienced them, but the truth is that each of those moments shaped me and prepared me for the works that God has planned for me.

Let's not forget Paul. He came to his ministry late in life after being a persecutor of Christians. But Paul's life as Saul also made him a:

⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. (Philippians 3: 5,6)

Because Paul was all of these things, he had the respect and authority to bring the message of Jesus to the gentiles, both the commoners and those of the upper class. He had the right to be in from of government officials to plead his case, which allowed him to also preach the gospel in their courts.

Each experience in your life, has and is preparing you for the work that God has planned for you. You can not live in shame of mistakes or lost opportunities, instead use them as moments of growth and understanding that make you uniquely suited to do or say what God has purposed you for.

The young lady I started by talking about was purposed to be a mother and raise many children at a young age, this was a piece of what God prepared her for. But think about where God is leading you....starting a literacy program...changing the way church looks and feels...starting an online ministry...reaching out to those who are hurting from abuse or alcoholism. The past was the preparation and trust that God has given you the right lessons to succeed in God's calling on you.

Be Present (Luke 10:38-42)

The last couple of weeks has been very busy for me (mostly at work). In addition to work and social commitments, I am trying to keep up with friends and family, stay active on the Gay-Christian Bridges page and in the group, as well as stay up on various games I play with people over my phone. I find myself grabbing every moment I can, while riding the T...while helping my cousin's kids cook, to catch up with these things on my phone. I constantly feel behind and often find myself trying to catch minutes to do these things while I am with other people. Just think about that...I am spending time with a person in real life and trying to multitask to play Words with Friends or check Facebook...

When I recognize what I am doing, I can't help but think of the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

I, like Martha, am becoming distracted by other things, when what I need to be doing is focusing on relationship with the person in front of me.


When Martha becomes so focused on other things, Jesus says to her,

⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴² but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus reminds her to focus on what is important.
 
My boyfriend and I have a reminder phrase we use to help ourselves to focus on relationship and the person in front of us: Be Present. It is the reminder that we use to point out to the other know that their focus is split and it isn't where it should be. It started as something one of us would say to the other, but now, both of us find ourselves commented on our own behavior when we are not being present.

Not only can I have issues being present with those around me, but with God as well. This past week, my small group started a study on Jesus' prayers. One of the main points of the first teaching was that Jesus had a practice of prayer. It wasn't just a talk to God sometimes. It was intentional time spent with God. Jesus often went away from people and spent all night in prayer. He was very present with God and his power came from this close relationship. I feel challenged by this because it can be very easy for me to let busyness distract me from my relationship with God as well. I need the reminder of Martha and Mary of a regular basis.

Do you find yourself multitasking and tapping into social media, texting, games, etc while you are with other people? DO you find other thoughts encroaching on your time with God? Do you need to BE PRESENT more?

Take a minute to do a little self evaluation. Are you like Martha? Are you like Mary? Maybe you too want to adopt the phrase Be Present into your life.