Deep-End Discipleship

Fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins;  sure knowledge is for all who keep God's laws. God's praise lasts forever! - Psalm 111:10 (CEB)- Let ’s face it, fear probably isn’t anyone’s favorite topic. We prefer to avoid our fears and often face them begrudgingly. Because of this, reading passages which say to “fear the Lord” can sound weird to us. However, often in the Bible, fear refers to something besides simply terror. Fear can also be the idea of being completely amazed at something truly awe-inspiring. When someone is filled with awe at something, there is an idea of amazement which captures their mind and heart. I think of going to a concert with your absolute favorite singer and then getting to meet the person afterwards. There is excitement, awe, and it’s probably the only thing you’re going to think about the week prior or the week after! Our God - the creator, savior, compassionate, just, good God - is much greater than any human musician. Though ce...

“This is what I’m saying, brothers and sisters: The time has drawn short. From now on, those who have wives should be like people who don’t have them. Those who are sad should be like people who aren’t crying. Those who are happy should be like people who aren’t happy. Those who buy something should be like people who don’t have possessions. Those who use the world should be like people who aren’t preoccupied with it, because this world in its present form is passing away.” - 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 CEB - Amidst all the apostle Paul has to say in the Bible, this is not always one of the favorite verses. It doesn’t sound comfortable to have to suddenly act like something you’re not. You might paraphrase what the apostle says as such, “So you were happy – don’t worry about that anymore. So you were sad – stop crying now. So you are really concerned about the people in your life who care to you – don’t focus too much on them.” This is hard for us to hear as a message of Good New...

“Lord, you have examined me. You know me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up. Even from far away, you comprehend my plans. You study my traveling and resting. You are thoroughly familiar with all my ways. There isn’t a word on my tongue, Lord, that you don’t already know completely. You surround me—front and back.  You put your hand on me. That kind of knowledge is too much for me; it’s so high above me that I can’t fathom it.” - Psalm 139:1-6 CEB - I am a planner. I function best when I have multiple to-do lists, a detailed calendar, and I know what I need to do months in advance. Part of the reason I do this, is because it seems like there is always a billion things to do and a lot of pressure to succeed. I’m also an obsessive planner because it helps me cope with stress. We have so much pressure to be successful in life and to have our whole future planned out. I get a lot of comfort by being able to list of my 5-year plan to someone who asks. I feel accomp...

The  Lord ’s voice is over the waters;      the glorious God thunders; the  Lord  is over the mighty waters. The  Lord ’s voice is strong;     the  Lord ’s voice is majestic. - Psalm 29:3-4 CEB - The clapping of ocean waves under a vast night sky is one of the most powerful scenes I have ever encountered. I feel small and humbled on the beach of an ocean that looks like it will never end and under a sky filled with seemingly infinite stars. When I witness this I often feel small, but I am filled with awe at the creative power of our God. The ocean is great, vast, powerful, beautiful, terrifying, and full of life. It fills me with awe. Even more than this, I am filled with awe as I reflect on the God who created such a magnificent piece of art. Since it is beautiful, how much more is God? Since it is full of life, how much more is God? This powerful part of nature shows us a glimpse of what our God is like...

 “Arise! Shine! Your light has come; the Lord’s glory has shone upon you. Though darkness covers the earth and gloom the nations, the Lord will shine upon you; God’s glory will appear over you.” - Isaiah 60:1-2 CEB - Darkness is a real thing. Not only as we get to the winter months where it might be dark before you get home from your afternoon or evening activities, but we know darkness on a personal level sometimes.  Darkness is that voice in us that makes us doubt ourselves. Darkness is that feeling that no one else knows what you’re going through. Darkness is cold isolation and separation.  Yet we know through the birth of Christ that God’s light breaks in upon us. The love of God that comes in Jesus finds us just as we are, just where we are. God’s love warms up the coldest isolation and lets us see ourselves for the beautiful creation God made us to be. One of my favorite images is the sharing of the Christ candle we do at our Christmas Eve services...