On Winning

As much as we hope for a tidy and decisive election, it’s possible that by the end of this week we still won’t have a clear election winner.  We may have to wait several days or even weeks to know who won.  But while we’re waiting for the dust to settle on this election, we can remember something that is even more important: regardless of whether your person won, our Person has won.  Our Savior, Jesus, is victorious over all powers.  Because of Christ’s victory, we get to face challenges that are not ultimate challenges.  No earthly loss can take away from our victory in Jesus.  No earthly victory can add to it.  So whether your person wins or loses, Christ is risen.  I leave you with this picture of the victory as it is even now being celebrated in heaven.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

-Revelation 7:9-10

Election Prep

It’s shaping up to be another close election.  Margins are razor thin, far too thin to make any confident predictions about who our next president will be.  It’s possible we won’t officially know for days or weeks after the election.  What this means is that it is very possible that your preferred candidate won’t win.  The other person will be our next president.  You will need to get your mind around a Trump presidency or a Harris presidency.  And my question to you is: are you prepared for that outcome?  Are you emotionally and mentally and spiritually prepared for your candidate to not win?

Over the past decade, I’ve witnessed Christians fall apart in the aftermath of a presidential election.  Shock gave way to despair and depression.  It is okay to be disappointed at an election outcome.  It’s okay to be sad that your person didn’t win.  It’s even okay to be concerned about what the next four years will look like.  But despair has no place in the life of those who belong to Jesus.  Regardless of who wins next Tuesday, we have already won because Jesus is Lord.  If you are quite invested in the outcome of this election, now would be a good time to make sure you are keeping perspective.  Now is the time to start preparing yourself for the possibility that your candidate will lose.  And the best way to do that is by remembering that above all earthly powers, our God reigns and always will.

Rest In Stress

The transition into school is done, and a rhythm of life might be forming, just in time for the holidays right around the corner to come in and mess it all up again. As we approach the holidays it is important to remember to find time to rest. Find a time to spend time with your Heavenly Father, doing the things that allow you to relax, and setting aside the stresses of life even just for a moment. As Psalm 23 puts it, In the Lord we lack nothing. He makes us lie down in green pastures, leads us beside quiet waters, and restores our soul. 

A common misconception is that to rest you have to sleep, rest can be anything that moves your mind away from the daily stress of life and onto relaxation. The best relaxation is time with God. God sees your stress and embraces it with you, guides you to a green pasture, provides what you need, and ultimately restores your soul. In the upcoming season, remember where your rest comes from and focus on Him if family or the holidays become too much.

Church Famous

Andy Warhol is credited with saying, “In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes.”  Perhaps he envisioned a day when a video or social media post could go viral.  People around the world would see your meme or a tweet, giving you roughly 15 minutes of notoriety before you slip back into anonymity.  That doesn’t sound like much to aspire to.  Living your life for just 15 minutes of fame?  Fortunately, there’s an alternative.

I’d like to (possibly) coin the term “church famous.”  As opposed to being world famous, church famous happens on a much smaller scale.  It’s having notoriety in your church family.  Church famous is the state of being known and loved by the people you worship and serve with.  It is mattering deeply to the people in your LifeGroup.  When you get sick, undergo surgery, or have a baby, people will pray for you, bring meals, and send you cards.  All because you are church famous.  It may not be as glamorous as being world famous.  But in the end it is a much better deal.  And it lasts a lot longer than 15 minutes.

Beauty

The fall colors are taking their time in getting here.  We’re beginning the second week in October and green remains the predominant color.  Last week my dad and I drove the Tunnel of Trees in northern Michigan, hoping for a glimpse of fall beauty.  It was not to be.  What I find fascinating is the lengths we will go to in order to witness beauty.  We will pay good money to go on a fall color tour.  We will drive to the other side of the country to look upon the Grand Canyon or Yosemite Valley.  We spend hours cultivating planter boxes and beds full of colorful flowers that serve no functional purpose.  They are just pretty.

What does this say about us?  Where does this great desire for beauty come from?  We are people created in the image of God.  We were made in the image of a Creator who purposefully placed beauty in his creation.  Was it necessary for the leaves of trees to change into vibrant colors before falling to the ground?  Was it necessary to carve out splendid canyons?  Our desire for beauty is due to the fact that we are “chips off the ol’ block.”  These apples don’t fall far from the tree.  We long for beauty because our Father does.  And that longing for beauty is ultimately a longing to experience God’s glory.  The fall colors will get here eventually.  Your desire to see them is more than just a seasonal fancy.  It is a longing to behold God’s glory. 

Trust and Resignation

The key line in the Serenity Prayer is asking God for the wisdom to know the difference between what we can and can’t change.  Once this determination has been made, we can then ask for either serenity or courage.  There are an abundance of situations in life that we cannot change.  We feel small and impotent in the face of things like foreign wars, a national election, and decisions that are made far removed from our influence and opinion.  But even the local challenges often feel beyond us.  Our adult children make choices that we are asked to respect.  Our spouse won’t change and doesn’t see the need to.  Senior management doesn’t see what you see and doesn’t seem interested in seeing it. 

What do we do in these situations?  Do we just resign ourselves to a crummy situation?  Do we throw our hands up in resignation (and some disgust) and give up?  The Serenity Prayer is right in pointing out that there are indeed things we can’t control or change.  But that doesn’t leave us without options.  We always have the option to trust.  We can trust that beyond our control, there is a good, sovereign force that is weaving all these events together.  And when we live in this trust, we discover that there is a level of control granted to us: we can pray.  We may not be able to control world events or even things at work.  But we can talk directly to the one who can.  We don’t have to resign or check out on things beyond our control.  We can courageously trust and courageously pray.

House Money

Over the last few years, sporting events on TV have come with a steady barrage of advertisements for online gambling.  Many of these sports books will give you free money to gamble with when you open an account with them.  In the casinos, this is called “house money.”  It is money that is given to you by the casino to bet, play the slots, or any other game involving wagers.  While I’m no advocate of gambling, I think there is a powerful spiritual parallel for those of us who are in Christ.

In the spiritual economy, we bring no money to the table.  The Bible tells us we are dead in our sins.  We have neither funds nor collateral.  But God not only makes us alive in Christ, he gives us an infinite wealth of riches to use in his service.  When we seek first his kingdom, we are playing with house money.  There is no risk in losing what we have in Christ because God has an infinite supply of grace and power to do his will.  There is no risk in stepping out in faith and following God’s leading.  It is his riches that we are leveraging and there is no end to that supply.

Lesser Evil

Last week Pope Francis shared some thoughts on the upcoming election here in America.  He criticized both candidates and encouraged American Catholics to vote for the “lesser evil.”  As a Protestant, I’ve been an admirer of Pope Francis.  I think he’s been a pope for the people and a breath of fresh air for the Roman Catholic Church.  As I consider his encouragement to vote for the lesser evil, it occurs to me that we are almost always trying to make this decision.  Whether it’s politics or policy or simple decisions in our own lives, we don’t get the benefit of choosing something purely good.  Pure goodness exists in preciously scarce amounts in this world, if it exists at all.

Our World Belongs to God, one of the witnesses of our tradition, has this to say: “All spheres of life - family and friendship, work and worship, school and state, play and art - bear the wounds of our rebellion. Sin is present everywhere…”  There are no saviors in politics, sports, or entertainment.  There are only broken people.  There are no perfect choices in our lives.  Sin has tainted every circumstance so that we are always dealing with trade offs.  It’s a depressing reality, especially when we are making decisions about who will lead our country.  But it is also a reminder to set our hope on the true Savior and the complete and perfect new creation he is promising to bring.

Perseverance

Our theme for this fall is “perseverance.”  As a church family we have made it through a very challenging season and we are seeing the fruit of a lot of hard work.  Individually, each of us has a story of the challenges of the last year.  We’ve faced difficulties and struggles in our families and our own lives.  After all of that, aren’t we owed a season of smooth sailing?  Aren’t we entitled to a time of relaxation?  However, there are two forces that keep us in the fight: this broken world and the call of God.  Our broken world will continue to present hardships.  God continues to call us to grow to be more like his Son.

The kind of perseverance that the brokenness of the world and the call of God requires is great.  It is a perseverance that is not native to us.  But it is given abundantly by our Father in heaven.  Here’s what the Canons of Dort, one of our doctrinal standards, has to say: “We who have been converted could not remain standing in this grace if left to our own resources. But God is faithful, mercifully strengthening us in the grace once conferred on us and powerfully preserving us in it to the end.”  That is how and why we can persevere.  We have a faithful God who daily and abundantly gives us the grace and mercy to persevere.

Lawn Mowing and Laundry

There are chores that need to be done on a regular basis.  Clothes need to be washed.  Shirts, pants, and dresses get smudged and spilled on.  They absorb sweat and oils and need a trip through the washer.  I wouldn’t even hazard a guess as to how many times my jeans have made the circuit through my washing machine and dryer.  This is something we understand when we buy our clothes: they will require maintenance.  We will need to wash them.  Our lawns are the same way.  Grass grows.  (Although sometimes my grass doesn’t cooperate with this assumption.)  And when it does, it needs to be mowed.  No one fertilizes and waters their yard, then mows it assuming they won’t ever need to mow again.  It’s a maintenance task that is part of any growing thing.  Homes require regular maintenance.  Carpets need to be vacuumed.  Even our bodies need regular care.

Our relationship with God is a lot like laundry, lawns, and carpets.  It requires regular maintenance.  You don’t become a Christian and then be done with all spiritual activity.  Belonging to Jesus is not a maintenance-free endeavor.  Salvation begins a life of diligent, regular maintenance.  While all our stains have been permanently washed away, we need to regularly refresh our connection with God.  We need to prune and trim away things that get in the way of our relationship with him.  We do this through prayer, Bible reading, community, and other spiritual disciplines.  What maintenance is your relationship with God due for today?

Knowing Where to Look

For whatever reason, we are drawn toward the spectacular.  We long for earthshaking, monumental events that tilt the scales toward us.  Perhaps because our God created the universe, we look for him at the national and global level.  And to be sure, God is present at these upper levels of society.  The problem is that these levels are a long way removed from our daily experience.  We tend to be nearsighted people who have a hard time discerning events at a distance.

That’s why we need to remember that God didn’t just create galaxies and planets.  He created molecules and cells and insects and flowers.  As much as we want God to be obvious in astounding and dramatic ways, we see him best when he is right in front of us, often in the small things: in conversations with a friend, in the song of a bird, in your toddler’s new skill, in the quiet of a few moments with your morning coffee, in the smell of the woods.  It is comforting to remember that God is bigger than the universe.  But it’s perhaps even more comforting to know that he inhabits the small, the timebound, and the ordinary as well.

Silver Medal

One of the unique things about the Olympics is the way that it structures event winners.  Each event honors not only the winner, but also the second and third place finishers.  Most of our sporting contests these days simply have a winner and a loser.  If you lose the Super Bowl, you are the silver medalist in football.  If you lose in the finals of Wimbledon, you are the silver medalist of tennis.  But compare the countenance of an Olympic silver medalist to someone on the losing team of the Super Bowl and it’s quite a contrast.  Super Bowl runners up are often despondent in the face of losing the big game.  Silver medalists - even bronze medalists - are often filled with enthusiasm simply to be on the platform.

As much as I like the Olympic approach on this side of heaven, I don’t believe there will be any silver medals in the new creation.  When Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead, there won’t be three levels on the platform.  There will be just one.  The Gospels tell us there were three crosses on Calvary.  But only one of those crosses saves us.  There were many tombs around Jerusalem.  But only one is empty.  In the age to come, we who belong to the one who hung on the cross and walked out of the tomb will stand on the platform with him.  We will all wear gold medals because we are in Christ.  He has won the victory.

Fireworks

By all accounts, the Coast Guard fireworks and drone show on Saturday night were spectacular.  On the hundredth anniversary of the Coast Guard Festival, they pulled out all the stops and treated the crowds of spectators to a show worth sitting in traffic for.  As children we are mesmerized by fireworks.  Once we get over our fear of the loud booms, fireworks are magical for a child to witness.  Even sparklers and backyard fireworks are wonderfully entertaining.  But most of us have seen fireworks enough for the shine to wear off.  They are shot off nearly every weekend somewhere - after baseball games, town festivals, county fairs.  Once you’ve seen a hundred fireworks demonstrations, they just aren’t as impressive or awe-inspiring anymore.  It takes an over-the-top show like Saturday night to really impress us.

Religious experiences can be a bit like fireworks.  If we base our faith on mountaintop spiritual experiences, we will inevitably need to find higher and higher mountains.  What a worship song on the radio once did for us, now requires a time of worship in a church service.  What a Sunday sermon did for us now requires a conference speaker.  If we build our faith on spectacular experiences, we will eventually run out of ways to scratch that itch.  I suspect this is why Jesus talks about the simple things in life: seeds, birds, plants, yeast.  It’s great to have big fireworks from time to time.  It can provide a boost and some fresh momentum.  But our spiritual lives are lived amongst homework assignments, diaper changes, and doctor appointments.  And if we pay attention, we will find that God faithfully meets us there as well.  Enjoy the fireworks.  But know that God is just as present while you’re sitting in traffic afterwards. 

Inflection Point

When we moved to the tri-cities almost 20 years ago, we heard a number of people say something that just didn’t make sense: “Once Coast Guard Festival is done, the summer is over.”  What?!  It’s barely August and the summer’s over?  Strictly speaking, summer lasts well into September.  How could it be over by the first week of August?  Now that I’ve raised my kids here, I get it: sports and other school activities ramp up already in early August.  The leisurely days of late June through July are now gone and we need to get our heads back in the game.  The Coast Guard Festival creates an inflection point in our summer.  It’s conclusion is a harbinger of the coming school year.

Life is filled with inflection points.  Some of them are joyous celebrations like a wedding or a graduation or a Coast Guard festival.  Others are painful like a funeral or a job loss or a health condition.  But every inflection point is guided by God towards our growth in becoming more like Jesus.  Whatever joy or challenge you are walking through right now, God can and will use it as an inflection point toward spiritual maturity, and ultimately joy.  As the Scripture says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Thermostat or Thermometer

By Drew DeVries

My last mentor challenged me and the students in our ministry with this question, “are you a thermostat or a thermometer?” He asked this question to push the students to think deeper about the lives they were living. He would clarify by saying thermometers read the temperature of a room. When you walk into a room, do you read the temperature and change how you are living based on what is happening around you? Thermostats set temperatures. When you walk into a room, does the temperature change? Do people see God based on how you are living? Does the room change around you or do you change around the room?

It's a simple analogy yet has powerful implications. We are instructed in Matthew to go and make disciples of all nations. That isn’t just a commandment for those working in a church. That is a commandment for everyone who is a follower of Christ. We can influence whatever environment we are in by living in a way that helps everyone around us experience Christ’s love.

Listening - Lori Houskamp

While Pastor Nate continues on his break, I encourage all of us to lean into opportunities afforded by summer’s change of pace. Schedule (or unschedule) your summer to be a season with margin to listen to God. In Psalm 46:10 we read, “Be still and know that I am God.” Listen to the lapping of waves and cast your cares on our Creator. Find peace in God’s presence as you walk through the woods. Allow a symphony of singing birds to move you to praise. Let the laughter of children remind you to be glad in the Lord. Allow the crackle of a campfire to fill you with joy.  Listen to nature sing and be refreshed. 

If you are following this month’s Bible reading plan and reading through Proverbs, you will encounter the word “listen” over twenty times. Proverbs encourages us to listen to God’s voice in His Word and in the wise counsel of others. Listening for God by Marilyn Hontz (2004) is a great book I am rereading this summer. I am again reminded how when we are still and listen for God, the Holy Spirit prompts us and specifically guides our actions. Listening is for every child of God. We were all created to live in a personal relationship with God, which includes both talking with and listening to Him. May we all be eager to listen.

Unity, Diversity, and Charity

“In the essentials, unity.  In the non-essentials, liberty.  In all things, charity.”  This is a quote that has been attributed to St. Augustine, John Wesley, and many others.  Regardless of who said it, I believe that it is supported by the New Testament.  As Christians, there are some issues that are so central to our faith that it would be hard to find spiritual camaraderie with a person or a group who didn’t believe as we do.  Things like the Apostles Creed would fall into this category.  There are also matters that are non-essential to our faith.  They might impact the way we express our faith and how we do certain things.  But being for or against these non-essential beliefs don’t place us outside of the family of God.

We can argue about what is an essential belief and what is non-essential.  But the most important part of this quote is the last sentence: “In all things, charity.”  This is not up for debate.  Opinions may vary in our church and in our denomination about a number of issues.  But our love for one another must not.  We can have robust and healthy discussions about politics, theology, and other hot topics.  But we may not do it without love.  In fact, if we fail at love, it matters little how right or wrong we are about what is essential.  We will have missed the whole point of the second greatest commandment.  We live in divisive times.  And I suppose there isn’t much we can do to make people agree.  Yet you can choose to love those who think, believe, or vote differently than you.  In doing so, you will be accomplishing far more than agreement.  Loving someone is always more powerful than convincing someone.

A Season of Growth?

We are now officially into summer.  Last Friday was the summer solstice, the “longest” day of the year.  On this day we get 15.5 hours between sunrise and sunset.  Summer is a season of growth in the natural world.  With some rain (or irrigation), your lawn will need to be mowed regularly.  Fruit trees and bushes are growing their fruit toward ripeness and the harvest.  The warmer temperatures and the longer exposure to sunlight make summer a time of accelerated growth.

It’s interesting that for many of us, the summer is a time to abstain from growth-producing activities.  School is out for the summer.  LifeGroups and Bible studies meet less frequently or not at all.  We tend to give ourselves a pass from focusing on our own spiritual growth and practicing spiritual disciplines.  And yet summer provides us with an opportunity to try some different ways to engage God.  Have a conversation with God as you walk along the beach.  Use the extra time in your schedule to read through a Gospel like you would a novel.  Use outdoor activities as a way to spend time with people who encourage you in your faith.  Things grow in the summer.  Your faith can grow too!

A Prayer for VBS

Dear Father,

We thank you for this amazing opportunity to share Good News with children in our church and community.  So much work and planning has already gone into this week.  Yet we recognize that our best efforts cannot make lasting change.  We need your power to truly change these young lives.  We pray that you would fill us with that power.  We pray that every volunteer would be sensitive to the leading of your Spirit.  Give them words to speak and actions that convey your love.  Give them a spirit of teamwork and unity.

We ask that you would open the hearts of the children to the powerful message of the Gospel.  We pray especially for the children who do not know you as Father and your Son as Savior.  Let them receive the message and be changed.  We also pray for the children that do know your love.  May they grow even deeper in it.  We want this week to be about you.  May it bring your kingdom closer to earth.  We pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

All Kinds of Kids

Each child coming to FCC’s Scuba has a name; each child has a unique story. Years ago I remember bringing my five year-old daughter, Christa, to VBS just two months after her older sister passed away from cancer. I was excited for her to engage in a fun week filled with God’s love. Many of the kids coming to FCC’s Scuba are weighed down by heavy things. Some have parents going through divorce. Some kids are extremely shy and are not yet sure about coming. Some kids deal with ADHD and/or anxiety and can struggle in group settings. One child has a life threatening allergy. Many have never stepped into a church. 

Next week as we share daily Bible points, everyone will respond by saying, “Thanks, God!” Our Bible point next Thursday will be God is a friend for everyone. May that be evident as we engage with kids at FCC’s Scuba. God made and loves all kinds of kids. As we look ahead to sharing this fin-tastic week with over 100 kids, let’s say “Thanks, God!” for every child and pray we can help each one know and become more like Jesus. 

-Lori Houskamp