Pigsworth

Dawn follows the once stormy then miraculously calm night of my last post. Jesus has crossed the Sea of Galilee west to east for his first mission into Gentile territory. Reference Mark 5:1-20. Immediately upon landing he is confronted by a demon possessed man. So violent was this man, he’d been known to cut himself & shriek uncontrollably. So strong that chains & fetters couldn’t hold him. So problematic he’d been driven to live among the dead in cave tombs rather than in town or a village.

Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"

 "My name is Legion," he replied, "for we are many."

Legion. That was 6000+ Roman soldiers. This man was possessed by more demons than could be counted.

Demons, speaking through the man, ask Jesus to be merciful enough to allow them to be sent into a herd of pigs nearby. About 2000 of them. Jesus allows this. Then, explainable only by the desire to cause harm to some incarnate being, the demons rush the pigs down the steep bank to drown.

Herdsmen run to spread the news. The returning crowd sees the restored man sitting calmly & clothed. “They were afraid,” Mark 5:15 states. They ask Jesus to leave their region.

Formerly fearful of the formerly fearsome demon possessed man. Now fearful of The Man possessing the power to cast out demons.

Their fear is stated.

Their care is not.

It may appear that they cared more for the pigs than they did for their newly freed neighbor. I was just about to write about that. But. The Bible makes no statement of it & we can not know what they were thinking. We can know what we would be thinking.

If those were my pigs & that frightening fella & some Jewish miracle worker from across the Sea had caused it, I know who I’d be mad at. I’d think my first reaction would be anger. My pigs. My property. Gone. And for what? The chain-breaking menace? The shrieking nuisance? So this Jewish preacher guy could display some crazy power?

If so…

I’d need to ask the forgiveness of the Jewish Preacher with crazy power. I care more for pigs than a person. Yes, the financial loss is real, but the restored man is, well, unreal. And does it make a difference whether it’s two pigs of 2000? Just mine or my friends’ too? Or should the soul of another person be worth much more to me. A man is free. Clothed. Peaceful. A miracle has occurred.

What legions haunt the souls I know? What habits possess? What sins control?

Who has power to cast them out? What is that worth?

In the Storm

Not the easiest of days in hard human life.

He couldn't even eat indoors due to the crowds. His family thought he was crazy & tried to kidnap him. He stated his real family was whoever would do God's will. The Pharisees, now dogging his every step, asserted he was controlled by the Devil. He countered with solid verbal punches in what was a theological prize fight. Later, teaching by the lake, the crowd pressed so that he had to teach seated in a boat on the water. Sun baked for hours. Exhausted. Evening arriving. He ordered the boat to set out for the other side of the lake. Finding the rudder-man's cushion he placed it as a pillow under his head & fell asleep upon the hard planks astern.

Not the easiest of days in a hard human life.

620 feet below sea level & surrounded by ravine-cut mountains the lake, or Sea of Galilee, was notorious for sudden squalls. Most in afternoons. Worse at night. Worse that night. A storm of seismic proportions blew in. Jesus, having lived not the easiest of days in a hard human life, slept still. Waves churning. Spray blowing. Rain falling. Boat sinking. Disciples shouting. His Disciples, some seasoned fishermen, were scared for their lives. They cried out, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" They had no where to turn but Jesus. They were right where God wanted them. Jesus was with them in the storm.

The Disciples wanted Jesus to do something for them.

Jesus wanted the Disciples to trust in him.

His presence was all they needed, yet they begged for his action.

We lose some of Jesus' force in translation. "Silence! Be muzzled!," he commands the wind & waves. Immediately the great storm became a megas or "great" calm.

When Jesus powerfully calmed the object of their fear his Disciples became fearful of him.

My greatest fear should not be of my situation. My greatest fear should be of Jesus' great power.

My greatest request should not be for his action. My greatest request should be assurance of Jesus' presence.

Next time I have not the easiest of days in my human life, I should remember:

storms will come;

God is with me;

He will not allow me anywhere He can not effect;

He will bring me through;

He wants me to call on Him;

His power changes everything.

(This post references Mark 3:20-4:41.)

Tribes

A first for this blog: Selected quotes from a single book. Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin is a leadership book with common sense for all us. Comment to let me know if you like this quote idea or specific quote/s.

A group needs only two things to be a tribe: a shared interest & a way to communicate.

Tribes are about faith—about belief in an idea & in a community.

Leadership isn’t difficult, but you’ve been trained for years to avoid it.

Management is manipulating resources to get a known job done.

Boring ideas don’t spread. Ideas that spread win.

(You have) everything you need to build something far bigger than yourself.

The question isn’t, Is it possible for me to do that? Now the question is, Will I choose to do that?

What people are afraid of isn’t failure. It’s blame. Criticism. We choose not to be remarkable because we’re worried about criticism.

Changing things... requires bravery.

Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead.

Groups create vacuums—small pockets where stasis sets in, where nothing is happening. Leaders figure out how to step into those vacuums & create motion.

Leadership is a choice. It is a choice to not do nothing.

Leaders change the status quo.

If religion comprises rules you follow, faith is demonstrated by the actions you take.

The religion gets in the way of the faith. Static gets in the way of motion. Rules get in the way of principle.

Faith is critical to all innovation.

The easiest thing is to react. The second easiest is to respond. But the hardest thing is to initiate.

The status quo is persistent & resistant. It exists because everyone wants it to. Everyone believes that what they’ve got is probably better than the risk & fear that come with change.

Initiative is such a successful tool: because it’s rare.

Too many people get “stuck on stupid”.

Einstein said, “Imagination is more important that knowledge.” You can’t manage without knowledge. You can’t lead without imagination.

Thou, O Lord

2009 was a tough year.

Threats & concerns that my ministry here was over. My errors & shortcomings discussed evident. Stung by some. Embraced by others. My failure palpable. My grief overwhelming at times. Trying to live life as a hubby & daddy, continue to minister, & act like all is well. Broken & humbled. Experiencing God’s grace profoundly.

Late Autumn during a week away with family God gave me peace. No matter what. Stay or go. He was in control. He’d take care of my family. My church. Me. He loved more than I could know or imagine.

Weeks later I headed out for a Saturday morning long run. Eight degrees. New worship music loaded on my iPod. My first listen. I did worship. With each breath. Each step. Through the cold. The dark. Each note. Each word. Through my pain. The grief.

And then. First time I’d ever heard it.

Many are they increased that troubled me
Many are they that rise up against me
Many there be which say of my soul
There is no help for him in God

Tears. Rolling down. Weeping. As I ran.

But thou, O Lord are a shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head
Thou, O Lord are shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head

Tears. Freezing on my cheeks. Joyful. As I ran. 

I cried unto the Lord with my voice
And he heard me out of His holy hill
I laid me down and slept and awaked
For the Lord sustained, for he sustained me

Arms. Uplifted in praise. Emboldened. As I ran.

Thou, O Lord are a shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head
Thou, O Lord are shield for me
My glory and the lifter of my head

Voice. Lifted in worship. Strengthened. As I ran.

Don’t know how many times I replayed it. Felt like I was running on air the remaining eight miles to loop back home. Those words of the Third Psalm inspiring me.

I have a second chance. Redemption.

We have a God of second chances. A Redeemer.

Why don’t you come back to Him? Your Protector, Provider, Redeemer.

Forty

Forty observations on life celebrating my fortieth birthday. Some serious. Some not so much. You decide.

1. Never cease to by amazed by God’s grace. Thank Him.
2. Help. I need somebody. We all need help at times. Be willing.
3. Friends are essential equipment for life well live. Be one.
4. Mayonnaise tastes good. Especially on french fries. Try.
5. Sleep is a gift. Don’t hate if you don’t have it.
6. Crying is good. Joyful. Painful. Griefful. Let it out.
7. Dr. Pepper really does make life taste better. 10-2-4.
8. Laugh. Loud & often. Thank me later.
9. Hair needs trimming. Nose & ear hairs with age. Agh!
10. Be courageous. Your gut is right. Mostly.
11. Chill. Too serious is too bad. Loosen up a little.
12. Trust God. And others. Mystery makes you stronger.
13. A day without peanut butter is not a day. Mmmm.
14. Inspiration is essential. Search it out. Dream.
15. Seasons change. Enjoy the difference.
16. Eat more fruit & veggies. Ask my wife.
17. Run. For your life.
18. God gives grace to the humble. Be broken.
19. Show your faith. Sacrifice.
20. Growth is change for the better. Don’t die.
21. Chocolate. Just as long as you have some in the house.
22. Memories are priceless. Hold on.
23. Patience. Its a virtue hard earned. Worth the wait.
24. Be a kid. I act like I’m 6 (or 66). Ask my wife that one too.
25. Give your heart. God says you’ll find Him.
26. A lion’s roar. In the wild. Will surprise you.
27. Forgiveness is the best gift. To give yourself too.
28. Pain reminds us we’re human. Don’t curse. Thank God.
29. Follow Jesus. The best decision you’ll ever make.
30. We need a big God. Don’t limit him by your thinking. Or faith.
31. Have passion. Live for something.
32. Stretch your brain. Learn.
33. Two words: Ice cream. Two more: Blue Bell.
34. Comfort is a virtue. No matter what others say.
35. Give. It’s best.
36. Love with everything you’ve got. You can do it.
37. Order is nice, but life is unpredictable. Be flexible.
38. Treasure family. God gave you one another.
39. Listen. You’ll learn things you never knew.
40. Don’t tell your wife not to interrupt when writing your forty things. Trust me.