Author: Wick

Husband, Father, Pastor, Missionary, Writer, Poet, Friend, reader, coffee enthusiast, hockey Wing-Nut, musical participator, etc...
Posted in Different Scriptures, Uncategorized

intro to a covenant reminder…

Posted on by Wick

(My sermon this past week began with this story, leading to God reaffirming his covenant with Abraham.)

“He was 99 years old. He’d had a rough day, and needed a laugh. His son was turning 13, and becoming a man. Abram could hear people whispering at the celebration. There was talk of this being an illegitimate son. Every year at this time, the memories returned. Memories of his servant Hagar, and the shame of knowing what he’d done. How she’d gotten pregnant, and ran away. But mostly, the curious things she said when she came back.

An angel had said to her “I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude.” She made sure Abram had heard that much, and he felt odd.

For 25 years now, God had been speaking to him. Speaking about covenant. Saying that he will bless Abram, and make his family a great nation. That through his family, all the families of earth would be blessed. That his descendants would be given all that God had made, and be so numerous they could not be counted, as the stars are in the sky.

Sure, there was a warning about a period of time where his descendants would be aliens in a land not their own. They would be slaves, even, for 400 years. But God was to bring them out with great possessions, and return to the land as God promised.

Sometimes, after dinner, his eyes would meet Sarai’s. He’d been sharing with her what God had been saying. She would smile, saying a thousand words in a simple grin. Her gentle demeanor always made him smile. She was truly a wife worth a thousand rubies. Somehow, God had chosen him, and together, they shared this promise of God.

He hasn’t seen that grin in over 13 years. Sure, they were still married. But her eyes had changed. He wished things had happened differently. She was an amazing woman, raising this boy as her own. But surely, this wasn’t what God had in mind, was it?

Was this boy really the beginning of God’s promise? He hadn’t heard from the voice of the Lord since it was spoken in promise to his slave-girl, Ishmael’s mother. Over 13 years, and he still couldn’t forget the tears welling up in Sarai’s eyes when she heard from the slave-girl. Humbled by God’s promise to make the girl fruitful, while Sarai continued barren.

Like I said, he was 99, and was in need of a laugh. Little did he know what God had in store…”

To hear what happened next, check out Genesis chapter 17, verses 1-7 and 15-16!

Posted in Different Scriptures, Different Thoughts

order.

Posted on by Wick

I’ve confessed before, I’ve got a bit of OCD.  Just enough, that I enjoy an orderly room.  That’s probably not saying enough, though.  I cannot kick back and relax in a room, unless I’ve tidied it up a bit.  Sometimes that’s annoying or offensive to my wife, as she’ll think I’m doing it with grumbles…but usually I think of it as my way of contributing to the home.  I’m generally at work for many of the days hours, while she does just about everything and then some.  And there’s just something tasty about bringing order to chaos.

Over time, we’re hoping to teach that same appreciation to our daughters.  This can be seen as teaching them responsibility, or teaching them chores, or obedience.  But it can also be seen as connecting them with the heart of God.  Not to say that God is a bit OCD, although sometimes the clouds do line up just so.. 🙂

“In the beginning, God created…”  (Genesis 1:1)  Verse 2 goes on to say that the earth was “formless and void”.  The Hebrew word here is “Tohu wa-bohu”, which is hard to explain, other than saying a great confusing chaos of nothingness.  A churning, orderless place, before God begins to speak into it.  When He speaks, order is brought into chaos.  He continues to do this, as his human creations begin to live their own way, bringing their own bits of chaos once again.  He introduces the “Law”, and brings order to the ways of human existence.  We’ve been created “in His image”, and He is constantly at work to restore that image – not just for our sake, but for the sake of all creation!

It’s easy to think that Jesus is doing just the opposite.  That he was sent to turn everything upside down, bringing about a new kind of “holy chaos” to the ordered world.  But as we read the scriptures, we see that the ordered world that was existing, was not founded on any kind of order that God created.  God’s own people had begun to live by systems and orders that were very much centered on themselves.  Jesus wasn’t simply about “deconstructing” the world as it was known.  As we see in the beatitudes of Matthew chapter 5, Jesus is announcing a new order as he continues to declare himself as Lord.  The citizens of this new Kingdom will not make much sense according to the orders and systems of this world.  But they are learning the new order, and ways of living being offered to new creations who desire to live with Him forever in a renewed creation.

Not that I’m advocating saying to the kids, “Now Junior, do you think God is happy when you leave your dirty socks on the floor?”  This isn’t about learning a new path to manipulating their behaviors.  But it is about pointing out, as we guide our kids towards bringing order to chaos, we are connecting them with a deeply embedded connection to their Heavenly Father.  It exhibits self-control, which also just happens to be a part of the fruit of the Spirit.  May God be with us as we pick up dirty laundry, collect the dishes, and straighten up all the cups in the cupboard….err….you know what I mean. 🙂

Posted in Uncategorized

don’t take your kids to vegas.

Posted on by Wick

So if you happened to catch my “Flickr” pictures at all in the past week, you may have noticed I traveled to Las Vegas.  A close friend who I’ve known since college actually earned the trip through his work, for him and one guest.  He asked me if I’d like to be his “plus one”, and that way our wives could hang out for an extended “play-date” while we were gone.  Sure enough, the offer included flight, some great free food, tickets to a great show, staying at the Bellagio – and all under the accountability of a fellow man who wants to honor God and his family.  Yes please. 🙂

It ended up being a great trip, as imagined.  Sure, there were quite a few times where one of us had to briefly explain, “No thanks, I’m not here for ________  (women, gambling, getting drunk, and/or any variation on these).”  Which is why, if asked whether or not Vegas* is a good place to take a vacation, I’d quickly answer “No, don’t go.  There are sooo many better places for your money and time.”

But if the question is: “Someone else is paying for everything, can I enjoy time in Vegas?”, my answer would be “Of course!  Make sure you take your wife or an accountability partner, and have a great time!”

Also, if the question arises – “Is Vegas a good destination for people with kids?”, my answer comes quick as well “No way.  Any references to decency and child-friendliness that exist in Vegas, are simply to trick parents into coming.”  The character dressed in whatever childrens pop-icon might exist that year.  The over-sized 3-d images of circus-themed what-nots.   The festive decor and music being pumped through your eyes and ears above the siren-song of the slot machines.

Which made me wonder – where is “Vegas” in our everyday life?  What have we brought into our home, simply because it comes to us under the guise of “child-friendly”?   One could spend forever making a list of specifics (toys, foods, entertainments, etc.), so think instead of the over-arching veins.  The foundations of Vegas are self-pleasure and the fulfillment of personal desires.  How much of our parenting is spent making our children happy, and how much is spent helping them to move “outside” themselves?

I’m not against giving my kids something to make them smile, but if my primary focus as a parent is to always keep my kids happy, fulfilling their every wish – I’m taking them to Vegas waaay too often.  As parents learn every day – living simply, cultivates a grateful spirit.

*Obviously this doesn’t apply to the entire “Las Vegas”.  I recognize it’s simply a city, with schools, and fire stations, and public playgrounds, etc.  My opinion and responses here are entirely dedicated to “The Strip” that in most minds represents “Las Vegas”.  Sidenote – if you’re ever in Las Vegas, you need to visit Winchells Donuts, located directly across from Mandalay Bay!  Best and freshest donuts in Vegas, and incredible service to dunk them in!!