21st Century Cave

We've moved all of our stuff into a climate controlled storage unit (my parents basement) and we've moved the remainder of our belongings and ourselves into my Sister and Brother-in-law's extra rooms (their basement).  Thankfully, the MidWest has basements otherwise this move wouldn't have been possible.  We've moved here to start something.  But in order to start something you almost always have to give up something.  Among other things we've given ourselves up to live in a basement.

I think a basement is kind of a 21st-century-suburban-cave.  I'm reminded that God does some of his best works in caves.  David hid in them for years while waiting for King Saul to come to his senses. Elijah, in exhaustion took cover in one after running for his life.  Moses in the cave that was the cleft of the rock while God passed by.  All men were changed by the cave.  They entered out of humility and necessity.  They exited with courage and expectation.

All of these events point toward the ultimate cave experience...  Jesus... and his cave.  He was placed in one for 3 days.   The cave was where God's humility and power collided.  In Jesus The echoes are still being heard and will, in fact, never fade away.  The cave was the plan.  It was always the plan. Why are you running away from the cave?  The only real power in this universe is the ability to give power away.  The only real way to be God is to stop acting like you are God.

Inside Peace

As the climate begins to approach fever-pitch this election season it's good to be reminded that regardless of who's in the white house, or on capital hill, or in your town, family or marriage... regardless of the financial outlook facing us as a nation or you personally... no matter what issue is currently staring down at you..

the Kingdom of Heaven is currently available to you through Jesus Christ.

It seems counter-intuitive... no, it is counter-intuitive in the midst of chaos to assume that peace is available. It appears more rational to assume that noise must be eliminated and clutter organized before God's internal work can begin or continue. Yet, Jesus communicated that via Him - not the systems of the world - that God was accessible.

The people of Jesus' day had a problem with his approach. They assumed that God would come only through their prescribed way of thinking... The Pharisees said that the law had to be interpreted more strictly. The Zealots said the government had to be overthrown. The Herodians/Saducees said that working with the government was the only way to usher in God's kingdom. Jesus didn't fit into any of those groups.

In 2008 He still doesn't really fit into any of those groups... or any of our groups... my groups... His way is different than mine. I tend to form opinions from the outside in. He always works from the inside out.

Do not assume that God's kingdom is accessible unless something changes. The only thing that needs to change is your willingness to change.

The Kingdom of Heaven is presently available to everyone.

Martin Luther King Jr Day

My friend, Jason, sent me this quote. I can't do better than this...

"There is a power in love that our world has not discovered yet. Jesus discovered it centuries ago. Mahatma Gandhi of India discovered it a few years ago, but most men and most women never discover it. For they believe in hitting for hitting; they believe in an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth; they believe in hating for hating; but Jesus comes to us and says, "This isn’t the way." And this morning, I think of the fact that our world is in transition now. Our whole world is facing a revolution." Martin Luther King, Jr.