Meaningful Words (1/31/09): The Cross

As I think about the many investments I am making in my life on God’s behalf, I find myself reminded of Jesus Christ’s death for us on the cross. That was certainly the most costly investment God has ever made in us, His children.

This Cross

I wear this cross around my neck to remind me

To remind me that I am no longer my own

To remind me that I have been bought with a price

To remind me that 2,000 years ago He died in my place

He took the blame that should have been mine

He took the pain that should have been mine

Every bad thought that goes through my head

Every terrible deed that I take part in

Every sin that I commit

Was summed up in those six hours He spent dying on this cross.

This cross reminds me that I have a Savior

No longer must I go it alone

This cross reminds me that I have a Father

No longer must I be a prodigal son

This cross reminds me that I have a family

No longer am I the only one

This cross reminds me of a Man who cared.

He cared for the homeless

He cared for the lonely

He cared for the brokenhearted

He cared for those without a heart

He cared for those society tears apart

He cared for sinners like you and me

He cared for everyone that we do and do not see.

He cared and He still cares

This cross stands for grace

Of greater worth than any gold

This cross stands for mercy

Enough to cover the greatest of sinners a hundred times over

This cross stands for strength

His made perfect in our weakness

This cross stands for power

An immeasurable amount to awesome to even comprehend

This cross stands for love

Unlike any ever imagined or seen

This cross stands for compassion

To receive back a wayward soul that cost Him His own life.

This cross stands for Jesus, my Savior and my Lord!

Nothing?

My children, I came to live with you.

I gave up My crown and throne to come be with you.

For 33 years I spoke truth and taught My ways.

Though I spoke the truth with love . . .

Still you heard what you wanted.

I spoke of love and grace,

You hear works and striving.

Does it mean nothing to you?

My children, I died for you.

For a long way I carried your sin.

I wore the crown of suffering.

You nailed Me to your cross.

For six hours I hung there praying for you.

I prayed for God to take My life.

To take it as payment for your debts.

I breathed My last in love.

Does it mean nothing?

My children, I stand before you.

My hands outstretched in love.

Look, see My hands and My feet.

The wounds that speak of sacrifice.

These wounds shed blood mixed with tears.

My children, I love you!

Does it mean nothing?

My children, you say it means everything.

You stand and sing My praises.

You claim My cross for your cause.

Yet your actions glorify Me not.

Your lips speak My Word.

Yet your heart plays a different chord.

Does it mean nothing?

Does it mean nothing to you?

DOES IT MEAN NOTHING?

DOES IT MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?

You Desire?

The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.”

-Acts 16:29-31

Just believe and you will be saved.

Yet even the demons believe in Christ and they certainly will not be saved

So what is it that You require?

What is it that you desire?

A heart undivided full of fire?

Will that be enough to inspire?

No, my spirit says, You want more

More than a life filled with good works

More than all the money I can earn

More than my first born son

So much more than I can ever give

And yet the answer is simple

You do not want my heart

You do not want my works

You do not want my family

All you really want is me

All of me

This time I feel once again moved to end this letter with a prayer from scripture. It is the prayer that Paul prayer over the church in Ephesus and it speaks of his desire for them to experience God’s love for them. God’s love for each of us is His continuing investment in us. It is shown in His Spirit’s work in and through us among other ways. “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole familya in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:14-21)

Sharing My Life (1/31/09): Investing

In light of the recent developments in our nation’s and even world’s economy, I have been reflecting and praying a lot about my investments. Not my financial ones as much as the other things I am investing in, such as people, organizations, churches and the like. What in my life am I spending time, money and energy in? What am I gaining back in return? Are there things in my life that it is not healthy for me to continue investing my time, energy and money into? Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about:

When I first moved to Maple Grove back in August I continued attending same church I had been and helping out with the same ministries that I had been when I lived down in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, while also attending church and helping out here in Maple Grove. This worked for a little while, but after a few months, I began to feel the strain of trying to worship and minister in two places at once. While I could continue to divide my spiritual energies in two, I felt God calling me to pick one and commit to it. That is why a couple months ago, I stopped heading down to Saint Paul to attend and help out with Evensong and started investing more of my time, money and energy into joining in with God’s work at Church of the Open Door. It’s not that Evensong was an unhealthy place for me to be. They are a wonderful church and I am so thankful for all God did in and through me among the people there. Yet, now I was feeling Him inviting me to be fully a part of what He is doing at Open Door.

There are a number of other areas in my life that I’m also looking at in this fashion. Maybe there are areas in your life where your money, energy and time are being spent in unhealthy ways? Maybe there are people, organizations, ministries or other things that God may be inviting you to invest more in then you currently are? Maybe God’s asking you to invest less in some things, so you can invest more in others? Whatever invitation you may be sensing, I pray you answer it, even if doing so may be painful or costly. A preacher once told me that how we are managing our finances is a good indicator of how we managing our spiritual lives. I think I would nuance that a bit to say that God has given each of us resources of a spiritual, financial, emotional, and social quality and He is calling each and every one of His children to invest and invest wisely.

Life Update (1/31/09): New Year

Wow, I can’t believe it’s already the end of the first month of the New Year. So much has happened, yet so much remains the same. I’m still living in Maple Grove, MN. I’m still working as an Independent Living Skills (ILS) Worker for Accessible Space, Inc. My company is helping me to get closer to fuller time by giving me more clients, even as some of the caseworkers of my clients are asking me to consolidate my hours with them. Accessible Space has also finally given me business cards and a pager, which says even more that they are planning on keeping me around. That’s good news, especially in this economy.

I am also becoming more active at the Church of the Open Door here in Maple Grove, MN. About a month ago I took their First Step class that is offered to those who wish to know more about the church. This past month, I led a couple sessions for their Singles Ministry. I taught on Hearing from God and got a very warm and encouraging response from that group.