Buzzed by a Hummingbird

I was sitting on the front porch on Monday morning reading the newspaper. Suddenly I heard a loud buzzing sound within inches of my left ear. I thought a cicada had found its way near my head and I brushed my hand a couple of times back and forth near my head. I'm glad I didn't swing wildly, because after a few more seconds of buzzing a hummingbird flew away.

Poor bird, confusing my head with a flower -- that's the first and no doubt the last time that will happen! More likely, he/she was eying the reflection in the window right behind my head.

Hummingbirds are beautiful little birds. I have enjoyed seeing them this year at my wife's hanging baskets on our back porch taking a drink from a flower and then moving onto the next one. According to a couple of websites, these birds have to eat all day to keep up the energy needed to keep those wings moving. These birds are native to North America and the native Americans have plenty of myths about these beautiful little creatures, all very positive and uplifting.

I like to think of that visitor as a reminder of the grace of God in my life. I wonder how many times we think, "Now what is that humming, that intrusion, that interruption?" when all along it's God visiting us with a little grace. Perhaps next time if it's a cicada, I might even be able to think of that as a visit of grace as well.

Fine Lines

The text for this Sunday I am preaching comes from Ephesians. "Be angry but do not sin," we are admonished. It tells us there is a point where anger is allowed, acceptable, perhaps even a good thing at times. And there is a point where anger has crossed into sin, where we have made room for the devil to use the writer's phrase. Where is that line? Sometimes, particularly when we come close to the edge of it, it is a fine line.

If I am going to be a bearer of God's grace in the world, I have to learn where that fine line is. I have to learn how to be angry, but not sin, not cross the line. The closer to home the issue that stirs the anger is, the harder it is to stay on this side of that line. If the source of anger is family -- threat to my family or a conflict within the family -- it is very hard to stay this side of the line. Dorothy was right, there is no place like home, especially when it comes to stirring the passions! First, knowing the source of the anger is important. Identify what is causing the anger in your life.

There is a time component built into the warning in Ephesians. "Don't let the sun go down on your anger." While an attempt to handle this literally -- take care of the conflict that day -- is ideal, the greater message here is that don't hold the anger and brood on it. Anger taken into the heart and entertained like a guest will eventually push any of us across the line. Entertaining anger in your heart makes room for another guest -- the devil.

Seek reconciliation quickly. Seek redress. If none is available turn to God and seek the redress there. Yell at God if need be. Let God know how angry you are. If you doubt that's acceptable, read a few of the psalms where the writers rail against God for all in the injustice in the world. In so doing we can stay this side of that fine line.

Do this as often as is necessary. Anger doesn't usually subside in one treatment if the hurt is deep. Let God know about the anger that remains and seek the Spirit's comfort in being angry but not sinning. Remember your anger is not the enemy. Your anger is part of what you are and part of who God loves.

The space in between the heartbeats

I remember reading in a book about the physics of the universe that one mathematical theory for the universe leaves open the possibility that creation is destroyed and recreated at each moment. Don't know if I got that interpretation quite right or not, but it does make one think about the grace of God that sustains creation from moment to moment. Our lives are lived heartbeat to heartbeat. There is grace that our hearts continue to beat and we know the stark reality of how short life can be when a friend or family members suffers a heartbeat and the beating stops. All this sets me to thinking about the grace in our lives in between those heart-beating moments, those times of silence of waiting for the next movement of life, those times when the creation ceases to exist and we are awaiting again to see if the universe will be recreated.

The times of silence are the hardest. Many folks have found themselves wrapped in those moments of silence waiting for life to begin anew. In hospital rooms. In courtrooms. In the midst of divorce. When a career is lost. Watching someone we love suffer deeply. And we ask the question of God, when will this moment of silence cease and we can hear laughter and the other wonderful sounds of creation again. God, when will the heartbeats begin again?

I can't help but think of moments of silence in the scriptures: Noah in the ark waiting for the water to subside; Adam and Eve in the garden both hoping for and hoping against the coming of God in the evening after they had sinned; the silence of the exile in Babylon awaiting God's call back to the Holy Land; the silence of those imprisoned for their faith; and of course the silence of the tomb after they buried Jesus. One has to think that even the angels wondered what exactly God had in mind.

In those long moments of silence, those moments in between the heartbeats, those times when the universe seems to have been destroyed and we await its creation anew, even then God is present. We often don't recognize his presence at the moment of destruction, but only after we look back from the newly created world and understand God was indeed there in the silence. After all Genesis 1 tells us that before creation in the beginning when there was chaos God's presence hovered there. May God's Spirit hover today over those who are living in between the heartbeats.

Beefy cheesy glory

There it was in huge letters on the billboard -- an advertisement for the world's most famous and largest hamburger chain. Hmm, they have used a theological word to advertise a cheeseburger. All sorts of thoughts spring to mind.

First, it's not kosher. Never beef and cheese together. Okay, but then I am a Protestant Christian and have eaten plenty of cheeseburgers and even (sadly I must admit this) some from this particular establishment.

One of the definitions of glory according to dictionary.com is "a state of absolute happiness, gratification, contentment"which I guess is what the advertising exec was thinking. We could argue that from a culinary point of view -- I am no chef and I think I have made a better cheeseburger at times.

I can't help but think about scriptures passages that warn us to be careful of worshiping our appetites. Satisfaction can be achieved in the short run from a good meal, but absolute happiness?

I think I would like to see the word saved for other uses. The glory of nature which speaks of the beauty of nature and can also point us to the creator. Going to my glory -- a description of our passage into the eternal and loving arms of God. Another good use -- a similar word to praise -- giving God the glory. And then the final and ultimate definition of glory which gathers up so many of the other uses - fulfillment, beauty, awesomeness, eternity, and all the other positives of glory -- the glory of God.

Ezekiel and Isaiah saw visions of it. John in Revelation witnessed it. God's glory shown through Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. Leave the cheeseburgers out please.

Happy Birthday, John Calvin!

Five hundred years ago today in France a little tike named John Calvin was born! He was of course called Jean by his parents who didn't realize the extraordinary life that awaited this little one.

For me, John's enduring legacy is to remind us of the overwhelming grace of God. John saw humans as sinful creatures. He did see the wonderful imprint of the creator upon us, but he saw that sin marred that reflection of God to the point that without intervention from God we were lost. Amazingly God chose to intervene! God's grace made it possible for us to accept the gracious offer of salvation that God gave in his son Jesus. Humans were sinful, but God's grace was greater!

Now John is probably best known for his emphasis on predestination, although I think he would be appalled by some of the ways this idea was used by his successors. In his Institutes, he spoke of this doctrine in the context of why we didn't need to spend all our time worrying about whether we were saved or not -- predestination was for him an assurance which lifted the burden of worry that was so common for the day. I think he would be horrified to think anyone would use is as a excuse for a casual approach to the faith or a way to dismiss the likelihood that others would see the kingdom.

Thank you John C, for talking so much about God's grace. Thank you so much for speaking of the actions of the Holy Spirit in our lives that make that grace more and more understandable to us each day. Thank you for reminding us that God is in charge!

Happy Birthday, John Calvin!

Why me? Why not me?

Have you ever wished you weren't in a position that seemed thrust upon you? Have you ever looked with jealously on someone else who seemed to have a good situation seemingly not of their choosing?

I just read today's daily lectionary selection of the annointing of David by the prophet Samuel to be king of Israel. David was picked for the job of king by God. It doesn't get much more thrust upon you than that. The first group that was not doubt jealous was his brothers, all older, and all passed over for the job. When we read this part of the story of David or the part where he kills Goliath, we all want to be David. When his star was rising and he was gaining popularity, it's easy to look upon someone like him and say to ourelves, "Why can't my life be like that?"

But being chosen for positions of responsibility, great or small, carry a price. Chosen people attract folks looking for influence and power themselves. That can play out well and sometimes it can play out it in violent and tragic ways. Abner and Joab found themselves in David's orbit and the story contains tragedy from their collisions.

Chosen people also carry within themselves seeds that bear good and bad fruit. David was popular and often made wise choices. But he also make some sad and tragic choices that caused him and others deep personal pain. The infedelity with Bathsheeba is one such case and there were others.

Michael Jackson was in a sense chosen. He began his career and became popular because of his family. Most folks fell in love with the 10 year old who could sing and dance. Michael also used his gifts to build his own very successful career, breaking free from his family's control. Sadly he also carried within himself seeds that bore fruit that caused tragedy.

When providence or fate chooses us (depending upon your view of life), we need to remember that in all those cases we are still flawed creatures who need God's grace working in our lives. We need God's grace to help us become the best we can be, to help us avoid the worst of what we can be, and to help us pick up the pieces when our choices or the choices of others cause damage.

Yes Man

I just saw the Jim Carrey movie this evening Yes Man on DVD. Carrey is a lonely man drawn in on himself after a divorce. He is losing his friends, his job is dead ending, and he has no romance in his life. He becomes so desperate that he goes to a self-help seminar where the guru convinces him to say yes to all the opportunities that life gives him. Hilarity, of course, ensues and he winds up succeeding in life, making many new friends, and finding love again. (BTW, parents this is PG-13, but you might not want to even let your 13 year old watch it. There is one segment that could have been dropped/altered without damage to the plot.)

Carrey's character came to realize that yes to every opporutnity wasn't healthy or necessary to have a fulfilling life. He could pick the yes and no moments in life. But the premise got me thinking about the offers we get in our lives from God, that we turn down. God gives us so many chances to learn, to grow, to serve, to love. Too often fear, selfishness, or pride prevent us from saying yes.

"Drop your nets," Jesus said, "and follow me." The disciples did have to give up something, careers, to learn something new, a new kind of fishing. Just a few verses later after Peter has answered this call, Jesus visits his home and finds Peter's mother-in-law was ill. Jesus heals here. When we say yes to Jesus' commands, what he gives in return is always far greater than what we sacrficed.

So let's see what opportunity God will send my way next and I pray I have the openness I need to say yes!