Category Archives: Following

Money-Ball Moments

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I’ve got a window in my office. No, I’m not in a corner office on the 48th floor of a building downtown. But I do have a window in my office. And a chair that swivels.

Occasionally, I find my chair swivelling towards the window just to look out. Did you know that trees and grass and sky can make you think? I’m not kidding. It happened to me.

I got to thinking about some decisions that were needing to be made, some choices I need to make that will affect myself and my life. Then I got to thinking about other choices that will affect others besides myself. Most of these aren’t major, shake-the-world decisions. But they can feel like it.

That got me to thinking about the NBA. Logical, I know.

Remember those 3-point shootouts, where guys would launch about 25 shots to see who was best. Every 5th ball was worth two points instead of one… the money-ball! Every rack of balls, the tension would mount as the player got into a hot or cold groove as he neared the money-ball. But when the money-ball was picked up, the shooter would never do anything different than before. You’d think that with more on the line, he’d make some special preparations. But no. At most (if he had the time), he’d simply reset his feet, take a breath, and go through exactly the same motion as before.

As I stared out my window, I found myself wanting to be a money-ball shooter. I want to fire with confidence on decision-making because the truth is that life never really identifies the money-ball moments.  They don’t get marked like those Harlem Globetrotter-style balls used to.  They come in the steady stream of shots both big and small every day.  You likely know which decisons were the big ones AFTER they’re already made.  But that’s of little comfort unless…

I believe that God’s coached me on how to honour Him in big shots and small ones, and that I need just go through those rehearsed movements again and again, knowing that His guidance can be trusted. I’ll set my feet every so often again and re-align my elbow like He showed me, but I want to place my confidence in Him, in all that He’s already done, and all that He’s still teaching me.

Take that for what it is… what flew in through my window the other day.

Prepare Ye the Way

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Yesterday was the start of our new sermon series at Glen Elm. For the next three weeks, we’re digging around in the phrase “Prepare the way for the Lord”. The lesson yesterday was aimed to be somewhat introductory; you know, a warm-up. But I’ve got to say that I love that sentence…

Prepare the way for the Lord.

It comes in Isaiah 40, one of the Bible’s best chapters, I’ve GOT to say. And it gets followed up by calls to fill in valleys, cut down mountains, and smooth out rough spots… all with one goal in mind: To make the coming of God as easy as possible. I just love the imagery of removing barriers, clearing the road, and making it as easy as possible for the King to reign.

I’m signing off before I type out my whole sermon. All this to say: It was a pleasure to prepare it and to share it.

Now on to week #2!

“A New Law”

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My man, Derek Webb, has released his new album “Mockingbird”. It can be heard for free on his website.

The second song… whew! Can you say “tongue in cheek”?!?! Lyrics are posted below.

(vs. 1)
don’t teach me about politics and government
just tell me who to vote for

don’t teach me about truth and beauty
just label my music

don’t teach me how to live like a free man
just give me a new law

(pre-chorus)
i don’t wanna know if the answers aren’t easy
so just bring it down from the mountain to me

(chorus)
i want a new law
i want a new law
gimme that new law

(vs. 2)
don’t teach me about moderation and liberty
i prefer a shot of grape juice

don’t teach me about loving my enemies

don’t teach me how to listen to the Spirit
just give me a new law

(pre-chorus/chorus)

(bridge)
what’s the use in trading a law you can never keep
for one you can that cannot get you anything
do not be afraid
do not be afraid
do not be afraid

Keeping Score

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A “church book” I was reading this week was talking about congregations that “keep score”. This wasn’t about budgets or baptisms; rather it was saying that “score-keeping” is good because it drives us to set objectives and then aim to meet them. I know what he meant, but the “score” concept rubs a bit funny.

The point, however, transfers to personal life in a way that rubs differently–in a way that it should likely rub. It called me back to a quest for excellence in whatever we do, a call to work at “it” with all of our hearts, a reminder to envision whatever we do as an offering unto God Himself. In that sense, man, I want to play to win–to push hard and to demand more of myself… not because I need to earn approval from anyone high or low, not because I crave an ego-stroking, but simply because if I have anything to offer that could be good, noble, pure, encouraging, positive, or reflective of God in any way… then He’s asking for it.

And that could certainly lead to a higher form of victory than anything that mere cynicism has ever offered.

Being Wholly His

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Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian and church leader right up until his death in prison in 1972, wrote a classic book called “The Normal Christian Life”. Below is a passage from it. Is this normal for you? It seems that it’s supposed to be.

When the Galilean boy brought his bread to the Lord, what did the Lord do with it? He broke it. God will always break what is offered to Him. He breaks what He takes, but after breaking it He blesses and uses it to meet the needs of others. After you give yourself to the Lord, He begins to break what was offered to Him. Everything seems to go wrong, and you protest and find fault with the ways of God. But to stay there is to be no more than just a broken vessel–no good for the world because you have gone too far for the world to use you and no good for God either because you have not gone far enough for Him to use you. You are out of gear with the world, and you have a controversy with God. This is the tragedy of many a Christian.

My giving of myself to the Lord must be an initial fundamental act. Then, day by day, I must go on giving to Him, not finding fault with His use of me, but accepting with praise even what the flesh finds hard. That way lies true enrichment.

I am the Lord’s and now no longer reckon myself to be my own, but acknowledge in everything His ownership and authority. That is the attitude God delights in, and to maintain it is true consecration. I do not consecrate myself to be a missionary or a preacher; I consecrate myself to God to do His will where I am, be it at school, office or kitchen or wherever He may, in His wisdom, send me. Whatever He ordains for me is sure to be the very best, for nothing but good can come to those who are wholly His.

May we always be possessed by the consciousness that we are not our own.