WMW

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I’m sitting in Oklahoma City (nearly) on the campus of Oklahoma Christian University.  A group from my city travelled down for the World Missions Workshop, and I was grateful to join in.

I wanted to come because this workshop had been significant to me in years gone by.  It had played a role in inspiring me to see my faith and the kingdom of God in more global terms.  It had served to stretch my perspective and live a bit larger than before.

It’s done that this time around too.

My mind is actually swimming just a bit right now. 

On a simpler matter, it’s also been a treat of a weekend to meet a lot of old friends.  Several people I’ve met at different points along the way have shown up here.  Add to that a lot of new relationships formed this weekend, and it’s definitely been worth the 30+ hours of driving to get here!  I may debate that in the midst of the 30+ hours back home… but for now, I’m sticking to that!

Some more of this may figure into future posts.  For now, I’ll leave it here.

Take care, my friends.

Credible

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Here’s a recent wave of thought on God’s kingdom…

How do you react when you encounter something that you have no framework to process? You hear of an offer that MUST be too good to be true. You meet someone who approaches life in a way that never even crossed your mind. Most of us subconsciously aim to discount this new thing: “If I
can’t deal with it, I’ll discredit it or dismiss it.”

First-century folks were no different. One group of onlookers observed Jesus displaying deeds and power that were downright unnerving to their world-views. They charged that he must be tied into powers of evil (Luke 11:15ff).

After pointing out the obvious flaws in their reasoning, Jesus makes this bold statement:

“But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.”

The finger of God?

The kingdom of God has come?

To you?

Something new was here.

Now.

God’s breaking-in to our world in a powerful and redeeming way… it had touched down.

 Now.

You and I live in these days.

British writer Michael Green captures this reality of the early church as a new kind of community…

“They made the grace of God credible by a society of love and mutual care which astonished pagans and was recognized as something entirely new. It lent persuasiveness to the claim that the new age had dawned in those who were giving it flesh. The message of the kingdom became more than an idea. A new human community had sprung up and looked very much like the new order to which the evangelist had pointed. Here love was given daily expression; reconciliation was actually occurring; people were no longer divided into Jews and Gentiles, slave and free, male and female. In this community the weak were protected, the stranger welcomed. People were healed; the poor and dispossessed were cared for and found justice. Almost everything was shared. Joy abounded and ordinary lives were filled with praise.”

So I sit here, thinking…

Live powerfully.

Live in awareness that our lives declare the news of God’s kingdom—it is here and on the rise.

Live like the early disciples, whose lives made this news credible.

Fox

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Too early for blogging.

Let’s keep this simple. 

THAT is what I’m supposed to look like.

No, not orange and hairy.

And not like a fox.

Sleeping.

4:30… I’m up.  I become intrigued by the feeling of my head pulsing. 

Intrigued shifts to annoyed. 

Pulsing head hurts. 

Go away, pulsing head. 

Ibuprofen, don’t fail me now. 

Stupid pill. 

Head keeps pulsing.

Pulsing head drives sleepy body out of bed.

Sleepy body envies sleeping fox.

Stupid blog post is born.

Unwise

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One question should have tipped me off…

“Would you like to settle your account BEFORE you go in?”

So I urge you: Take note. Good businesses and services don’t ask for money before service.

But that’s what the oral surgeon did before drugging me and yanking all of my wisdom teeth yesterday. You can lay off the “loss of wisdom” jokes too; I’m too swollen to laugh with you!

And as I sat there, waiting for “the gas”, a college memory came to me…

Communications class with John (that’s THE John to many of you). We were supposed to introduce each other to the class. I went first. Then John stepped up. He did all the details, then he moved to speaking about my long-distance girlfriend (now wife… not long-distance) and spoke of the struggle it was being far away.

He explained, “And it’s tough, you know, because Jason doesn’t get to see her that often because of gas.”

Awkward silence.

A room-full of minds replaying what they must have just missed.

Then an added line…

“I meant because of the PRICE of gas.”

And that made me laugh yesterday, even with fat cheeks.

Thanks John.

Baby

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No, not OURS.

But we ARE headed to Calgary this weekend to meet our brand new nephew!

Should be a great weekend…

  • Numerous friends and family (too many to catch)
  • Some fun shopping (Ikea, M.E.C., and Pilgrim Books are our “must hit” spots)
  • A concert with Steve Bell and the Calgary Symphony Orchestra
  • A Riders/Stampeders game with my good friend Greg
  • And a road trip with my Love (Shannon, not Greg)

Now, THAT’S a way to spend Thanksgiving!

Catch you after the turkey’s been taken care of!