The Mystery

I've often heard it said that as Christians what we need to do is "move over" and let God take control of the "steering wheel" of our lives. This same idea of us moving over and God taking over is conveyed through other familiar expressions such as "let go and let God" and "Jesus take the wheel" and statements like that. But are we really supposed to get out of the way so God can do all the driving? Are we really just along for the ride?

Statements like those sound wise but surprisingly this is not what Scripture teaches. In fact, the New Testament actually teaches the opposite. The Gospel is much greater than us moving over to the passenger seat.

The reason that "Gospel" means "good news" is because it is inclusive - God not only includes us in His divine plan, but we play a vital role - a central role with God. God is not seeking to replace us but to embrace us as new creations compatible with His nature. He no longer calls us servants, He calls us friends. He chooses to work through the uniqueness of our soul - according to our created purpose - rather than squashing us out or moving us to the side. He doesn't violate us, He inhabits us. This was His plan all along - the reunion of His Spirit with ours. Then, He teaches us how to drive.

When trying to explain this God-human reunion to the Colossian church, the apostle Paul referred to it as "the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col. 1:26-27). In his letter to the Corinthian church Paul said something similar: "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself?...The two became one flesh. Whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit" (1 Cor. 6:15-17).

This wonderful and amazing truth has profound implications. God now goes where we go. God now lives where we live. God now talks when we talk. God now walks when we walk. We are His "ambassadors" in every sense of the word. This is why the apostle John could say with confidence, "as He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17).

This is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to our faith. Do I really believe the gospel - that God so fully embraces every aspect of my being that He can work through my interests, hobbies, personality and sense of humor? Do I really see my entire self as being righteous, clean, and acceptable? Or do I only believe those things are some “spiritual” part of me that is far off and irrelevant, not really me? If the latter, then the gospel is no good to me in the practical moments of every day.

For the gospel to manifest powerfully in my life, I must believe that what Christ has done in making me new pertains to the real me who wakes up every day and lives a normal life. Then I’ve begun to understand my personal union with Jesus Christ. Jesus lived thirty-three years in authentic human flesh to show that His divinity is compatible with our humanity. And His divinity is entirely compatible with your humanity - regardless of how dirty the enemy makes you feel.

So, I would like to propose some new analogies for describing the Christian life...

I'm driving the car, in the driver's seat, and I'm sitting on God's lap while He whispers in my ear. God gave me the steering wheel and put His hands on top of mine. I feel His joy and pleasure when I make the right turns. I feel His nudging when I don't. But He never forces the wheel. He never tells me to move over. He loves being with me as I learn how to drive.

Like a father teaching his son how to swing a bat, God stands behind me smiling with His arms around me and His hands over mine, showing me how to make a level swing. He likes that I swing a little differently than His other kids - He thinks it's cute - but every bit as effective. He will never leave me nor forsake me. Why? Because I am "united with Him in spirit" and my body is the "Body of Christ."

But beware - like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, there are those who instead prefer the comfort of religious predictability - the old way of rules and separation from God over the new way of relationship and union with God. For some people the gospel is just too good to be true. They can't really bring themselves to accept the truth of being united with God. They feel too dirty. It feels like too much - it's just too much responsibility. They are worried about what people may think if they really start to walk this thing out with that kind of confidence, or rather that kind of "God-fidence". It sounds too much like blasphemy.

So watch out! Jesus was crucified for it.

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first." - Jesus

The Story of Cinderella

I'm beginning to understand that having a girl is quite a bit different than having boys. Hattie is two now and instead of cars and race tracks there is chap stick and dolls. Babies and diapers. Skirts and dresses. There is a softness that was brought into our house with her - it has been good for my boys and I to experience. It has made us better.

Recently I took Hattie to Costco and it didn't take her long to find a doll named Cinderella. She looked up at me with those innocent and precious eyes and said, "Buy? Daddy buy?"

There was really no question. I immediately put Cinderella into our cart. In fact, I almost grabbed another one. There was no saying no to those eyes - to those cheeks. It's hard to say no to my little girl.

After we got home I read the box and was reminded about the story of Cinderella. It's an inspiring story - a wicked stepmother and two jealous stepsisters kept Cinderella enslaved and in rags. She stood no chance of attending the royal ball. But when her fairy godmother appeared, she magically transformed Cinderella's reality into a dream come true. Cinderella enchanted the handsome Prince Charming at the ball, but had to face the wrath of her enraged stepmother and sisters when the spell wore off at midnight. 

I believe God has planted a version of this story into each of our hearts. I believe this God-given yearning for something better - our own promised land - is a powerful force in each of our lives and I believe it's the main reason why the Cinderella story has been so successful. It's a story of redemption.

I read a similar story about a Prince who lived not long ago. He came to this land to take for Himself a bride. The problem was the bride He wanted was also enslaved and in rags, just like in the Cinderella story. Like Cinderella, this bride also stood no chance of attending the royal ball with the Prince.

But this was no ordinary Prince.

This Prince had power over the wicked forces which held His bride in chains. After a while the bride fell in love with this Prince, but she couldn't let go of the past. Even though her chains were broken, she still thought like a slave girl and couldn't carry herself with confidence in the presence of this powerful Prince. The subjects of the Kingdom now looked to her as supernatural - as royalty, but she felt too inadequate. Making such a dramatic change from slavery to royalty was just too much for her to take.

The Prince was deeply saddened by this. His bride had access to all he owned - including his heart -  but the Bride could not walk with her head held high in His presence. Like a prisoner released after serving a 40 year sentence, the Bride could not assimilate into the land of freedom.

The Prince was desperate to help His bride, the love of His life. He desperately wanted to take her pain away - her sorrow - her depression - her past - her shame. So, He summoned the elders of the Kingdom and implemented a plan. He would enact an ancient ritual by which His death would multiply His very own Spirit into the one He loved. It was risky. It was powerful. It was love.

I haven't yet finished reading the story of this powerful Prince, for it is a story which continues to unfold to this day. It is a story which is still unraveling - like gigantic waves through the ocean of time. For the Prince went forward with the ritual - and it was far more powerful than anyone ever dreamed.

I will tell my little girl about this Prince. And I will tell her about the real Cinderella. The one who has been clothed in the robes of the Prince. The one who has been given the Spirit of the Prince. The one who is now able to walk with confidence alongside her Prince.

I will tell her of the Cinderella staring back at her in the mirror.

Die. Then Live!

While in college I answered a “roommate needed” advertisement for a place in Uptown Minneapolis. After talking with the guy on the phone I decided to meet with him, after which I decided to move in. After moving in I learned that he had to kick out his previous roommate because of his behavior - apparently the prior roommate was a heavy drinker and when he got drunk he would get violent and start to break things around the house. I noticed evidence of that around the house – some of the walls were damaged, I found some broken glass on the carpet and things like that. I even found some smutty magazines and a pipe for smoking weed in the bedroom when I moved in. The old roommate had moved out, but there was still evidence of him being there. 

I got to thinking - this is what it’s like after being born again. Our “old man” was “crucified with Christ and no longer lives” and then “God sends the Spirit of His Son into our hearts” - in other words our old roommate moves out and dies and then a new roommate moves in. But there still may be evidence of the old roommate laying around the house. Our old self is gone – died and buried – but we might find some of his old socks laying under the bed or some empty bottles or smutty magazines or things like that.

Often times this confuses us and we get deceived into thinking the old roommate was somehow resurrected and moved back in. Waves of anxiety and depression wash over us as we frantically try to fight and kick out an old roommate who is 6 feet underground. We see his empty bottles and smelly socks under the bed and assume he’s hiding in the closet. Unless we snap out of it and remind ourselves the old roommate is dead, we will see all his old stuff and assume we are still struggling. And, if we think we are still struggling, we will still struggle. If we think our house is still divided, it will be divided. If we think we are still sinners, we will sin.

“We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” – Romans 6:2

There are those who are teaching that we need to die multiple times – that we need to continue fighting the old roommate – that we will never truly kick him out until we die – that we will always be struggling with sin. But what this does is create a battle that isn’t even there. What this does is deceive us into thinking, “Well, the old roommate is always going to be here so I might as well just make a truce with him and try to live with him as best as possible.”

But “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” is not what Jesus had in mind. 

Jesus died once for all. It is finished. We identify with His death once – that is what baptism represents. When we go under the water it symbolizes our death, and when we rise up out of the water it symbolizes our new life. Death happens once. We don’t need to be baptized over and over again. We made the decision. We took up our cross. We died. Jesus didn’t nail Himself back onto the cross after His resurrection. 

Neither do we. 

But we may still find some of that old man’s stuff laying around our house. We may need to purge the house of a few things. Those things are no longer consistent with who we are. We lost interest. This first “purge” may require a dumpster. After that, the garbage we throw away becomes more manageable as the new roommate takes over His responsibilities. 

May we come to know the truth which makes us free. May we rise up out of the baptismal waters into the new life that Jesus promised. May we grab a dumpster, purge the house, and rest in the righteousness of our new Roommate – Jesus Christ.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." - 2 Cor. 5:17

Where are you?

The other day my son Chase decided he wasn’t going to do something we told him to. After this he went over to “sit on the stairs” like he often does after doing something that he knows he shouldn’t have. A few minutes passed and I went over to the stairs to talk with him about it, and when he saw me he hid his face and ran up the stairs. While running up the stairs he even did the “mad yell” as I like to call it. 

Not the prettiest sound I’ve heard.

After some more time passed I went up and found him in his bed where he continued to hide his face from me. I reassured him that I still love him and reminded him of all the reasons why he needs to listen to Susie and I. Then I changed the subject and started talking about something else because I wanted him to snap out of it and come back downstairs with the rest of the family.

What was it that caused him to hide his face from me? Why did he run away from me? Did he hide because he was disobedient? Did he hide because he thought I didn’t love him anymore? Did he hide because he thought my ‘rules’ were too burdensome? No. What was it then?

Shame.

It was shame that caused him to hide his face. It was shame that caused him to run away and separate himself from me. I didn’t cause the separation - he did. I didn’t turn away in disgust when he disobeyed me – he turned away from me. On the other hand, it was ME who pursued him – it was ME who initiated the reconciliation.

See, we often teach people that it’s our sin that causes the separation between us and God – kind of like how oil separates itself from water. But that isn’t true. It’s our shame that causes the separation. We run from God, He doesn’t run from us. He doesn’t turn His face in disgust when we sin – He reaches out and follows us. Embraces us. Sin doesn't taint God. He's not scared.

Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father”. What did He do around sinners? Did He shake His head in disgust and walk away condemning people? Did He EVER seek to separate Himself from sinners? Did He ever seem worried about getting dirty when He reached out His hand to touch the ‘untouchable’ leper? The prostitutes? The sex addicts? How about the alcoholics?

Nope. Not even once. 

In fact, He pursued the disobedient. He looked for the dirtiest people, knowing He had the only water in the world which could make them clean.

“Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” – Romans 5:20

You’re not too dirty for God. You never will be. Dirt is a magnet for God’s love.

It’s God’s kindness that causes us to turn around. He runs after us and changes the subject because He wants us to snap out of it, turn around and come back to the family where we are secure in His love. We yell “I’m a sinner!” He yells, “You’re my son!” When we rest securely in His love, our actions conform themselves to His image. Our behavior takes care of itself. Apple trees grow apples, not oranges.

Love never fails. It’s just too irresistible.

Often times those in the church get it backwards. They put the behavior stuff before the love stuff. They expect to get apples without planting any apple trees. Or worse, they just point out all your oranges. If you have been the recipient of this false gospel, I apologize on their behalf. Come back! Turn around. Snap out of it. Bring your dirt. Your Father is waiting with open arms.

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” – John 3:17

He Calls Me Saint

My boys are twins but they are quite a bit different. Chase is outgoing, Owen is a bit more introverted. Chase moves from task to task while Owen remains focused on getting one job done. Chase tells funny jokes, Owen is a good dancer.

It's funny though - they didn't see themselves this way until Susie and I recognized them for these traits. Chase didn't try to be funny until we encouraged & recognized him for telling good jokes. Owen didn't make up his "hip shake" dance until we recognized him for being a good dancer. I love watching him do the hip shaker!

Words have a prophetic nature to them - they become self-fulfilling - especially when they come from people we respect. If someone we respect recognizes our generosity, we will literally morph into a more generous person. On the other hand, if someone we respect says we are selfish, we will either attack their character to make them into someone we no longer respect, or we will believe them and start to "own" our selfishness.

Our enemy knows this, which is why he is known as the "accuser of the brethren". After we start following Jesus as Lord, our enemy knows that if he can get us to believe we are still sinners instead of the saints God says we are, then our actions will naturally flow out of seeing ourselves as sinners. The enemy wants us to believe that we are what we do. The fruit of believing this accuser is obvious - feelings of condemnation, defeat, depression, anxiety, etc. This line of thinking often ends with the person saying, "I'm just a sinner saved by grace" - after which Satan does a victory dance. It sounds wise, but it's only a half truth. Yes, we are saved by grace but NO we are no longer sinners. If he can't get us to doubt the identity of Jesus he will make us doubt our own. But the truth is that our Father calls us righteous. Blameless. Forgiven. Loved. Son. Daughter. Holy. Saint. Divine. Nothing can separate us from His love.

Nothing.

May we have the faith to believe what our Father says about us - regardless of how we measure up. May we have the boldness to stand up against the accuser, armed with the truth that sets us free. May we look up at our Daddy, shake our hips and do a little dance, knowing that He delights in seeing the joy that comes when we believe what our Father says about us.

Take the Key

Once there was a man who was thrown in prison for killing another man. His sentence was life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Many years passed, and the man in prison fell into deep depression. He was very sorry. He wept for what he had done, and sitting alone in his prison cell he desperately wanted to make things right. He often thought about what was going on outside of the prison. He dreamed about freedom and what that would feel like. In spite of no hope and the worst of circumstances, somehow he managed to go on, day after day, year after year. The mundane routine and predictability of the day, although hopeless, sadly started to serve as a comfort to him. 

But there was something very unique about this particular murder case.

The Judge had made a written stipulation when the man was sentenced. It was a written stipulation which the murderer didn’t know about. See, way back when the man was sentenced to prison, the judge gave the dead man's brother the option of setting the murderer free under two conditions: the brother of the deceased had to completely forgive the murderer, and then give him the only key to his house along with all his possessions and let him move in. Forgive him and give him a new life. The stipulation was high. The brother was very wealthy.

After a long time had passed, the brother heard about the murderer - how he had expressed regret and sorrow about what he had done. Amazingly, without hesitating the brother raced to the prison.

When the brother arrived he provided the prison warden with the stipulation paperwork from the trial, the warden had no choice but to arrange a meeting. The brother was then humiliated as he went through security and was stripped down to his underwear and given the clothes of a prisoner while inside.

The brother was led to a large room where he waited for the murderer to arrive. During this time the warden showed the murderer the stipulation paperwork and explained to him that the brother of the man he murdered is waiting for him in the next room. The murderer dropped to his knees as the weight of the moment gripped his heart. Tears flooded his eyes as he heard the loud buzz of the prison door opening.

As the door swung open he saw a man on the the other side of the room, now beginning to run towards him. The murderer, still on his knees, braced himself with his head between his knees waiting to be kicked and beat by the brother. As the running footsteps drew closer, they started to slow down and finally stopped right by the murderer’s head. 

The brother, standing over the man who killed his younger brother, sat down on the floor next to the murderer. After a few moments the murderer finally looked up and their eyes locked. The brother’s eyes were opened wide, with, compassion. Confused tears streamed down the murderer’s face and as he opened his mouth to speak nothing but sobs poured out from the inner depths of his soul.

“I…I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

The brother replied, “I know you are son.”

“I’m a murderer! Why are you here?? Why are you doing this??”

The brother declared, “You are forgiven” and wrapped his arms around the murderer. The mouths of the nearby prison guards dropped as they saw the reckless act of love unfold before their very eyes.

The brother continued, “When you did the things you are now ashamed of you did not know who you were. You didn’t know where you came from. You didn’t know what you’re capable of and why you’re here. Son, look at me. I forgive you completely.”

When the prison warden heard those words, he looked down at the stipulation paperwork and put a checkmark next to stipulation #1.

The murderer, now violently sobbing, embraced the feet of the brother and wept aloud while thankfulness poured from his heart.

The brother reached into his pocket and pulled out a key. “Son, this key gives you access to everything I own. Everything I have is now yours.” And he set the key down on the floor. “No longer will you call yourself a murderer. From this point forward your name will be Justis, which means ‘righteous one’.”

Justis continued sobbing on the floor, and his eyes came into focus on the key. 

“Son, take the key” the brother told him.

After a long while Justis got up and dried his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. “Sir, what you did is amazing. I sincerely thank you for your forgiveness. I can now die knowing that I am reconciled to my Maker. So, thank you.”

Now speaking in a more firm voice the brother said, “Take the key”.

Justis turned around and started walking back toward the prison guards.

The brother, now screaming, “Son! Take the key! There is more – everything I have is yours! I have given you freedom!”

Justis continued walking back into the prison, and the guards shut the door behind him.

The brother’s eyes were streaming with tears. “TAKE THE KEY JUSTIS! TAKE THE KEY!” The prison guards shook their heads at the decision of Justis while putting the shackles back on him.

The prison warden, still standing there with the stipulation paperwork, said “I’m sorry sir, but the prisoner did not accept your key. I cannot sign this paperwork.”

The brother turned, hung his head and walked out of the prison. Every day after that he returned to plead with Justis – telling him about his freedom. His destiny. His inheritance.

Often times we become so comfortable with the routine and predictability of slavery. We get comfortable with our three rations per day. We get comfortable with the same prison inmates. We get comfortable with the shame of dead religion. We feel undeserving and hide behind false humility. We say things like, “It’s my cross to bear” and begin to fear the very idea of freedom. We forget freedom even exists. Or worse, we’re deceived into thinking the prison cell is the most freedom we deserve.

See forgiveness is awesome but it doesn’t save us. It doesn’t set us free and empower us to change. It cleans up the old heart but doesn’t give us a new one. It tears down the old house but it doesn't raise up a new one. It’s the resurrection of Jesus that saves us. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26). Sadly, most churches only like to talk about the death of Jesus - forgiveness - leaving us with a key to the door of nowhere.

The new heart of flesh is given in this life, not the one to come. It is finished. His death reconciles us, His life saves us. We need to take the key and leave the prison. We need to see what lock it opens. Jesus died to deal with who you were, but was resurrected to make you into something new.

We’re not forgiven prisoners. We have been set free.

Take the key!

“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” – Romans 5:10

Divided Kingdoms Don't Stand

I like to keep my lawn looking good. There's nothing like a thick, lush, dark green lawn. I have a lot of different tools & supplies for keeping it looking good such as my lawn mower, my weed whip, weed killer, edger, fertilizer, dandelion remover and those kinds of things. I own my lawn, and I'm in control of my lawn. I'm responsible for what goes on in my yard. My name is on the title and I have assumed the responsibilities of a home owner. Pretty soon my sons will be old enough to start helping me out. I will teach them how to use the mower, the weed whip, how to fertilize and all the other tips & tricks for keeping it looking nice.

When that time comes I will go out into the lawn with them and demonstrate. I will get down on their level and let them try and walk along side of me until they get the hang of it. After a few demonstrations and having them walk along side of me for a few weeks, I will formally hand over responsibilities to them. I will transfer my authority as the home owner to them, my sons, and give them the key to the mower. Then I will go back into the house.

While I'm in the house, I will listen for them and keep my ears open for any cries for help. I'll be thinking about them a lot, and hoping they do well and really take ownership in the work. While sitting in my chair I'll glance over at their pictures on the coffee table and think about how much I love them and how proud I am to be their father.

Then I'll remember that the lawn falls prey to voles and grub worms during certain times of the year. For a moment I'll be concerned but then I'll remember how I showed them how to get rid of these vermin and parasites and that there is nothing to fear because my sons are in control and they have way more power than those little things. Just step on them and throw out some poison. I love watching them take authority over these things - just like I taught them to do.

Never in a million years would I consider opening the window and start shooting my sons with a BB gun in the knees to teach them something or to see if they can still take care of the lawn while in pain. Never in a million years would I take some dandelion seeds and throw them out into the lawn. Never in a million years would I 'take' one of my sons while the other son weeps for the loss of his brother and calls me "mysterious."

Never.

Why? Because I'm a loving father. Because suffering never really teaches us anything other than how to endure more suffering. Because just as Jesus said, "a kingdom [or lawn!] divided against itself cannot stand."

If I was telling my boys to take care of the lawn while hurting them in any way, or allowing voles & grubs into the lawn, or weeds - I would not have a lawn for very long, and I would be a terrible father. My sons would likely give up, thinking that I must have changed my mind about wanting a nice lawn because I'm sending all their problems. "We might as well sit tight and take a break - it looks like Daddy must have changed his mind about us."

See, Satan's #1 goal is trying to deceive us into thinking God is somehow responsible for evil & suffering because our entire identity is formed by how we experience God's love.

Because we have fallen for this deception, we come up with complicated, false theories & doctrines about the absolute sovereignty of God which is completely unbiblical - we tell the world that "God is in control" and lay down in the lawn while the weeds, voles & grub worms take over. We tell each other that Daddy's tools stopped working anyway. Our loved ones die from grub worm bites, and at the funerals we try to comfort them by saying Daddy is in control and "Daddy works in mysterious ways."

But He does not work in mysterious ways. He is good ALL the time. He is not mysterious, and He put us in control of the lawn.

To this, there are some Christians who will say, "That makes for a pretty small God" as if claiming that removing evil from God somehow diminishes His nature. To me, that's just sad. Removing the allowance of evil from God doesn't diminish His nature or character - it strengthens it. It puts evil its proper place - "Satan, the father of lies". Anything other than this Jesus describes as the "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit" - attributing evil to God's goodness.

Other Christians will say, "Wait a minute, I learned a lot from the times of my suffering." Of course you did, because "all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28). God doesn't cause the suffering. He may pick you back up and "work it together" for your good because He loves you, but He never causes it. He loves you. He never pushes you off your bike, He just picks you back up and bandages your wounds.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." - Jesus

See, God loves you. If something is not going well or if there is evil in your life, use the authority He gave you and command it to leave. "The power of life and death is in our tongue" (Proverbs 18:21). You have the keys to the lawn mower. Pick up the rake and smack that thing in the head. Don't blame God. If you want to blame someone, blame the adversary - Satan. And then step on him.

May we trust in the goodness of our Father. May we trust that our Daddy's garage is full of "everything we need for life & godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). May we look up at the house window, see our Father giving us a 'thumbs up' from His chair and mouthing the words "I love you. Well done. You've got this."

Realm of the Butterfly

The other day my boys and I found a caterpillar crawling in the backyard. The thing about caterpillars is that they are really slow and they can't see very well so they will crawl right up into your hand. The boys were looking at it up close and passing it back and forth. In the midst of all the commotion they dropped it and one of them accidentally stepped on it. Whoops.
 
I explained that there would be one less butterfly in our yard this year which led to further chats about the life of caterpillars. You know, one of those father-son teaching moments where we try to explain complex processes in kid terms as if we really understood it in the first place. I felt like Clark Griswold talking with Rusty about exterior illumination.

It really is pretty cool though - how caterpillars transform into butterflies. I think the technical term is metamorphosis. It got me thinking about the gospel which basically says the same thing happens to us when we're born again. We are literally born again into new creations, just like caterpillars becoming butterflies.

But there's no butterfly without the cocoon experience. There is no life without first dying. Early on I struggled a lot in my Christian walk because of this - I never completely died. I never crawled into the cocoon. I never "took up my cross". See, if we try to get born again without first dying we will end up in perpetual labor. Stuck in the birth canal. Trust me. Straddling the fence never ends well. He who wants to save his life MUST lose it. I looked for other ways but there wasn't any.

When we finally get to the point where we understand the cocoon experience is the only pathway to life, we crawl in - sometimes even without fully understanding what the cocoon will do to us. But we do it - either by process of elimination or sometimes through the help & encouragement of others.

But I think we often focus too much on the cocoon - as if the cocoon is the entire point of the Christian life. Death. We come to the end of ourselves, repent of our sins and crawl into the cocoon never to be seen again. But forgiveness is not the point of the gospel. The point of the gospel is the new creation. A new heart. Wholeness. Freedom. The restoration of that which was lost. It's as if we never ate from the tree in the garden. We are forgiven SO THAT we can walk in freedom and "newness of life" as ambassadors of a new kingdom - a kingdom not on the ground of the caterpillar with its poor eyesight and dulled senses, but a new kingdom in the realm of the butterfly - the new creation - looking down on our circumstances because we are "seated with Christ in heavenly places" (Eph. 2:6).

See, Jesus didn't just die for our forgiveness. Forgiveness is awesome but there is so much more than the cocoon experience. The rest of the good news is that you enter the cocoon as a caterpillar - and you leave as a butterfly. You are no longer a slave to the ground but free as the wind. There is only one catch: in the kingdom of the butterfly you can only use your wings when you actually believe you have them. Just like the butterfly as it emerges from its cocoon, we cannot see our wings - the new creation - with our natural eyes. At first, we only know we have been changed because of the words of the first Butterfly who went before us. We can't see our wings so we must believe His words instead of our eyes. It's only after taking the leap from our cocoons that we gain the revelation of who we have actually become.

There are two kinds of Christians out there - those who take this leap and those who don't. For those who don't, they crawl back in the cocoon and wait for the first Butterfly to come back with more detailed instructions. For those who do, well, they are out playing and making more cocoons.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." - Heb. 11:1

Voice of Truth

It could very well be that the knowledge & beliefs we inherited from our parents were only partially true or not true at all. This isn’t something we normally like to consider but Jesus demands it of us. Our pursuit of the Truth must always outweigh allegiances to our family. That’s why many people believe the truth with their minds but their hearts will refuse it because it seems to contradict the faith of their parents. People think they are dishonoring their parents by believing something else, believing in a different way, finding a new church or making other changes. But in reality this is not about dishonoring people but rather the “pulling down of strongholds” (2 Cor. 10:4).

This is what Jesus meant when He said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters--yes, even their own life--such a person cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). He wasn’t trying to be mean or harsh, He was simply saying they might not be right. He was saying we must have the willingness to follow Him regardless of the cost – regardless of what our parents taught us (or didn’t teach us) about spiritual things. He was saying we must follow the whisper of Truth wherever it leads us.

Our families love us and want the best for us but we must be willing to follow Truth – even if it leads us outside the camp.

“And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” – John 10:4

Children

Today I was with my 7 year old boys pretty much every moment of the day. We went to church, we went to Target, we played at home and I answered a gazillion questions for them (some questions multiple times). Then for the rest of the day I helped them mount their God-forsaken homemade Pokemon cards on posterboard and laminate them. Over and over again we did this. They basically think I'm an arts & crafts god now. I have to admit, I'm pretty good at mounting & laminating homemade Pokemon cards.

It's a gift.

There was one moment in the middle of the day when they were coloring (yes, homemade Pokemon cards) when I had a chance to go out to the garage to do some organizing. I went out there for 30 seconds before I realized I forgot something, so I went back in and Owen was standing there staring at me with his mouth open and a disgusted look on his face, "DADDY WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!? I WAS WORRIED - I FINISHED MY POKEMON CARD AND I'M READY TO LAMINATE."

After a lengthy apology for not manning my post I proceeded to laminate their homemade cards with clear packing tape while they asked me for snacks, how to use the computer and what my favorite Pokemon character is.

My parents tell me to soak these moments in because a time is coming when they will want nothing to do with me. I can see the truth in that - every time I blink they seem to get bigger and bigger - and a little less dependent on Susie and I. As parents we often get tired and frustrated but I think when the smoke clears we all enjoy being needed. Wanted. We all enjoy providing for our children. Teaching them. Encouraging them. Loving them.

"Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these...Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." - Luke 18:16; Matt. 18:3

What was it about children that Jesus loved so much? Was it their intellect? Their perfect work? Their theology? Their doctrines?

No.

It was their dependence on others. It was the complete absence of pride & shame. It was their humility. It was the absence of judgment & criticism. It was the absence of entitlement. It was their lightheartedness and emotional sensitivity. It was their freedom.

See, childlike dependence is ironically the only doorway to true freedom. This is how God set it up. Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Him will find it.
Part of what it means to lose our life is to lose our worldly reputation. Children will laugh, cry, shout, plead and beg in front of others without even thinking about it. When we break away from the pack and start pressing into God, people may shake their heads at us. Even the so-called religious folks may label us "immature" and persecute us. In fact, Jesus said they would. For the love of God, the religious folks accused Jesus of being demon possessed! If Jesus is our model for what normal Christianity is supposed to look like, bring it on.

I believe God gave us parent-child relationships as a model which tells us exactly how He wants us to relate to Him - with utter dependence. With reckless abandonment. Hands in the air, crying to be held. If you want help finding God, just watch your kids.

May we depend on God like our kids depend on us. May we pursue God with reckless abandonment. May we stand in the doorway and say, "Daddy, where have you been? I have been worried and I'm ready for your help."