Helping Those Hurt By Ike

Grace and Peace

This afternoon I was blessed by a blessing. In fact, I found myself with arms raised and tears streaming down my face as I listened to the blessing given by Paul to the church as Thessalonica in 2 Thessalonians 1:2 as sung by Fernando Ortega. It was a song I had not heard before, but I really like Ortega and his quest to recapture hymns for today, so I wanted to check it out.

I listened, "Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (NIV) and slowed myself down to focus on the goodness of God to me in the midst of troubling times. I've been given his Gospel. The Crucified One is my testimony. The Cross my confession.

The time of reflection and reception was a gift of grace to me. My heart has found buoyancy for the day.

***If you get a chance, go to Ortega's website here and click through the songs on his jukebox located in the upper right corner to listen to "Grace and Peace." Close your eyes. Think upon the blessings given to us in Jesus Christ. Enjoy.***

yIKEs...the Aftermath

You think it would be a really cool thing to see the President of the United States flying in a helicopter until you realize he's attempting to see the devastation of the terrain that you call home. Yup. I was back from my evacuation from Ike, standing on the grounds of my church office (see pic) with our elders surveying the damage from a much lower altitude when I saw the POTUS skirting the sky above us. I realized then and there that I wasn't just watching the news you don't want to be on...I was the news you don't want to be on.

Let me begin by saying that I've been called, texted, Facebooked, Bloggered, et al. by friends checking in on me to see how I was doing. Thank you very much! I deeply appreciate it.

My house has sustained relatively little damage. I'll need my roof repaired. A backyard fence has a section that has fallen. Outside of those two issues I'm free and clear. I wish I could say the same of some of my friends - silt in their living room, water lines in the five foot range, some have no homes left to go to. Driving into Houston had an eerie feeling to it as we saw a long line for FEMA's ice, water and food "Point of Distribution" (there's one less than a quarter mile from my house), tattered and torn signage dotting the landscape and the buzz amongst neighbors and friends with their assessments of Ike.

This won't be a quick story with a short ending. We will have work that will last months, some maybe even more than a year. But I'm reminded of Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 16:9, "...for a wide door for effective work has opened to me..."; I am very encouraged at the fact that I think a great door to the Gospel has been opened by the violent hands of Ike. Self-security and presumption have been trumped by 110 mph winds of an eyewall that went, literally, through my neighborhood...and the neighborhood of those I believe God has called us to reach through our local church. This may sound funny to say, but I'm excited about the future. I'm excited to see how wide the door will open for the grace of God in Christ in the Bay Area. I'm excited at how many people will decide to become Followers of Jesus or recommit to their followship of the Lord. I'm excited I get to be a part of it all by the grace of God.

And what's even better is that I believe I have an entire church that's feels the same way!

Thanks Ike.

We're Outta Here! Go Away Ike!

My family and I are leaving for our ranch house in Kerrville due to hurricane Ike. Let's hope that bad boy leaves Houston alone.

Disproportionate Grace

I was reading through John Piper's devotional book Taste and See this morning and was struck by a prayer he suggested to pray: O Lord, make the fruit of our lives utterly disproportionate to the measure of our faithfulness.

I love that. May my life be a bewildering display of God's grace in light of my inability to do the right things at the right times. To be honest, I truly feel this way quite often. I look over my life and realize that the sheer goodness of God to me as evidenced in my family, my work, my health and so on could not be dependent on my obedience. I'm just not that good, fastidious or intelligent. Frequently I'm humbled by the fact that God has manifested his power to me and continues to do so in my life and ministry. I deserve none of it and yet, like the grace he poured out upon that rascal Jacob, God still gives.

I believe my life is testimony to Piper's suggested prayer. Often it leaves me in humble gratitude instead of arrogant presumption. I know God can choose to remove his hand of blessing at any time and still be completely just. But he hasn't. My heart is that I would live in such a way that would demonstrate fidelity and love for my gracious King, and yet I know that because of Jesus, not me, he will show me his ultimate goodness. For that, I am forever grateful! But I am also thankful for the daily blessings and fruitfulness he has chosen to pour into my life, even in spite of me. His disproportionate grace is amazing!

O Lord, would you continue to make the fruit of my life
utterly disproportionate to the measure of my faithfulness.
Amen.