Everywhere

Saturday night I caught a commercial for Cingular wireless. A teenager goes about her day with her dad tagging along everywhere she goes. In one particular moment in the commercial, she is riding on the back of a motorcycle with some guy driving...and so is her dad; three people on the motorcycle at once.

Then the teenage girl looks at the camera and says, "Dad, since you want to be around me all the time, now you can." Cue the introduction of Cingular's latest product.

The commercial immediately reminded me of God's desire, our Heavenly Father's desire, to be around us all the time. David writes in Psalm 139,

"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit down and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar...you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?"

We can choose either to be bothered by our Father's presence or be glad for his painstaking care and concern for our welfare. If we find ourselves bothered, we must ask why. Are we acting in ways contrary to God's desire? Are we trying to hide sin? Are we feeling confined? Why?

For me, I am grateful for my Abba's care for my life (Abba's the Aramaic word for Father that Jesus used for God the Father. The Spirit allows us to use it as well as followers of Jesus. Literally it means, 'Dad') I am grateful for his partnership in my life. I never go anywhere alone. I simply open my eyes to the reality of God's presence in my life.

"Abba, since you want to be everywhere I am, now you can..."

Barefoot

So I'm sitting yesterday with the bishop of our synod and other pastors in the area discussing a passage from scripture, Luke 10:1-12. Then it hits me. Jesus wants us to go barefoot! For me there is nothing like walking through a yard of freshly cut grass in bare feet or walking across a warm sandy beach. Before you think I'm crazy, listen to what Jesus says, "I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals..." Carry no sandals. There it is. Barefoot!

Why? Now I don't think that we talk it literally in the 21st century. Jesus wants us to be known for love as his followers, not as some kooks who walk around barefooted in the snow. His words are contextual to a point. I do think he meant what he said to those seventy plus people that day. He did want them to go barefoot. But what about us? Is there a lesson in there for we who walk in the footsteps of Jesus? Yep. Three.

First, going barefoot makes you tread a bit more lightly on the ground. Maybe as followers of Jesus we need to walk more slowly and intentionally in life, paying attention to what's around us. Maybe we need to lay aside for a while our fast track to success to embrace those around us.

Second, going barefoot makes you more relaxed. Maybe when we walk through this world we need to take a deep breath and relax. Maybe we take life too seriously. Are our laces tied too tight? Maybe we need to trust God a lot more. Let go and let God.

Third, going barefoot shows humility. Maybe we need to approach God as Moses did long ago, barefoot. When Moses approached the burning bush from which God was speaking, God told Moses to take off his shoes in worship and respect.

Go ahead. Slip off those shoes with me.

It's the network

Last night I saw the latest Verizon wireless commercial during the Monday night football game. The commercial shows two men standing outside a stadium talking about something. I don't recall what the content of the conversation was, but I do remember the end of their conversation.

"That's your network?" The Verizon guy looks at the other guy. The other guy has a tiny crowd of maybe five ro six people behind him to represent his support network for his wireless company.

"That's your network?!" the other guy says to the Verizon guy. Behind the Verizon guy stands a huge crowd of people. "Yep," he says.

It got me thinking. How big is my network of friends? When I turn around, who is behind me? Am I standing alone? Who do I stand behind? Who am I supporting?

Verizon's underlying message in the commercial is, "the bigger your network, the more support you'll have, you'll have greater communication, and you will be much more successful in life."

What if the church was like this? What if instead of being a "spiritual gas station" as another pastor put it, we were a community where we network with each other. We are connected by virtue of our service provider, Jesus. What if we all stand behind one another instead of walking away searching for a better spiritual high?

Alone no more

I refuse to live the life alone.

I can make a greater impact for God in this world when I work in partnership with others. There is great power in partnership, whether that partnership is with God or with other people. The potential for creative energy housed within a group is tremendous.

Let us all move away from fear and isolation into community where we give and receive love, where we challenge and are encouraged, where we can honestly share without fear of reprecutions, where together we make a great impact for God.

We stand together.