Deeper in 2018

    Every time the New Year rolls around, I spend some time in prayer to discern those things I ought to spend time thinking, studying, and praying about in the coming months. Sometimes I get a single word; other times, I get a topic or a subject that I need to focus on.
    This year, I got a word: deeper.
    I know this word applies to my own spiritual life, but I believe it also has something to do with the whole church. In fact, I’ve decided to focus on this word during Lent (which is coming up quickly this year — February 14!)
    I was initially drawn to this word while reading Psalm 42:7, which reads, “Deep called to deep at the noise of your waterfalls; all your massive waves surged over me” (Common English Bible).
    I was captivated by the phrase, “Deep called to deep.” I understand this sentence to mean that, in the midst of personal suffering, the Psalmist recognized that the deep voice and mystery of God was calling to the depths of his own heart and soul. This is where soul communion occurs; this is where God waits to meet you.  
    Too many of us are content to play around on the surface of spirituality. We are happy enough to attend church, pray our nightly prayers, and go about our business with as much piety as we can muster.
    But God has so much more for us. God is willing to meet us if we will only make the deep dive into our heart of hearts.
    That’s why I’ve determined to make that dive. I want to go deeper with God; I want to burrow down into the depths of my own soul, even though it may be uncomfortable, and discover the riches of God’s grace. I’m no longer going to be satisfied with a shallow, superficial religiosity.
    In fact, I don’t believe I am able to do the very physical work that needs to be done in this world, fighting injustice and evil, unless I have done this deeper inner work. I have discovered that I run out of energy and hope quickly if I am not deeply grounded in my relationship with God. The journey inward is the best prep work for the journey outward.
    I would love to take all of you with me on this journey this year. All it takes is a personal commitment to the Lord, a willingness to be stretched, a desire to be changed, and the guts to put your head under the water and dive down.

Heaven's Front Porch: A One-Act Play

SETTING: The Front Porch of heaven, with a long row of rocking chairs, stretching off into forever. 

ST. PETER and MIKE LOTT enter stage-right.

ST. PETER: As I was saying, Mike, we have the perfect spot reserved for you — right here!

MIKE: Great, this looks a lot like my porch back home. Except where’s the bird feeders?

ST. PETER: Argh! I told the landscape crew to get them in place before you got here!

MIKE: Alright, well, one more question — am I allowed to chew on cigars here? I mean, I’m not going to light it up. 

ST. PETER: I’ll have to check the new front porch regulations. 

MIKE: Regulations? I didn’t think you let politicians in up here.

Loud knocking sound

ST. PETER: I’ve got to get the front gate. Make yourself at home. (departs stage-left)

MIKE sits in his rocker, smiles and stretches his arms above his head, as BILL BRYAN and CHRIS CLIMER enter stage-right.

BILL B.: Looky who finally arrived! Sure is good to see another friend from the ‘hood. 

CHRIS: How are things in Kessler Park?

MIKE: Come on and have a seat. I’ll catch y’all up. I have to say this is the best front porch view I’ve ever had.

CHRIS: (sitting) I spend most of my days here, enjoying the view. But we’ve also had some interesting new residents lately. I spent all day watching Jerry Lewis and Don Rickles trade insults.

BILL B.: (sitting) Tell me a story about Kessler Park United Methodist Church …

MIKE: Well, as you know, I always considered myself a Baptist first, but …

BILL MILSAP enters stage-right

BILL M.: Here’s some familiar faces.

ALL: BILL!

MIKE: Have a seat, Bill. You’re at heaven’s front porch now. You have nowhere to be and all the time in the world. I didn’t expect to see you so soon.

BILL M.: Neither did I. But that damn cancer is … (shaking head).

BILL B.: Tell me about it …

A few seconds of quiet go by

MIKE: I hate to ask this, but when do you get used to it?

CHRIS: Get used to what?

MIKE: Being here. Missing the wife. Being separated from everything and everyone you knew.

BILL B.: You’ll never get over missing them, but you will learn quickly to leave them in God’s hands. That’s actually the great thing about being here. You’ll no longer doubt God’s presence and influence in their lives. You’ll gradually get more and more comfortable with the idea that all will be well. 

CHRIS: There is no sadness either. You find that you’re actually quite at peace with being here, and that they will join you soon enough. 

BILL B.: And there’s plenty of time to just sit and shoot the breeze. 

CHRIS: So what’s happening with the Cowboys? 

MIKE: Now that will make you sad. Losing Zeke has made things a lot more difficult —

RUTH ZACCARELLO enters stage-right

RUTH: The last thing I want to talk about in heaven is the Dallas Cowboys.

ALL: RUTH!!

MIKE: Have a seat, RUTH! We’re just sitting here, catching up on Oak Cliff.

RUTH: (sitting) That sounds good to me. Great view you got here.

MIKE: I love it. Except I miss the birds. Back home, I had several feeders in my front yard, and kept them full of seed. This place could use a little landscape work.

BILL M.: I’m on it. I’ve got some ideas that I can run by ST. PETER.

BILL B.: Wait until tomorrow. We’ve got lots of time for that. So MIKE, how are things at The Kessler School? I heard you were working there …

Conversation continues, as the voices gradually fade into eternity

Trudging the Road of Happy Destiny

One of the happy perks of being your pastor is being invited to all sorts of holiday events, and one of my favorites is the Thanksgiving dinner hosted by our Monday night Alcoholics Anonymous group.

This year’s extravaganza was no different — a rich smorgasbord of fantastic food, including all the season’s favorites, followed by an even richer time of testimony. The group leader read the following passage from the The Big Book:

Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.

Then we went around the room, and people shared their thoughts on the passage, as well as expressing their gratitude. The things they shared were humbling and powerful. More than one person expressed their thankfulness that they could remember holidays now; several admitted outright that they knew they would be dead if not for AA.

As I listened, I realized that this group is nothing less than a “church.” Here is a group of people who recognize, admit, and confess their sin, who submit their lives to a Higher Power, and meet weekly to hold each other accountable as they move forward in sanctification. Their fellowship is marked by openness, authenticity, genuineness, tolerance, and acceptance. They don’t wear masks with each other, or pretend to be somebody they aren’t. Their conversation is marked by a deep humility, and also a sparkling sense of hope.

This is exactly what I hope for Kessler Park UMC; this is the kind of fellowship I hope we become.

Isn’t it ironic that perhaps our best example of how to “be the church” has been meeting right here, on church property, every Monday night for the last 16 years?

As you celebrate Thanksgiving, please give a prayer of gratitude for these fellow members of the body of Christ, these fellow trudgers on the Road of Happy Destiny.