Archive March 2008
Grace – Common and Amazing
It’s been quite a week. My legs feel like mush, but I’ve had a blast! Usually, I only get one shot at skiing each year, and I love to take full advantage. The good news is that we all made it to the end of the week in one piece with no injuries.
Weeks like this command my attention on various fronts. First, the beautiful Wasatch Mountains are stunning with their winter covering of white. Few things in life captivate me as much as swishing through the snow on my skis. Then, there is the element of friends. Some of us have been skiing together for over 20 years. To share life’s great adventures and share what God is teaching us in his word is a blessing beyond description. From the majesty of God’s amazing creation to the shared words of friends are all dimensions of God’s grace.
I was thinking of grace today because I was reading Exodus 18 this morning, the story of the encounter of Moses and Jethro his father-in-law. Moses had entrusted his family to Jethro while he led God’s people out of Egypt. Now, they meet in the desert and Moses rehearses all that God had done. Jethro is filled with wonder and thanksgiving.
And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. Exodus 18:9-11
Following this, Jethro observes that Moses has his hands full trying to deal with the many issues that occur in a group of two million people. He gives Moses some wise counsel to divide the people into groups of hundreds, fifties and tens. Matters of social justice and administration would be carried out in these smaller units, and Moses would reserve his intervention for only the most difficult and significant cases.
The interesting thing about this is that if we take these words in Exodus 18 literally, Jethro is just coming to understand that Jehovah is the one and only God. There is no evidence of any divine revelation to Jethro regarding this advice he gives to Moses, nor is there any special prayer meeting to seek God’s will.
Jethro speaks, and Moses gives heed to what he considers wise counsel. The result is a social structure for God’s people that would endure and give good result.
Here’s what I’m thinking. God had just split open the Red Sea for the nation to cross over on dry land and then slammed the sames waters back over Pharaoh’s army, destroying them. God sometimes chooses to overturn the laws of science he himself established to order the universe. No matter how he does this, this is a miracle. This is an act of God’s grace.
Theologians often use the phrase “common grace” to refer to God’s grace that is universally accessible to all. It means that God’s grace is found in the smallest and most common events and features of life. God’s grace can even be extended through those who do not believe. God’s grace can be a miraculous manifestation of his power, or a still small voice echoing in the words of an unbelieving father-in-law. God works through every means imaginable and then some!
I need to remember this. Sometimes I am wanting God to work a miracle or calling out for his grace. Often, his grace is already there in ways I least expected, waiting for me to reach out and receive it.
Can you think of places where you might be overlooking God’s grace?
Skiing My Brains Out!
Not that any of you really care, but today was a fabulous ski day, one of the best ever. After a bunch of fresh snow, today the sun came out, the wind died down and it was absolutely fantastic! Only three of us are left after most of the guys left last night and today. Even when the weather is nasty, I love to ski, but it sure helps to be able to see where you are going. Monday was a good day, but Tuesday it snowed all day, the winds gusted to 60mph and at times the conditions were a pure whiteout. When there is no light you can’t see the contrasting contours of the snow, and you just have to trust your technique and equipment and hope you can see where you are going. Today — no problem!
We skied so hard that after a mere five and half hours we had to stop so we’d have a bit left for tomorrow. Alta is an enormous area, folks, and there’s a bit of everything. Today we tried to ski as much of it as we could. I’ve been skiing this place for over 20 years and it’s fun to see that over the years I’ve done just about every run. I don’t do stupid stuff like drop out of helicopters, and I don’t ski places where you have to hike. There’s a big beautiful bowl that I can see from one of the major lifts here and I look at it longingly every time I go up. It’s the only major bowl here I haven’t skied. That’s because you have to take off your skis and carry them as you climb up the snow for about 25 minutes. I’m a bit old for that, and I was 20 years ago!
If you’re interested, you can check out Alta’s trail map here. The one bowl I’ve never been able to ski is called Devil’s Castle. With a name like that, maybe it’s good I haven’t. Ball Room is a bowl that I really enjoy skiing, and I have also enjoyed skiing a couple of faces, East Greely and West Rustler over the years. The black runs off the Supreme Lift are also nice. Let’s face it, I love it all.
Over the years we have been coming here, we have noticed small groups of older people that are obviously locals and spend a great deal of time skiing together. We’ve often commented that we want to be just like them when we grow up. It’s really nice to see older folks here on the mountain. This morning a gentleman asked for the free senior pass at the ticket window. Not believing he would qualify, the nice young lady in the window told him he had to be 80 to qualify for free senior skiing. He just laughed and showed her his driver’s license. He’s 87!!!!!!
If you’re not interested in skiing, I know you like food. We capped off the day with some delicious Thai food near the hotel where we are in Sandy, Utah. Yummy!
OK, I’m tired now. Goodnight!
Snowy Encounters
The other day I mentioned the treasures of the snow. As you may know by now I love to ski! But, today I am writing about other snowy treasures, those of a more intangible kind
I started coming to Utah to ski over 20 years ago with a few friends from various places, mostly pastors. After a couple of years that group began to disintegrate for various reasons. One year no one was coming except me, so I invited Dean to come skiing with me. He had recently been sent out of KCBT to plant a church in Montana. Over the next few years the group grew, especially as we continued to send men out to plant churches. This became like a combination reunion and revival time. We’ve done this almost every year except for the past three when we grew careless again for whatever reason.
This year we are all together again with some new additions to our little group. There are almost 30 of us here and it has been a blessing! Last night was an amazing time as Mike, a pastor and part time deputy sheriff from Montana shared his story since all of us had been together. Three years ago tomorrow his life changed forever. His son, also a deputy sheriff had responded to a fatality traffic accident. A car had swerved to miss a deer, over corrected a couple of times and finally tumbled down an embankment. Leaving his vehicle, a highway patrol officer quickly stopped him. Puzzled about why he was not allowed to go toward the accident, the officer asked if he did not recognize the car. He learned that his mother had died in the wreck. He then had the responsibility to inform his father, our friend Mike.
Over the next 13 months, this pastor had funerals every month on almost the precise date of his wife’s passing. In this small Montana community, there is only one small cemetery, each time requiring him to minister within sight of his wife’s grave. Normally, he would have at most 3 or 4 funerals a year. It’s hard to imagine the pain.
I have seen many people who never recovered emotionally from lesser tragedies. When I heard this man’s testimony of God’s grace it was for me a confirmation of the reality of our faith. True biblical faith is not about getting what we want from God, but about God’s grace to successfully navigate the trials of life in a world twisted by man’s sin while growing stronger and deeper along the journey. There were few dry eyes in a room of big ugly men.
The good news is that he recently remarried a wonderful woman in his church. His love for the wife he lost is still as real as ever, as is the pain of separation. But, a newfound love, just as real, is a wonderful compensation of God’s grace.
Sometimes we say that no one is irreplaceable. I understand the point, but I disagree. I think that every human being created in God’s image is irreplaceable. We can put someone in the same spot to fulfill the same function, but no one can totally replace another. In my friend Mike’s case, no one could ever take the place of his first wife. However, he has found someone he can love just as passionately; it’s just different. He can still honor his love for his departed wife while loving his new mate just as much in a relationship that is totally new and different.
Later, we all gathered around him, laid hands on him and prayed for him. It was a sweet time. I thought of what Paul said to the Philippians.
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Philippians 2:1-4
The last part of the above passage came to light this morning as one of the gentleman here confessed that he and anotehr man here had gotten sideways with each other a few years ago. Last night they went aside and worked things out, forgiving each other in genuine meekness. Genuine and biblical Christianity does not mean we make no mistakes, hurt no one, or suffer no hurt from others. It means that despite our flaws and those of others, we can apply biblical truth, humble ourselves in lowliness of mind and resolve our issues in the spirit of Christ.
Perhaps the greatest testimony to the spirit of this group is that several of them travel from afar to be here even though they don’t ski. They just want to hang out! This has become an important part of all our lives. I hope you have some friends like this, too. Warning — we’ve only been working at this for about twenty years! Don’t expect friendships like this to just fall into your lap.
Snow Update
I had not bothered to check the weather forecast, so I was not expecting to ski in the snow today. Down below in the city it was a nice partly cloudy day and relatively mild. A cloud hung over the top of the mountains and dumped over a half foot of snow on us today along with winds that gusted to around 60mph at times. Ever had snow blow against your face at that speed? Not only that, it’s beastly hard to see when you are in the middle of a whiteout. But, the snow was fresh and great!
After breakfast this morning we all got together for a Bible study and worship time. We did the same after dinner tonight. It’s been a good time of fellowship together. A couple of the guys with us here have military backgrounds, and one spoke this morning on God’s design for mankind. The other spoke this evening on personal discipline. Both had some very good thoughts to share. Others have given some insightful and inspirational testimonies. We have prayed together, and a man who is with us for the first time in our little group is a former song and music for movie soundtracts writer who has blessed us with some of his own compositions.
I always love these times to get away for the insight God gives me from interacting with the others. And, it is also great to just have some time to do some quality thinking and studying.
Have You Entered Into the Treasures of the Snow?
That’s a question God asked Job in Job 38:22. Job had no answer to that snowy question, but I do — Yes!
I am writing this from Sandy, Utah, on the south side of Salt Lake City. Most importantly it is close to a wonderfully old fashioned ski resort called Alta. That is where I entered into the treasures of the snow today. In fact, 155 inches of snow including a couple of inches that fell last night. What a glorious day! The sun was shining, the snow was unbelievably good and I got back with all my body parts in the same number and places they were when I left this morning. Did I mention that I love to ski?
The most special treasure of this snowy time is connecting with old friends and colleagues. For many years a number of us have met once a year to ski together. We had let a couple of years lapse and so it was great to be back together again. There are approximately 30 of us hanging out together. The core of this group consists of men sent out to plant churches over the years, especially in the western states. Some of them have brought a friend or son. We even have some grandkids here! Most of us share a history of many years of ministry.
I’ll try to keep you posted on our progress these next few days. Who knows, I might even have something profound to say. Don’t hold your breath, but I’ll pass on any significant words I hear. Right now I am think I need to get to bed and get some rest to keep up with these guys. I need to be refreshed because tomorrow I plan on skiing my brains out!