Always Learning, Always Growing

The idea of arriving at a point in life and then settling there and no-longer progressing spiritually simply does not fit with Christianity.

Stagnation is not Christian. 

The idea that you’ve arrived at some kind of a spiritual plateau where somehow it’s OK to just stop learning, stop growing,

…to just push back from the table and say “I’m good…”

…or to dust-off your hands and think that you’ve arrived

is not normal Christianity.

It’s common in our culture, tragically.

It happens a lot.

But it’s a shame because that’s not the way it is…even in heaven.

And it’s certainly not the way it should be here.

[from the up-coming book, “Kingdom Come: Seven Ways to Experience Resurrection Here and Now” ]

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Resurrection in the Target Parking Lot

So, what do you do with your cart?

You’re in the Target parking lot, you’ve unloaded your ice cream and your paper towels and then what?  Do you just toss the cart to the curb?  Just send it – wheels wobbling – somewhere in the vicinity of the nearest tree?  Do you?

Why? 

Is it because that’s what everybody else does? Is it because you think you’re too important to walk 30 feet to the little cart return corral?  Is it because you think that’s below you?   That’s some kid’s job?

Let’s get very practical.

This is the moment when you either reject service as a symbol of punishment and inferiority or you embrace service as inherently good.

What?!  Are you trying to make returning grocery carts a spiritual thing? 

No, I’m trying to remind you that serving is a Christian thing.

Before serving was cool, it was Christian.  Before feeding the hungry was a 5K with a t-shirt, it was Christian.

Yes, the cart thing matters to me because I’m Christian.

And Christians serve.  That’s what we do.

We were serving in Genesis 2.  We’ll be serving in Revelation 22.

Why?

Social reasons?  Evangelistic reasons?  Moral reasons?

Ya, all that.

But most importantly: eschatological reasons.

We serve here and now because we will serve then and there.

By serving someone, you can bring something of Heaven to earth today. 

[from chapter 4 of Kingdom Come: Seven Ways to Experience Resurrection Here and Now, due out Easter 2014]

The Eighth Day

“They have given up keeping the Sabbath, and now order their lives by the Lord’s Day instead – the Day when life first dawned for us, thanks to Him and His death.”

– St. Ignatius of Antioch, AD107

Like the Rising Sun at Dawn

In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet on the road of peace.  – Zechariah, Luke 1

Blessed be Jesus Christ, whose saving light shines upon us like the rising sun at dawn.