DANCING ON THE FEET OF GOD

If you are the Daddy of a little girl or if you are the little girl of a Daddy, then you probably have experienced the joy dancing with each other in a unique way.

My girls are now 17 and 9 years old, so we don’t do this much anymore, and I must say I miss it, but when they were smaller we would have music playing and we would dance. Sometimes just a silly jig, sometimes mimicking square dancing, but the most fun was when they would place their little feet on top of mine while holding onto my hands. We would then waltz around the room like the finest of ballroom dancers. Not that I am an experienced dancer...by no stretch of the imagination could I be called even an amateur, but, we had fun none the less. The fun for them was to move about the room without exerting any force; Daddy moved them around, Daddy lifted their feet, Daddy made the moves, Daddy’s strength was what enabled them to dance.

When we said “Yes” to God, having accepted His Son, Jesus, as our Savior, we became His children. We start our prayers, just as Jesus taught His disciples, with “Our Father”.

If we have been honest with ourselves, we have understood that we are helpless in our sin condition. We can do nothing to make it better...of ourselves.

You see, God has a dance that He is quite fond of; it’s called righteousness. It is a way to live, a way to be, a way to exist. It is also a way beyond our grasp as sinful humans. Through no fault of their own, when my daughters were little, they didn’t know the dance steps. In order to dance the dance they had to rely on Daddy. And guess what? Daddy didn’t mind. Daddy didn’t get mad and say, “Because you don’t know how to dance our relationship is over!”  No, Daddy took his little girl by the hands and said, “Stand on Daddy’s feet, sweetheart, and Daddy will make you dance!”

God is not mad at us, not even people who have no relationship with Him. But, He cannot deny Who He is and what His standard is, His Dance. This Dance must be danced by everyone who would see Him. Enter the Lord of the Dance, Jesus. Jesus showed how the Dance was done. He knew/knows the steps because He is the choreographer as well as the composer of the music that goes with the Dance. He is also the dance teacher, but better yet...He is our Daddy.

He says to us, “Stand on Daddy’s feet, sweetheart, and Daddy will make you dance!”

Think about it.

Listening to God

For the past few weeks I've been asking God the same question -

             "What do you want me to do for You?"

I teach from time to time in a class that is really a great bunch of people. Very diverse folks...people way on the left and people way on the right and people who either are truly moderate, or just aren't sure, which is OK, too.

So, I get an email from a someone who I don't know very well, but consider her a friend nonetheless. I knew her husband before I knew her and his parents are friends who sit in the class that I mentioned. Anyway, she extended an invitation to my family and me to move to Texas and be a part of a core leadership team to plant a church. I was blown away by the invitation, and was also taken aback. Was this God answering my question?

A week or so later I got a phone call from the brother who seems to be the one who spearheads this church planting dynamic. We talked for about 30 minutes or so and had a very good conversation. I told him that I (we) were willing to go wherever God wants us to go, but He would have to make it VERY clear, leaving no questions or doubts about it.

The past 2 years (give or take a couple of months) have been difficult for my family. We have experienced some serious financial difficulties, but thanks to some incredible friends, we stayed solvent. We experienced no loner being a part of a business/ministry that seemed to go in a direction that was not part of the original plan. This was partly my fault and partly our partners. I have had questions for God with no answer. I have been angry with God with no response from Him. This last Friday our washing machine went down for the count, so my wife had to run to a local laundromat to wash some clothes. So I went to the garage to check out the washer...to no avail. So I started on a rant to God..."What are doing to us? What have we done to deserve all this crap that's happened? God, if You don't show up soon, I'm just gonna walk away!" The whole time I was just angry and spoke out of that anger...so it didn't mean much...just the ramblings of an idiot.

Later, after my wife got home and I had calmed down, I received the phone call from the ministry guy I mentioned earlier. Very good, calming conversation. After the call I stepped outside for fresh air. It was nice, but cloudy, so cloudy that even in the dark you could see the clouds...except directly over my head. I looked up and there was a hole in the clouds and centered in the hole was the Big Dipper. I smiled as saw it and heard in my head, "I'm going to pour out a blessing on you." Just like that.

I don't pretend to know what that meant, I'm not even sure what it could mean, but it was real...more real than the lunatic rant I went on only a couple of hours before. He made me aware of His presence and interest in my life and that He has something planned. I write this for those of you who may be in the same situation as I've been in the past couple of years.

He's there...He cares...and He has something for you.

Think about it.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

I discovered Dietrich Bonhoeffer about 18 years ago as a result of Steven Curtis Chapman's album, "For the Sake of the Call". He mentioned in the liner notes that he had been inspired to write the songs on this project as a result of having read Bonhoeffer's "The Cost of Discipleship". I knew I had to read it, and after having done just that, I became forever a follower/reader of all things Bonhoeffer.

With that being said, when I requested a copy of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas, I didn't realize what an incredible reading experience I was about to have. I have read much about Bonhoeffer over the years, as well as most of what he wrote, but I have never read such an interesting, engaging account of his life. I have even read Dietrich Bonhoeffer by Eberhard Bethge, who was one of Bonhoeffer's closest friends as well as member of the family by marriage...but, Metaxas' account is, by far, the best I have ever read.

He shows the history of Germany as a culture; academically, scientifically and theologically. He shows the reader how Germany was ripe for the ascent of a monster like Adolph Hitler as a result of World War I. The German people were disenchanted, disheartened and nationally emasculated by their defeat, so when a man making the promises of a Fatherland restored to it's pre-Kaiser glory came to light, they ravenously accepted him. This was the Germany in which Bonhoeffer came of age, both physically and theologically.

Metaxas brings to light letters, interviews and people in Bonhoeffer's life that I had never seen, or heard of, before. The passion that developed within the heart of the young Lutheran pastor and scholar is almost tangible as you read his efforts to hold the Church accountable in Hitler's Germany. The boldness that developed in his mind and heart only intensified as the times grew more and more difficult for the Church, and for him personally. The prophetic tenor that came from the voice and pen of this young man should never be forgotten, and thanks to Eric Metaxas, the information will always be available for the next generation of the brave and the bold within Christendom to learn from.

I HIGHLY recommend this book for the Bonhoeffer "fan" as well as the 20th Century history student. Metaxas presents the information with vivid detail and puts the necessary spiritual emphasis where needed. Read it, digest it and recommend it...but never give it away. This is a book that should be read and re-read if for no other reason than to remind us that God has always raised up men to speak the truth no matter the consequences.

I am a member of the Nelson Book Review Blogger program. 

Book Review: The Vertical Self by Mark Sayers

When I received this book, I was pretty excited simply by the fact that Leonard Sweet wrote the forward. When I actually engaged the book itself, I was more than pleased and challenged. 
The angle Mark Sayers took on this subject was very interesting, and that angle is this: For far too long people in general, and Christians specifically, have taken their cues of who they are from a horizontal reference, i.e., their peers and culture around them. He used the oft used terms, "cool, sexy and glamorous" as cultural idioms that we use to describe everything from an actor or actress to a car to a political perspective. 

Sayers feels, and I think rightly so, that we find the REAL us when we find God's view of us and what He wants for us. This book truly challenged me from the angle that, I too, have been guilty of wanting to appear to be the "cool Christian" as opposed to the stereotypical "nerdy Christian" that seems to always be played out in front of us, whether it is the TV preacher with the bad suit and hairstyle or the dorky neighbor praying and answering everything with "Hi-diddly-doh"! Sayers even addresses how churches can fall for this image projecting malady that has befallen the world, which on one hand is refreshing to see, because then we can recognize the feet of clay that traditional Christianity can have, but it is also sad to realize how weak the church has been to allow this to happen. 

I would really recommend this book to anyone, but especially to followers of Jesus and leaders within the Jesus Movement. Read it, take it to heart and realize that to follow Jesus is above and beyond cool, sexy and glamorous. 

I am a Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogger.