Relaxtion Technique #1

If you guessed this to be in the Florida Keys, you're right.  This is at Fort Jefferson, in the Dry Tortugas.  

The picture doesn't do it justice!

Rise Up

Bruce Springsteen's music is pretty much the soundtrack of my life.  At 16, I didn't know where I was going, but I knew for sure I was "born to run."  It was only in adulthood that I began to understand the prophetic voice that Bruce brings to rock-n-roll.  Right now it's Friday morning and I'm working on the Sunday sermon as I hum a song by "The Boss."  It's the stirring "My City of Ruins" about Asbury Park, a resort town where he'd hung out as a kid (Lyrics included below).

The song is laced with gospel, and begins by mourning the neglect of the city that has become a place of "ruins."   The chorus comes in strong with hints of Nehemiah, imploring the city to "Rise up, rise up, rise up."  Another verse turns to lament a lost love, and the awareness of how neglect led to the "ruins" of the relationship.  

It is the final chorus, though, where the gospel shines through in a prayer for strength, faith, and love that he might use his hands to build up what has been torn down.  It's a fitting song to listen to while you read Isaiah 40.21-31, which ends with, "but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles;  they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  

Isaiah believed in a time when the people of Israel would indeed "rise up" and live in God's might, power, and strength.  He also knew that sometimes we get weary pursuing justice, sometimes we fall, and sometimes we can't make it on our own strength.  The good Word for Sunday's sermon is that no matter how tired you are, God does not grow weak.  God will indeed help you "rise up."

I hope you'll join us for worship this weekend.  Traditional liturgy is at 10:45.  Not-so-traditional is at 11:45.  No matter which service you attend, I'm praying you'll lift your face to the heavens and "rise up."

Listening for the sweet bells of mercy,

Pastor Gary

Isaiah 40.21-31

21 Do you not know? 
       Have you not heard? 
       Has it not been told you from the beginning? 
       Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

 22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, 
       and its people are like grasshoppers. 
       He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, 
       and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

 23 He brings princes to naught 
       and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

 24 No sooner are they planted, 
       no sooner are they sown, 
       no sooner do they take root in the ground, 
       than he blows on them and they wither, 
       and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

 25 "To whom will you compare me? 
       Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.

 26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: 
       Who created all these? 
       He who brings out the starry host one by one, 
       and calls them each by name. 
       Because of his great power and mighty strength, 
       not one of them is missing.

 27 Why do you say, O Jacob, 
       and complain, O Israel, 
       "My way is hidden from the LORD; 
       my cause is disregarded by my God"?

 28 Do you not know? 
       Have you not heard? 
       The LORD is the everlasting God, 
       the Creator of the ends of the earth. 
       He will not grow tired or weary, 
       and his understanding no one can fathom.

 29 He gives strength to the weary 
       and increases the power of the weak.

 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, 
       and young men stumble and fall;

 31 but those who hope in the LORD 
       will renew their strength. 
       They will soar on wings like eagles; 
       they will run and not grow weary, 
       they will walk and not be faint.

My City of Ruins     

 There's a blood red circle

on the cold dark ground
and the rain is falling down.
The church door's thrown open
I can hear the organ's song
But the congregation's gone,
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Now the sweet bells of mercy
drift through the evening trees
Young men on the corner 
Like scattered leaves,
The boarded up windows, 
the empty streets,
While my brother's down on his knees
My city of ruins
My city of ruins

Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up 
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up

Now there's tears on the pillow
Darlin' where we slept,
and you took my heart when you left.
Without your sweet kiss
My soul is lost, my friend
Tell me how do I begin again?
My city's in ruins
My city's in ruins

Now with these hands,
with these hands, with these hands
with these hands, I pray Lord
With these hands, with these hands,
I pray for the strength, Lord
With these hands, with these hands,
I pray for the faith, Lord
With these hands, with these hands,
I pray for the faith, Lord
With these hands, with these hands,
I pray for the faith, Lord
With these hands, with these hands,
I pray for your love, Lord
With these hands, with these hands,
I pray for your faith, Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,
I pray for the strength, Lord
With these hands,
With these hands,

Come on, rise up
Come on, rise up

A Hammer in Heaven

It is earth's loss and heaven's gain that Millard Fuller has passed away.  You may not recognize his name, but I bet you recognize the organization he founded:  Habitat for Humanity.

His life included giving away his fortune in responding to the gospel of Jesus Christ with a kind of radicality I rather envy.  

His life also included creating an organization that has helped more than 300,000 people own a decent home at an affordable price.  

His vision mobilized countless people (like me) to give up Saturdays and vacations to labor alongside other volunteers to build houses and help improve the lives of others.

Most of us will live our lives today focused on feathering our own nests,  but if you're reading this, stop and take a moment to learn how Millard engaged the world with his faith.  Then appreciate your own house and the abundance of your life.  Then ask God to show you ways to help others around you.  

Jesus told his disciples at the last supper, "In my father's house are many mansions.  I go there to prepare a place for you."  Call me hokey, but I've got this strange hunch that Millard is working on one of those mansions in heaven for someone else right now.  Millard heard, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."  Then he picked up his hammer and went to work building a house for someone who will be joining him later.