Come Home...

Jeremiah 29:7 "And seek peace for the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in it's peace you will have peace."  The imagery here of the Israelites in Babylon brings to mind the reality of our sojournings in the places the Lord sends us.  Peter reminds us of the reality that we are aliens in the land but for a short while, and then on to eternity.  The time passes so quickly. We chase and chase and chase and spin and spin and turn and turn...to what end? Focused on ourselves most of the time, yet with each passing hour the things of eternity become neglected, lay fallow, weeded over and good for nothing.  Turn our hearts back to you oh Lord!  You tell us that You think of us, have thoughts of us, plans for us. Plans for a future and a hope of eternity.  Your covenant to me..."And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive" Je 29:14 NKJ

I, says the Lord will bring you Home.  What is holding you captive today?

Prodigal Son...

Fascinating take on Luke 15...Are you an older Son?  The younger came back.  Was the older really ever "with" the Father?  Did he ever join the banquet? - Thanks to Tim Keller for stirring His presence in me in fresh and provocative ways...

In the Vineyard...

What a rich week for me reflecting on God’s Faithfulness...The words of Jeremiah leaped off the pages for me.  Consider these words he penned for the Kings of Israel and Judah:

    Je 1:16 “you have worshipped the work or your own hands” (New King James)
    Je 2:8 “you have walked after things that do not profit”

What’s the result? Jeremiah tells us:

    Je 4:18 - “your ways and your doings have procured these things (read pain and hardship) for you.”

How about that for a two by four! What about us today?  How do we pursue things that are unprofitable? Where do we put our time and talent and treasure?  Culturally today we chase after the thrill of immediate gratification. We have almost instantaneous access to everything, anytime and anywhere. God reminds us that the things of eternal value take time to develop.  Preparing, planting, watering and pruning all precede the harvest and they take committed energy and discipline over time.

Oh, that I'd want to spend more time in the Vineyard ....

Some People say it Better...

From my friend and colleague Jeff Veal on the power of presence in our children's lives...

Lyrics that pierce the heart!

I make up lyrics to songs sometimes, filling in the words when I forget the correct ones (my children often make fun of me for it...especially Morgan!).  Words are powerful - evoke such great pictures and can pierce your heart, especially when the Spirit convicts us of our failings. The words of Cat Steven's "Cats in the Cradle" and Casting Crowns' "American Dream " pierce my heart as a father. What are we chasing? http://www.christian-gospelmusiclyrics.com/contemporary/casting-crowns/american-dream-lyrics.html

Pr 27:23-24

Foundational Truth...

 Investing in Jerusalem...Resources to Champion Spiritual Leadership in the Home

Deuteronomy 6:5-7 (NIV)

5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

....More to follow...

Where's your Jerusalem?

"You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem
lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach....So they said let us rise up and build. Then they set their hands to this good work" Ne2:17-18.  I've been thinking lately about where our Jerusalem is? Nehemiah was so passionate about his home and the home of the Lord that he wanted to shore it up...against overwhelming opposition both from without the city and within.  What are we as zealous about? Willing to sell out for? Defy the odds? Swim up stream? Battle the tide? I submit that investing in our heritage, our children, is our Jerusalem.  We can become soooooo consumed with "out there" or "over there" that we take our eye off what's immediately in front of us, our children....