Happy Independence Day

Happy Independence Day! This 4th of July probably doesn't look like the ones you're used to. It doesn't look like the ones I'm used to. Parades have been cancelled, many places aren't hosting fireworks shows. There are no concerts and the annual events we all look forward to aren't happening. It does feel like a strange way to celebrate our freedom but it got me thinking about the first Independence Day in 1776.

They didn't have fireworks to celebrate the 4th of July, they had gunfire that would soon leads to bombs going off. They weren't gathering for fun, they were gathering to fight. Instead of people raising the flag and talking during the national anthem, they understood the significance of that flag and they were writing the anthem. Instead of parades with lines of people marching down the streets, they had lines of soldiers marching off to war. 

And let's talk about those soldiers for a moment. These weren't battle tested military men but farmers and ranchers and boys not old enough to be called men. These were civilians who didn't have uniforms or proper weapons. What they did have was a belief. The belief that what they were fighting for was worth laying down their lives. A belief that this was for a better future.

Their hope wasn't resting in one man or even a group of men. They may have been trusting our founding fathers and following George Washington into battle but he wasn't why they were fighting. They were fighting because they believed in the Declaration of Independence. They believed that "all men are created equal" and that "we hold these truths to be self-evident". They believed in the rights of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". They believed that everyone should have the right to worship or not worship as they chose. They believed in the right to speak freely and in the right to keep and bear arms so that if any enemy, foreign or domestic, tried to infringe on these rights that we could stand up for them and defend our God-given rights.

These men were ready and willing to lay down their lives to fight for a better future for their loved ones. So often we forget the real reason of 4th of July. We focus on the parties and the barbecues, the baseball games and time spent with family and friends. We love to gather for the fireworks and watch the dirt track or NASCAR races. Yet the only reason we have the right to gather for these things is because of those founding fathers and the soldiers who laid down their lives and the brave men and women who have continued to lay down their lives every day and every 4th of July for the last two hundred and forty-four years.

I don't know what this Independence Day looks like for you. I hope you are still able to gather with loved ones and watch the beautiful fireworks and enjoy some good ole fashioned BBQ and baseball or races. I also hope that when you see the flag waving or the national anthem is sung that you take a moment to stop and thank the Lord for those brave souls who have fought and continue to fight so we can be free. Say a prayer for those who are fighting today and thank the Lord for the sacrifice that allows us to continue flying that symbol of hope and sing that song of freedom.

God bless you and God bless America.

Craftsmen

I know last week was Father's Day. And I didn't forget. I didn't post about it because last week's post was something really on my heart that I didn't want to delay in sharing. Today's post was intended to be my Father's Day post of sorts. It's late because I actually did forget to finish writing it but such is life, here it is.

As I write this I'm staring at wooden wall hanging of a wolf that my great uncle made. He, like many in my family was a craftsmen. I have an extremely high regard for those creative people who take the time to hone their God-given abilities, training their hands and their eyes and cultivating their craft to bring something beautiful about. My dad is a craftsmen, as was his dad and they've passed that on to my brother and one of my cousins. Craftsmen are a rare breed. They take pride in their work, as they should, and they create things that the rest of us can admire.

My dad, like me, is a big fan of C.S. Lewis. Recently he forwarded one of C.S. Lewis' letters about craftsmanship to me. Actually it's a letter from C.S. Lewis to his dad. Let me share an excerpt with you. 

"One feels the people behind them more: the nameless craftsmen in this or that gargoyle which is different from every other."

I love this line so much. Craftsmen are one amazing example of God's creativity. Just as God shapes and loving creates each one of us to be unique and beautiful, craftsmen work tirelessly to manipulate their medium until they get the right angle and the exact edge. They refine their craft and don't stop working until their satisfied with the outcome. Sometimes they're the only ones who notice the subtle differences that make the project beautiful, the little things that make one gargoyle different from the others.

It's a labor of love for these unique people. I've watched my dad work on countless projects. He'll spend hours pouring over the designs, tweaking this here or changing that there. Sometimes he gets frustrated and scraps the whole thing then starts over. Eventually he goes to work, selecting the right wood and making sure he has the right tools. He designs each piece, taking the time to get them right before he assembles them. 

These projects can take huge amounts of time but when he's done he's left with something to be proud of. Recently I realized that his dedication to his craft is a lot like his parenting method. He took the time to teach us each lessons. He spent time with us, shaping us and molding us. Disciplining us when necessary and loving us always. Those countless hours and lessons shaped us into the adults we are today and, like in his wood work, I'm happy to say we've all become people he is proud of.

As God blesses craftsmen with their skills and shapes people into unique creations He gives parents a special responsibility to train up and raise their children. It's not an easy task. And like with working a craft it's a labor of love but done well the finished project will be the best thing you've ever done.

Thanks Dad for being a craftsmen with more then just wood and teaching us all the important things about life and loving the Lord. Happy Father's Day (again). I love you!

The Remnant

There's this amazing story in 1 Kings 18 that shows God's incredible power. It's the story of Elijah defeating the prophets of Baal. But that's not the story we're talking about today. Today we're talking about what happened next. After Elijah's great defeat he fled in fear. It's kind of funny and so very human. But it's still not the story we're talking about.

The story we are talking about is what happened next. After Elijah fled, the Lord gave Him shelter in a cave. The passage is 1 Kings 19:9-18. Most of the time when people study this passage they're talking about how God wasn't in the wind or the earthquake or the fire, God was in the quiet. There's another part of this passage though and it's about why Elijah was in the cave in the first place.

See, Elijah was depressed. Yes, he'd had a great defeat but there were 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah that ate at the queen's table alone. And who stood up to those 850 false prophets? Elijah. Just Elijah. Yes, of course he had God on His side but it was one man against all those others. After the defeat he had this time of depression and when God took him to the cave God asked him, "Why are you here Elijah?" And his response in verse 10 is something we too often overlook.

"I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away."

Elijah felt so alone. He believed that he was the only prophet of the Lord left. Then when God comes to Elijah in the quiet He asks the same question again. "What are you doing here Elijah?" And again he answers similarly in verse 14.

But the Lord sends him back out with instructions and then this encouragement in verse 18. "Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."

And that's the part I love so much. Right now people are struggling. Many have barely left their house in months. Many are angry. Many are scared and are searching for truth. They're are people who feel alone and this is such an amazing reminder that we are not.

We are not alone in this time of uncertainty. God always has remnant of believers that stay faithful to Him. Always. And in recent times it feels like many of those remnant have fallen away but still the faithful will remain. We are being refined by fire friends. So search your hearts and stay faithful to the Lord.

Teaching Faith

A while back my Grandpa called me to tell me he had seen something interesting in his Bible reading that I might want to write about. It's the same story that he's preached countless sermons on and one that I can see affected his and Grandma's lives and their daughter's lives. It's found in 2 Kings 4:1-7

There's a widow of a prophet, one that may have worked with or for Elisha but don't quote me on that. Either way the widow says that her husband revered the Lord. The widow comes to him and says that her husband is dead and that they have no money to pay their debts. Because of this the creditor is coming and he's going to take her two boys and sell them into slavery. She's obviously devastated and desperate. 

The simple answer would have been to just give her some money. Maybe Elisha didn't have money to give her. His first question is "How can I help you?" My first thought would probably be to say I don't know you're the prophet you figure it out! Either that or throw a good old fashioned (pun intended) Biblical fundraiser but God had other ideas how to take care of His servants. 

Elisha next asked her what she had in her house and she replied there was nothing except for "a small jar of olive oil". It's funny but the way I read it is almost as an after thought. 'I've got nothing! Well I do have a little bit of oil but come on Elisha! What's that going to do?' Maybe she wasn't quite as skeptical as me though because here's what happened next.

Elisha told her to go around and ask all the neighbors for empty jars, not just a few so I'm guessing she was supposed to ask for as many as she could find. Then he told her "go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each one is filled, put it to one side." Now I have no idea what she was thinking but she followed the instructions. 

The Bible tells us that she and her sons collected the jars and the oil continued flowing until all the jars had been filled! Afterwards Elisha told her to sell the oil, pay off the debts and there would be enough left over for her and her sons to live off of.

There's several good points in this story, all revolving around faith, but the one that Grandpa pointed out that I can see in his life and his kid's lives? Teaching faith. See when Elisha gave the widow instructions for the miracle that was about to take place he told her to take her sons with her and shut the door. Why? I mean sure, maybe they were the ones who moved the jars but she could've left the jars where they were and moved over to fill each one on her own just as easily. No, the reason, although not spelled out in the Bible for us, I believe is to illustrate the importance of teaching children faith. 

The Bible gives us lots of instructions about teaching children faith and this is one more. Those boys witnessing that miracle, that's something that would be very hard to ever forget. From God's provision to their mother's belief to the oil not stopping it would've left it's mark. 

In the same way I know that my grandparents lived by faith and they taught their five girls to do the same. All five of them have also lived lives of faith and worked to teach their children to do that also. This is why it's so important to let your children see your struggles and your answered prayers. It's teaching them faith.

Stop Talking and Listen

Years ago I was at my grandparents house and my uncle was working on some wiring for them. They needed someone to go into the crawl space to string some wire. I'm slightly claustrophobic and I don't like the dark but armed with a flashlight and the promise that they would keep talking to me I headed down underneath the house. At first everything was fine but then suddenly I couldn't hear anyone anymore. Immediately panic set in. 

I remember I started yelling. "Guys? Can you hear me? Guys!" I was screaming, asking if they could hear me, asking if they were still there. I was terrified. I don't know how long it went on for but it felt like forever until I heard my uncle's voice again, assuring me they were there and that I was okay. 

That's what calmed me down again. Knowing I wasn't alone. That I hadn't been abandoned. That even though I was scared I would be okay because someone I knew and trusted was there to help make sure I got out of that scary situation.

After I got back out of the crawl space I asked my aunt and uncle what had happened. Why had they stopped talking all of the sudden? Where had they gone? Do you know what he told me? My uncle said something along the lines of, "Sweetheart, we were there the whole time. We were talking to you but you were screaming so loud you couldn't hear us."

Recently I started thinking about that in relation to prayer. So often we pray and ask God for this or that but then we don't stop to listen for His answer. We ask and ask and ask but we're so busy talking we don't listen. We're panicking about what we don't have, what He hasn't given us or why He hasn't provided that we don't stop and just listen for what He is saying. What He has given us or how He has already started to provide. 

It doesn't mean we always get the answer we want. Sometimes the answer is no. Or not right now. Sometimes He says wait. Other times it's a yes but we're so distracted we don't even hear it. It makes we wonder how many answered prayers I've missed over the years. How many times do I ask for something and then forget about it, I get so distracted I don't even remember to say thank you. Now I know that there are a lot of times that God answers prayers we haven't asked. How many more of those have I missed?

Most importantly, no matter what the answer is, I don't have the reminder that I am not alone. He always listens to my prayers and He always there for me. He's always the One that I can trust who will never abandon me. The more time I take to listen the more I am reminded of those facts and everything in life is better when I keep that in mind.

There's no way to know how many times I've missed an answer to pray. There is a way to change it in the future though. It's time that I stopped talking so much and spent some time listening instead. I'll be more likely to hear the answers to prayer, I'll be more grateful when I do and I'll be reminded that I'm not alone and He hasn't abandoned me. That's a whole lot of good things that just come from me being quiet and listening.

Creation's Wonders and Artisan's Beauty

If you've been following this blog for any amount of time you probably know by now that I'm a big C.S. Lewis fan. What you may not know is that my dad is a fan too. (Mom's a fan also FYI so I definitely come by it naturally.) Dad gets emails from a great organization called "Letters of C.S. Lewis" that send out excerpts of letters C.S. Lewis had written. A while back Dad forwarded me one of the letters, letting me know that there was a good blog post in there.

He was right, as usual, actually I found two blog posts in the letter excerpt but one thing at a time. Today's post involves the subject that Dad pointed out. C.S. Lewis wrote to his father about how Salisbury looked in the moonlight. He talks about the shadows and the light and how it's highlights the wonderful simplicity of the structure that makes it so different from Wells. I think it's those very differences that cause him to say that Salisbury repelled him at first.

He goes on to say "Doesn't Kipling talk of the Taj-Mahal as 'a sigh made marble'? One the same metaphor might say that Wells is an age made into stone and Salisbury is a petrified moment. But what a moment! The more one looks the more it satisfies."

The thing that Dad pointed out and that struck my interest also is the beauty of what the artist creates. Monuments, cities, paintings, statues, all these incredible things that are created and are absolutely beautiful. We talk about them, dream about them, we build entire museums to display them.

And yet all of these beautiful things pale in comparison of creation. Think about it. What else do we build in order to display beautiful things that fascinate us? Zoos. Aquariums. We have entire careers made of photographing and displaying pictures of people and landscapes. Not to mention the fact that when we look at some of these things that we call art the flip side of what we see is the depravity of some of man’s creation. Then we look at the creation of earth, the plants, the stars, the order and splendor and vastness of the universe and the things that man has created while still beautiful, pale in comparison to the vastness and splendor of our God and Creator. We will never be as fascinated with things like architecture as we are with creation because as amazing and beautiful as man made things are they will never compare to the wonder of creation.

So next time you're walking through a city look around, notice the beauty and thank God for the imagination and skill he gave to those who built it. But also take the time to notice the beauty of creation, everything from the people you're walking by to the clouds in the sky to the brilliance of the rivers, lakes, mountains, oceans or deserts that you come across.

He is to be worshiped in all of this not just creativity he has blessed people with and the beauty of what He has created but the unfathomable variety that he has created.  Everything from an earthworm to a human to an entire universe which Psalms tell us he suspends in the sky and holds it in place by his own hand. 

Memorial Day 2020

This Memorial Day my dad offered to write something for this blog. As a retired Navy serviceman he seemed like a good person to speak on the subject. Below are his words. Thanks Dad and I hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day.

Memorial Day – This coming Monday is the day that we have chosen as a nation to honor those that have given their life in battle while defending the freedoms that we hold sacred in our United States of America.  For 244 years since the Declaration of Independence was ratified in the Continental Congress, these values have guided out Country.  The right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.  The Declaration of Independence along with the Constitution of the United States of America have stood for a land that gives hope and light to the world.  In just six of the cemeteries in Europe there are over 35,000 American Servicemen that gave their lives to liberate Europe from the grip of dictators attempting control of the world.  

Those 35,000 American Patriots are just a tiny example of the Servicemen and Servicewomen that gave their live in one conflict, WWII. This sacrifice has been going on for 244 years.  And continues today.  Whether we agree with the way our country chooses to come to the aid of other countries or not, the American Serviceman has placed their life on the line since the inception of our Nation.  Let’s show our honor and respect for those that have died in battle.  

As a retired American Serviceman I think of the many members of my own family that have fought in every war and conflict in which America has participated.  When we take our oath of office we never know when we may be called upon to pay the ultimate price for the freedom that we are fighting for.  We freely give our time and in some cases our lives to bring that freedom.  

It occurs to me as well that we are following an example laid down 2000 years ago by the Savior of all humanity.  Jesus Christ willingly and freely gave his life to provide for salvation and freedom from death.  As we honor our fallen American Servicemen and Servicewomen let us also give thanks and gratitude for a savior that willingly died on the cross to offer the ultimate freedom to every individual in the world.

Please take time this Memorial Day to give thanks for the freedom bought with the blood of American Service men and women, and give some thought to our Savior Jesus Christ that will, if you ask give you freedom from death and an eternal life of joy and peace. 

John Kirk – US Navy Retired, and a Child of the Living God