Come Thou Fount Wordle

If You . . .

Thomas a Kempis, a Catholic monk from the 15th century and author of The Imitation of Christ penned a beautiful prayer that I clumsily set to music a few years back and attempted to sing. The words express our need for utter dependence upon God. Steve Camp has posted a hymn by Isaac Watts with a similar cry on his blog.

The words are below, and a video with the song entitled "If You" follows . . .

O Lord there can be no goodness in us
if You withdraw Yourself
No wisdom can benefit us if You cease to guide
No strength can preserve us if You no longer defend
No purity can be secure if You do not guard it

No watchfulness of our own can protect us
if You don't keep watch
If You abandon us we are soon lost

But if You come to us with Your grace
We're lifted up to live again

We are weak but You make us strong
We are cold and dull but by You we are set ablaze

Boys Need Dads Need Boys

Three years ago, my oldest son (then almost 12) and I took a father-son trip to Colorado. We went to the Holy Cross Wilderness area near Minturn and hiked up Notch Mountain for a spectacular view of Mount of the Holy Cross. The real purpose of the journey, however, was to create something special for my son. At the top of Notch Mountain there is a small shelter house built from the surrounding stone. After a pretty strenuous hike all morning, I presented my son with three things: A journal, a knife, and a stone.

The journal contained transcribed letters from some important men in his life: grandfathers, uncles, friends. There were also a few pages from me. We wrote to him about the meaning of manhood and the priority of a God centered life.

The blade of the bone-handled knife was inscribed in Latin on both sides. One side read: Ego et rex meus (I and my God). The other side read: Contra mundum (against the world).

The stone had a very special significance. The previous year, I had taken a solo motorcycle trip to Utah and while I was there I gathered five water-smoothed stones from a stream up in the mountains. Now it just so happens that I have five sons. In my prayers for them, I have often thought of them as the five smooth stones David collected from the stream before facing Goliath. I imagine he intended each one to deliver a death blow to some nasty giant. Kind of in the same way, I pray that God would use each of my boys to scatter bad guys like doubt, compromise, fear, deception and darkness in people's lives. I told my son how that stone represented God's desire to use him to slay giants.

That evening, off the mountain, we had prime rib in Leadville and celebrated the day. The whole trip was hugely meaningful for both of us. I think it has contributed much to the way we communicate and relate to each other even to this day.

Which brings me to this: Within a few weeks, I will be taking my second oldest son on the same trip. I can't wait!

The longer I live and the more people I observe, the more I am convinced of the absolute importance of fathers to sons. Not just that they have one, but that they have one who pays attention to who they are and how they're growing, what they're good at and how they think, what their strengths are and where they're weak. I'm learning also how much I need these boys. They are teaching me so much, or perhaps God is teaching me through them. Either way, I would hate to go through life without them.

Thanks, Monkey

Just for fun...go to the park...talk to squirrels....do the "All That Matters" dance. Check it:




:)

Suffering is, like, so good.

While reading some Spurgeon this weekend, I was reminded of the blessing of suffering.

Where else but in trials do we begin to know our weaknesses and God's strength? So, as much as I can, I want to glory in my (MANY) weaknesses. It seems counter-intuitive, but it really makes sense. Spurgeon wrote: "He whose life is one even and smooth path, will see but little of the glory of the Lord, for he has few occasions of self-emptying, and hence, but little fitness for being filled with the revelation of God."

Think about it: In times of worship, do you rejoice for the times of ease and contentment? Do you instead find yourself remembering the darkest nights, the most pressing trials and the grievous sins out of which God has rescued you?

I refuse to pray for a life of ease, when all I need to pray for is His presence, and to learn to be content apart from contentment. Precious metals left in the earth are safe and untroubled as they remain unmoved within the surrounding stone. They are also worthless. But once disturbed, dug out and refined in fire, they become pure and then their true glory shines. So it is with us and His glory.

After all, part of knowing Christ is sharing in His sufferings (see Philippians 3:10).

Great Grandpa John and Monkey Arms

This is my great-grandpa John. I like this picture of him for a couple of reasons. First, it's kind of fun to imagine him standing there in the grass, waiting for this photo to be taken, little knowing that he'd have a great-grandson one day who would cherish the resulting picture. Second, this shot gives a great view of great-grandpa John's long arms and big hands. And that's cool because I'm built the same way.


I remember as a kid riding around in my grandpa George's (John's son) Chevy truck. Grandpa always drove below the speed limit, so I had plenty of time to observe things, and oddly enough, the thing that sticks in my mind is the way his hands held the steering wheel. This wasn't really a big deal until one day much later in life when I was driving and I happened to cast a glance at my hands on the steering wheel, looking exactly like grandpa George's. John, George and Blaine - the same hands.

So DNA has built into me reflections of my ancestors. I think our spiritual formation happens in much the same way. In fact, it's encouraged:

" Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me - put it into practice." Philippians 4:9

and...

"Remember your leaders, who spoke the Word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." Hebrews 13:7

I can very easily name for you the people that have passed on to me their "spiritual DNA." The ones I've watched since I was a child; the ones I've imitated and patterned my life after. Some of me came from part of them. These are the people that taught me how to pray, how to be honest, how to love God in every moment, how to be thankful, how to be devoted, how to be joyful, and how to love my wife. Role models are hugely important, but even more important is the responsibility to be one. The duty and obligation is mine to live circumspectly and wisely because I have sons to raise and other young people that are watching me very closely. Someday, they'll be driving along life's road and glance down at themselves and recognize something that they once saw in me. Hopefully, what they see will be a reflection of Christ.

Chills and Tears

That song did it again. I haven't heard this song in a few years, having lost the CD (rats!), but I remember that every time I'd listen to it, I would be stirred by the first few notes and the stirring wouldn't stop until the song was finished. So this morning I find Phil's video for "Maker of the Universe" and the chills and tears begin again as he sings the first two lines . . .

Parenting, A Great Chance To Be Godly (or not)

I don't know how many times I've found myself praying that God would help me to be the kind of father He is. I mean, if I'm going to be a great dad (and with five sons I need to be), I must exhibit patience, wisdom, compassion, strength and offer protection, discipline, shelter and assurance.

I've read books on parenting, watched the videos, listened to the sermons. Most of it was pretty good stuff, but nothing has taught me more about being "dad" than paying attention to the Heavenly Father. I guess it's the whole "grace" thing. I'm convinced that one of the chief purposes of grace is to keep us appropriately humble. Further, Paul tells Titus that it's grace that teaches us to say "no" to ungodliness. Probably because through grace we realize how totally depraved we are (and therefore undeserving) and how precious it is to be called to salvation. So, it follows that as we say "no" to rotten parenting, grace can also teach us to say "yes" to parenting the way our Father does.

If any Christian would take a minute and observe the actions of the Heavenly Father in their life, it would quickly become apparent that God is GOOD at being a Father: He's always there for me when I need to talk, He's involved in my daily life, He's interested in what I'm doing, I can't hide anything from Him, He doesn't let any rotten behavior slide by without discipline, He's patient when I'm learning, He endures my fits and He is utterly dependable.

As humans, we'll never be perfect parents. As Christians, we have a perfect Parent. There could be no more appropriate prayer than, "God, help me to be a father like you are."