a2’s men’s group met this morning for the start of the spring semester. As we shared our dreams and goals for 2010, a recurring theme was calling: “I want to know what my purpose is”; “I don’t want to wonder what I’m supposed to do; I want to be certain”; “It’s time for me to use my talents.” Not all of us spoke this aloud, but I suspect all but two or three in the group could say that we either need help in identifying our calling or we need to get moving in what we know. The “two or three” I excluded seem to me to be clear on what God has called them to do, and they are purposeful about moving forward in that. In my experience, the men with clarity and forward motion are the rarities, and as much I would like to say I’m one of them, I have to be honest and say that I’m not.

I drove home from Panera feeling rather heavy, thinking, Okay, Dan, you’re almost 46; time to get it together and Dude, what’s your problem? What a blessing it was, then, to sit down and listen to Pray-as-you-go's devotional for today, which focused on 2 Timothy 1:1–9. It seems we’re not alone in lacking clarity and forward motion; look at what Paul tells Timothy right at the start of this letter: “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God,” or as The Message says, “And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze!”

Imagine this: you are a young man, and the world’s greatest missionary and evangelist takes a special interest in you. He spends time with you and your family, gets to know you, and eventually, he even lays hands on you and prays for God’s giftings and calling to be made evident in your life. Most of us would think that’s a sure ticket to spiritual power and performance: the Apostle Paul himself prayed for you. And yet we see that Timothy, like many (most?) of us, struggles to live out what’s inside.

I don’t know about you, but I take a lot of comfort in Timothy’s struggle, and I’m grateful that the Holy Spirit saw fit to include these details of Timothy’s life for all of us to read and learn from. For one, it reminds me that spiritual pedigree or connectedness here on earth is no guarantee of success: if the prayer and anointing of an apostle doesn’t do it, what can? And of course, I’m reminded that even those who spent time with Jesus daily couldn’t get or keep it together all the time.

So to Dude, what’s your problem? I say, Lighten up! I’m in good company.

But I can’t stop there: such a response, though accurate, becomes an excuse by itself. And fortunately, Paul doesn’t stop with “get it together, Timothy!” He goes on with some encouragement: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (NKJ). What a great promise! This tells me God has provided what I need to have clarity and forward motion in my own calling.

It will take me some time to unpack what’s in this promise, but I don’t have to fully get it to be strengthened by it. Today I can remind myself, “I have power, love, and a sound mind.” And that’s a step forward.

I took Zachary to see Amazing Grace yesterday afternoon–wow! I was deeply moved, challenged, and encouraged. I had heard of Wilberforce through my studies of British literature, but I didn’t know much about him. It was exciting to see a man of faith and conviction portrayed as a hero–and he should be, because he did something profound. I also appreciated the opportunity to learn more about Olaudah Equiano, the former slave; I’ve read and taught parts of Equiano’s autobiography in my American literature courses, but I was not aware of the extent of his involvement in the anti-slavery movement in England.

I’ve wanted to see the film since it opened, and I wanted to take Zack, but he was not particularly interested, and I hadn’t found a good time to go. As usual, though, the timing was perfect, and I can see that the Holy Spirit had a hand in it. I had just finished reading about having a vision for one’s life in Live Your Calling, which Teddie and I are using in a small group we attend this semester, and Amazing Grace shows vision and calling in action in a spectacular way. It is good to be reminded that one person can change the world–though I’m mindful that Wilberforce didn’t work alone, and the film makes that clear. He was surrounded by those who shared his vision and labored with him. Still, it was his persistence and determination–dogged determination is more apt–that bore fruit.

Amazing Grace is just the sort of film that I want my children exposed to: I want Zack to see the power of vision and passion, to see the legacy that a man of conviction can leave, and so to stir his vision for what he can do. I know it did that for me.

You can learn more about the film and Wilberforce at the official site for the film.

Last night over coffee, a group of us were talking about God’s plans for our lives and learning to wait while the plans unfold. The conversation turned to Joseph and Moses, who both knew God had called them to something great and yet waited a long time to see it come about.

What did these men do while they waited, Joseph in slavery and prison, Moses in the wilderness? Did Moses have aspirations to one day return to Egypt and free his people, or did he settle down into family and work, assuming that was all that was left for his life? We’re not told how Moses knew he was to deliver Israel, but Stephen tells us that “He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand” (Acts 7:25); clearly, Moses sensed a divine destiny.

In contrast, Joseph had two vivid dreams that showed him he was destined for great authority; he knew from God that something was ahead. And, unlike Moses, we get to see a little more of the process with Joseph. The story of Moses fast-forwards 40 years to the burning bush, and we don’t know much about what happened then.

Joseph can give us some insights into the journey from dream to reality. One thing that stands out in Joseph’s story is that he did his work with excellence. Genesis 39 tells us

The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master. His master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field.

God’s favor on Joseph brought him success, and that favor spilled over to Potiphar, Joseph’s master. Toward the end of the chapter, we read about Joseph’s time in prison:

But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the prison put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners who were in the prison. Whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. The keeper of the prison paid no attention to anything that was in Joseph’s charge, because the Lord was with him. And whatever he did, the Lord made it succeed.

Scripture does not tell us directly that Joseph was a man of excellence, but it seems a reasonable inference: God had to have something on which to put His favor, and it seems unlikely that He would have blessed half-hearted or shoddy work by Joseph.

And so we see that Joseph put himself into whatever was at hand: sold as a slave, he worked diligently for his owner; thrown into prison for a crime he didn’t commit, he did something that distinguished himself to the keeper of the prison. He acted, and God blessed him with His favor. I wonder if Joseph had his dreams in mind, thinking that the authority he gained in these positions was moving him toward that greater authority of his family bowing before him.

Perhaps. But I doubt it. I suspect that instead, Joseph had an attitude that allowed him to make the best of a bad situation. He demonstrates the principle that Paul repeats in Colossians 3:

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (v. 17)

and

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (v. 23–24)

How often do we say, “When the time comes, I’ll give it all I’ve got, but right now, I’m just biding my time”? And the time doesn’t come, because we’ve not done anything to show ourselves faithful. Instead, we need to say, “This is the time, and so I’ll do my best. Who knows what doors might open up?” To put it another way, instead of waiting for destiny to come, waiting for the dream to manifest, we can prepare ourselves for the demands of that dream by “working heartily, as for the Lord.”

from Lent and Easter Wisdom: In the passage for today, the Pope works from Mark 10:33, “We are going up to Jerusalem.” He says, “This journey to Jerusalem…is the model for the Christian who is committed to following the Master on the way of the Cross.”

This prompted me to read Mark’s account of Jesus’ journey to his crucifixion. I hesitated to write “to his crucifixion,” though Mark 10 is the third time that Jesus clearly predicts His death to the disciples. Yes, Jesus knew He was headed for death, and He knew that His death was necessary. My hesitation comes from the fact that Jesus didn’t go to die, He went, in the words of John Paul, “to complete his redemptive mission.” Did that mission include dying on the cross? Absolutely! But it was so much more. This journey of Lent is not about dying to or denying myself; it’s about completing my mission. Like Jesus, I must die to myself along the way, but in neither case is death the goal; it’s a part of the journey and a means to an end. I can’t help but think that Jesus’ knowledge of the end goal–salvation–kept Him going along the way; it put the suffering in perspective. Thus, we don’t suffer for the sake of suffering; we suffer for the sake of the call God has placed on our lives.

So, I read from Mark 10 through the end of the gospel to see what sort of model Jesus provides for the journey. What stood out to me most clearly is that Jesus always did things on His own terms–that is, He never let others set the agenda for Him. On several occasions, His opponents tried to trap Him, but he never engaged them on their level; yet, when asked a sincere question about the greatest commandment, Jesus responded in kind.

Though it sounds counter-intuitive to say so, Jesus was able to put aside offense and anger–that is, to put aside self–by having a very clear sense of Himself. Consider what leads us to engage those who anger or offend; it’s a desire to defend, to be right, or to prove our point. Mark shows us that Jesus was sure of His identity: He is comfortable receiving the acclamation of the crowds in the triumphal entry and the anointing with oil at Bethany, and He makes clear that He is the Son of God, not the Son of David. The longer I teach, the more comfortable I become with students who challenge my authority. Early in my career, I took offense and got defensive; while the students are often inappropriate in their tone, the real problem was my insecurity in my teaching ability. Now that I’ve taught for over twelve years, I can see the student’s immaturity for what it is without acting immaturely myself.

These two surely go together: Jesus sticking with His plan and His sense of Himself. The third thing I observe is that even though Jesus looked to His friends for comfort and support, He didn’t rely on them. Rather, He entrusted Himself to God. It’s amazing to me that He is able to predict desertion and betrayal and yet He isn’t moved from His path. The fact is, our friends, family, spouses, pastors–people we believe in and count on will disappoint us. Even in Gethsemene, Jesus’ response isn’t “What’s wrong with you guys! What sorry friends you are!” Instead, He encourages them to do better.

This is timely insight for me (though that should hardly be surprising–the Holy Spirit’s timing is impeccable!); I’ve seen the need for all three of these traits just since reading Mark this morning. If indeed Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem is a model for own journeys, I am ready to go, because I see a real need to be like Jesus!

We went to the Upward basketball celebration tonight; Isaac, our first-grader, played a team sport for the first time and loved it. He told me yesterday, after his last game (in which he made his first basket!), that he would play Upward basketball every year until he graduates from high school and goes to college to become a zoo keeper. Zack played Upward basketball and soccer several years ago, and Anna is looking forward to serving as a cheerleader when she is old enough.

Upward leagues are church-sponsored and focus on teaching children sportsmanship, basic skills of the particular sport, and–most importantly–the gospel message. Players memorize scriptures each week, and practice always includes a devotional of some sort. We chose Upward for our boys for all these reasons as well as the fact that winning is kept in perspective: every kid plays an equal amount of time, regardless of skill, and so no one ends up warming the bench. There’s a time when the goal of the team should be fielding the best possible players and winning–but I don’t think elementary school is necessarily that time.

Each season ends with a celebration that includes recognition of players and the adults who help, door prizes, and some sort of entertainment: juggling, unicycles, acrobatics, magic tricks. Performers are chosen not only because they possess great skill and are genuinely entertaining but also because they want to preach the gospel.

Tonight, for instance, a husband and wife team juggled balls, boxes, and clubs. They also did some amazing tricks with scarves–and used them to illustrate how sin separates us from God. As I watched I thought about what a wonderful thing it is to be able to juggle for Jesus, to be passionate about about something and to use that passion to serve God. As much as anything, I hope my children picked up on this idea that serving God and ministering to others doesn’t mean you have to be a pastor; we can use what we love and are good at to advance the Kingdom.

Dilbert: "work-life balance": Today’s comic offers a wonderful picture of the struggle to find balance. Dogbert offers a list of 11 priorities and tells his seminar participants that they can do only 3; work and holidays are two, and they can choose the remaining one.

Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.–Pope John XXIII

Yesterday, Creflo Dollar made reference to Isaiah 54:13, “All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children’s peace” (NIV). I read through the entire chapter today–several times–and I’m deeply moved. There are so many wonderful promises in this chapter:

• “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,“ says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (v. 10)
• In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you. (v. 14)
• If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you. (v. 15)
• no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. (v. 17)

We could stop with just verse 10: what more could we ask for than the unfailing love of our God? I like the way the Amplified offers the final thought in this verse: “nor shall My covenant of peace and completeness be removed.” Isn’t that what we all want–peace and completeness, wholeness?

Reading through this entire chapter, I believe that’s exactly what our loving God is ofering us. Isaiah 52 and 53 tell us that God will meet our first and greatest need: deliverance from bondage and salvation from sin. The chains binding the “captive daughter of Zion” can be put aside (52:2). But what comes next?

I’m reminded of the inmate in The Shawshank Redemption who found himself set free after decades in prison. We see him outside the walls, bagging groceries, in his room, looking lost, scared, confused. Captivity, for all its downsides, offers some certainty: you know what to expect and you know where you belong. For those of us delivered from serious bondages, the experience can be the same: yes, I’m free from my problem or my addiction, but now what?

In chapter 54, our loving Father answers that question. We will be productive, we will have something to show for our lives. We will have significance. Chapter 53 is the beautiful prophecy of Jesus and His bearing of our sins and infirmities. Chapter 54 opens with this:
“Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,“ says the LORD.

The one who has been barren and unproductive will now bear children–so much so that her tent will have to be enlarged (v. 2). What a promise!

I’ve heard these verses applied to women who have been unable to conceive, and I have no argument with that. But I believe that this refers to more than just children.

My life has not turned out quite as I imagined when I was 20. In college, reading the works of great authors, I imagined that by the time I was in my 40s, I would have joined their ranks. But by the time I was 30, I was seriously off-track, both in life goals and from God. By 35, my relationship with God was restored, but I often felt like it was too late to achieve what I had dreamed of–in many ways I felt barren, and I assumed that was one of the consequences of my choices.

But God says otherwise. Isaiah 54 is a promise to all of us who have squandered our resources, missed our opportunities, or let life go by without following through on what we once dreamed of. We will be barren no more!

It’s not enough to simply produce, however. Many people are “productive” without making any difference. Their productivity is simply busyness, and their efforts lack lasting significance. Not so with us. God tells us our “descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities” (v. 3). What we do–because we are redeemed–will have a lasting impact.

Not only does God address the issue of productivity and the desire for significance. He also addresses our fears of failure. For many of us who have “missed our chance,” the possibility of a new opportunity raises fears: what if I fail? It’s one thing to try and fail at 20–you can chalk it up to youth and inexperience. But failure at 40, 50, or beyond? It seems like there’s more on the line.

Look at what our Father promises:
“Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated.

The world tells us “use it or lose it.” But God tells us that “His gifts and call are irrevocable” (Romans 11:29). With God it is never too late. Consider Hannah and Elizabeth, both of whom had suffered shame over their barrenness. Though we probably would like to be a Caleb, ready to take the land at the first opportunity, many of us are more like Moses and Peter who screwed up in major ways and wondered if their situations could ever be redeemed.

They would both offer a resounding “Yes!” It’s never too late to fulfill the call of God; it’s never too late to use your gifts in His service.

This motivates me. As I approach 42, I know my best days are ahead. God’s call to write has not been lost, and the last 20 years have given me much more experience and wisdom to draw on. Truly I can “burst into song and shout for joy,” for the Lord my Redeemer has compassion on me.

In Pursuing Your Life Dream, Eastman Curtis tells of a conversation he had with a trainer of fighter pilots in Vietnam. This trainer said that most of the pilots who were shot down could have escaped from their planes:

They could have just pushed the eject button and escaped by parachute, but most of the pilots would not push that button because they liked to stay in the familiarity of the cockpit. In other words, they liked the cockpit of a crashing plane more than the unfamiliarity of the parachute. They chose to go down with the airplane instead of taking a chance with what was not familiar to them.… And it cost them their lives.