fatherhood

Matthew 15:21-39

Yesterday was a special day.  My parents were able to join us for a baby dedication service at Paseo where we committed to raise Jude to love God and walk with Him.  Greg gave a challenge from Deuteronomy 6:

 ⁴ "Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. ⁵ And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. ⁶ And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. ⁷ Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. ⁸ Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. ⁹ Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Last night, we watched the movie "Courageous" (http://www.courageousthemovie.com/), which follows the lives of several police officers and their challenges to be good husbands and fathers.  It was very encouraging and challenging for me to be more intentional as a father.  I don't want to just get by as an average dad; I want to follow the Biblical expectations of fatherhood and communicate the character of God the Father to my family.  Of course, I can't actually do that; I need God's grace to give me courage and faith to obey His calling.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace and mercy.  Lord, you know that I have not been the best father that I could be; please forgive me and help me do better.  I love you, Lord.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

weakness

Matthew 14:1-21

On Tuesday evening, I had to pack my bag for my trip to a research conference in Las Vegas.  I told Beau, "Well, I guess I need to go upstairs and pack my bag."  Beau started climbing the stairs saying, "Pack my bag?  Pack my bag?"  I felt like I was the worst dad in the world.

Yesterday morning, as I was getting ready to attend the conference, I was so nervous and anxious.  I was presenting in a session with three well-known, well-established researchers in my field.  I was nervous about how my presentation would compare to theirs.  I sang the praise song, "You are my all in all" as I got ready.  The line, "You are my strength when I am weak," was very encouraging to me.  I confessed how weak I am, and I prayed that the Lord would give me peace.

This morning, as I was getting dressed, I was not anxious or worried at all, and I was excited about a potential research collaboration that was discussed at over dinner last night.  I realized how weak I am that my feelings are so fickle.  The line, "You are my strength when I am weak," takes on a slightly deeper meaning.

Heavenly Father, I am so weak.  Please help me be a good husband, father, and professional.  Please help me base my security on your love, which is eternal and constant.  I love you, Lord.  I am nothing without you.  Please help me stay connected to the vine.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.

planting

Matthew 13:1-35

 ^3-8"What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.

Yesterday morning, one of the leaders of one of the Christian student organizations that I advise stopped by my office to talk about school and ministry.  He has had some challenges with a few of the engineering courses, and he wanted to get some advice.  I encouraged him to persevere and study diligently this semester, and I encouraged him to pray and seek God about the future direction of his life.  I am excited about how God might use his engineering skills to advance the Kingdom.

Yesterday afternoon, one of the new professors in engineering was walking by my office, and we struck up a conversation.  He gave me a quick tour of his research lab, and I showed him my lab, and we brainstormed some potential ideas for research collaboration.  When we got back to my office, he noticed the Chinese print of Hebrews 11:1 hanging on my wall.  He told me that the first character means, "believe".  As I was flipping to Hebrews 11:1 in my Bible, he told me that he didn't practice religion.  I read the verse and explained how this verse is important for me because sometimes you can't see, but you have to believe.  You have to trust God.  This is faith.

Heavenly Father, thank you for these opportunities to minister on campus.  Please help me be open and aware of how I can be available to share your light, love, and life in a non-religious way.  I love you, Lord.  Please flow through me.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.

religion

Matthew 12:15-50

¹⁵ But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, ¹⁶ but he warned them not to reveal who he was. ¹⁷ This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:  ¹⁸ "Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.
      He is my Beloved, who pleases me.
   I will put my Spirit upon him,
      and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
 ¹⁹ He will not fight or shout
      or raise his voice in public.
 ²⁰ He will not crush the weakest reed
      or put out a flickering candle.
      Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
 ²¹ And his name will be the hope
      of all the world."

I feel so religious recently.  I want to love God with all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength.  I want to love my neighbor as myself.  I want to love in response to His love.  But I feel like I'm just going through the motions a lot.  I'm tired.  I need rest.  But I don't know how to rest.  Brandi needs rest, too.  But she's a 24-7 mom, and the boys use up most of that 24.  I realize that the magnitude of my problems is pretty small compared to most people in the world, but it says here that he won't crush the weakest reed.  But what about healing the reed?   What about restoring the reed?  His name is the hope of all the world.  I know that this is eternally true, but I want to feel it.  I want to have joy and peace when I think about His name being the hope of all the world.  I want to experience it for myself, day after day after day.  I want to experience His hope.

Heavenly Father, I love you.  Please help me.  Help me keep running the race with perseverance.  Please help me be an encouragement and help to my wife.  Please help me be a good leader for my sons.  I love you, Lord, and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

weary and heavy burdened

Matthew 11:20-30

 ^28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Yes. Yes. Yes.  How?  OK, How?

I'm still not sure how.

Heavenly Father, please help me learn how to rest.  I feel like resting is wasting time.  Think about all of the good things that I could get accomplished instead of resting.  I feel guilty and lazy when I am not working.  I know resting is important, but how do I do it?  Lord, please help me.  I love you, and I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.

Grateful

(I forgot to post this for yesterday.)

Matthew 11:1-19

I signed the paperwork on Thursday for accepting a research grant to help people get clean water around El Paso. I am very thankful for this opportunity, and I pray that God will help us do good work.  I am also thankful for family and friends who supported me financially to go on the two trips to Ecuador, which served as an inspiration for this research project.

Mitch and Natalie helped support my most recent trip to Ecuador.  They have been so influential in our lives.  They were leaders in our first Sunday School class in Austin.  Then they were leaders in our "Bible Life Group".  And out of that group, they were leaders of a home group bible study for years.  We learned so much about hospitality and home group ministry from them.  I called Mitch the other day and tried to tell him how thankful I am for the way God has used him to grow me, both spiritually and professionally.

Of course, I am also grateful for the support of my wife.  She encourages me in my work to do what God has called me to do, and she also helps me keep things in perspective and balance so that I don't get whopperjawed.  She is such a devoted wife and mother, and I am very thankful for her.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your kindness and grace to me.  Thank you for salvation in Jesus Christ, and thank you for your presence.  Please help me keep you always the focus of my life and be listening to your voice and walking with you to see how you will continue to unfold your plans for me to participate with you in advancing your kingdom in all aspects of my life.  Please help me take care of my wife and encourage her, and please help me train my children to love you and seek you.  Please help me be salt and light at school to my coworkers and students.  I love you, Lord.  Please help me practice a lifestyle of thankfulness and gratitude.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.

harvesting

Matthew 10:1-28

At the end of Chapter 9, Matthew records Jesus's command for us to pray that God will send out more harvesters into the fields.  Matthew 10 is a practical extension of what that looks like with Jesus's disciples.  I like the way the MSG translates these verses:

^5-8Jesus sent his twelve harvest hands out with this charge: "Don't begin by traveling to some far-off place to convert unbelievers. And don't try to be dramatic by tackling some public enemy. Go to the lost, confused people right here in the neighborhood. Tell them that the kingdom is here. Bring health to the sick. Raise the dead. Touch the untouchables. Kick out the demons. You have been treated generously, so live generously.  ^9-10"Don't think you have to put on a fund-raising campaign before you start. You don't need a lot of equipment. You are the equipment, and all you need to keep that going is three meals a day. Travel light.

It seems pretty simple when I think about it this way.

Heavenly Father, please help me see your vision for what you want the Church to look like in following Christ and continuing His ministry.  Lord, please help us see what real ministry is, and please deliver all the churches from this notion that they have to have a nice building.  The real ministry seems to be in the community where people are, in their homes.  Lord, please help us engage people here in El Paso to show them your love and help them experience your healing.  I love you, Lord.  Please help me be a good harvest worker.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.