Asking For a Favor

This message was first delivered at Centenary United Methodist in Lynchburg, Virginia on October 21, 2018. It is based on the lectionary texts of Mark 10:35-45 and Job 38:1-7. 

Mark 10:35-45 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Request of James and John

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

They were wholly unaware of what they were asking for. They thought they were asking for places of glory in an earthly type of kingdom. They didn't fully grasp what was about to take place. This Jesus, whose power they have witnessed firsthand. They were there when the water was turned to wine. There when he healed. There when he cast out demons. They were present at the Transfiguration! James and John saw Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah. They could see the crowds and felt awe and wonder. Not that Jesus hasn't been trying to get through their thick heads...

Just one chapter back in Mark 9 he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.

And in the verses just prior to today's Gospel lesson, from The Message: Back on the road, they set out for Jerusalem. Jesus had a head start on them, and they were following, puzzled and not just a little afraid. He took the Twelve and began again to go over what to expect next. “Listen to me carefully. We’re on our way up to Jerusalem. When we get there, the Son of Man will be betrayed to the religious leaders and scholars. They will sentence him to death. Then they will hand him over to the Romans, who will mock and spit on him, give him the third degree, and kill him. After three days he will rise alive.”

In the next moment, James and John (possibly encouraged by their mother) make their “request.” And it is no small favor they are asking for. Not asking for help moving to a new tent. They don't realize what they are asking for...like most of us, they don't see the bigger picture. We are great at asking for stuff – but not very good at knowing what we need.

I am not a parent, but I am the aunt to three brilliant and handsome nephews and one vibrant and creative niece. So I've witnessed a LOT of asking. And begging. And negotiating... And some of those times, I've known that what they were asking for wasn't going to meet their expectations. Out of the four of these, I've had to talk at least two out of ordering Sea Monkeys from the back of a comic book. I know how great the ad looks – and I understand when they describe their futures as professional sea monkey trainers teaching them to do tricks and ride on a tiny sea monkey ferris wheel. But I've got a little more information than they do – and perhaps some first hand wisdom. Because I already tried to become a world famous sea monkey trainer and found that dried up brine shrimp are not adept at learning to juggle. I remember another occasion where one nephew negotiated an advance on future earnings in order to buy “the funnest toy EVER!” A marshmallow gun. Ten dollars later he is the proud owner of the funnest toy ever. Then he begs for money to buy a big bag of marshmallow ammunition. Ten minutes after that – all the adults have tired of being pegged in the head with increasingly dirty marshmallows. The funnest toy ever lasted about two days and then after attracting ants – was declared “stupid.”

Nope, we don't always have the whole picture of what we THINK we need. And sometimes the stuff that we want – isn't going to be nearly as cool as we THINK that it is. All the stuff in the world...where would you put it?

I have always LOVED the story of Job. Wondered if I could have held up against that level of pressure from the devil. Hoped that I could. But had some serious doubts about it when things continue to ramp up.

Job was SERIOUSLY good. This is a guy that used to get early in the morning after a celebration and give burnt offerings in the name of his children just in CASE they had sinned inwardly. He was totally devoted to God and hated evil. I like to think of myself as a good person, but I don't think I measure up to that guy. He was, in fact, SO good that when the angels came to give a report to God that God himself pointed out what a good guy Job was. And that was just the challenge that the designated Accuser, Satan was looking for. He said that of course he's good, he's treated like a pampered prince – he's got everything he wants. It's easy to be good and righteous if you're on top of the world. BUT...he slides in...if you reached down and took it all away, he'd curse you right to your face.

No way...God said...go ahead and try it, but don't hurt him physically. So one messenger after another comes to Job reporting the loss of his oxen, donkeys and field hands by a murdering band of Sabeans...then lightning strikes killed the sheep and shepherds...Chaldeans killed the camels and camel drivers. And then the toughest message – a tornado killed all of his children and their families. But Job doesn't curse God.

He's crazed with grief – tears his robe and shaves his head – but he doesn't blame God. And God points this out to Satan. Satan ramps up the intensity of the test by saying that a man will go to any lengths to save his life – take away his health and Job will curse you. Satan is certain. And God agrees, but don't kill him. So Satan causes terrible sores to afflict Job and when he is sitting on the ash heap scraping the sorts...Job's wife has had enough. She wants Job to just curse God and get this agony over with. But no deal.

Job doesn't curse God, doesn't blame God...he says we take the good days when God gives those, why not the bad days too?

Three of his friends arrive – and most of us remember that they weren't very supportive, right? But maybe we read the abridged version of Job? Because the first thing these three friends do is to cry out in lament, tear their robes as a sign of grief and sit with him. For seven DAYS. In silence. They could see that their friend was suffering and they wanted to be there for him. And they were...for awhile.

And then the damn breaks. Job starts to talk. And vent and curse the day he was born. And he goes on for 26 verses of Chapter 3 to express how miserable he is...ending with I have no rest; but trouble comes. Sometimes it feels like that. The night never ending – not feeling rest or comfort.

Then the friends start to weigh in on the situation – as friends are likely to do. But the first reaction is to ask what Job has done to cause such a thing. Surely someone as devout and exemplary as you appear to be wouldn't have such calamity thrust upon them...what did you DO? And they have plenty of advice...figure out what you did wrong, who you offended, appeal to the right angel for intervention, go to God and thank him for this suffering...since you clearly deserve it for whatever it is that you did.

Then Job defends himself to his friends and whines some more about how this isn't his fault – he's innocent and suffering. If God would just squash him like a bug then at least he'd be dead but he wouldn't have blasphemed the Holy God. And he basically tells his friends that they aren't helping. And he can't believe they don't believe him when he says he didn't DO anything!

The debate between Job and his friends then Job crying out to God go on for chapters...the questions and answers go back and forth from Chapter 4 through Chapter 31. And then a fourth friend steps in. Chapter 32 brings Elihu, a man younger than the other three who has held his tongue out of respect for his elders. Now he blows up with the pent-up anger of his youth and blasts the others for not coming up with answers but not giving up on trying to prove Job wrong! And he speaks honestly from his heart and brings new perspective into this argument.

That is often what we need. A new perspective. Some new piece of wisdom to illuminate the situation. Elihu inserts himself into this with humility but firmness – asks Job to listen and then lays out some of the facts as he sees them. Some of the gems from Chapters 33-37 include:

• God always answers, one way or another.
• It is impossible for God to do evil.
• God is always working behind the scenes. We have his attention.
• You can learn from the suffering you are going through.
• Don't get obsessed with placing blame.
• Look around you. See the evidence of God and his power all around you. Is this who you want to confront?

Maybe Job needs to reconsider his choice of confronting God? Elihu wraps up by saying, “Mighty God! Far beyond our reach! Unsurpassable in power and justice! It’s unthinkable that he’d treat anyone unfairly.

So bow to him in deep reverence, one and all! If you’re wise, you’ll most certainly worship him.”

Now God speaks to Job directly. And in the scripture that Ida read for us earlier, God pretty much asks Job just who he thinks he is. Sounds like a father talking... You all know my Dad as a kindly fellow who will help with anything you ask him to do. Need a hand moving some tables? Call Carl. Need your window air conditioners taken out and put back in the closet? Call Carl. He's a generally agreeable man but I can remember some times as kids that he would have uttered the classic line, “I brought you into this world, I can take you out.”

Job and his friends have discussed the character of God and his part in Job's suffering for about 35 chapters. Questions, challenges, assumptions, accusations and God weighs in.

God finally responds to Job in a storm outlining the God's presence in all creation. He shares the wisdom of how all things are divinely inspired and influenced, from the earth’s foundation, to the boundaries of the sea and sky, and the ordering of the day and night. How GOD structured the heavens and the earth, the water and the land, the day and the night, humanity and heavenly beings, and everything in between. Job, where were you when I created the earth? Since you are so smart, tell me who decided what size it would be...how the foundation was poured...who set the cornerstone. Huh? Tell me smart guy, since you seem to know so much. Where were you when the morning stars sang in chorus and the angels shouted praise?

God responds to Job in a storm, true to biblical tradition, illustrating a divine appearance. This whirlwind is similar to other Old Testament texts like in Ezekiel when God is present in the windstorm with a flashing light or Nahum experiencing God’s power in the storm and clouds, Zechariah witnesses God in lightning as loud as a trumpet, in 2 Kings, God appears in a chariot of fire.

Job is now confronted by God; and where Job once had questions, concerns, and complaints, he is now silent. In previous accounts, Job is left with inquiries and thoughts of loneliness; but now God is actively present, face-to-face with Job. God’s presence is undeniable, meaningful, and profound. God as master architect whose wisdom and resourcefulness cannot be matched or understood. We see in each verse that God measures, aligns, stretches, and builds. God lays foundations and constructs footings. We see an image of God that is meticulous about the details and precise in design for the cosmos, for the heavens, and even for humanity.

This is a mighty God we serve. God goes on to realign Job's perspective through chapters 38 and 39 with some powerful questions. Do you have any idea how big the Earth is? Do you know where light comes from and where darkness lives? Can you get the attention of the clouds and commission a shower of rain? Did you command the eagle's flight, and teach her to build her nest in the heights of a cliff's face? But then God asks the big one. The one that he asks whenever we give into that very human inclination to blame God or to ask why he has let something happen. God asks at the beginning of Job 40, “God confronted Job directly: Now what do you have to say for yourself? Are you going to haul me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?” Well...what do we have to say for ourselves?

And like so many times in the Job story, I hope I would respond this way:

Job answered: I'm speechless, in awe – words fail me. I should have never opened my mouth! I've talked too much, way too much. I'm ready to shut up and listen.”

I'd like to think I could be as wise and mature as Job in this moment. I'm not real sure. It is hard for me to admit when I've talked too much, let alone WAY too much. When will I be ready to shut up and listen? Can I at least try?

Can I be wise or will I be like my nephew who just knew that marshmallow gun would bring unending happiness into his life. Unwilling to hear that isn't wasn't worth the cost. That he'd be tired of it long before his dream of taking it off to college to amuse his fraternity brothers. That I could see from a different perspective of previous unwise purchases. That maybe he didn't know best. Maybe his mom saying, “no” was the better choice.

We are all going to stumble and desire things or people or situations that although we are sure they'll bring us great joy or satisfaction...we don't always know what we are asking for. Which brings us back to James and John and the favor that they asked of Jesus.

“Teacher, we have something we want you to do for us.” “What is it?” “Arrange for us to be awarded the highest places of honor in your glory” “Dudes, you don't know what that even means...can you drink of the cup I drink, be plunged into the baptism I'm about to plunged into?”

They answer quickly, “Sure, bring it on.” And Jesus said, “come to think of it...you will drink of this same cup...but awarding places of honor isn't my business. That isn't up to me.”

And although they didn't drink of the exact same cup...neither James nor John were crucified (although we know that at least Peter and Andrew did suffer that same fate). James' death at the hands of Herod is reported in Acts 12. He was likely stoned or clubbed to death. But all of the apostles and followers suffered persecution and were in constant danger. This was by no means a place of honor at the right and left hand.

We even see that this request brought friction and division among the disciples. When the other ten heard about it, they lost their tempers with James and John. Who do you guys think you are? Do you think you are a level above us? Before the division and debate can poison their attitudes completely, Jesus steps in. Are they ready, like Job, to shut up and listen?

“You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around,” he said, “and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage.”

We don't need to be power-mad. If we want to be great, we've got to let all that go and become a servant. Want to be first? Want to be at the right and left in places of honor? You only think that is what you need...but I have more information. I've got the bigger picture. More power just leads to the desire for more power. It's a hamster wheel you'll never get off. Empty calories. You want to be great? Then flip the whole thing upside down – the real winner is the one who is humble enough to serve, not be served.

There’s a story about a little boy named Billy. Every day on the walk to school, Billy’s grandfather would stop at the neighborhood store for a newspaper and cup of coffee. As Grandpa approached the register, Billy would point to large bins filled with candies, gum, and other treats displayed. The cashier grew a heart of compassion toward Billy. One morning when Grandpa and Billy approached the register, the cashier said, “Good morning Billy, today you can reach in and get the candies you want with no cost.” Billy smiled with joy; his persistence had finally paid off. He went to pull out a candy, but snatched his hand back abruptly. He then grabbed Grandpa’s hand and shoved it into the large bin. Startled, Grandpa pulled out a fist filled with assorted sweets.

Billy giggled with glee. As they continued the walk to school, Grandpa asked, “Billy, why didn’t you pick out your candies? This was want you asked for every day.” Billy looked up to Grandpa with the sun glistening in his eye, “Yes, Grandpa, but your hands are much bigger than mine. My hands are too small to get all the candies I wanted.”

There are times in life that, as believers, we should embrace Billy’s kind of wisdom. God’s hands are much bigger, capable, and able to provide everything we need. Our hands, our thoughts, and our understanding are limited in comparison to God’s vast knowledge and powerful hands.

It is refreshing to know that in spite of all Job experienced and all the pain he endured, he was not too proud to be silenced. Job is silenced by the images of morning stars and heavenly beings rejoicing in God’s glory. Job is silenced by God’s grace that is uniquely woven into the tapestry of all God’s creation. Job is silenced by God’s wisdom, knowledge, and love that is unexplainable and uncontainable. Job is silenced as God reveals the unlimited ability to be present in all things.

God can get tiny if we're not careful. Too often we fall into the trap of God being made in our image – instead of the other way around. We relate to God in our human understanding, putting God in a box that he simply can't be contained in! The hope is that our sense of God will grow as expansive as our God is. Each tiny conception gets obliterated as we discover more and more the God who is always greater.

We worship an awesome God. One who desires great things for us, not necessarily in the cars we drive or how many camels and sheep we have – but he wants good things of substance for us. The joy of a servant's heart focused on what is really important. We have to let go of the fleeting things of today and embrace our reason for being.

To love God and to spread that love throughout the world. In every situation, to all the people we encounter. Amen.

Overcoming Obstacles

This message was first delivered at Court Street United Methodist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia on June 24, 2018. It is based on the lectionary texts of 1 Samuel 17, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 and Mark 4:35-41. 

Overcoming Obstacles

“On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Teacher, don't you care that we are perishing? Does he care? Oh disciples, do we even need to ask? He cares deeply and mourns with us as we struggle but he asks us – why are you afraid? Have you forgotten my promises so quickly? Do you still have no faith?

Obstacles, trials, hardships, struggles – they come in so many shapes and sizes. But in the midst of the storm, problems seem 10 feet tall and mockingly impossible. I'm glad that I've never had to be in battle against a literal giant...I'm not much of a fighter. I took some karate classes in my twenties and managed to break my own finger so bad that I had to have surgery to put it back together. There are two tiny screws in my left pinky.

Physical battles are rarely the struggles that most of us go through, but our battles are no less real. Today's lectionary scripture from 2 Corinthians includes a list of challenges that Paul knew the early church was dealing with: beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights and hunger. We know that globally people face persecution, abuse and horrors we can scarcely imagine...much less imagine how to endure. In our country there are people suffering from unemployment, family strife, medical issues, financial worries. We do not have to look far to see Goliaths all around us. Somebody wake up Jesus! How can he be sleeping at a time like this?

Saul and the Israelites were feeling defeated. They've been in a stalemate for 40 days while this huge Philistine came out daily to mock and challenge them. It was so bad that Saul had offered a great ransom, including his daughter to anyone who could rid them of Goliath. The army of Israel, the people of God had lost all hope.

I think we can all relate the the feeling of hopelessness. We have all faced our own Goliaths...maybe you've tackled a big one like an abusive spouse or parent, alcoholism, drug addiction or smoking! Maybe it is the collective pressure of a bunch of little Goliaths. I don't know if you've ever heard this particular question to ponder – but spend a moment to decide, “Would you rather face 1 horse-sized duck or 100 duck-sized horses?” Google that later to see what some other people have thought on the topic. My point is – even small challenges get overwhelming when that stack up all at once.

Maybe you haven't tackled what others would call BIG – I'm glad for all of us who haven't been homeless or divorced or lost a child – but all those duck-sized horses can wear you down until you are in the same hopeless state that Saul and his army were in. And the disciples in the boat were in. And we cry out...like Saul, “can't someone rise up against the Philistine? I'll reward you beyond your wildest dreams!” and we cry out like the disciples in the boat, “where are you God? Don't you even care?”

David was not in the army. He wasn't at the front – he was home tending to things there when his Dad told him to take some provisions up to his brothers and the king. When he gets there he is offended by this Goliath and wonders out loud why somebody hasn't done something...and his brothers basically tell him to stop bothering the important soldiers and go home. But David has another idea – why not him?

And here we hit on the first step in tackling our Goliath – we've got to be willing to make a start. To step out and change things. To stand up against some form of evil or oppression. To stand up for what is right even when it isn't easy or comfortable to do so. David was willing and he went to Saul to tell him he was ready to go up against the Philistine. And Saul said, you can't do it...you're too inexperienced, you're too young, you can't accomplish this. Look how big that guy is! He's been at this for longer than you've been alive. You shouldn't even try. Saul may think that he's doing the right thing – this kid doesn't know what he's up against.

Yep...when you try to affect change in the world or in your life, you're going to run into some Sauls. Maybe you're excited that you've decided to start going to the gym on Monday and you tell your friend but the first thing he says is, “well, we'll see how long that lasts.” Or you finally decide you'll step out on faith and begin a new Bible study and you talk about it in a church council meeting and you hear, “nobody will come out on that day” or “Bob tried that years ago and it fell flat” or “what makes you qualified to teach a Bible study?”

David is stronger than I think I would have been – he just looks at Saul and says, “I can do this.” And he backs up his claim with some of his experiences as a shepherd. Which is a much more challenging job than the pastoral picture in my mind. I always thought I'd like to be a shepherd. Sitting around in a field with sheep, getting my tan on...reading some books or playing my lyre...learning to play the lyre.... Sheep softly baa'ing while I take a nap under a tree. Uh yeah... Apparently shepherding is nothing like that! You've got to keep these stubborn and stupid creatures from wandering off cliffs, moving them around to fresh grass that needs to be someplace near fresh water, and it gets hot during the day and super cold at night...and I expect that the sheep don't just softly baa. I expect that it is like having a herd of 5 year old kids – all wanting to go in different directions, somebody needing a bandaid and another needing a juice box and we won't even get into what the smell would be like (herd of kids OR sheep!). On top of that David explains to Saul that there are predators that attack like lions and bears! Nope, not for me.

David says that he's faced tough stuff before and that God-of-the-Angel-Armies has always delivered him. He's not afraid of the lion or the bear and he's not going to let this pig continue to disrespect his God. Bring it on. And Saul agrees.

So, the first step was to be willing to make a change. The next step is going to be telling the Sauls to step aside. And sometimes the voice of Saul is coming from inside our own head. David was faithful and strong – he is ready. When I face my Goliaths...sometimes I'm bringing the voice of Saul right along with me. And sometimes he's telling me that I'd better be careful.

Saul puts his very own armor on David. Saul says, “if you're gonna do this, you'd better do it this way.” And David gives it a try. But it isn't a good fit. With this big bronze helmet and the armor and Saul's own sword...David can barely move. He's going at the problem the wrong way for him – he's got to say to Saul, “this isn't for me.”

How often have we face problems or tough situations to have others say, “here is how I would fix that” and “I went through something similar and this is the way to come through it.” Or, how often have WE been the Saul in someone else's storm?

My brother is a wise man (well, only sometimes) who has told me more than once, “sometimes people just need to tell you their problems.”

I'm a natural born troubleshooter. I worked for a number of years as a video engineer for a VHS duplication house. Parents, explain to the kids what a VCR is later. We ran 300 tapes at a time and my job was to keep signals going to all 300 machines. I approach all problems with the same process – start at one and and work your way to the other and you'll find the source of the difficulty along the path. That's my process. My suit of armor.

David couldn't fight Goliath in the same way that Saul would. And not everyone will quit smoking the same way or cope with loneliness the same way or deal with the loss of a beloved pet the same way. We all want to be so helpful...oh, the best way to get over the loss of your cat is to throw away all her toys and stuff so you don't have to face them. No, the best way is to get another cat. No, you should...

You get the point. We've got to put on our own armor and stop trying to put our armor on others. Doesn't mean we don't love and support and grieve and brainstorm and cope together – just going to have to respect that my way isn't the only way. It's not even necessarily the better way, no matter what I think!

So David takes off Saul's armor. And he takes his staff and sling and five smooth stones from a nearby brook and he heads out. Despite the warnings. Despite the doubts. Despite the lack of military might. David keeps on going. Some would call it determination. Others would call it foolhardy. I can tell you what Goliath thought. He thinks this is hilarious and insulting.

“Am I a dog that you come after me with a stick?” he sneers. He curses him and basically says he's going to feed him to the buzzards and field mice. I've faced problems like that – I walk toward them with the confidence of someone who wants to make a change. And the problem looks at me and says, “determination? Is that all you got?”

But determination isn't all David has. He's got some ammunition. He's got some weapons against this problem. Along the way he's picked up five smooth stones, five instruments – not defensive but offensive! What are your stones – your tools against the challenges? I'll suggest a few, but you'll have to get your own stones from the stream.

My first stone is Courage. David was not afraid to face the enemy. I am almost always afraid to face the enemy, continuing to face those fears is the definition of courage. You're going to need that to face the giants in your life. Where do we find courage though? Unlike the lion in the Wizard of Oz, I don't think that just pinning a medal to my chest will give me courage. But what I learned from that furry example is that if you keep going even when fear tells you to turn around and run...you have found courage. And every time you do it, your courage builds.

My second stone is Confidence. Which I had to dig out of a deep muddy hole of self-doubt. But I'm learning that being confident in my abilities isn't the same as the sin of pride – so now I'm learning to embrace my abilities.

Most of us have encountered people who turn away every compliment. You tell them, “gosh, I really appreciated the way you explained that” and they say “oh, it was nothing.” “You look so great today!” “oh, you need an eye exam.” Stop it. False humility robs others of the chance to encourage you and robs you of the confidence building power of having accomplishments. I'm going to build my confidence later by just saying thank you when people tell me what a great job I did leading worship today!

My third stone is Preparation. If we are going into battle with our courage and confidence, we'll have more impact if we know what we are up against. If I'm going to quit drinking then I need to know what I'm going to face emotionally and physically. I'm going to prepare by communicating with others who have faced the same Goliath. I'm going to recognize the storm ahead and go into prepared. Just like I don't come into the sanctuary today and just say, “well, God will provide the words...so I'll just open my mouth and see what comes out.” Maybe that is YOUR set of armor, it doesn't fit me. I'm going into this battle with my eyes open but willing to let go of my battle plan if God so guides.

Because my fourth stone is Trust. At some point, I've got to let go of my plan and trust God. Sometimes I keep that stone behind glass and I'm reluctant to pull out the little hammer and break it out. I want to run around and keep all the plates spinning myself! I got this God!! You worry about the other people, I'll call on my Trust rock when I really, really, really need it. I'm so foolish.

David didn't trust in his own ability to slay the giant. When Goliath shouted at David, cursed him and was ready to kill him, David said, “You come at me with a sword and a spear, but I come to you in the name of the Lord God Almighty.” He trusted God to fulfill his promise to be with him through all the trials of life. He knew this God had delivered him before and would not abandon him now.

So David steps out confidently and announces that he has come in the name of the Lord and that God hand Goliath over to him. He states with confidence what he is about to do – I'm about to kill you, cut off your head and serve up your body (and the bodies of your pals) to crows and coyotes. Hello, my name is David, you mocked my God...prepare to die.

He goes on to tell this Goliath that his death will be a sign to the whole Earth that this God, the God of Israel is extraordinary. And Goliath is done with this pest. Enough with your sticks and stones, little boy. And he lunges for David. And as crazy as it sounds – while Goliath is running at David, David starts running at the Philistine!!

And he reaches in and pulls out a stone, loads it in the sling, and lets it fly.

The rock embeds itself in Goliath's forehead and he falls facedown in the dirt. As quickly as the battle began, it is over. David is the victor and Goliath is defeated. I can imagine stunned silence followed by gasps then cheers!

How about us? Who or what are our Goliaths? Maybe you cope with one of those “big” obstacles or a hundred duck-sized horses. Perhaps your giants are fear, insecurity, loneliness or failure. Maybe you want to make a change but you aren't even sure where to start!

Start by deciding to start. Figure out that you don't want things to continue the way that they are. Maybe you want to find ways to be kinder to yourself. Maybe you want to make a big impact in the community. Maybe you want closer relationships. Identify your Goliath and say, “I'm coming after you.”

Then you'll face your Sauls and at some point you may even have to hand their armor and advice back and say “thanks, but this just doesn't fit me.” And then you'll set out to begin the battle.

Go armed, find your five smooth stones. But make sure that at least one of them is grounded in God. Maybe they all are... trusting in God to see you through the storm. Knowing that he DOES care about your struggles. He cares enough about you as a person to allow you to grow through challenges and strife – but that through it all he is right there. He CAN calm the storm. When you turn toward God, you will find that he has been there all along, supporting and guiding you as you grow. As you change yourself and the world around you. Don't get lost in hopelessness. Embrace the God who stilled the storm...and then step back in wonder and awe as you witness his power in every situation. Thanks be to God.

Dancing in a Hurricane

This message was first delivered at Court Street United Methodist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia on June 20, 2015. It is based on the lectionary text of Mark 4:35-41.

Today is Father's Day and looking around this sanctuary, I can see that there are a lot of good dads in the room. But what makes a good dad? The old joke is that fathers have photos in their wallet where money used to be! Paul Harvey wrote the following about fathers:

What Are Fathers Made Of?
by Paul Harvey

A father is a thing that is forced to endure childbirth without an anesthetic.

A father is a thing that growls when it feels good -- and laughs very loud when it's scared half to death.

A father never feels entirely worthy of the worship in a child's eyes. He's never quite the hero his daughter thinks, never quite the man his son believes him to be -- and this worries him, sometimes.

So he works too hard to try and smooth the rough places in the road for those of his own who will follow him.

A father is a thing that gets very angry when the first school grades aren't as good as he thinks they should be. He scolds his son though he knows it's the teacher's fault.

Fathers are what give daughters away to other men who aren't nearly good enough so they can have grandchildren who are smarter than anybody's.

Fathers make bets with insurance companies about who'll live the longest. Though they know the odds, they keep right on betting. And one day they lose.

I don't know where fathers go when they die. But I've an idea that after a good rest, wherever it is, he won't be happy unless there's work to do.

He won't just sit on a cloud and wait for the girl he's loved and the children she bore.

He'll be busy there, too, repairing the stairs, oiling the gates, improving the streets, smoothing the way.

Thank you Paul Harvey – that is a good description of fathers in general. Although my Dad isn't here today – he's over at Centenary, sitting in his usual place in the balcony – there isn't a day that I don't thank God for giving me the gift of a wonderful earthly father. Don't get me wrong, I know he isn't perfect...I would describe him as “quirky.”

Dad is easily frustrated by refrigerators. He is convinced that the contents of the refrigerator have rearranged themselves (surely he doesn't blame us!) in order to hide things. The pickles hide the jelly, the mustard hides the relish and the good Lord only knows where the mayo is hiding! I'll admit that he has a point sometimes - if I were to count the contents of the fridge we would have at least 5 different mustards, 7 different pickles and an even dozen or more jars of jelly. You know...yellow mustard isn't enough, got to have dijon and stone ground and honey mustard and spicy brown and something called dijonaise which is a blend of mustard and mayo... And certainly Dad would be perfectly happy with cherry preserves and grape jelly - but sometimes when wandering through the market we are tempted to add things like fuzzy navel, raspberry cognac, apricot/kiwi and blackberry preserves...till we have quite the collection of little pint jars.

As much as Dad hates refrigerator mysteries...that is how much he LOVES rope. Anytime you need to tie something down or keep a float from escaping - you can always count on my Dad to have a rope, string, shoelace, bungee cord or strap to fit the bill. You will almost certainly need to untangle it from its brothers - but that is part of the charm. (much like finding the correct washer in his collection of jars and loaf pans of random hardware) And he can never turn down a free piece of rope. I think one of my bonding experiences with Dad was one afternoon when we were driving out into the country to mow a yard for someone. We were on a back road and as we passed around a bend I saw a short length of rope lying in the road. I knew that he had also seen it - but I guess since I was driving, he figured it was not meant to be his. Without even asking, at the next cross road, I turned around and drove back. It was about 15 or 20 feet long but (I can't believe I'm saying this) it was a nice piece of rope. And it made him happy.

Some of my mental images include hiking with him along the Blue Ridge Parkway - if it had rained he would hurry a little ahead of us, hide behind a tree and shake it just as we went under...yelling "hey, it's raining!!" Or when we would go swimming and he would get everyone to start "rocking the pool" - everyone cannonballing as fast as we could until there were 2 foot waves on the surface! (I was always kind of proud of the fact that he was the only adult that the lifeguards made sit out)

There are quiet memories too...like watching him wrap his arm around my Mom's shoulder at a funeral, or teaching Bible study to a dozen youth sprawled around on a basement floor, or especially when I was feeling so desperately low after losing a job...how he shared how he felt when the company he had worked at for over 25 years closed its doors.

I've often said that I can completely understand the concept of a loving Heavenly Father - because I have experienced the most incredible earthly one. He's an anchor, a foundation and steadfast. Everyone deserves a father like mine.

In the Gospel of Mark we read a story about Jesus and a storm:

Mark 4:35-41 The Message (MSG)

The Wind Ran Out of Breath

Late that day he said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?”

Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?”

They were in absolute awe, staggered. “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Wind and sea at his beck and call!”

Jesus told the storm to settle down and it did.

A good father is that sort of anchor. In the midst of life's storms he can be the calm. A good father walks the walk, doesn't just talk the talk through the storm. But not every child has a good earthly father.

David Blankenhorne writes in his book, Fatherless America, that "tonight, about 40 percent of American children will go to sleep in homes in which their fathers do not live". "Fatherlessness," argues Blankenhorn, "is the most harmful demographic trend of this generation.” “Fatherlessness is a defining feature of American childhood.” 40% don't have that anchor of a good father. 40% don't have the joy of finding a gift of rope in the road. Don't have the arm wrapped around their shoulder when life's storms threaten to swamp the boat.

I work with Centenary's Thursday after school program called JIFF (Juniors in Fun and Fellowship). It has been a few years back that I found my mom wiping away tears at the end of the evening. She told me that one of the girls had been chatting with her and asked how many kids she had. Mom replied that she had 5 kids, 4 girls and one boy. She wasn't prepared for the next question. Usually when someone finds out that she has 5 kids, the next questions are about how you feed that many or how you find the money for vacation or how the kids get along. Not this time. The next question was, “do any of them have the same father?”

Do any of them have the same father? Fatherlessness – absent fathers, unknown fathers, too busy fathers and disconnected fathers have been so commonplace today that it was unfathomable to this young lady that you could have 5 kids with the same father. It's so far outside my perspective that it could be any other way.

Mom was able to share that not only do all 5 kids have the same father – he is still around and was actually there leading the 6,7,8 grade boys group.

Is it any wonder that society seems to be in the midst of a hurricane? Without the anchor of good fathers in the world, it must be very difficult to wrap your head around the concept of a loving heavenly Father.

The storm that the Gospel of Mark relates is sudden and violent – like the violent life storms that we all face: the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, the unexpected diagnosis. How do we deal with those storms?

The geography of the Sea of Galilee makes it especially susceptible to sudden violent storms. This is part of the reason that the gospels generally describe Jesus and the disciples sailing more or less along the shoreline rather than directly across the open body of the sea. If you were closer in, you could make a tack for the shore and ride out a sudden storm with minimal damage.

But in this story, Jesus says, “Let’s set out for the opposite shore.” That meant sailing directly across the sea. And worse, it was getting dark, which meant the temperatures were more unstable. That a storm would suddenly arise on this sea under these conditions is unremarkable. What is remarkable is that Jesus would lead his ship and the others with them to cross this sea at this hour. He had to know he was likely leading them into serious danger. Meanwhile, he went to sleep on a pillow, leaving the disciples to face the violent storm on the open sea.

This kind of experience is the heart of many initiation rites and survival training programs across many cultures and times. When they face danger together, initiates learn both the limits and the depth of their resources.

These disciples learned their limits right away. The storm was too big for them. And it was too big for them even to be respectful of their master. Their words (“Don’t you care we are about to be capsized?”) reveal panic and disrespect at once. What happened next slammed them against more of their own limits. Jesus told the sea to “shut up,” just like he had told demons before, and the wind stopped and there was an immediate calm. And the disciples were in AWE. Jesus’ probing questions teach them even more. “Why are you so frightened? Do you have no faith at all?”

Jesus does not rebuke the disciples. He rebukes the storm. He tells it to shut up, and it does. That’s what terrifies them. “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

There is little in this story that fits a domesticated Jesus or a domesticated Christianity. This is Jesus, weird and wild. This is Yoda sending Luke Skywalker into a cave, knowing he won’t prevail. This is Morpheus telling Neo to leap across a chasm to a building on the other side. This is a mother bird forcing her barely fledged chicks out of the nest to fly. This is a father climbing with his child to the top of the high diving board and saying, “Jump.”

The father making the hardest move any good father can make – allowing the child to test his wings, to try...and even allowing the child to fail so he can learn from the experience. Can you think of times in your life that you were allowed to fail so you could learn? Have you done that for your child? This is part of fatherhood – of parenthood – of childhood.

And yet, 40% of children will go to sleep in a home tonight without their father in the home. In a life full of storms and struggles and the challenges of daily living – so many will lack the anchor of being in relationship with their earthly father. How can we expect them to believe in a loving Heavenly Father?

As a church and as individuals we can extend the example of good fatherhood into a world that desperately needs to have those anchors and foundations. We can volunteer for programs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Jubilee Center or JIFF. We can reach out to the neighborhood child or teach Sunday school or coach little league...the possibilities are endless.

We can be the anchor in a storm – the peaceful resting spot.

Brandi Carlile wrote a song called “The Eye” and one lyric that is repeated over and over is “You can dance in a hurricane, but only if you're standing in the eye.” The eye of a storm is that place, in the midst of the tempest that is calm. On the NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association) website the eye of a storm is defined as a roughly circular area of comparatively light winds and fair weather found at the center of a severe tropical cyclone. Although the winds are calm at the axis of rotation, strong winds may extend well into the eye. There is little or no precipitation and sometimes blue sky or stars can be seen.

The storm hasn't completely passed and you had better be well aware that it is going to be building again (the National Weather Service warns that A common mistake, especially in areas where hurricanes are uncommon, is for residents to exit their homes to inspect the damage while the calm eye passes over, only to be caught off guard by the violent winds in the opposite eyewall.) But even though the eye isn't the END of the storm...it is a chance to take a breath and get ready for the rest of the hurricane.

My dad has often been that oasis in the stormy periods of life. He's also been a guide and an anchor. My heavenly Father is the same – if I will remember to call on him and lean into him during the rough patches, I can dance – even in a hurricane.

And I thank God for all the fathers who remind us of what our Heavenly Father is like: recall some of the descriptive words from Paul Harvey's essay -

enduring, growling, laughing, heroic, worried, working, loving. Above all – our Heavenly Father is loving.

Go forth and do likewise.