Two things amaze me. One is God’s acceptance and love for us humans. The other is that He uses us. Think about it. Compared to God, the brightest and most holy of us are hopelessly retarded and morally compromised. Why would God want to make us his friends? Or risk using us?

One Sunday, during an open mike sharing time, a mildly retarded person grabbed the mike and haltingly stumbled out how she stubbed her toe and wanted prayer. Minutes into her ramble, annoyed, I watched the clock and plotted how I could wrest the mike away. It was like God then spoke to me: “Dennis, what do you think you seem like to Me when you tell Me your trivial woes and want my help?” Ouch. Indeed, compared to the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, my narrow, my puny worries and thoughts are less than trivial.

God, why do you care about us, tiny specks in the universe? I’m amazed. And far more patient with my retarded sister…

Then, more amazing, God chooses to use us in His Grand Purposes. Why enlist as a co-worker anyone infected by sin, bound to be double minded? Why appoint as ambassador clueless folks prone to self-promotion?

But as Paul reminds us, God delights in using the weak, the foolish, the nothing, so the credit goes to God. Be surprised! I think of a gal probably repulsive to the proper. Years of drug abuse and failure left her broken in every way. Rough, tough, and blunt – that’s her. Yet who is the one that the struggling seek out? Who speaks Truth in Love? She says, “I don’t even like people! But God keeps telling me to talk to them.” She is clearly our church’s best counselor.

One flaunts a blossom by planting it in a plain pot. Drawn to the showy petals, the pot goes unnoticed. Lord, You amaze me. But thanks for welcoming us to the show. 1 Peter 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade…

November 18, 2007

A well known 68 year old pastor spoke to a bunch of us pastors about marriage, serving God, growing older, and so on. Turns out this guy has made a lot of mistakes and even failed in a very public and shameful way. Grace and forgiveness oozes out of him – he’s received grace and forgiveness himself. He’s not the typical “hot shot” pastor who seems like he has it all together. I could relate to this guy!

When he was young, he thought he knew it all. Now, he said, he realized that his best years of serving God were his later years. It took a long time for God to work him over and teach him His Ways so he could really serve well.

That made me feel good. Most of my life I haven’t felt like I knew what I was doing. I thought grown ups sort of had life figured out! So I kept wondering if I’d ever grow up! So maybe I’m normal after all?

The cool thing is that God has kept on teaching me new things. I do have more stuff figured out now than before. So I think I’m not as clueless as before! (Some might debate that!)

So why in the world would God pick me to be a leader, when I don’t have it all together? So He would get the glory. His power is most obvious around the weak. If God has used me to help others, I know it was God. I’m usually surprised!

So if you don’t feel like you’ve got life all figured out, don’t despair. You’re just like me. Don’t forget that God delights in using weak people. And He never stops teaching and remaking us.

So just keep on turning to Him, depending on Him, following Him as best you can.

Oct 21, 2007

Joy and I were astonished. We ate dinner together every day. (No TV, no radio, no iPods, no reading – just talking). To us, dinner meant time together to talk, listen, laugh, plan, encourage, and pray. This week Holly said, “I’m really glad we ate together growing up. It made us close.”

The bible calls believers “children of God.” It compares the church to a family:

Heb. 2:11 Jesus and the people he makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why he isn’t ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. (CEV)

This verse makes me feel good - family is good. But maybe “family” isn’t so happy for you. Maybe you missed being a part of a family that liked being together, liked each other, talked and listened and encouraged each other.

Another of Holly’s friends avoided our house at dinner time. It was too scary for her, Holly said. She didn’t know how to act, what to say. Maybe you feel that way. To you, it’s scary to think of being a part of a family group.

When I talk about small groups, or cell groups, I am thinking “like a family.” A group sitting around the dinner table – talking, listening, enjoying each other, praying, laughing. We grow close. We feel loved.

Maybe joining a “family cell group” scares you. Well, we’ll help one another learn. We’re family. We’ll stick together.

October 15, 2007