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The God Who Meets Us In The Middle - Day Five: God Is Here Too

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“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” — Marcel Proust “Surely the LORD is in this place—and I did not know it!” — Genesis 28:16 Jacob wasn't looking for God. He was running away. He had deceived his father, taken his brother's blessing, and now Esau wanted to kill him. So Jacob left home. One evening, somewhere between where he had been and where he was going, Jacob stopped for the night. No sanctuary. No altar. No holy place. Just dirt and a stone for a pillow. And there, Jacob dreamed. He saw a stairway between heaven and earth and heard God promise: “Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go.” When Jacob woke up, he said: “Surely the LORD is in this place—and I did not know it!” Maybe that's the perfect ending for this week. Because we spend so much of life waiting to get somewhere else. When I get through this. When things settle down. When I figure out what comes next. When the prayer is answered....
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The God Who Meets Us In The Middle - Day Four: Between Good Friday and Easter

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“Hope begins in the dark.” — Anne Lamott “It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning.” — Luke 23:54 We know what happened on that Friday. Jesus died. We know what happened on Sunday. The tomb was empty. But what about Saturday? We don't talk much about Saturday. I mean, some traditions say Jesus went to Hades during that time and preached to the dead.  It's called "the Harrowing of Hell" if you want to look it up.  Honestly, that particular tradition is best left under the rug.   Also, you're probably wondering why I am writing about Good Friday and Easter in October.  I promise if you stick with me, it will all make sense.  So, back to the whole idea of not talking that much about the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter.   Maybe the reason we don't talk all that much about it is because nothing seems to happen. Jesus has been buried. The stone has been rolled into place. The disciples are grieving. The women are waiting. No ...
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The God Who Meets Us In The Middle: Between Who You Were & Who You Are Becoming

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“And now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good.” — John Steinbeck “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel.” — Genesis 32:28 Jacob spent much of his life trying to become somebody. His very name was associated with grasping. He grasped his brother's heel at birth. He grasped for Esau's birthright. He grasped for his father's blessing. He manipulated. He schemed. He ran. And then one night, beside the Jabbok River, Jacob wrestled with a mysterious stranger. Genesis never makes it entirely clear whether Jacob is wrestling with a man, an angel, or God. Maybe that's appropriate. Some of the most important struggles of our lives are difficult to name. Jacob wrestles all night. And when morning comes, he receives a new name. Israel. But here's the part of the story I find fascinating. Jacob doesn't walk away untouched. He limps. He receives a new identity and a wound at the same time. Many years ago, I was on a mission trip with a bunch of Midd...
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The God Who Meets Us In The Middle Day Two: Between Prayer and Answers

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“I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future.” — Jim Eliot  “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.” — Psalm 130:5 When I was a kid, I acted up in the grocery store, and my mom told me I'd get punished when I got home.   "Acting up" is a Southern saying that means "being naughty."  Honestly, I like it better.  Lots of things can "act up," like your car, dishwasher, and, as I've already established, your kids.  So I was acting up in the store and was told judgment awaited me when we got home.  So I went and stood by a display of baked beans and began to pray.  Out loud.  I prayed that God would forgive me, and that I wouldn't be punished.  My mom overheard and thought it was cute, so she let me off the hook.  Naturally, a few weeks later, I was acting up again, and dramatically tried praying once more.  That time, it didn't work.  That's how I learned not all prayers get answered...
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