Rev. Zach

I learn a lot from my kids. Sam is three, so his influence is primarily that of reminding me about how blissful it is to know that you are valued, loved, and provided for. I often forget that I am a child of the most capable Father. Well, it's not that I forget it. Maybe it's more that I do not act like I am. Of course, Sam has little conscious thought about being provided for. He simply is. Yet the providence and freedom give him the luxury of bliss. How do I respond to the luxury and freedom of forgiveness, grace, and providence? Quite differently than Sam does, I can tell you that. Then there is Zoe, our resident theologian at five. Night time is often the time of discovery and revelation. Of course part of that is because she is stalling going to bed and daddy is a sucker for conversations about God. Earlier this week she was wrestling with the concept of the divinity of Christ and the mystery of the virgin birth. "Daddy, is Jesus...Jesus is God, right?...

The iTunes single of the week is Heavy Cross by The Gossip , a "post punk indy" band going mainstream. The band's bio makes no mention of any Christian connection or intention, and you have to register to see commentaries or reviews of the music. The only actual reference to Christianity is the image of an ornate, upside down cross on the album art for the song. I'm not a fan of that. The cross is not something to take lightly or use sarcasticly. That being said, let me tell you what I do like about this band and this song from a first glance. The first thing you will notice is that their lead singer is not a normal hottie with a body who wants you to want her. She is, shall we say, a plus size woman with tatoos and very little fear. The next thing I want you to notice is the meaning behind the words. It's a cruel cruel world, to face on your own, A heavy cross, to carry along, The lights are on, but everyone's gone, And it's cruel It's a fu...

So I was getting ready for work this morning and I slapped some gel in my hair. Yes, I wear "product." In fact, a few of you have made fun of me for how much I wear when my hair gets a little longer than normal. Anyway, I have this funny brain that says that all of life is sacred. That's an idea that has been passed down for centuries from John Calvin . All of life? Everything? Mosquitoes? Sand gnats (not baseball )? Yes, everything. Here's how Ole Johny Boy put it: God has destined all things for our good and salvation, but at the same time, to feel God's power and grace in ourselves and in the great benefits God has confered upon us, and so bestir ourselves to trust, invoke, praise, and love God Say Wha? Scripture says it this way in Romans 8:28 - 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. OK. Still trying to figure out how Sand gnats and poison ivy fit in? What abou...

"For freedom, Christ has set us free ." What the heck does that mean? For such a truth filled book, the Bible can sometimes read like Dr. Sues. Consider this one from Romans 7:15 . I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. It doesn't make sense to us. We are people who make their own decisions and live freely. We are are Americans. We are citizens of The World Super Power. We do not do the things we hate. We do the things we choose to do. Right? Except...except when we don't. I don't mean that we are walking around like zombies doing things we don't want to do without knowing it. What I do mean to say is that we often get caught up in things we do not mean to. Who has not been to a web site that they were not supposed to? Who has not been in an argument with parents over cleaning their room or doing something they want instead of something they have been asked to do? That's life. Life is full of c...