How to be Friends with Jesus

I feel really connected to someone when we're riding in the car listening to a song we both know. We start to sing it. The chorus comes and the gusto ensues. There's head-bobbing and fists for microphones. Creative hand movements emerge as well as attempts to make instrumental sounds with our mouth. We serenade each other and if we're feeling really audacious, we sing to the person in the next car.

Maybe we're off key, mumbling through words, and the back seat friend is shaking their head, but we don't care. We are vulnerable and free in that moment and that's the way we like it. 

Something crazy to think about is that you can have that kind of friendship with the Creator of the universe. Yes, you can. It seems impossible, but that's the very reason you're alive right now. God wants you. It's like the lame kid at school hanging out with the popular kid. It's like the poor man and the rich man sharing a meal. It's beautiful.

It's also simple. It might seem complicated, but it's not. A friendship with Jesus looks more like singing in the car and less like fancy, distant prayers and lofty speech about the Bible.

But let's not get crazy. You've gotta pray and read the Bible. How can you be friends with someone if you don't talk (pray) or know about them (Bible)? If you're pursuing a friendship with Jesus and you're not doing those things consistently, then that needs to change. You also need to be friends with his friends (church). Yep, you outta go to church, too.

But on the other hand, let's do get crazy. Tell him everything you wouldn't tell anyone else and say it the way you need to say it. Honestly, Jesus isn't impressed with cute prayers. No lip service here. He wants you to be real. Once, I was talking to him about something frustrating. I said "bull crap" over and over again while I ground my teeth and punched something. Why? I was being honest in front of my friend. I can boldly talk to the King in all His glory, still revere him, and be utterly vulnerable all at once.

When I mess up, yeah he's not happy about it, but he's forgiving and patient. He never nags and will never condescend. He usually says "You know, that's okay... you're more than that and you'll make it next time." If I don't realize that I'm messing up, he kindly lets me know and encourages me to step up my game.  I don't perform in order to be accepted. I'm accepted already, so I perform. He gives the power to overcome things that distract and trip me. Little by little, I'm changing and my new DNA I got when we first became friends is beginning to show up in my character. That's what happens.

"If anyone is in Christ they are a new creation. The old has gone and the new has come." 2 Corinthians 5:17

The bottom line is we work so hard at our relationships with people. Text messages and phone calls, likes and retweets, lunch dates, movie nights, jam sessions, book clubs, fist bumps and bear hugs. What about Jesus? He's like the friend we invite to our house who awkwardly sits on the couch while we're consumed by life on a screen. We need to realize his presence. Realize that he speaks your language. He laughs at that YouTube video with such vivacious laughter. He coaches you while you're running up that hill at the park. He compliments the way you look while getting ready in the morning. He reminds you to pay that bill. He gives you strength to keep going during an ugly, confusing time.

You can be someone and do things beyond what you'd ever think.
Jesus loves you and he paid for your freedom with his life.

He wants to live with you in this life and in eternity.
Friendship with Jesus is the only life that will fill the emptiness that the greatest things on earth could never fill.

"This is the way to have eternal life--to know you the only true God and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth." John 17:3

When I Get to Heaven

In Heaven, everything (food, health, emotions, relationships, entertainment, travel, education, government, opportunities for success) will be better than it is here times infinity. Lately, I've been spending my in-between-obligations-time thinking about it. These are some of the dreams of Heaven I've pictured in my mind. I'm not saying that these concepts can be found in Scripture, but I am saying that this life here, this litter box of a place we think is home, is nothing.

When I get to Heaven....

Maybe I'll be a seven-year-old child. If not, then I will be the most lively, jubilant, free spirit I've ever seen.

I will have my own personal angel who sings to me. On a scale of 1 to 10, his singing is one billion, two-hundred million, seven hundred sixty-one thousand, four hundred twenty-seven. The kind of singing that makes flowers pop out of the ground and bloom.

There will be live music in nearly every part of the city; like open air concerts. Whoever is playing whatever kind of music, you just have to walk there and watch them. It will be the greatest musical talent that ever was. They will sing creative, original lyrics that have deep meaning. Every song will be a story that hits home.

People from all kinds of places will be there. People from the North, South, East, and West. People representing all of the 7,000 languages of the world (not to mention languages that have passed away). People who wear wraps on their heads. People with dark skin, tan skin, ivory skin. People who make their own homes (except they won't have to here). People who wear suits and people who wear plain white t-shirts. People who like football and people who like a good book. I will get to meet them, eat with them, dance with them, make music with them, and share stories with them. And we'll talk and sing and laugh and eat and dance for a long time. Maybe several weeks will pass and we won't even realize it.
Maybe we'll decide to play a few games of ultimate Frisbee on the surface of a near by lake. We'll launch each other into the air and come crashing beneath the water.

Everyone will be so drunk with the Holy Spirit, that not even the most critical person will find a reason for criticism. Everyone will think that every other person is the most amazing creation in the realm of existence. There will be no ideal body type or personality. The tall, slender, white female idealism will be completely gone. Even the freckle-iest, frumpiest, twirpy-iest, physical "impeferctions" will be replaced with perfections. Green eyes will be even greener, blue eyes, bluer, black eyes like deep ebony, and brown eyes will be browner. They will shine with radiance and captivate anyone who looks.

I will meet with friends and relatives who had passed away while I was on earth and witness the inexpressible joy between reunited family members hugging, crying, and wiping each other's tears of joy.

My heroes will be there. I plan to sit underneath a tree on a Persian rug with Queen Esther and some others like Corrie Ten Boom, Amy Carmichael, and Rosa Parks. I will spend hours listening to them talk of stories of their moments of fear and courage. I will go for a run with Eric Liddell. Elisabeth Elliot will ask me to co-author a book. I'll shoot some hoops with Jeremy Lin (because I'll actually enjoy basketball). Keith Green will teach me how to play piano and write Jesus songs. Noah will help me build a tree house. Joseph will help me build several sets of book cases, tables, and chairs for my house. From the most famous heroes of the faith to those who I've never heard of... they'll all be there and we will be good friends.

No one will ever feel alone nor will they feel too overwhelmed by being around so many people for such a long time. I won't feel like I need some alone time to recharge, but, at the same time, will be completely understood by my billions and billions of friends if I want to go alone on a month-long (or however they'll measure that) venture on my horse (or unicorn) through the mountains. On the other side of the mountains, I'll ride to the beach that stretches for several miles. There, I'll meet my Love. My Jesus. We'll walk along the beach holding hands, talking about our deepest desires, singing old hymns, start a fire, and star gaze. We'll decide to go swimming and then we'll dive deep under the surface of the ocean and swim miles deep. We won't come back up until after a few days pass.

When we get back to the beach, He'll pull out the blueprints of an enormous sand castle. We don't rush to finish. We have all of eternity.

I'll travel back to my house because beginning with the next sunrise, I'll start working on my 27th Ph.D. I will be an expert in pretty much every field of study that I have a slight inclination towards: psychology, linguistics, anatomy, physiology, botany, chemistry, etymology, music theory, economics, the study of insects, the history of the world, literature, philosophy, the supernatural, art, astronomy, culinary arts, pedagogy, mechanical/electric engineering, anthropology, geology, medicine, animal science, physics, sociology, architecture, and... well... whatever else I can possibly be an expert about.

I'll be a teacher of all of these subjects and my students will be extremely motivated so I won't have to incorporate the grading system into their education. I'll also be a student. I long to attend a class taught by C.S. Lewis, Martin Luther, Deitrich Bonhoffer, G.K. Chesterton, A.W. Tozer, or Ralph Waldo Emerson.

We won't really have to do any research (unless we just wanna have some fun) because all truth is archived somewhere in some gargantuan library, not to mention Jesus will be there to tell us everything we want to know. Especially all the questions concerning theology that anyone ever pondered. Theologians will finally be able to reach a plausible... or... logical.... or.... I don't know.... the right conclusion about all those bothersome questions we wrestled with and lost sleep over.

After a day at the university or work or play, everyone goes the the main arena in the capital. Some people prefer to walk there in large groups. Some people like to jump from tree top to tree top. Some like to do back strokes in mid air. Some just like to run there really, really, really fast. By the time they arrive, you'd think they'd have wind burn. They don't.

The most exciting event goes on here. An enormous, jubilant, energetic worship service with everyone from every corner of the New Earth assembled. A parade starts descending down the long aisles of the arena. There are dancers and instrumentalists that are familiar to us when we lived on earth such as African choirs, river dancers, Spaniards on guitars, bag pipes, and blue grass bands. There are also thousands of instruments and styles that are completely different from the norm. The kind of instruments King Jehoshaphat's armies played while marching into battle.

Sometimes there is so much energy and emotion from the music and at other times, the music completely stops, but everyone there is still on fire with love for the Mighty One. Those who were once reluctant hand-raisers are now jumping up and down and shouting constantly.  Tears of joy and loud singing seem to never end. Others may be sitting down with their faces buried in their hands rocking back and forth. Others seem to just stand still and smile with wonder.

Then He comes out and stands the midst of his beloved church. Everyone is completely silent and longing to hear the sound of His voice. He starts to preach.... I mean preach. There has never been anyone so passionate and sincere. The whole place is illuminated and gets brighter and brighter as the people clap and receive revelation and understanding. The love is thick. You can almost touch it. The discouragement and doubt and setbacks that I fought before coming here never came back again after I heard and understood so much truth.

There is a huge feast after the powerful, exciting church service. The food is so delicious and satisfying, sometimes when people eat it, tears run down their face. There's no limit. People usually go back for twenty-eth helpings. After you're ready to stop eating, there's an extravagant ballroom with a full orchestra and choirs of angels. Evening gowns and tuxedos are there for everyone. When I put on a dress here, in Heaven, I don't feel a hint of self-consciousness. My King is enthralled and ravished by me. We dance together all evening. No romantic moment I could ever imagine compares with this.

He is my treasure, my reward, my confidence, and my desire. The best thing about Heaven will be Him. The one who made a way for me to be with Him. He is the only way and the only fulfillment. All of my sin and regret and condemnation is dissolved because of His sacrifice.

When I get to Heaven, I will be with Him.

But until then, I'll wait for Him. I will serve Him and worship Him here. I will compel other people to chase after Him because He is the only way to eternal life. It is impossible to be good enough to deserve life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Where are you going after your life here is over? You don't want to miss Heaven. Please. Give your life to Jesus and follow Him for the rest of your days. He has promises for you.

In Heaven...

"Here we connect on levels that surpass any amount of intimacy you have known. Think of being in love, with all the spinning emotions involved--when one look or one touch from your beloved fills your chest with warmth. Even the casual acquaintance here carries more depth and more feeling. I am in love with every person. Heaven is the consummate "in love" experience. There is never a moment when I don't feel I could burst from the love and joy that fills me."

Letters from a Martyred Christian by H.L. Hussmann.

Be Responsible

This morning, I went to my Spanish class and because tomorrow is the presidential election, our professor had us write a few sentences in Spanish about our thoughts on the two candidates. Something bothered me as the professor asked my classmates to read their opinions out loud. No, it wasn't because they were planning to vote for the candidate I'm not voting for and it wasn't the pompous way they shared their opinions ensuring the class that it was "la verdad!" (the truth!) It was the people who said, "I'm not into politics. I don't know anything about the candidates, so you can skip me."

I'm sure that this attitude doesn't only exist among college students, this destructive apathy permeates probably thousands of American citizens and even Christians. Their excuse? Well, they don't really have a good one besides the fact that politics can be icky to get into. I know. I know.

One of my old roommates came up with a funny definition of politics:

poli means "many"
tics means "blood-sucking creatures"

Besides this fake, yet funny meaning, politics need to be considered no matter how seemingly simple or disconnected from the idea our lives may be. Decisions made by political leaders has an effect on our simple and "disconnected" lives. If you have the privilege of living in the United States, you need to take responsibility.  Some dedicate their lives to protecting our rights and some have given their blood or their sanity for this country. Not everyone has to be this engaged, but, good grief, at least take the time to do some homework about a political party so you can be sure you make the right decision.

And to the Christians. Please. Refer to the Bible and compare it with what the political parties support. If you represent Jesus, then support the guy running for office who stands for biblical principals like the value of life and the sanctity of marriage. You can compare the Democratic and Republican platforms here. 

Another very, really, extremely, exceedingly, severely important thing you can do as a Christian is pray.

God says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear them from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Non-Christians aren't going to do this. God wants us, His own people, to take responsibility, to get rid of the sin in our own lives, and to ask for mercy from God for all the junk that's happened in this country (which was undeniably founded for the glory of Jesus Christ). Take it upon yourself to see change happen in America. It's so easy to be disappointed and disgusted to the point of throwing your hands up and adopting the Doris Day mentality of "Que sera, sera. Whatever will be, will be." I'm guilty, but don't do that. God is not finished with America and He's not going to give up on her. Let's be like that.

So go do some homework and pray and seek God's face.

And tomorrow....

GO VOTE, FOO!

Dark Night Rises

This is a post about the past year of my life--what Jesus pulled me into and then pulled me right back out of. It's why I went almost a whole year without posting a blog and why people would ask me how life was going.

It was my first year of graduate school and the start of my fifth year in my campus ministry, Christ Ambassadors. Without going into much detail... because I really don't remember many details... I don't remember events--it was all a blur. I can just remember how I felt--numb. I would go to church, morning prayer, bible study, lunch with friends, the park, on the back steps of Pogue library (my favorite place on campus) all without vibrancy or vigor or passion. Several times, I would sit in church listening to the pastor give his sermon and afterwards hear my friends talk about how much it meant to them. I had nothing to say. I learned nothing because I had heard that message only seventeen times before. Often times, I'd open my Bible, read it, and then think to myself, "Well... that's what it says..."

I remember making myself list the good reasons why I should go hang out with people or how much I didn't want to go to an outreach event, but made myself go anyway. The only place I wanted to be was in my room laying in my bed talking to Jesus and sometimes weeping because life was bland and colorless and I had lost my desire to dig deep and enjoy life as it was. I felt as if God was so far away because I had lost the feeling of his powerful presence. When I did feel his presence, it was like a light mist of rain, teasing and taunting me with the chance of an intense rainstorm that never came. Life was pretty dry.

I really believe God made me to love adventure and new experiences. Boredom, monotony, and repetition are my worst enemies. Since life was boring, monotonous, and repetitive beyond all reason, I got discouraged and lost confidence. I wasn't able to be satisfied with a task I performed or my choice of clothes that day. Even when people complimented me, it was like salt to a wound. I just preferred if I felt awkward about the unsatisfactory job I believe I did without someone trying to make me feel better about it.

This regression of the meaning of life continued for a long time. I had no idea what was happening to me. Was I in sin? Was it something I said the other day? Seriously, Lord. When are you coming back?! I just wanna go to Heaven.

So, then... another monotonous thing I do every December is go to a conference with my campus ministry. I won't lie, I kinda enjoyed it like I usually do, but there was one time where God decided to tell me what was going on. I was in the prayer room in the conference center and there was a small group of people offering prophetic prayer. I thought, "Why not?"

One of the girls prayed with me for a minute and then she started sharing what she felt like God was saying:

"I don't know how much you know about gardening, but a lot of times when a plant is grown, a good gardener will water away from the plant so the roots can expand and grow deeper. So, maybe your life seems dry right now, but God wants you to know that he is expanding you and stretching you to grow even deeper in Him."

Wow. It made perfect sense. She said other really meaningful things including that God will take me on adventures. YES! ADVENTURES! What I live for!

The next five or six months after this... life was still dry, but I had hope. Occasionally, Jesus would encourage me through things said by my campus pastors, in books, and through Scripture:

Isaiah 50:10
"Who among you fears the LORD? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD and rely on God."

Saint John of the Cross talks about this verse in his book called Dark Night of the Soul. I haven't read it, but in another book it makes a reference to this concept. Believers face this season of life where things seem numb and God feels distant and there is no light. It's when God is doing something in the most intrinsic parts of our soul--like surgery. And during the surgery, the patient is experiencing the effects of anesthesia.

In another book, I read a quote from Dark Night of the Soul: "Oh then, spiritual soul, when you see your appetites darkened, your inclinations dry and constrained, your faculties incapacitated for any interior exercise, do not be afflicted; think of this as a grace, since God is freeing you from yourself and taking from you your own activity."

I was so relieved at this revelation. Again, life was still dry, but at least I understood what was happening and that it was important to Jesus for me to go through this.

Finally, the day came when I felt the Niagara falls of freedom. It was after the first week of being in Allegan, Michigan during my training to be a cabin leader at Camp Beechpoint. I was laying in the tire swing of the playground facing the beautiful scene of Lake Dumont. I quietly wispered to the Lord, "So this is it" and I began to cry tears of overwhelming joy and freedom. Life had meaning again and I was able to believe deep in my soul that what I was doing--leading children to Christ--had great purpose.

I have never felt so much freedom and confidence in my entire life. Creativity, wisdom, pleasure, grace, peace, passion, and humor flowed from me. I would wake up without an alarm clock every day... early in the morning to watch the sunrise, hike through the woods, trudge through the shore of the lake, build a sand castle, play piano in the chapel, or watch the fog creep over the stillness of the lake with Jesus--loving his presence and receiving strength that I needed for that day.

And now I'm looking forward to the best semester I have ever experienced.

Mud Puppies

I was reading Proverbs 26 this morning (because today's Jan. 26) and came across a familiar verse.

"As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool returns to his foolishness."

It made me think of how I know I'm supposed to do what's right, but I don't always do the right thing. I return to my "foolishness." It's a vicious cycle of facing a situation where I concieve this idea of what a "good Christian" would do, but it doesn't agree with what I "feel like." I admit, some days I'm at Burger King where they do it my way. I do what I want--whatever feels good to me. Now, being a place where God's Spirit lives, I sense conviction sooner or later. If I'm not careful, I let Satan accuse me and make me feel like a whipped dog.

A lot of Christians feel this way. Even (arguably) the most radical Christian in history, Paul, felt like a "miserable person" (Romans 7). We are stuck in the mud. We try everything in our power to get out. Why do we keep falling for this? Why do we keep doing that? Why can't we just stop it?

Even though God is holy and righteous and, basically, just too good for us and our foolishness, He wants to help. Jesus not only wants to pull us out, but He is willing to give us a clean plate-- another chance to do things right. God's not dissapointed. He's not shocked by our weakness. He wants to help. He can get us out of the mud.

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.

Psalm 40: 1-2