It’s a holiday I’ve learned about relatively recently, well after we moved to Colorado in 1984. And it’s my custom to publish early on special days. With all that’s going on in our country now, I don’t want to ignore this. I pray today’s remembrances are peaceful and constructive.
But it’s a day all Americans should commemorate. Juneteenth was the culmination of the efforts of men and women across race and social standing to put an end to a particularly shameful practice on our shores.
Freedom was an important part of Jesus’ mission.
[Jesus] went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4.16 – 19, NIV)
I’ve written before about Frank and Sally Dennis, still active at age 90. Sally just went to be with Jesus in April. This is a post I received from Frank in mid-June, reproduced as he wrote it, including the emphases:
Sunday afternoon, quiet, lovely day with sunshine and flowers, scan the Gazette and sit. I decided to fold my T-shirts so they will fit in the drawer.
And as I sat folding T-shirts I began to laugh. What a sloppy job! I almost might as well wad them up and shove them in the drawer (but they won’t all fit then).
And then I began to cry. The only thing Sally could do was fold laundry. And she did it like the factory. Neat and smooth. And that was the only thing she could do around the house. Because she needed two hands on the walker she couldn’t cook, clean, garden or the many other easy things for most people. And she was so proud of the neat T-shirts and I would praise her. And I began to cry. Sobbing. How sad that was all she could do. How sad she was happy to be able to do something for me even if it was just to fold T-shirts.
But it wasn’t all she could do! She cheered me up. She smiled. She cuddled and held my hand when we watched Hallmark movies. She would go to sleep in my arms in bed. She was my joy and love.
And then I told myself: She is happy with Jesus, her parents, her brothers, the many friends and I am happy, healthy (for my age) with a nice house, beautiful view, flowers, birds feeding at the west window, many friends. opportunities to speak for Jesus, books to read, TV to watch… Just a little lonely and missing that smile.
The human brain, the mind and the emotions, are very complex and difficult to understand and control. But the will is what we can control and I stand before God to give account of what I do with that will. Am I yielding it to my Master Jesus.? “Lord, what would you have me to do?”
He says “Offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving!”
Right! I’ll do it. Lord, I am so thankful for the 66 years we had together, for the 5 children, the 11 grandchildren that all love me and for the 11 great-grandchildren I can love and pray for, for the years in Taiwan and the innumerable friends and patients there and ……….” and I am fine.
Thank you Lord Jesus. I can rejoice! (With just a few dips in the road).
Frank Dennis, an old child of the King
Thanks for the example, Frank. May we all finish as well.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4.13, NLT)
Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High. (Psalm 50.14, ESV)
Seth Godin had a short post on June 14. Here it is in its entirety:
I tried to recharge the lithium battery that works with my drill. After twenty minutes, the charger said the battery had failed. Fortunately, I have a second battery. I put that into the charger and it also showed a failure. Neither battery had failed. The charger had.
He called the blog “Measuring Systems,” and I suppose that’s one application. Sort of like my microwave that didn’t have an error message for when it wasn’t working.
But the real problem in both cases is the system that’s supposed to provide power either for recharging a battery or for heating food wasn’t working.
And that reminds me of some pastors who complain of dead congregations. “The people don’t respond to my preaching or to our services. They’re dead.” Maybe the people are fine but the preaching and the services are dead! (To be sure, either is a possibility.)
[Jesus said, ] “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. (Matthew 7.24 – 29, ESV)
As churches, including ours, talk about how they will “regather,” (our church says we’ve never closed so we shouldn’t talk about “reopening”), we should be asking ourselves what we can retain from the experiences of the past few months.
For example, our church uses Zoom, as I’ve said before, and we are broken up randomly into “rooms” afterward for sharing. A few weeks ago, one of the couples in our group shared a concern they had with an adopted grandson who was having serious adjustment issues. Another person in the room, now 70 years old, urged them to hang in there with him. He said, “That was me. I had those same adjustment issues. I was 50 years old before I fully realized how much my adoptive parents loved me.”
It was a very significant conversation that I guarantee would NOT have happened during our church’s fellowship time under “normal” circumstances. (It’s highly unlikely those two couples would have talked with each other, and if they did, they certainly wouldn’t have gotten into that depth with all the other people around.)
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God… (Romans 8.28, NLT)
And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. (Philippians 1.12, NLT)
I’ve written before about how much we enjoyed our church’s use of Zoom for the Sunday meetings. A week ago, I had my doubts when, near the end of the service, someone was yelling at the tech guy and using VERY inappropriate language. I thought that someone had crashed the event, and all week I watched for an explanation from church leadership on what happened and how they were going to prevent its happening again. Nothing.
Until yesterday. Pastor Dave made it the centerpiece of the sermon. Here’s a snippet:
We heard some things last week – someone’s microphone was unmuted, someone who was having a very bad day. It made the service R-rated. I’ve had some deep conversations and heard heartfelt apologies. There was a direct connection with [last week’s] service. Last week I talked about a meltdown I had. All of us are in the same boat. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We stand in equal need of God’s grace...Am I convinced that the unedited version of me is the “me” that God loves? God loves you whether you’re having a good day or a bad day. – Dr. Dave Jordan-Irwin, June 14, 2020
Wow. I saw a technical problem needing to be solved; our pastor saw a person needing to be ministered to and assured of God’s love and grace.
There was a time I would have assessed the quality of a sermon by the depth of Biblical insight, clarity of the outline, and effectiveness of the delivery. No more. How about the ability of the pastor to actually apply the scripture to a real-life situation, showing by example how to love others and live out the gospel? He was showing us how to implement the sermon’s text:
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel…Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 1.27, 2.1 – 4, NIV)
Here’s a nice follow-on to yesterday’s blog contrasting Zechariah’s unbelief with Mary’s belief. And if you think about it, it shows that the folks in the Bible are real people with feelings just like ours. Note what Elizabeth said to Mary:
Great favor is upon you, for you have believed every word spoken to you from the Lord.” (Luke 1.45, Passion Translation)
In other words, “You believed, and you’re here talking to me. You’re not like my idiot husband who didn’t believe, and he has been mute for six months now!”
Again, what should we be believing God for? Things that seem impossible, but “Nothing is impossible with God!” (Luke 1.37)
Elisha said, “Listen! GOD’s word! The famine’s over. This time tomorrow food will be plentiful—a handful of meal for a shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel. The market at the city gate will be buzzing.” The attendant on whom the king leaned for support said to the Holy Man, “You expect us to believe that? Trapdoors opening in the sky and food tumbling out?” “You’ll watch it with your own eyes,” he said, “but you will not eat so much as a mouthful!” (2 Kings 7.1, 2, MSG – a story of unbelief. Check it all out: 2 Kings 6.24 – 7.20)
We often refer to the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary in Luke 1 as “The Annunciation.” But, according to my friend Hanh at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Retreat Center, there are two annunciations: one to Zechariah in Luke 1.5 – 25 and other to Mary in Luke 1.26 – 38. The main lesson is that Zechariah did not believe while Mary did. Here’s the relevant paragraph on Zechariah:
Zechariah asked the angel, “How do you expect me to believe this? I’m an old man and my wife is too old to give me a child. What sign can you give me to prove this will happen?” Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel. I stand beside God himself. He has sent me to announce to you this good news. But now, since you did not believe my words, you will be stricken silent and unable to speak until the day my words have been fulfilled at their appointed time and a child is born to you. That will be your sign!”(Luke 1.18 – 20, Passion Translation)
There are some interesting contrasts:
Zechariah was a religious professional, a priest; Mary, a young (lay) woman. The professional didn’t believe; the layperson did.
In Bible history, there are stories of “old-age” conceptions, most notably Abraham. There are no previous stories of a virgin birth. The event for which there was precedence was disbelieved while the new, unique event was believed.
One person needed a sign; the other did not.
What should we be believing God for?
An end to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Real progress in race relations?
Both current events leading to real changes of heart among us all?
What’s stopping us from believing? What would belief look like?
[Abraham] did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. (Romans 4.20, 21, NKJV)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen…By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude–innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. (Hebrews 11.1, 11, 12, NKJV)
With the more recent news of racial unrest, our attentions seem to have shifted away from COVID-19, which is still with us. A Navigator friend of mine posted this poem, written by Sarah Bourns, a disciple-maker and seminary student in New York. She says about herself and her role at a church plant, Hope Midtown in Manhattan: “I disciple and develop leaders and provide pathways for our congregation to encounter God in his Word and his world.”
We’ve all been exposed. Not necessarily to the virus (though maybe…who knows) We’ve all been exposed BY the virus.
Corona is exposing us. Exposing our weak sides. Exposing our dark sides. Exposing what normally lies far beneath the surface of our souls, hidden by the invisible masks we wear. Now exposed by the paper masks we can’t hide far enough behind.
Corona is exposing our addiction to comfort. Our obsession with control. Our compulsion to hoard. Our protection of self.
Corona is peeling back our layers. Tearing down our walls. Revealing our illusions. Leveling our best-laid plans.
Corona is exposing the gods we worship: Our health Our hurry Our sense of security. Our favorite lies Our secret lusts Our misplaced trust.
Corona is calling everything into question: What is the church without a building? What is my worth without an income? How do we plan without certainty? How do we love despite risk?
Corona is exposing me. My mindless numbing My endless scrolling My careless words My fragile nerves.
We’ve all been exposed. Our junk laid bare. Our fears made known. The band-aid torn. The masquerade done.
So what now? What’s left? Clean hands Clear eyes Tender hearts.
What Corona reveals, God can heal.
Come Lord Jesus. Have mercy on us.
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139.23, 24, NIV)
Did you see that the new Chief of Staff of the Air Force is black? With all that’s going on, he had unanimous approval by the Senate, and according to the Washington Post, “He is honored and humbled to serve…” I like that attitude. He’s General Charles Q. “CQ” Brown, ROTC graduate of Texas Tech and fighter pilot.
General CQ Brown, new USAF Chief of Staff
I was sad to read that he has experienced racism in the military. I’ve always believed that the military was ahead of many civilian organizations: I’ve worked for black officers, worked with black officers, and had black officers working for me. But upon reflection, I have to confirm General Brown’s assertion that he was “often the only African-American in my squadron,” and as a senior officer, “the only African-American in the room,” as quoted in the NY Times. I never thought about how those black officers I worked with felt about being the only one.
I wish General Brown well, and I think we can learn from his attitude toward racial challenges:
I can’t fix centuries of racism in our country, nor can I fix decades of discrimination that may have impacted members of our Air Force. I’m thinking about how I can make improvements. – General CQ Brown as quoted in the NY Times.
If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in. (Isaiah 58.9 – 12, ESV)
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6.8, NIV
I don’t often reproduce someone else’s story in full, adding little to nothing. In this case, there’s not much I can add. The author is Jason Robinson, who is with The Navigators’ Collegiate ministry in Minneapolis. I do not know him, but he’s my brother.
I’m 6’5”, in my late 40s, African-American, living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. So was George Floyd. He was a man of God who loved people and was always there for others. The same could be said about me. Then there was Christian Cooper, a Harvard educated man, successful writer and editor in New York City. I, too, am a college-educated man who’s served in vocational ministry for more than 25 years, building and leading multicultural ministries ranging in size from 50 to 5,000.
Jason Robinson, serving with The Navigators in Minneapolis
For all three of us, throughout our lives, we have encountered people who didn’t see any of the good things that make us who we are. They just see Black men who they perceived as threats and acted accordingly, the worst offense being the murder of George Floyd.
As Navigators who live by the motto “To know Christ, make Him known, and help others do the same®” we find racism in any form unacceptable, especially the systemic racism that contributed to the death of George Floyd, and it must not be tolerated. Because of our commitment to live, love, and lead like Jesus, we must take the lead on how to respond in a way that reflects the God we serve and that “helps others to do the same.”
For me, watching the video of George’s death hit me in a profound way because when I saw George, I saw myself. It sent me on every emotion one could feel, but at the end of it all, it re-affirmed the call that is on my life. As a Christ-follower I should have the same compassion that Jesus has, not only for those like me who have been victimized, but also for those who are caught in the trap of sinful thoughts and behaviors.
What that looks like over the next days, weeks, and months is yet to be determined, but what I would like to see is a full-on commitment by the people of God to action. No longer being silent, but active in demonstrating and living out the top two commands God calls us to: to love Him and to love our neighbor.
The love and outpouring of compassion toward me is refreshing, encouraging, and greatly appreciated. My friends, family, and supporters understand that it could have been me! My prayer is that it motivates them to do something. I am committed to helping them learn what God would have them to do going forward. For those that don’t know God, I am committed to helping them know God. And for all, I am committed to helping them do the same for others.
“To know Christ, make Him known, and help others do the same.” I’m a Navigator. It’s what I do. – Jason Robinson [link added]
How would Jason and other black brothers read these verses?
Do you think this is the kind of fast day I’m after: a day to show off humility? To put on a pious long face and parade around solemnly in black? Do you call that fasting, a fast day that I, GOD, would like? This is the kind of fast day I’m after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts. (Isaiah 58.5, 6, MSG)
[Jesus said, ] “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4.18 – 21, NIV)
