A lady asked me the other day about our ministry with The Navigators, about whom she knew nothing. In the middle of the conversation, responding to something I’d seen in one of her emails, I asked what she was teaching two days each week. I was shocked when this 76-year-young lady said, “Martial Arts.” Wow, I said. That’s a participation sport! Can you tell me about that? Part of her response went something like this:

I asked God to give me something I could be passionate about. One day, in a Starbucks, I met a man who told me owned a martial arts school – why don’t you visit? So I did. Two sessions were free. My instructor started working with me and observed that I was a visual learner, so he adapted his instruction to fit my learning style. I took to it, and before I knew it, I was a red belt. I said, well, I’ve come this far, I can be a black belt! And I did. And now I’m one of the teachers.

I said, “May I tell you what I heard?”

• You had an instructor who worked with you one-on-one.
• Starting from nothing, with participation, doing what the instructor told you to do, you experienced growth in your skills .
• You reached a level of competence with the red belt and then the black belt.
• You’re repeating the process by being an instructor yourself.

Yes? Yes!

And then I said:

That’s exactly what I do as a Navigator. I invest time in people who want to follow Jesus and be involved in his mission. I teach them some basic skills: how to have daily time with God, how to memorize scripture, how to do Bible study, how to share the gospel, how to help someone else do those things. I’m expecting they will participate – not just listen. That they will grow in their skills and in their love for Jesus and become competent to do what I’m doing. Participation, Growth, Competence.

And I asked her to look up 2 Timothy 2.1 – 7 after our conversation was over.

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. (NIV)

The text gives the method (verse 2) and examples (verses 3 – 7). In addition to the specific applications belonging to soldiers, athletes, and farmers, I think all three are examples of activities in which Participation leads to Growth leads to Competence. 

Martial Arts…Discipleship: the process is the same.

Train yourself to be godly. (1 Timothy 4.7, NIV)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 8.24 – 27, NIV)

There are a lot of gruesome stories in the Old Testament, difficult to know how to apply in our context. I saw this one (again) the other day, but something jumped out that I hadn’t seen before. The Israelites are in the wilderness, and suddenly an orgy breaks out involving the men of Israel and the women of Moab. Moses starts executing leaders, and the congregation has gathered at the tabernacle to mourn over their sin. Then this:

And behold, one of the people of Israel came and brought a Midianite woman to his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the people of Israel, while they were weeping in the entrance of the tent of meeting. When Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand and went after the man of Israel into the chamber… (Numbers 25.6 – 8, ESV)

The text goes on to say that Phinehas killed both of them and that the Lord was pleased with his action! (See Numbers 25)

Bob, there’s a lesson? Yes! What I saw this time was “He rose and left the congregation and took a spear in his hand…” There’s a time to gather and repent, and there’s a time to leave the congregation and take action.

While I was casting about for a practical example, Breakpoint came to the rescue with a story about Amy Carmichael, missionary to India in the early 1900s. Here’s a snippet:

One day, a young girl named Preena, who had been sold as a temple slave by her widowed mother and literally branded when she tried to run away, listened as Amy Carmichael told of God’s love. Preena ran away again, this time to Amy’s house. Amy knew that if she took Preena in, she could be charged with kidnapping. However, she also knew to send Preena back would mean further beatings or even death. Driven by the truth of the gospel, Amy welcomed Preena into her home. – Breakpoint, March 16, 2021

The whole article is worth reading. Amy Carmichael ended up saving over 1,000 children from temple prostitution and influencing the Indian government to outlaw the practice in 1947.

Sometimes it’s not enough to gather in our churches and lament the problem. Someone has to take up a spear! I’m praying about what that might look like for me.

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Matthew 7.24, ESV, emphasis mine)

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. (Acts 16.9. 10, ESV)

I wrote yesterday about the clear application to “be ready” from the sometimes hard-to-understand “Olivet Discourse” (Matthew 24 and 25).

Here’s something else that’s clear: Jesus will return in power and glory:

Then the sign announcing the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn over him. And they will see the Son of Man appearing in the clouds of heaven, revealed with mighty power, great splendor, and glory… (Matthew 24.30, TPT)

When the Son of Man appears in his majestic glory, with all his angels by his side, he will take his seat on his throne of splendor… (Matthew 25.31, TPT)

This is Jesus talking, and it’s not a metaphor. It’s a fact:

• Jesus will appear in majestic power, splendor, and glory.
• All his angels will be by his side.
• He will take his seat on his throne of splendor.

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. (Revelation 1.12 – 17, ESV)

I recently read Matthew 24 and 25, “The Olivet Discourse,” a long and sometimes confusing answer to the disciples’ questions:

As Jesus was leaving the temple courts, his disciples came to him and pointed out the beautiful architecture of the temple. And Jesus turned to them and said, “Take a good look at all these things, for I’m telling you, there will not be one stone left upon another. It will all be leveled!” Later, when they arrived at the Mount of Olives, his disciples came privately to where he was sitting and said, “Tell us, when will these things happen? And what sign should we expect to signal your coming and the completion of this age?” (Matthew 24.1 – 3, TPT, emphasis mine)

The disciples may have thought that was one question: that is, when the temple is destroyed, Jesus will come back and that will be the end of the age. But it’s at least two questions since the temple was destroyed, as Jesus predicted, in 70A.D. But we are still here.

No matter how we understand all the detail in Matthew 24, Jesus’ application is clear:

So always be ready, alert, and prepared, because at an hour when you’re not expecting him, the Son of Man will come.” (Matthew 24.44, TPT)

The day I read this, the local paper reported that a well-known Colorado Springs citizen passed away, and as far as I know, he wasn’t even sick.

Tom Osborne died in his sleep Wednesday morning. He was 65. The local sports and events community is stunned.  – Paul Klee, Colorado Springs Gazette, March 10, 2021.

We don’t need eschatology (the study of the end times) for verse 44 to make sense. It may not be the end, but certainly, my end can come any time Jesus wants it to. Best I be ready at all times.

But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. (1 Thessalonians 5.4 – 11, ESV, emphasis mine)

I’ve called our attention often to Paul’s command to pray for our leaders:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. (1 Timothy 2.1, 2, ESV)

Recently, I got new insight into “all who are in high positions.” The Pope visited Iraq earlier this month, and his primary objective was the peace and security of Iraqi Christians – read, “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life…” Hence, this historic meeting with Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

When I think “all who are in high positions,” I think our president, members of Congress, the Supreme Court, governors, and leaders of other countries. But now, I’m thinking religious leaders as well. They command enormous influence, sometimes to the detriment of people who follow a religion different from theirs.

According to World Magazine, the result was positive:

In a statement issued by his office afterward, al-Sistani said Christians should “live like all Iraqis, in security and peace and with full constitutional rights.” – World Magazine, posted March 6, 2021

You can get more perspective on the visit in this article from Breakpoint.

My prayer list just got longer.

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling. (1 Timothy 2.8, ESV)

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, (Ephesians 6.18, ESV)

May your Kingdom manifest on earth. (Luke 11.2, TPT)

Last year the pandemic struck in mid-March, and we lost the most exciting event on the annual sports calendar, the NCAA Basketball Tournament. 67 games of “win and advance” or “lose and go home.” This year’s tournament has started with a bang including 15th-seed Oral Roberts University defeating a 2nd-seed Ohio State yesterday.

Of course that means ORU has to play tomorrow, and here’s what ORU coach Paul Mills said about that:

The reality is you have to turn around and you’re about to play another one, so the celebration better be pretty quick. If you spend all your time looking back at your wedding day videos, you’re probably not going to have a very good marriage.

That will preach!

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3.13, 14, ESV)

We often hear that there’s no “retirement” in the Bible. Actually, that’s not quite true:

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall come to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting. And from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the duty of the service and serve no more. They minister to their brothers in the tent of meeting by keeping guard, but they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.” (Numbers 8.23 – 26, ESV)

So it’s not true that there’s no retirement. The word retirement isn’t used, but the Levites only serve in their official tabernacle duties until age 50. After that, they serve by assisting the others.

Some pastors keep going and going and going, preaching the same kinds of sermons to the same people, with no succession plan. Then they pass away at age 80 or more, everyone is surprised, and no one knows what to do. Some formerly good churches have been ruined by splits in these cases.

Some of us need to get out of the way! We can advise. There have to be the means for people coming up to get their shot. It’s right here in Leviticus.

I’m still serving, and I hope to continue for a long time, but I’m not running anything anymore (and I used to love to run things!). Jim Downing, Navigator #6, served 24 years in the Navy, and 27 years on senior staff of The Navigators. Then he “retired,” remaining active until shortly before his death at age 104:

Jim officially retired in 1983, but in many ways his ministry was just beginning. His retirement allowed him to travel the world to speak and teach. His practical application of Scripture, his warmth and wit, made Jim a popular speaker, especially among college students. – From A Life Well Lived, By The Navigators in Organization News, February 13, 2018. 

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office. (Hebrews 7.23, NIV)

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4.6, 7, NIV)

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90.2, ESV)

Tuesday I mentioned the “massive snowstorm” that we had Sunday, March 14. There have been bigger ones, but this one was enough to shut things down for a while. Here’s my deck furniture as of late afternoon Sunday with snow expected to fall until midnight:

The striking thing about this storm is that they talked about it for a week prior. It was 60 degrees here Monday and Tuesday, but they were talking about the upcoming blizzard. “Feet of snow” in some places, they said. The event was supposed to start Friday afternoon. Then they slipped it to overnight Friday. Snow didn’t actually start until 10:30 Saturday morning, and it was only a few inches before stopping. Is the blizzard really coming? Or is this just more over-reaction by the weather people?

Well it came overnight Saturday into Sunday…as advertised in every way. Some folks went out in it against official recommendations and got stuck. Many major highways were closed.

There’s a lesson.

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3.1 – 13, ESV, emphases mine)

For all the hoopla and wild parties that some practice on March 17, the real story of St. Patrick is worth remembering. A friend and Navigator colleague who is from Northern Ireland summarizes it this way:

It’s important to remember that Patrick was a great missionary. He was an apostle to the Irish in the AD 400s and was used by God to convert the Celts of Ireland to Christianity, despite opposition from those who practiced the Druid religion.

There’s more to the story, including the fact that Patrick was taken from his home in Britain to Ireland and sold as a slave, escaping after six years. Then he returned, years later, to evangelize the people who enslaved him. A nice summary written by Chuck Colson in 2006 is worth the read and includes these paragraphs:

The Irish of the fifth century were a pagan, violent, and barbaric people. Human sacrifice was commonplace. Patrick understood the danger and wrote: “I am ready to be murdered, betrayed, enslaved—whatever may come my way.”

As it is with many Christian holidays, Saint Patrick’s Day has lost much of its original meaning. Instead of settling for parades, cardboard leprechauns, and “the wearing of the green,” we ought to recover our Christian heritage, celebrate the great evangelist, and teach our kids about this Christian hero. – Chuck Colson, as reported on Breakpoint, March 16, 2020.

…we and the people there urged [Paul] not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Acts 21.12, 13, ESV)

It was a year ago last week that we all started COVID lockdown mode. My first observations began on March 14 and continued through March 24. Who knew that one year later, our actions would still be driven by COVID concerns?

But more of us have been vaccinated, restrictions are being lifted, and we’re starting to take more in-person meetings. On March 7 we actually went to church in person and had lunch after with friends. Things to give thanks for. As our friends wrote, reflecting on the time, “We are blessed.” (We were back to Zoom church on March 14 due to a massive snowstorm in our area. Some things don’t change! Except…pre-COVID, church services would have been canceled. Now we switch to Zoom without missing a beat.)

There have been changes in plans. We lost two scheduled getaways to Estes Park: one to COVID in late March and another to two forest fires in early November. The Atlanta kids elected not to come on Thanksgiving. The China kids are still stuck in China. A scheduled speaking engagement in Spring Canyon was canceled.

People struggled. June’s piano teacher nearly succumbed to COVID in November, but, thankfully, she is fine now. One cousin in Texas had a serious bout with COVID including over a week in the hospital, but, thankfully, he is recovering, too. Our son David shares church piano duties with a lady who lost her husband to COVID.

It’s been a tough year – but way tougher for some than for others. We joked about not knowing what day of the week it was, and borrowing a line from a Pearls Before Swine comic strip, took to calling every day “day-day” because they were all the same. But June and I enjoy being together. Our house is in a pleasant location. I walked the dog and visited with neighbors outside. Knee surgery was postponed from May to July, but it got done.

Life and ministry continue, maybe under more favorable circumstances this year than last. But if not, God is still in control…

Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls–Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. (Habakkuk 3.17 – 19, NKJV)