My two oldest built a bridge out of some spare 2X4’s I had laying around today (pictured left). When I saw it, it made me laugh.

I laughed because as a middle school boy I was introduced to one of the greatest movies of all time (at least as far as middle school boys are concerned). In this movie, set in the dark ages, the characters are trying to determine whether or not a woman is a witch – the logic goes like this. If she’s a witch she’ll burn, and if she’ll burn then she must be made out of wood, therefore to determine whether or not she is a witch one must simply determine if she is made out of wood (see why middle school boys like it). In confronting the difficult task of how to determine whether or not the woman in question was in fact made out of wood one of the main characters decides that the best option is to “build a bridge out of her” (I laughed when I typed this). Whether or not you know the movie or appreciate this type of humor – there is a point to my ramblings. 

You see, after the chuckles I stood there thinking about the bridges my kids would have to build in their lives.  In the course of a lifetime, we are all confronted with circumstances that our outside of our own natural ability to understand or control. Things like death, loss, abuse, oppression, unemployment, betrayal.  No matter how long or complex your list of difficulty, the point is – you have one – and my kids will too.

As I thought about this I was reminded of a story in the Bible.  The story of Jethro (Moses’ Father in Law).  If you are new to the Bible you can read the story of Moses and Jethro in Exodus 1-3.  What you will see is that God used some very unique and difficult circumstances to bring Jethro into Moses’ life to teach him how to lead sheep in the wilderness.  What you also see is that later on in Moses’ life (Exodus 18:17-19) God used Jethro to teach Moses how to lead God’s people in the wilderness without wearing himself or God’s people out.  Pretty cool story. 

It gets even cooler though when you realize where Jethro came from.  Jethro was the Priest in a land called Midian, the inhabitants of which were descendants from a man named Midian – whom was the son of a man called Abraham.  The thing you need to know about Abraham is that his life was an incredible adventure which included the miraculous birth of a son to he and his wife Sarah.  The miraculous son (at least as far as most are concerned) was not Midian, it was Isaac (you can read Abraham’s story in Genesis 12-25).  Isaac was a complete miracle and the direct fulfillment of a promise that God had made to bless the world through Abraham and Sarah’s offspring.  If their story was a Disney movie it would end like this “and after the birth of Isaac, Abraham and Sarah raised him to become a handsome prince who married a beautiful princess and then they lived happily ever after until they gently drifted off to sleep in each others arms.”

As you know, God is not Walt Disney and the story didn’t end like this.  Rather it ended like life ends.  Sarah in a box in the ground and Abraham without the love of his life.  But what most people miss is that God’s adventure for Abraham didn’t end with the birth of Isaac or the death of Sarah.  Rather it continued into an end of life romance with a woman named Keturah which resulted in several sons, one of whom was named Midian – whose great, great . . . grandson would come along side of Moses, who was Isaac’s great, great . . . grandson and teach him to lead God’s people through the wilderness. 

With history’s  perspective we can see how God wove from Sarah’s death, a new romance, new children, and a bridge to the future in which his offspring served each other.

So as I looked at the little wooden bridge my children had built . . .  I prayed.  Lord grant me, and my children, the faith to believe that every circumstance, no matter how good or evil, will be used by you to weave a Jethro and Moses type masterpiece that only eternity’s perspective can comprehend.

God is love, and his love results in his grace, which results in man’s free will, which results in man’s sinful choices affecting man, which results in pain, which also often results in man rejecting God’s love and grace.  What sadness.

I choose rather to accept God’s love and grace – accept the temporary pain caused by my own sin and the sinful choices of others – and trust God for the results.

So the next time you drive over a bridge – walk over a bridge – or watch a movie you fell in love with in middle school.  Think about Jethro and remember -

Today’s circumstances, no matter how difficult, are connecting you to God’s tomorrow.

God is good – rest in that.

Josh

Ever have one of those “normal” moments that awaken you to the change that has slowly occurred in your life.  I had one of those moments tonight as I stood in the check out line at our local Publix.

My shopping list was brief – one item at Publix - double stuff Oreos, and one at Blockbuster – Barbie and the Three Musketeers.   It was 7:00PM when I handed the teenager behind the counter the Oreos, ”short list” he asked?  I thought about explaining that I was running a little behind and this and the barbie movie would buy me some quality time with my wife.  As I thought of how ridiculous that would sound to the check out kid I simply smiled and replied “There was a day when these would have been flowers”.  Surprisingly enough he seemed to get it.

Today was crazy good, but it was still crazy and so that meant that I needed to be strategic regarding how Heidi and I would get some much needed time to catch up on the significant events of the day.  There was a day when flowers would have expressed my intentional love and need for her, however four kids and eleven years later it seems that Oreo’s and Barbie are a much better combination.

I guess my normal has changed – how bout yours?  When days get crazy for you and your spouse, what’s your combination?  Any suggestions?

Average People.  What a concept.

Unfortunately this statement is a perfect reflection of the type of stuff modern churchianity throws our way.  Statements like “You don’t have to be special for God to love you” or “God loves average people”  are all too often found in the pages of the self help type devotionals propagated today.

I saw this statement in a coaches devotional guide given to me by the leadership of a values based sports league that my three year old son participates in.  You know how it goes, your child wants to play some new sport – you fork out the 70 bucks or so and then get roped into coaching.  The coaching commitment required several things – running practices and games, communicating with parents, buying some type of goals to use at practice, and leading the team in some type of devotional for the kiddos. 

The league has been great – Kade’s teamates have been a lot of fun and each of their families bring a unique dynamic to the team.  I have enjoyed coaching the little guys and gals and am proud to say that we are undefeated, although I think it has more to do with the fact that we don’t keep score than my coaching.

The devotions have been fun, we’ve talked about the fact that God wants to be the coach of our lives and that life has rules just like soccer does, and that if we are going to “win” at life than we must follow God’s rules.  However, we have not said to these kids that God loves average people.

I understand the point behind this statement, but it’s all wrong.  I’m ok with not keeping score so that every one’s a winner – these kids are three and have the rest of their lives to deal with the reality of winning and losing.  But to say that God thinks their average – and is ok with that, or that he loves them in spite of their “averageness”.  No thanks.

When I look at my son and each of his little buddies running up and down that field I don’t see average.  I see the creation of God, each one unique in their gifts and abilities.  From the little guy who scores every time he touches the ball to the little gal who claims a victory just by stepping on the field.  These kids are anything but average. 

The whole idea of an average human being is quite ridiculous when you stop and think about it.  How do you take the individual aspects of the creator masterfully on display through the miracle of life and reduce it to average. 

Here is rather my devotional for kids (and their parents).  God made you in his image, unlike any other being ever in existance, with a unique personality, appearance, strengths and weaknesses.  His desire is to indwell you with his life so that he can empower you to live supernaturally with him now and through eternity, and sacrificed himself to make that possible.

That’s a little wordy for three year olds, so for them I put it this way – “You are awesome, and God made you that way because he loves you!”

God is good.  Thanks for visiting.

Josh