Angels
I met an angel last week. She is only 4 years old; and some might say she was a tragedy. This beautiful little doll was born with a terrible disorder that prevents her from "normal" development. Her disorder slows down the way her nervous system works, and has prevented her from learning to walk, talk, or do so many of the things we expect our children to do. Physically, she is indeed beautiful, and her laugh and obvious joy at being in the arms of those who love her make her charming.
Why do I say she is an angel? The answer is so plain. She inspires in those around her a simple all-accepting love that is truly divine love. Her parents and grandparents have devoted themselves to providing her with the best of care, devotion, providence that can be had. How like the love that the Father has for us they have been able to show. Yet, for all of that, they do not do everything for her. They lovingly encourage her to do all for herself that they can - for though all that she can be is so much less than they would want, it is so much more for her own good and development that they lovingly encourage and challenge her.
While her tiny hands so frequently drop the morsel of food, and the caregiver's could so easily hold and deliver that same morsel - while the child knows this and tries to hold the morsel in the adult's hand, the right sad thing to do is to insist the child keep trying until success is achieved, then praise and love.
How like the love that God has for us, His children. By taking away our will, our choices, He could provide a painless life for us, and give us all "good" things. But "good" only exists where there is also "bad"; and we would not be in God's own image if we could not choose. He REALLY loves us enough to want us to be made over into His image; and that can only occur if we struggle to achieve, to grow, and if we can fail as well as succeed; for those two exist only in tandem - never in isolation.
What a great lie the father of lies has convinced us of - that God does not really care since He allows suffering. The reality is that rejoicing can only exist where there is also sorrow; and God has given us the opportunity to choose which we will grasp.
Watching this little angel, I could not help but love her. I know that God loves her and will show her to us in her full beauty in eternity; and wants all of us to have the opportunity to show His love for her while she is with us.
How great is the Father's love for us!

Death Valley continued. What a story of contrasts. Six volunteers who seem to have their lives together and 16 men men who are struggling to make something rise from the ashes - men who really had been walking in the valley of the shadow of death - men, many of whom would say that they would now be dead if it were not for CityTeam. Some of the men had committed other crimes as well - assault, burglary, robbery. Some had spent some time in jail and some in prison. Many had tattoos indicative of past affiliations with gangs. Yet, there behaviour was at least as civil as that i experienced in the Navy years ago, and the language was purer than I have heard in many workplaces. Many were deeply committed to letting God have control of their lives - having hit bottom on their own and now hoping for a light for the future. Many had not yet gotten to the point of beginning to dream again. Some just hoped to have an association with children now lost to them. Most had left behind a string of broken relationships. Yet, all were just men who could enjoy a good physical and mental challenge. The climb over rocks, gravel, along ledges, up canyons to Slit Rock canyon required co-operation, endurance, and courage that challenged some of the participants - not the least of which was Mike, our leader, whose back pain nearly crippled him on the way up. When we arrived at slit rock and set the cams and ropes for rappelling down the dry waterfall, the challenge level rose. Not all were willing to try the descent; and actually starting down was intimidating to some. But all who tried made the descent; and a still greater sense of camaraderie developed.

After the hike back down with another rope-assisted descent, we camped where a swimming pool and shower were available. (It felt soooo good to be dry and clean that I skipped the pool.)
Tri-tip steak around the campfire closed the day; and sleep was delightful.

The trip back was even more telling of stories and dreams - now from men who trusted each other. Lunch at McDonald's was punctuated with the distribution of "Desert Rat" awards, with each man recognized for something significant about them.

I did not hear a single harsh word on the trip; and the close in group prayer and hugs all around was sincere. I cannot help but think "If only these men had had this kind of experience in their families as they grew up - how many would be in this program now???" Most knew abuse, neglect, had no loving father - if they had one at all.

Please, God, keep my heart tender and thankful and serving.

This past weekend was a real trip. No, I mean that in more ways than one. After missing out on last year's CityTeam Death Valley trip due to a broken leg, I was finally able to make my schedule, my body, and my mind all work together. (I came down with some sort of intestinal distress on Sunday evening before the trip on Thursday, and was afraid that I would, once again, be denied the privilege.) Getting up for a 3:00 AM load and departure was one of the most challenging parts of the trip. I made a thermos of 4 double shots of espresso and found my way to San Jose CityTeam. As we headed out, my assigned riders mostly fell asleep while I drove until around 7:00 AM when we stopped for breakfast. Since part of the purpose was to get to know the participants - all of whom were in various phases of recovery from alcohol and/or drug addiction, we encouraged the awake riders to tell their stories. CityTeam's approach is Christ-centered, and has one of the highest "success" rates for drug and alcohol rehabilitation known. Those stories were challenging to listen to as the trip began. We had to be responsible to non-judgmentally encourage the discussion and sharing. I am not used to being around people that have managed to have lives that are so far removed from "the way".
We drove over 500 miles the first day to arrive at our first campsite. There, in the shadow of Eureka Dunes, we set up camp and experienced great fellowship. The weather could not have been better. (Although I seem to have missed the note on bringing a tent; I am really glad that I did. It gave me an excuse to sleep in my Mountaineer on two thin pads with better insulation from the cold than my companions had.)
The views were breath-taking. The hike alone up to the peak of one of the dunes with just me and God was inspiring. Taking care of the coffee demands of a group of 20 or so men was both challenging and rewarding; but the evening devotionals with singing, witnessing, and sharing were the highlight of the trips. Death ball (like baseball with a rock wrapped in duct tape for a ball, sand traps, cacti, sage brush, and capricious rules and umpiring for spice) was the afternoon's entertainment, along with launches of model rockets and potato cannon firing.
Listening to men share in various phases of their re-hab and the stories of their movement from suicidal despair to desperate search for redemption to hope for a future reminded me that Christ did not come only for the the God-fearing; but for the desperately lost and dying.
My prayer is that every one of the men I met would be inspired to develop the faith that is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The young man who went from seeking out used needles on the street in order to inject drugs to wanting to become a youth minister - knowing that first he must return to another state and face a warrant that could lead to prison time - who came to me and asked where to find a scripture that he recalled for use in the evening's devotional helped me recall the redemptive power of Christ.
I hope I am forever changed by this trip. I know it has given me a greater sympathy for men who grow up without a Godly Father image in their lives; but who begin to respond positively to the witness of what He can do when we really do serve Him; and who see for the first time the difference in joy and fun; and who find that Christians can have a LOT of fun that has no adverse consequences.
(to be continued.)

Today I read a review of two books that had been written on the existence of God. I was once again "astonished" at the remarks that were made regarding the two books. One of the books was written by a man who had been trained and lived as a minister, but had finally concluded that a benevolent, all-powerful god could not exist in light of the evil and suffering that exists in this world. The second, a former atheist, had concluded that only a god could explain the self-contemplation and awareness that exists in life.

Most of the comments supported the former position, and hinted that the latter was the result of the onset of Alzheimer's in the former atheist.

The fallacy of the argument that a benevolent, all-powerful, loving god could not possibly allow pain and suffering to exist is a great example of the perverse nature of Satan. First, one must conclude that what happens in the brief interval of physical life is more important than eternity. Second, one must conclude that a benevolent god would take away self-determination in order to alleviate pain and suffering. Third, one must conclude that "truth" is impossible to discover or is relative. NONSENSE! These assumptions are all the consequence of succumbing to the temptation to determine right and wrong for oneself. The hubris, the arrogance, the self-aggrandizing thought processes that lead one to even begin to think that understanding life is possible while ignoring the implications of eternity are simply astonishing. The problem of human suffering and its source are well documented in Job, as is the promise that God can make it all worth while, both on this side of eternity as well as on the eternal side. It takes a fundamental disbelief in God and His promises to embrace the belief that temporal suffering is unacceptable. It also takes a heartless approach to Christianity to fail to have compassion for the suffering and the oppressed. It takes head and heart to be made over into the image of Christ, who was the very image of God. Still, our primary mission in life MUST be to assure that the opportunity to eliminate eternal suffering is made known to all. The real source of suffering, EVIL incarnate, exists. Why it exists may very well be beyond our comprehension. Why it cannot defeat us is well within our grasp.