Memorial Day Thoughts...

I remember when I took my wife to watch Saving Private Ryan. If you have the seen the movie then you know the power the story tales. If you haven't seen the movie, words cannot put into thought the appropriate feelings one may undergo as the picture unfolds.

But what I can explain is the powerful impact it had on my life when I watched it. I was in my early twenties, the same age as my dad when he was deep in the jungles of Vietnam. I clearly remember at the end of the film weeping. Yes...I was weeping. The kind of crying that comes with heaves of breath, full body shakes, and snotty nose. My wife thought I had lost it.

What hit me that day was the powerful impact war has on life. When I made the connection that my dad had risked it all to protect a freedom and life I wan't even born into and at that moment in time I was reaping the seeds my dad and millions of other had sown; I lost it. I loved my dad for it. Yet on the other hand, I hated war. I hated the loss and chaos it causes. I hated the hard truth that war will always be a part of this life.

I am the only male in my family who did not join the military. Both my dad and younger brother have fought in wars. Both of them have lived. And when I think about that, I am more than grateful. Why?

Because millions today hate war for another reason. Why? Because it has claimed the life of thier dad or mom, aunt or uncle, or brother or sister...all are sons and daughters of someone. They wake up today and remember their sacrafice. Their bravery. Thier call to serve and defend the hurting and helpless. For those who have lost loved ones to war, know this. God comforts the hurting. If there is one thing God should be known for, it's that.

God's own son died in a war. A war not just against flesh and blood. But to fight a war that is physical, Jesus Christ had to come and fight against the Empire of this world. He came and fought with peace. He healed, he saved, and he changed lives. He taught a new and better Kindgom; the Kingdom of God. And for that the Empire killed him. And Jesus became a causality of this world. Until, on what Christain's celebrate as Easter Sunday, Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead. As Tom Wright says, "God said 'No' to Empire and 'Yes' to Jesus." The crux of Christain faith is the resurrection. That plays a key role in understanding life and death.

When we morn for those who have gone. Soldiers, freinds, family. We need to rememeber that those who die...in Chirst...have a resurrection to look forward to. This is not the end, there is more to the story. Death has been swallowed up by resurrection and life has a whole new meaning:

Romans 8:11 "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you."

1 Corinthians 4:14 "...because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself."

When you think about life in the light of resurrection it will change what you think about death. Today is Memorial Day. But one day it will be Resurrection Day, and everything will be changed...forever. Think about it...

Plants, Parables, and You

Have you ever stopped to think about what you can learn from a plant?

In my office, I have a large plant called a dieffenbachia. Yes, it is as hard to spell as it is to pronounce. My wife believes this plant to be a lady so we call her Adde. Anyway, Adde has taught and reinforced some major truths in my life. I know you think I am crazy for saying I have learned truth from a plant, but so was Jesus if learning truth from nature is crazy. Most of Jesus' parables were agrarian in nature because that was the norm in Palestine.

But like other plants Adde needs sunlight to survive. Because she is more tree-like than bush- like, she has to grow up and out to get enough sunlight. As she grows, the new leaves spring up at the top of her stalk. They slowly grow out and unfold. Since it takes a few days for the leaves to grow and totally unfold and the process can be beautiful. There is something about newness that is attractive, provocative, and fresh.

On the other hand something else is going on in Adde. The lowest leaves on her stalk are now shadowed from the sunlight and begin to die. The slowly turn a darker shades of brown until they fall off completley. To produce the new, the fresh, the beautiful; Adde must shed off the old. If my plant didn't shed off the old then the new and the old would die, in essence, Adde would die completely. She can't support it all and live to her full capacity.

I am sure you are already beginning to relate this to your life...your story. No, I don't mean that you are a plant. However there are many similarities in Adde's life as a plant to our lives as Christ-followers. What I do know is that God is always calling us upward toward His sunlight, His glory. As we grow closer and become increasingly more Christ-like in our thinking, living, and doing; we grow new beauty and a new and fresh way to live out our lives. With that in mind, we also have to shed off those things that build up and make up our past. We need to let them die off, maybe not all at once, but they eventually have to go. As with Adde, we cannot support the new and the old at the same time. Somethings has to give.

Jesus said it like this in Mark's acount of his life, “And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the wine and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins.” In other words, trying to keep both only results in losing both. Choices...Choices...life is full of them.

The new, fresh and beautiful things God has for your life require you to let go. Let go of the old, even if it is not such a bad thing. Maybe it's a good thing. But God has great things for us. So why settle for simply good?

Irenaeus (an early church Father) put it this way, "The glory of God is man fully alive." To be fully alive, we need to learn from my plant Adde. She is continually growing toward the light and shedding off the old that might hinder her growth. Wisdom from a plant.

Think about it...

How's Your Hearing?

My baby girl continues to amaze me as she grows. Every month and every growth stage provides all of these new personality traits and quirks that are my daughter. It is an adventure everyday with her. My wife would agree!

Right now she is starting to recognize and know her surroundings and familiar faces. She knows when our dog, Rowdy, is running around her. As a matter of fact, Rowdy, and not me (which I am not bitter at all about) was the first one to make Katie laugh. I mean laugh out loud, hard to control laugh. He kept licking her toes and she laughed and laughed. Don't worry, I caught it all on video. They are going to be great friends as she grows up.

As Katie is recognizing her evironment, she has also began recognizing me and my wife's voice. When I walk into the room and she is not loooking my way, I can call out her name and begin talking and she will turn to find me...and then she lights up with a smile (I am talking her whole face smiles) when she sees that it is really me. As a father, there really is no greater feeling then that face smiling back at me. My daughter knows my voice and responds positively. We have a spiritual bond.

John, who wrote a Gospel of Jesus Chirst, talks about the Sheppard and the sheep. John and Jesus had a spiritual bond and this is the way John chose to explain that bond thousands of years ago. The Sheppard is willing to lay down his life for his fold. And the sheep hear the Sheppard's voice and they know that voice. They trust that voice. They are willing to follow that voice. Furthermore, they are wise to voices that are not the Sheppard's voice. There is a deep and meaningful relationships between Sheppard and sheep, parent and child, and Jesus and John...and Jesus and us.

Bring that back around: Katie knows my voice. When I speak she knows it is me, and she responds with a smile. I would lay down my life for her. I would do whatever it takes to protect her and make her life great. And believe me, she can feel that connection. Likewise, Jesus Christ goes beyond what I may ever have to do for my daughter. Jesus DID lay down his life. He proved that he has love for us beyond mere talk. Talk is cheap, so Jesus demonstreted his love for us, was crucified, and was ressurected to reconcile creation back to the Creator.

The point? When Jesus speaks do we know his voice? Do we turn to face him and smile? Do we shy away or ignore his voice? Maybe we turn in shame or fear because our perception of him is that he only speaks to correct, put-down, or punish. What a sad, untrue perception.

Jesus is speaking to you today, even now. How are you going to respond? While I am turning around to smile at him, why don't you take time to think about it...but not too long, he is waiting for your smile.

A Father's Prerogative Revisited

I wrote this post for a teaching team I lead at my church, The Assembly, soon after my baby girl was born. Thought it was worth a revist for this blog. Enjoy...

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Surge // An e-Devotional for Teachers & Leaders
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
By David Michael Lermy

A Father’s Prerogative
As of late, I have come to find out I really don’t know as much as I thought or wished I did. On January 2nd at 5:40pm I realized my life would never be the same. The first time I heard my baby girl cry something inside of me resolved to never let that happen again. But why? Isn’t crying natural? Isn’t pain a part of life?

My first reaction was to do all in my power to comfort her…to help her through her pain. That was when I realized I had no clue about God’s true fatherhood until that moment.

As I went to comfort her as the nurses cleaned her up, one of the nurses looked at me and said, “No it’s okay. We want to hear her cry. It’s a good thing. It helps us know how her lungs have developed and it will make her lungs stronger as she is breathing our air for the first time.”

So there I stood with full desire to comfort and protect. To alleviate pain and provide love that only a Father could give. But in that moment it wasn’t the time. In that moment, she needed to cry out. She needed to exercise her lungs. In essence, it was for her own good and well being.

Since that day, there have been times when I have wanted to comfort her when she cries and I have. On occasion we don’t always rush to her side so that she slowly learns to do some self soothing. But again, this is for her good and well being.

says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

God is a good God. When we experience pain and discomfort…when we cry out to Him and it feels like he doesn’t answer right away, or even the way we wish He would answer…He is answering. All that we deal with God knows about. God is not surprised when things happen to us…for our benefit or for our growth, even in discomfort.

Many times pains and hurts are for our growth. (Not always but sometimes). God is allowing a time where He can step back and allow us to self sooth, to learn to lean on the strength He has placed inside each of His children. To allow the power of the Holy Spirit to raise the level of resolve each of us are divinely endowed with as Pentecostals. I know this more than ever now as I am learning to be a good father.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is not to do anything, and that is precisely what God may do to help you grow…to become stronger…to dive deeper…to become a great person! Even when He is not working He is working. Now that is something you will ponder for the rest of the week….

For Reflection
1. When was the last time you went through a rough time? What was it like spiritually?
2. How was it between you and God? Did you seek after growth and understanding or simple relief from the situation?
3. What do you think God might have been teaching you though the situation?
4. What Scriptures did you cling to during that time? How did God’s Word become alive for you in that time?
5. How can you take what was learned to help other in your family, work space, college campus, or maybe your church?

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As always...at least think about it...

Does your lawn need mowing?

Yes indeed! Spring is drawing to a close and Summer is rapidly approaching. Maybe as you read this blog you can hear in the background the sound of a lawn mower. Mowing; the suburban ritual that is preformed religiously on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

But can I be honest with you? I hate mowing. I have had to deal with severe allergies my whole life, so when I mow I have to wear a mask. You know, I am the guy kids point at and run from because I am a knock-off Darth Vader wearing a shirt with no sleeves, ratty jeans, and a mask to protect my lungs from the Rebel forces of pollen. ...Sigh...

However, on the flip side, I know that mowing my lawn keeps my yard looking sharp and my neighbors happy. It is a sign or jesture that lets people know that I care about my yard, I care about what my house looks like, not only to me but to others around me that I live in community with...

Yesterday, I was driving home from a great mother's day serive. (This one was speacial because it is my wife's first mother's day.) As I was driving home, I passed by a church that is not to far from my church. I have driven by this church a hundred times, but something this time caught my attention. The grass hadn't been mowed. I am not talking about looking like it needed a little trim...we are talking some tall grass. And I thought to myself, why would a church not mow their grass and make the lawn look sharp. It was mother's day! Moms are the ones who are always demanding the very best out of us. Plus, mother's day is a day when you invite your family to church with you. Many relatives come from out of town to spend the day with friends and loved ones. Why wouldn't you want to make you church yard look its best?

Apply this story to your life. Don't you want to be your best? Don't you want to put your best foot forward? Don't you want to impact the small part of the world you influence? I am sure that the church I passed by wants to do that too. But how many people passed by that church thinking, "If they can't keep the yard looking good, I wonder what else they can't do?" Although this may be oversimplified, it happens everyday. People look at what a Christian looks like on the outside through their words, deeds, and actions before they ever ask about the Jesus who is on the the inside. Don't believe me? Check out David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyon's book, UnChristian, and it will open up your eyes!

My question for you today is, "Does you lawn need mowing?" Think about it...

God Moments

The other night before our evening church service, I was reading a chapter of Francis Chan's, Crazy Love. In the chapter he spoke about moments when we experience God. One of those moments he describes was when someone looks in the face of their four month old baby napping. Maybe that doesn't mean anything to you but that meant tons to me.

You see, two day before I read that sentence my baby girl turned four months old. Not only that, but I was holding her hours before that evening service as she napped. I remember clearly thanking God for such a beautiful baby. Do you understand why that meant tons to me?

God speaks to us in so many ways. The most prominent is the Bible, His love letter to us. But God also speaks to us through people, books, music, and other forms of literature. At this moment God chose this book at that time. I am thankful for the way God seems to get our attention at moments we least likely think He will do so.

What has God been doing to get your attention lately? Has He used a person, place, or particular book to try to get your attention? If He has, make sure to stop and reflect. Take the moment further and search Scripture to dig deeper into what God is trying to tell you. Or at the very least, think about it...

Is your spiritual life segregated?

Last night I had the oppertunity to hear a minister friend, Joel Triska, speak on "Pyro Spirituality." Basically the premise is that we segregate our lives into fragmented pieces similar to the lunch trays we used in elementary school. We have our home life over here and our relationships over here and our church life over here. They are all nice and neat and in their own little space.

Yet, Scripture teaches just the opposite. Our lives are suppose to be integrated into a whole. Everything is spiritual. There is no difference between our home life, our school life, or our church lives. They should all be centered around one man--Jesus Christ.

Leviticus 6:8-16 explains that the priests were "keepers of the flame." You see God started this fire that was suppose to burn day and night. This fire consumed the offerings brought before God by the priest for the peoples sins. After the offerings were consumed by the fire, the priests would take all the ashes away. This was thier life. To find fire wood, keep the flame alive, and then remove all the ashes...day after day after day. Glamorous life, huh? But the idea is that they kept the fire of God alive and present in their lives.

So apply this to your life. Joel said that sometimes it is sheer will to keep the fire going. We have to focus and center our lives around keeping Jesus Christ central. We must allow the Holy Spirit to be a consuming flame that ignites us daily. God begins the work, God starts the fire, but He is asking us to keep it alive. To live for him every moment of everyday.

Seems radical but to the priest that was normal life. Think about it...