My morning routine always ends with dropping off my two boys at school and then heading to a good friend's house where my daughter spends the day learning, playing, and laughing. Almost every time I drop her off I am greeted with sweet smiles from the four other little children who attend this toddler party. You might call it daycare, childcare, nannying, friend sitting, or any other common designation, but in reality, it is so much more. Before the customary greetings are shared between friends, there is a two-year-old standing at my feet eager to share the morning's latest news, which usually relates to the toy they are holding or the character displayed on their shirt. I am quick to squat down close to them and intently listen to the jumbled flow of excitement and random facts that come spilling out of their cherub faces.

On one morning in particular, I was warmly embraced by a bright-eyed two-year-old boy, who proceeded to show me a Mickey Mouse blanket he was holding, as if it was his greatest and most prized possession. Then I was directed to watch him as he threw it over his head (which ended each time with roaring laughter). My daughter at that point had enough of watching her daddy give undivided attention to someone else and rushed into my arms for another hug, which is better than all the money in the world, isn't it? I mean unprovoked affection from your children will just melt your heart, won't it? By this time the other kids were also clamoring for my attention, telling stories and showing me the toys they were clutching.

I tell you of my morning routine (quite routine in fact) because although routine, it is anything but common. That moment today struck me as exceptional, mainly because I was reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 18 when He was asked about who is greatest in the eyes of God. He responds so powerfully in verse 2:

2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

There is something so alluring and convicting about the way Jesus responds to the human need for stature, for prominence, and for greatness. He points to a child and says - "It's like this!" As He draws out the main point of humility, to an admission of our dependence, to a simplicity and purity of heart I am sure that many in the crowd that day were shocked by how jarring that notion truly is. I caught the sense of what He meant (even if just in part) early this morning while standing in that loud, very crowded entryway, surrounded by the people thought of by Jesus as participants in the kingdom of God.

Maybe as we get older we start seeking the attention reserved for God and look for that attention from our friends, peers, spouses, and coworkers. We want to be noticed, to be seen, to be heard, we want to be recognized for our achievements and our sacrifices and all the while neglect the one thing that is missing...the humility to stand before the only One that inevitably matters most.

As I crouched this morning surrounded by two-year-olds I was reminded that this is how I should be today with my Heavenly Father. Not clamoring for self-importance or prominence, but rather earnestly seeking the attention of the One who not only crouched to hear me better, or to look at the latest 'thing' I am focused on, but the One who clothed himself in humanity to take my place on a cross.

Here is the part that really gets me worked up. I eventually left my daughter and her friends and headed for the office, but our Heavenly Father never leaves that spot, always ready to listen, always eager to hear all that we are thinking and feeling, always poised to show us an extravagant amount of love and devotion. The question then becomes, "are we as eager for His attention?" So let me encourage you with the words of Jesus as He talks about the benefit of coming to Him as a little child just one chapter later in Matthew 19:

13 One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could lay his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.14 But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” 15 And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.

Hear the invitation of Jesus to come, for He has an entire kingdom to share with you.

I look forward to seeing you all on Sunday - Bradley

---

Our Biggest Event Yet

Reaching out to our community is the heart and vision behind our “Opening Day” event on October 6. This carnival-styled event will feature activities for all ages including bounce houses, free food, yard games, and sports-related challenges. Our primary objectives are to bring exposure to not only our facility, but also to the loving presence of Christ that exudes from our church family.

This event is designed to serve and reach out to those in the Columbia community who aren’t connected to a church so be sure to invite some friends and join us for an afternoon of fun, food, and friends.

The story is all too common, and it is a story we can all tell. Whether it was a day that went horribly wrong or the alignment of tough circumstances, we have all muttered under our breath or through gritted teeth, "Oh, what a day." Maybe you are fortunate enough to have someone in your life who will notice your demeanor and ask, "How was your day?" At that moment you are faced with the decision to unleash your true feelings and gush overwhelmingly about what has transpired, and in so doing paint a rather bleak picture of the day's events, or give the unenthusiastic and subdued general response of, "Pretty good, how about yours?"

We all have those days, we all face adversity, we all struggle, and we all have our way of handling it. For a lot of us, this is where our addictions, bad habits, and bad decisions find their origins. It's the circumstances, the things that happen to us, the stuff out of our control that so often determines the course of our days, weeks, months, and even years. 

So if adversity is unavoidable, and if our circumstances are unpredictable and unforeseeable, yet constant throughout our days and lives - do we have to be constantly shaken and affected so negatively? Does it always have to be a struggle? Maybe you can see where I am going with this. Let me say it another way: If I can't control certain things in life, what can I control? So let's resign ourselves to the reality that life is going to throw us curveballs, and focus not so much on what we can't control, and think for just a second about what we can. Now bear with me, I am a pastor so you know I am going to mention Jesus or the Bible somewhere, but I am reminded of dozens of verses that speak right into this conversation. Let me give you one that has helped me tremendously as of late. It comes from 2 Corinthians 4:15-17:

as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

Now the depth of these three verses is enough to write several books about, but let me encourage you as this passage has encouraged me. God is doing something in the midst of the struggle. In fact, I am convinced God uses the struggles of our every day to bring about something eternal, and I am usually just too wrapped up in the situation to even consider that harsh reality. I can tell you with all sincerity when an unavoidable situation or circumstance arises (inevitably) I instantly cling to this passage. It orients me towards the truth of God's wisdom and it grounds me in the work of God - despite my circumstance. This passage has been so helpful to me in the past that I have made it the background of my phone's home screen (you can find it at forumchristian.org/wallpaper, if you would like it) so that I can pull it out at a moment's notice. I guess it is just one small way to respond to the situations in life instead of always reacting (which is what I usually do). It's helped me, and I pray it might help you as well. 

As of late, I have watched one of my closest friends, mentors, and co-workers undergo a myriad of tough circumstances and unexpected struggles. I have seen him meet those severe obstacles with the kind of resolve and determination that Paul mentions in 2 Corinthians. I am so thrilled to tell you that after his heart surgery on September 10, Scott Sutherland is now at home and doing exceptionally. He would like to thank you all for your continued outpouring of love, prayer, and concern for him and his family. He is an excellent example to us all of what it means to follow Jesus in the midst of every circumstance. I would ask that you continue to pray for a speedy and full recovery. 

-Bradley

As long as I can remember I have been encouraged to try my best. Regardless of the outcome, whether in sports or academics or even in relationships, the same mantra has been reiterated over and over again - just try your best. I get it, whether it's trying hard even when we don't quite grasp the complexities of an equation, or whether it's playing hard when we aren't the most naturally gifted athlete, what can often be encouraging after a tough test or a rough game can be the phrase we have heard so often, "At least you tried your best."

While that might help us in some areas of life, it can be destructive when it comes to our faith. So much of the "if I just try my best" attitude can distract and alter our understanding of what it means to rely on God. In following Jesus, it becomes more a matter of faith, of trust, and of relying on what God has done, and on what God is continuing to do. Not trying to earn, please, or even appease God somehow by our actions. But rather, letting our actions flow from the love we have for God and for others.

Trying to please God by all the things we 'do' or all the things we 'don't do' becomes an easy trap for many of us to fall in to. Trying becomes then the anti-relying danger that many of us fall prey to when navigating the challenges of living out our faith.

What is interesting is that much of the New Testament is rooted in this very discussion. Many of the earliest followers of Jesus struggled to find the right balance between relying on what God has done and what God continues to do and what effect that has on what we do. I take some comfort in knowing the Apostle Paul struggled with this reality. In Galatians 2:19-21 he writes,

"For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die."

There is a bold invitation in the message of Jesus to reorient how we understand this idea of "trying our best," maybe we should think more in terms of "relying our best." I know that doesn't sound quite right, but you get the idea. Our faith is rooted in trust and a belief that I can't earn God's approval or love, that it is a gift, and that our proper response should be one of total reliance.

I look forward to seeing you all this Sunday as we continue with our new series "Thrive."

- Bradley