It is because it is.

It is.

What is?  Where? When?

Here, now, it is.

It is visible and obvious.

It is painful and present and powerful.

It is purposeful and poignant, and pauseworthy and praiseworthy.

It is a King and a kingdom conquering…

It is light exposing darkness…

That is all too austere.  Not clear enough.  Nothing to sink my teeth into.  Not unambiguous.  Not ambiguous.

What I mean is… there is something visibly present that I am experiencing as the planter/pastor of west valley pca, which is as invisible as it is concretely present.

I can see that we see it, and yet we all know that we haven’t even begun to see it all.

Yes.  I mean what I am saying and am unsure of what I don’t mean.

God is renewing people.  The King is kingdoming.  I mean that.  I depend on that.

In the past  48  hours I have experienced a window into the soul of wounded, addicted, scared, skeptical, converted, longing, ravaged, curious, afraid, thrilled and worshiping… people.

I have tasted and labeled and trusted in the efficacious call of God on impossible hearts.

In the past 48 hours I have experienced the Word of God by the Spirit of God draw people into the gospel of God.

I have listened to people recount that they want it… because they see that it is.  That is kingdoming.  It is.

I have watched  women who are longing… and men who are breaking… that is kingdoming.  It is.

I have enjoyed the thought of people resting in the freedom of righteousness and regretlessness and rescue of their past… suburban sinners sensing the impossible…. that is kingdoming.  It is.

It is here because it just is.

Kingdom.

King.

It is.

Come Lord Jesus Come.

the most important day for Christians this week

On Sunday, prior to the prayer time at the worship service of West Valley PCA, I made the comment that I believe that Wednesday, not Tuesday is the most important day for gospel-centered Christians during an election week.  The day is upon us.  Has our hope, joy, confidence, graciousness, otherness changed?

O God, may your church be the salt and light of the gospel in how we speak, in how we depend on you alone as the King above all nations…  May your church speak graciously into one another’s lives, in our workplaces.  May we listen and love.  May we pray and share peace.  May we encourage and not slander. 

For your church, may the salvation of society and culture not be found in the election of a human leader and government.  Equally so, for your church, may discouragement not reign due to the election of a human leader and government!  Neither/nor.  O God, thank you that you have already revealed the hope of the  nations, the gospel of salvation – YOU ALONE CHANGE HEARTS and you have begun the advancement of the kingdom of full justice and mercy and truth among weak individuals, societies, cultures!

Today, may your church be prayerful for its elected leaders (Romans 13) – whom YOU have put in your place of leadership for your purposes!  May your church be the aroma of grace in how we show our true hope of Christ and his reign in our hearts above all things!  May we listen and learn and consider the interests of others (Philippians 2) that we might truly love, truly engage, and truly contextualize the hope of the world for people irregardless of their political hopes/fears.  Me what we believe MOST in – your gospel – be revealed today by our speech and conduct.  

May we not be ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe and for the transformation of all things!  All things.  The only power. 

No matter what we hoped for yesterday – from left to right, from the cities to the farms, from North to South… this Wednesday, we still love our worldwide, eternal, timeless, unchanging Government.  Our King of kings and lord of Lords.  Come Lord Jesus Come!  Amen.

Jesus my King

This morning – for multiple reasons – is quiet.  I am quiet. 

Anyway, I was going through the Children’s Catechism with Lina – and question 75 beautifully engaged my quiet consternation:

Q: Why do you need Jesus as your King?

A: Because I am weak and helpless.

There you have it.  I am often asked – or pressed – as to why I am content proposing that we be weak Christians.  Why not rather call people to be strong and righteous Christians?!  My answer is simple – I am calling us to be who we are.  Weak.  Helpless. In need of a King that will be our strength (because we are not); who will be our righteousness (because we are not). 

I need to meet my King in my unrighteous and helpless weakness all the time.  It seems so obvious and clear and almost easy when I am quiet…  Why am I not quieted all the time?  This is where I find gospel peace.  If Christ is truly King – then it is a hopeful quietness.  Thank you Jesus my King.