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The little indicator alert was red.  She clicked it.  Her eyebrows rose when she read the name of the person who had sent her the friend request.  She knew him, but it had been a long time. 

She was curious to see what he looked liked after all these years, but the picture of him was too small, so she clicked it, which took her to his profile page.  There were lots of pictures.  She browsed.  There were pictures of him, his kids, his home, his vacation, etc.  There was even an old picture of him standing by a car.  She knew that car.  It brought back all sorts of memories.

He was her first real boyfriend—an old flame.

She couldn’t help but wonder what her life would have been like if they had stayed together.  Would they have gotten married?  What would their children have looked like?  What kind of house would they be living in?  Her heart was beating a little faster. 

The love she had for her husband was bright and burning like the sun, but all the sudden there was a little star visible in her sky.  Before this friend request, she had no idea where this man lived, nor how to find him if she wanted to.  Now, he was as close as the glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling above her sons’ beds. 

Facebook gave her two options: “Confirm” or, “Ignore.”  She paused.  “Maybe he’s just saying hello,” she thought.  “Chances are, it’s no big deal.”  But the more she thought about it, she knew what she needed to do—she made a choice regarding him, and her past, as well as his request—the old flame was quietly ignored.

Paul said,

“I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.” (Phil. 3:8)
 

This verse is about material things, but it also about memories, experiences, achievements, and the people associated with them. They are to be seen as “loss,” which in Greek carries with it the idea of “damage,” and “rubbish,” which is often interpreted as “dung.” 

We cannot totally forget what we did in the past, nor the people involved, but we are not to allow our memories to define, condemn, or entice us anymore. Jesus said, 

“Anyone who wants to work with me and keeps thinking about the past isn’t what I’m looking for.” (Luke 9:62)
 

This may seem harsh, but Jesus knew our memories could be so subtle and so seductive, that we would begin to relive them, wishing for places, things, and people from another chapter of our lives, and outside of him.  Paul cuts to the heart of issue by saying,

“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” (Gal. 2:20)
 

The devil is really good at sending old friends and old flames to cross your path to stir up all sorts of old memories.  But when it happens, there’s an “Ignore” button you can hit…remember that the person they’re looking for is dead.

“Thirty-four right, twelve left, and then thirty-six right. And don’t forget to clear it first, that old padlock can be stubborn” his dad said.

“Okay awesome!  This is so cool dad!  I can’t believe you’re letting me do this!” yelled Randy as he burst out the front door.

A few minutes later he was spinning the combination of the padlock that secured the door to an old shed.  Inside was the family ski boat.  This was the first time Randy’s dad had let him take the boat on his own up to the lake.  His heart was pounding.

But the padlock remained locked. 

“Stupid lock!!! Okay, let’s try this again,” Randy said to himself.  “Thirty-four right, twelve left, thirty-six right.”  Nothing.  He tried it again.  Nothing.  After several more attempts failed, he started back to the house. 

He was thoroughly frustrated.  “Why the heck doesn’t dad get a new lock? That thing’s older than me!”  He continued toward the front door, but hesitated before he went in.  “What if dad changes is mind and doesn’t let me take the boat?” he speculated.  

So he sat on the front porch, not sure what to do. 

Suddenly the front door opened.  It was Randy’s dad.  “What are you doing?” he asked.  “Um, I can’t get the lock open,” answered Randy. His dad began to say, “Thirty-four right, twelve left…” when Randy interrupted, “Yeah, then thirty-six right. I know. That’s what I did.”

Then his dad asked, “Did you clear it first?”  Silence.  “Did you clear the lock?” his dad again asked.  Shrugging his shoulders, Randy sheepishly replied, “I don’t remember you telling me that.”  “Yes I did,” his dad answered. “That’s very important.  I don’t think you were listening very good.”  His dad smiled, then in a deep baritone voice said, “When E.F. Hutton speaks, people listen.”  Puzzled, Randy looked at him and said…

“Wait, What? Who’s E.F. Hutton?”

Several thousand years ago, 2 Chronicles 13 recorded a horrible event.  The story starts out good enough: David had conquered Jerusalem and decided to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to the city.  He finds out where it was and goes to get it.  But then story takes a negative turn.

“When they came to the threshing floor of Kidon, Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he had put his hand on the ark. So he died there before God. Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. David was afraid of God that day and asked, “How can I ever bring the ark of God to me?” He did not take the ark to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it aside to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.” (1 Chronicles 13:9–13)

Many things have been written, said, preached, etc. about what happened here.  Everyone makes careful note of David’s passion to get God’s presence back and Uzzah’s presumptuous and deadly mistake, but few make much of David’s response. 

We are told that David was angry, then became afraid, and then gave up bringing the ark back to Jerusalem altogether, leaving it at the house of man named Obed-Edom.  Totally frustrated, David plopped down in front of Obed’s house.

But God didn’t let David sulk for too long. 

While the Ark was parked at Obed’s house, David discovered that hundreds of years prior, there were actually very clear directions given for the handling of the ark, but over the years these steps and procedures had been overlooked and forgotten. 

“Wait.  What?  Who are the priests?”

David shouted as he learned that not only was the ark to be carried in a very specific way, more importantly, it was to only be carried by priests.

It didn’t take long for him to figure out who the priests were.  He called Zadok, Abiathar, and other men, who were of the tribe of Levi.  Then he gave them the lowdown,

“The bad news is that carrying the ark without guys ended in disaster.  The good news is that God has given us some clear directions on how to do it and that’s where you come in.” (1 Chronicles 15:13, JHP)

After this, the ark was successfully brought to Jerusalem.  David danced and twirled with joy.  His anger had vanished.  His fear was gone.  And God blessed his rule, calling him a man after His own heart.  

And the boat was successfully launched at the lake. Randy was smiling from ear to ear as the wind blew in his hair.  He looked at one of his friends and said, “I’m not sure who E.F. Hutton is, but I’m sure glad I listened to my dad!”

The young man sits in the courtroom.  His hair is dyed a clownish red color.  His wild-eyed gaze is punctuated by the lifting of his eyebrows.  Family and loved-ones victimized by this killer are staring over at him in anger. One man seethes with hatred as he looks at the person who killed his daughter, and fights the shame of wondering if he could’ve done more to protect her.

By this time we all know who this young man is.  He’s the deranged gunman who opened fire on a crowded Aurora, Colorado movie theater killing 12 people and wounding 58 others.  Without knowing much else about him, the name James Holmes will forever be associated with evil, and with shame.

There are now pictures and videos being shown of a house in Rancho Penasquitos, California that’s surrounded with reporters, cameras, lights, and media vans.  It’s the house where James Holmes grew up.  And it’s the house where his dad, mom, and 16-year-old sister still live.  While people look for answers as to why this young man did what he did, his family hides in their home, stifled with the contaminating stench of shame.

It’s being reported that James went to church regularly with his parents, and that his sister played bass in the worship team.  When interviewed, the pastor recalled James being “a proud, intelligent boy who was determined to go to graduate school.”  The pastor no doubt wonders if he should’ve been able to recognize any warning signs that could’ve prevented this tragedy, all the while  the contaminants of shame sift their way through his thoughts.

The sobering truth is that shame devourers the guilty,
and everyone associated with them.

The phrase, “There’s sin in the camp,” is often used when things don’t seem to being going well and someone’s to blame.  It comes from the Old Testament account of the children of Israel entering into the Promised Land.  They had conquered the walled city of Jericho and were now moving forward to take the city of Ai.  Joshua sent up 3000 men for what seemed a simple task, only to have them return in total defeat.  Exasperated and grieved, Joshua inquired of the Lord to find out what was wrong.  God responds,

“Israel has sinned against me. Gather every household and find out who the culprit is!”

One by one Joshua confronts the head of each family, asking each of them if they had done anything wrong.  A man named Achan had been nervously listening and watching everything.  His face distorted with stress as Joshua now stood in front of him.  The question had barely come out of Joshua’s mouth when Achan blurted out,

“It’s me! It’s me! I did it!  I’m the one to blame!!!”

It turns out that Achan had kept for himself some of the spoils from the Jericho raid, and it was this thing that had greatly angered the Lord and subsequently caused the defeat at Ai.  Joshua then sent some men to Achan’s tent and recovered the items.  But it didn’t end there. 

Joshua commanded that Achan be stoned to death…along with his wife, and his kids, and his oxen, and his donkeys, and his sheep.  And after they were stoned, they were to be burned along with everything associated with him.  Forever Achan’s name and everything related to him will be horribly and indelibly marred with the shame of sin and guilt.

This is why the book of Proverbs tells us,

“A good name is to be chosen rather than great wealth.” (Proverbs 22:1)

But what if your name is associated with guilt and shame?  Is there any cure for this?  Yes!  Paul declares,

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus now stands in front of our accusers and takes our place as the inquiries and accusations come.  Jesus now sits in the courtroom in our place as the charges against us are being read.  Jesus now comes to the darkened places we’ve been hiding in, and lets us escape to a new and better place where we will never again be associated with guilt or the contamination of shame.

He told us to bow our heads and close our eyes.  I sat there staring at the floor.  There was no carpet in the little camp chapel, just dirty plywood.

“Young people, Jesus is here in this place and He wants to touch you with his spirit.”

As he said that, something deep inside of me knew it was true.  I could feel Jesus.  I knew he was there.  

“What you’re feeling right now is real. If you’re sensing something, I want you to come forward for prayer”

No one was responding. I was thinking there was no way I was going forward, but I couldn’t get away from what I was feeling.  Jesus was right by me and I knew it, and I knew I needed to go forward.

I stood and began to walk towards the front.  A boldness began to rise in me that didn’t even care what anyone thought.  When I got to the front, others were there too.  We all knelt together.  A moment later I felt a hand on my head, and could hear someone praying for me.  I started to cry.  Then a person whispered in my ear,

“You’ll never forget this”

I haven’t.  I’ve gone back to that moment in that little chapel at Camp Crestview in Corbett, Oregon a million times.  I was only 12 years old, but it was there that I learned how to sense God’s presence and to respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit, to have courage when he’s telling me to do something that’s out of my comfort zone.

It’s amazing how many people tell me of similar experiences at camp.  It’s something about being somewhere remote, away from their families, surrounded with other young people, hating the food, and not feeling necessarily spiritual, that they encountered God in way they’ve never forgotten. 

Certainly God can and wants to reach people of any age, but he particularly loves to reach people while they’re young.  Before their lives are marred with sin and futility, he wants them to hear his voice calling them.  He wants to soften them with his love and energize them with his destiny. 

“While he was still young, the Lord came and called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel replied, ‘Speak, your servant is listening.’  Then the Lord spoke to Samuel…As Samuel grew up, the Lord was with him, and everything Samuel said proved to be reliable.” (1 Samuel 3:10, 19)

 God is still calling young men and women today.  I’m praying whoever reads this would consider helping, encouraging, even paying for a young person(s) to go to camp.  Not any particular camp, but just a place that is welcoming God’s spirit to come and touch their lives in way they’ll never forget. 

Every night our two cats, Jeffy and Jack, have to be brought in. Jeffy will run and practically jump in your arms, but Jack is a royal pain. He’s always out and about “hunting and exploring.” We make all those silly sounds to call him that only people who have cats know about. We even shake a little dish filled with cat food. Sometimes he comes, sometimes he doesn’t. When Jack doesn’t come in we worry all night about him.

Last night I went outside to get the cats. Jeffy ran straight at me, then by me, and into the house. And of course Jack was nowhere to be seen. As I began making those aforementioned silly noises, I spotted him over in a field near our house. I called him. No movement. I moved closer to see what he was doing.

Jack was down low in a hunting-like position staring straight ahead. I watched him for about five minutes wondering what he was stalking. Then I called his name and as I did little tiny bird popped up off the ground right in front of Jack. He leapt after it but it flew away.

Jack turned and looked at me with a look that said, “What the heck?! Couldn’t see what I was doing over here? Hello! That was one of the biggest and best birds EVER and YOU scared it away!” After looking one more time at the spot where the bird was, he sulked his way over towards me and let me pick him up.

“Sorry Jack, but you need to come in,” I whispered in his ear. As I put him down inside the house he went over and began to eat some cat food. I’ll bet he was thinking, “Blah, blah, blah. I’m eating the same old BORING cat food when I could’ve been feasting on wild fowl fricassee.”

A few hours later, Jack was sound asleep on the couch. He didn’t even hear the howls and yelps of the pack of coyotes out in the field, but I did. I was sure glad he was inside.

“I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.” (Psalm 119:10, NIV84)

This verse tells us that we can love the Lord and seek him with all our hearts, but still get off track. So it encourages us to ask God to keep us from straying.

The things that get us off track can seem so important and valid, but they are not what God wants. Then when he finds us and directs us back to where we should be, we complain and see it as an interruption, even a disappointment.

“God what are you doing? That was the best situation for me! There was so much potential! I wish I could’ve just stayed there!”

The Bible is filled with accounts of people who God interrupted. They were just going about their business when he called them to something else. Some went willingly, some not. Some saw burning bushes, some were swallowed by fish. Some were thrust into the limelight, some were assigned to obscurity. But one thing is for sure, anytime God interrupts what people were doing, it’s always for the best.

Someone reading this can’t understand why God didn’t let you finish that project. Or why he didn’t let you stay at that place. You were so close. Things looked so good. And now it seems you’ve been taken somewhere unexciting and bland when compared to that hands-on, upbeat place of innovation.

It’s okay. It’s time for you to rest in God’s hands. He knows what’s best for you. He’ll feed you and take care of you. He loves you more than you’ll ever know. And He also knows the dangers darkness brings. He knew the enemy was coming to the place you were, so he has brought you safely to the place where he is.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5–6, NIV84)

Led by the Spirit, Simeon took the baby Jesus and held him in the air.  Everyone in the temple could hear the old man crying as he said, “Thank you God. I can now die in peace, for with my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation.”

Two generations later…

The young men were walking home from the rabbinical school of Shammai.  One of them was talking about his grandfather, when the others interrupted, “Oh no! Here we go again!”  “What?  Can’t a guy talk about his grandfather?” he asked.  “No! We’re tired of hearing that same old story,” they replied, then sarcastically added, “We know, we know, ‘My granddad was at the temple one day praying and got to hold the baby Jesus.’”

He quit talking, but his mind raced through the stories he’d been told about his grandfather.  Stories about how God’s Spirit would come upon his grandfather and show him things.  Stories about how his grandfather had dedicated a baby from up north that he swore was the Messiah.  Stories about how from that day forward his grandfather was never quite the same.  And the stories about how his grandfather’s face seemed to be joyful the day he died.

Jolted back to the conversation, one of his classmates asked, “I suppose the next thing you’re going to tell us is that you think these crazy people who believe Jesus was the Messiah are right?!” “No, well, I mean…” he stumbled for words.  “Come on, that’s what your grandfather believed!” The others laughed.

Finally he made his way home.  Tired from day’s activities, he laid down in his room.  “I don’t know, maybe my grandfather was crazy,” he thought to himself.  “After all, my own father never bought into any of it.”  In fact, it was his father who demanded that he go to the conservative school of Shammai where he was to be taught the right way to believe. 

But something was stirring in him.  Something down inside of was pressing him so hard that he said, “Father God, I believe in you. I believe in the promise of a coming Messiah.  My grandfather believed that Jesus was the Messiah.  I’m not sure what to believe.  Please help me.”

The room flooded with a warmth similar to what he had felt during certain times of prayer, but this was much different and much stronger.  His heart pounded.  Suddenly he was standing in a room glistening with colors and light.  He couldn’t believe his eyes.  He saw a man who he knew was his grandfather.  He began to reach out for him when he heard someone say his name in a way that made everything else fade.  He knew who it was, and began to cry out, “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!”  Everyone else in the room including his grandfather joined him. “Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!”

“Get up! You’re going to be late!” yelled his dad.  It was morning and he had overslept.  As he gathered his things and ran out the door, the memory of what he had experienced filled his thoughts.  Was it a dream?  Whatever had happened, he felt different.  He could tell something had changed inside of him.  He knew he wasn’t crazy, and neither was his grandfather.  

Simeon’s grandson from that day forward was never the same.

“I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” (Joel 2:28, NIV84)

They sat at the tiny candle lit table. They had been there many times. This used to be their favorite place, but it had been a long time since they had been there together. Things seemed different and almost awkward this time.

He reached his hand across the table and touched her arm. She was uncomfortable and avoided eye contact with him, just staring over his shoulder hoping he would think she was looking at him. He begged her to tell him what was wrong. She thought to herself, “This place is such a silly little hole in-the-wall. I don’t know what I ever saw in it.” She seemed to forget it was here that he proposed to her and she said yes.

He could sense her distance. Tears began to fill his eyes as he said,

“I remember how much you loved me. I’d crush anyone who would harm you. What happened? What did I do wrong that you traded lovers?”

Though it seems like a scene from a TV drama, it’s actually an accurate depiction of God’s love affair with his people. God told the prophet Jeremiah to tell Israel,

“I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness. You were holy unto me, the firstfruits of my harvest; all who tried to devour you were held guilty, and disaster overtook them…What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.” (Jeremiah 2:2-3, 5)

Rather then reacting in a jealous rage, God reminisces about the early days of his relationship with his people and pleads with them to explain what had happened. Like a jilted husband who misses the tenderness of his wife’s embrace, God wonders if there’s something he’d did to cause this.

What amazing insight to the heart of God. It was his people who had strayed, but he went after them. They were the ones who put their affections on other things, but he continued to express his love for them. They forgot the special place of their first love, but it was still dear to him, as were they.

God’s heart for you is the same. He longs for things to be how they used to be. He wants that place you and he used to go to be special again. He doesn’t want you looking towards him, but to see in his eyes the faithful love he has for you. He’s reaching out to touch you and makes this heart-felt plea,

“You’ve lost the love you had for me. Think about how much you’ve changed! Stop and come back to me before it’s too late”
(Revelation 2:4–5, JHP)

Other things have come into your life that are very pleasurable. But do you remember how much you loved him? Stop for a moment and be honest, nothing compares to what you had with him. It was magic! It was electric! It was amazing! And it can be restored to its fullest, if you would go back to him. He’s waiting.

Having a relationship with Jesus Christ is life changing!  Realizing there is a God who loves us greatly, coming into freedom from the guilt and condemnation of our past, gaining the ability to love others, and having the realization that our lives have purpose, Jesus is the source of these and many other amazing things.

It is so remarkable what Jesus does to people who follow him that it’s noticeable to others.  Jesus tells us… 

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Mt 5:14–16) 

Letting our light shine before men is easy when we first come into life with Jesus, but something happens over time that causes our light to shine differently.   The process looks something like this… 

1. Become a follower of Christ
2. Become part of church life
3. Become part of the Christian culture
4. Become Jonah

“When God saw what [the people of Nineveh] had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened. This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry.” (Jonah 3:10–4:1, NLT)

After being a part of the Christian culture for a few years, we begin to complain and point out the horrible things happening in the world outside of the Church.  Like Jonah, we don’t want anything to do with those who aren’t following God as we are. Like Jonah, we begin to have a secret sense of delight thinking about how God will one day punish all those sinners in our towns and cities. And like Jonah, who, even after God gave him a second chance and he saw the people of Nineveh repent and cry out to God, complained about not having shade over his head and being uncomfortable, we complain about how the church is not providing what we want, and grow numb to the fact that people all around us need the love and grace of Jesus.

We need to have the Holy Spirit melt away those hardened edges around our lives, and re-sensitize us to others and how great God’s love for them is.  We need to have our lives shine as lights that attract and help, rather than blind people, spotlighting their failures. 

The mission statement of our church is, “Escondido Christian Center is a place of new beginnings and lasting hope.” We love that statement because we know this is what God has called us to do and be.  But think with me for a moment about the name of our church, Escondido Christian Center.  Sure, we’re located in Escondido and we are a Christian church, those are both pretty obvious.  But what about the idea of our church being a “center”?

For the last several months we have been using the term, “The Center” as a shortened reference to our church.  It’s easy and even kind of cool sounding, but I believe there’s something much deeper and more important in this simple phrase because the idea of a place being a center can have amazing spiritual overtones.

When I was in my first year of bible college, I had the opportunity to travel with my dad to a conference in another state where he had been invited to speak. On our way to the hotel my dad asked the man who had picked us up at the airport, “Where’s the life centers in this city?”  The man looked a little puzzled.  My dad then said, “You know, churches where there’s life, where there’s people coming and going, where things are happening.”  “Wow! ‘Life centers,’” replied the man. “That’s an incredible thing to call a church!”

I’ll never forget that conversation and what I learned from it.  The church, any church, could be and should be alive with people and God’s Spirit.  There should be things happening.  There should be life-changing resources available.  There should be something for everyone. 

But I’ve started to think of a center in additional ways.

A pastor in New York named Bill Wilson (not the Bill Wilson of AA) is credited for having one of the largest and most successful bus ministries in the world, gathering over 10,000 people every Sunday.  I heard him once say,

“If your church isn’t known in its community, it’s not doing its job.” (Pastor Bill Wilson)

Combine Bill Wilson’s challenging statement with Jesus’ words,

^“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Mt. 5:14-16, NIV)

A church is not only a center that gathers people and life happens, but it should also be a place where people are sent to offer life to others.  A center where people are coming for resources, training, encouragement, understanding, etc., and then going out offering the hope, life, healing, love, etc. of Jesus Christ.  A life center!