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How about a loaded quote today from a true Christian prophet who passed from this life to the next almost two years ago. The quote is more than 15 years old, but it’s never been more true than right now.
“The prophetic tasks of the Church are to tell the truth in a society that lives in illusion, grieve in a society that practices denial, and express hope in a society that lives in despair.” ~Walter Brueggemann
Now what are we supposed to do for the next month?
Sign Jason Robertson to a long term deal. Take the Captain’s “C” away from Benn and give it to Robo. See what you can get for Myers. And everybody rest up. Have a great long offseason for the first time in years and gear up for another run. The window is still wide open on this team.
Equipment began arriving late yesterday afternoon, the big trucks and trailers and crews were here early this morning, and the Worship Center at GCR is starting to look like a concert venue. Colton Dixon plays GCR tonight on his “The Love I Have For You” tour, along with Tasha Layton and bodie. They have raised and expanded our stage, rearranged many rows of seats, and secured several large canisters of some kind of flammable gas to each side of the stage for, I think, some kind of effect (they’ve promised us they’re not shooting confetti). Everybody’s super nice and it should be a really good show.
Doors open at 6:30 this evening and the concert starts at 7:00. You can still buy your tickets on the GCR website here, or you can get them tonight at the door. If you live in Midland or anywhere in the Basin, I hope to see you here.
Peace,
Allan
It’s been a long, long time since the Dallas Stars were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but after last night’s lethargic Game Five loss to the Minnesota Wild, they’re on the brink. The Stars were sloppy and slow last night in front of the home crowd; every pass seemed like it was a half-second late and a half-inch behind. Dallas has not scored an even-strength goal since Game Two, nine days ago! And the attrition is brutal; we’re losing one defenseman a night. Nils Lundkvist went down Saturday with that awful face laceration and Arttu Hyry left last night with a leg injury.
The beautiful thing about playoff hockey, and the only slim glimmer of hope I have, is that, typically, one game doesn’t have much to do with the next one. The Stars are a great road team and it’s possible their desperation and a little puck luck could result in a crazy 6-1 win in Game Six tomorrow in St. Paul. Then the deciding Game Seven is at home, which is where you want all your Game Sevens.
The Stars have turned bad playoff series around before and they’re capable of doing it now. Otter’s been great in goal and the offensive lines are certainly getting their chances. It’s just that nothing’s bouncing right, and I think they’re starting to feel it. Wyatt Johnston has a total of one point in this series at even-strength; Mikko Rantanen has zero. They’re too talented to go down like this. We’ve said for a month that this series would take seven games. There’s no reason to move away from that thinking now.
Well. Maybe a couple of small reasons.
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“This is what God the Lord says–he who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison,
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”
~ Isaiah 42:5-7
The God of the Old Testament is not dead.
The God of Genesis, our Creator God, is still creating today. He is still creating breath today. He is still breathing his divine breath into his people today. He is still giving life.
The God of Exodus, our liberator God, is still delivering today. He is still liberating people. He is still setting people loose and releasing them fully. He is still granting freedom.
What our God has done in the past, he is doing right now today. For you. For your church. For your loved ones. For your city.
This is who God is and what God does. Yesterday, today, and forever.
May we join him. May we partner with our God in breathing new divine life into tired and worn-out souls. Into fatigued and weary saints. Into fading churches and discouraged ministers and exhausted shepherds. May we join God in liberating people from the sins that hold them down. From the burdens that cause their shoulders to stoop. From the bars of shame or addiction or abuse or tradition or doubt that have closed them in.
To his eternal glory and praise!
Peace,
Allan
You are one good-lookin’ grandma, Carrie-Anne! Happy birthday, darling!
I hope you have a wonderful time at your awards program tonight. I’ll be thinking about you during our elders meeting.
What are we doing?
I love you.
Allan
There is so much hate in this country. So much division.
And people on every side of the debates and decisions, people of every persuasion and preference, are increasingly responding to all the hate and division with violence. It’s a sickness. And it feels like it’s getting worse.
As children of God and followers of Christ Jesus, we are thankful that the attacker at last night’s dinner in Washington D.C. was apprehended before he could do what it looks like he intended to do. We thank God.
We can also be thankful for the law enforcement officers who did what God has established them to do: Stop evil. Punish wrongdoers.
And we can pray for our country. We can pray for our elected leaders, starting with President Trump and all the way down the chain.
And we should commit as Christians to not be a part of the sickness.
As children of God and disciples of Christ, we do not sow hate, division, fear, or violence. We refuse to participate in any of that.
So, what do we do? How do we respond?
We live. We live as beacons of hope and shining examples of our Lord’s saving love and grace and peace. In our country. In Midland. And around the world. We refuse to participate in the sickness of division and hate. In Jesus’ name, we refuse.
And we pray.
Dear Father,
In the name of Jesus we thank you that no one was seriously injured last night in D.C. One bullet was stopped by a protective vest. And we give you thanks for that. Thank you.
We pray for our country. We pray for our elected officials. For all the Republicans. And for all the Democrats. Protect them, Father. Give them safety and wisdom, clarity and compassion, unity and purpose. God, please bring those people together for the sake of everyone who lives in this country.
We lift law enforcement organizations and officers up to you in Jesus’ name. We pray for these women and men who protect our elected officials who are under increasing physical threats of violence and death. Give them safety and courage, wisdom and quick discernment.
We also pray for your holy Church. We pray for us. For Christians. For we who bear your holy image and wear the name of your holy Son and are the dwelling place of your Holy Spirit.
May all your churches in America reflect more of your love and more of your joy and more of your peace. And all your churches in Midland.
May our individual lives be characterized by more patience, more kindness, and more goodness. To our fellow man. To our neighbors. To our enemies.
May we demonstrate a deeper faithfulness, a growing gentleness, and an increased self-control.
Father, heal us. In Jesus’ name, forgive us. Holy Spirit, restore us.
May your Kingdom come, Lord. Quickly. And may your will be done in D.C. and Moscow and Austin and Tehran and Tel Aviv and Midland, just as it is in heaven.
Amen.
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