The Father of My Such and Such

Once there was a young boy who never had a father. Many times (usually after a great feast with leftovers spread all about his silver plate) he would ask his mother, uncles, and aunts to describe his father to him.

"Oh," they would say. "He is like 'such and such' and loves 'such and such' and looks like 'such and such.'" They were very positive in their descriptions of the boys father. And when he tucked himself into bed each night he would often imagine what it would be like to meet the father of the 'such and such.'

The boy grew into a man. He rode horses, he herded sheep. He dealt with the villagers in great adventures of commerce. He sailed seas. Later in life he married, had a family, and taught his children all about his father who was like 'such and such' and loved 'such and such' and looked like 'such and such.' They too, when they nestled in their beds, often imagined what it would be like to meet the father of the 'such and such.'

One day, when he was quite ill but not quite ready to ascend to heaven, there came a knock at the door. Standing there in the early evening fog was a delightfully older gentleman with rosy cheeks and warmth in his face. He was kindly invited to hang his scarf on the hook and sit in a great wooden rocker before the crackling fire in the stone fireplace. They spend hours there, sitting across from one another. They drank tea, they laughed, and listened to each-other intently and shared things hey had never before shared with anyone else in the world. It all happened there, as the flickering flames of the fire reflected across their wide-eyed faces.

Before long the delightfully older gentleman rose to his feet, wrapped his scarf about his neck, and headed for the door. They shook hands and nodded heads before parting. As the delightfully older gentleman disappeared into the back fog the owner of the house - still quite ill and now ready to ascend to heaven - came to realize a magical strength had returned to his feeble frame. He felt stronger, healthier, and mysteriously peaceful as a result of the visit - yet he knew not why.

"What was it about that man?" he wondered as he slid into his bed. "He was unlike anyone I've ever met. He was familiar to me, yet I know I have never laid eyes upon him and doubt I shall ever see him again."

He reached for the lamp and dimmed the sanctuary twilight. Later, and still pondering who the visitor was - his spirit rose and passed the Great River, where he found himself standing aside the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd cared for him,  moistened his wounds in balm, and raised him to his shoulders where he saw all things, and knew all things, there in peace and safety. He remained there, snugged around the neck of the Good Shepherd, for a very long time.

One particular day he pushed himself close to the Good Shepherd's ear. "Tell me, my Father, you are such a Good Shepherd. Why do you only choose to share yourself with those on this side of the Great River? I am certain others would flock to you if you were to do otherwise."

"Oh, but I have been known," spoke the Good Shepherd. "My love, my affection, my healing and guidance is mingled throughout both worlds - here and on the other side. I have even been with you - remember, that foggy night, when we laughed and listened and drank tea?"

At once the old man (who was now a young man again) became silent. He was saddened and lamented that he had not recognized his father, though he had spend an entire evening with him.

"Why hadn't  he recognized him? Why hadn't he known such wondrous laughter and such loving mannerisms to be at the heart of his father?" (I dare not tell you how long these questions haunted the once old man, who was now a young man again, riding high atop the shoulders of the Great Shepherd. But it was a very long time.)

Then one day it came to him:

You see, the whole of his life he had been told by his mother, his uncles and his aunts that his father was like 'such and such' and that he loved 'such and such' and that he looked like 'such and such' and, thus, he had expected him to be like 'such and such,' to love 'such and such' and to look like 'such and such.' Thus, his father (howbeit quite innocently, I might add) became the image of somebody else's 'such and such.'

That's why, when the delightfully older gentleman with rosy cheeks and warmth in his face appeared at his door and listened and loved him as any fine person would do with great personality and wisdom that night when the flickering flames danced across their wide-eyed faces; he couldn't help himself.

For, although the gentleman sitting before him was the manner of a man he yearned for as a father, he himself thought, "This cannot my father. For he has little to do with the description of my 'such and such.'"

And, thus, he was unable to recognize his father as he truly was.

A Hidden Outcome

It runs against everything within us: faith in action.

When God leads us to do something we typically want to know the outcome of the thing before we come into the thing. Ducks alined, monies saved, clothes ironed. We want it all in place before obedience is released.

But God's leading often flies in the face of the things we dearly esteem. We have to be prepared to live with that.

He does that to stretch our faith, not to mock the things we esteem. Is is always about the business of building up, never tearing down. That's why he makes it so we cannot know the end of the thing at the beginning of the thing. It makes it "living" that way.

Golden Shores

Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going. (John 6:16-21)


We never arrive where we are going until we invite Jesus into the boat.

The disciples enter a boat in the evening - in the gray zone where shadows shift and the sharp distinctions blur. They row into the night, into the darkness. And there, even in their darkness, Jesus had not come to them. But it got worse. The sea arose and lifted its torrents. The harder they rowed, the deeper they angst. Still no Jesus.

It is interesting that in the evening, in their darkness, and the storm Jesus was nowhere to be seen. But he was coming. He saw them and bailed them out at just the right time.

When they saw Jesus they didn’t recognize him. They were afraid. The storm had worn grooves of tension and stress into their souls. Fears had settled in. And the spirits behind the rain, wind, and waves pounded their bearded faces with doubt and insecurity. The site of Jesus only kicked their fears into overdrive. Knowing this, Jesus reveals himself to them. “It is I.” And they received him into their plight.

Notice how they were when Jesus showed up. They were messy, mad, and tired. They did not dress up. They did not get religious. They did not suddenly pray. They had no faith. They were scared and filled with dread. In short, they were real. It was then when Jesus revealed himself.

God often waits until we are in the nighttime of our torrents, completely at wits end with nothing else to cling to, before showing up - and, even then, we are hard-pressed to recognize him.

When we invite him into our life, our years of struggling suddenly fade away. Our dreams of golden shores - shores that perhaps we’ve spent our entire life rowing through storms to land suddenly become realized and we arrive at the beaches of redemption, the purposes of God finally taking root in our life.

We immediately arrive at the land of our striving, the land we've always known was there but never had the wherewithal to get there. It all happens the moment we invite Jesus into our boat.


"...and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going."

Discovering Jordan and Egypt

If you have always wanted to see the ancient geographies and cultures that have shaped our faith this may be it! I'm planning on taking a small group of pilgrims (8 - 15) to some of the most interesting places on earth: Mt. Nebo, Petra, Jordan River, Dead Sea, Mount Sinai, Old Cairo (Museums/Coptic Churches) November 4 - 14, 2011.


Click HERE for info and pricing and other options for the trip!

Copy Cats

Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. (John 5:19)

Have you ever had such a respect for someone that you began to imitate everything they did? Some people are so wonderful its hard not to want to be that wonderful, too! So we examine them, see what they're wearing, purchase the same music as they do, begin attending the same meetings, and so on. Sometimes we even fall in love with them.

Jesus' relationship with the Father was like this. He was the ultimate Copy Cat. Whatever the Father did, he did. Whatever the Father didn't do, he didn't do. His love for being in the Ways of God trumped everything. His life was intentionally lost - then found - in the shadow of the Almighty.

Thus, a big part of what Jesus did (and a big part of what we are called to do) was simply labeling what he saw the Father doing. He did this in many ways - teaching, sharing, telling stories, all forms of communication. Jesus used his unique human personality to translate/communicate to those around him the mind and heart of God. In this way he became untied with the purposes of the Father.

Our witness to Christ has less to do with our performance, behavior, or ethical uprightness and more to do with making known what the Father is doing in any given situation. (This doesn't get us off the hook of moral integrity. For it is in the making known, or labeling, "Christ among us" when the Fruit of the Spirit will then be demonstrated with ease and gentleness.) So our job is to first duplicate the ways of the Father and then communicate - in our own unique personalities with our gifts and skills - what we see him doing. It's not up to us to conjure up the work. He is always working. Why add our work to his work? Just be about his work and he will get the glory.

Father in heaven, forgive me for the times I have tried to read your mind - or worse, for the times I have sought to create work that you were not doing. Fill me with your Holy Spirit in order that I may be a deep reflection of your Love for me, and then empower me to reflect you to others through the unique way you've created me, on earth as it is in heaven. In Christ's Name I ask you. Amen.

Ancient Pathways: Jordan and Egypt

This trip will combine academic insight, Biblical perspective, daily devotions, adventure, and a little danger. Among other things we will tent on the desert floor, visit a city carved out of stone, explore the Cairo Museum, and climb a mountain that Moses climbed.


The trip will be in November. I'm seeking to book-shelf the trip by two weekends - for minimal school or work disruption. Itinerary forthcoming. 


For that "perfect decompression" why not consider adding the option of luxury Nile River Cruise at the end of the trip?

Questions? Comments? Inquiries? Write me: BillB@KerDowney.com

 

A New Kerr and Downey Trip Brewing: Footsteps of Moses

I cannot tell you the excitement in my heart in planning this trip. Perhaps you will capture it as I share:

First, we fly to Amman Jordan and visit Mt. Nebo (last known place of Moses), see the site of Jesus' baptism at the Jordan River, explore Petra (an amazing city carved out of stone and laded with history), and climb a small mountain which overlooks the city. Then we fly to Sharm el Sheikh (at the bottom of the Sinai peninsula - fabulous diving) where we will share an evening with the Bedouin, tent in the desert for a night, climb Mt. Sinai, stay another overnight at St. Katherine's monastery - where we will have a rare opportunity to tour the famous library (not open to the public) with a monk in residence. Then... we will drive down to Cairo and see Old Cairo and visit the Coptic Church where Mary and Joseph stayed in the Flight to Egypt, visit the pyramids, and tour Egyptian museum.  After that, you will have the option to return home or, like me, choose to stay on for a three day cruise down the Nile River!

This trip is a unique blend of New Testament and Old Testament, with much early church tradition and education thrown in for good measure. Morning gatherings will be group sharing, praise/worship, prayers, and devotion/teaching on the Tabernacle of Moses.

Local guides and 5 Star accommodators, Ker and Downey assure us of safety, adventure, expert flight arrangements from anywhere in the world - and, of course, "heavenly accommodations." This trip is the perfect blend of historical, academic, and spiritual formation - experienced here at the conception points of our Faith.

Adventure Window: early November, 2011. Dates will be firmed up within a week.

Interested? If you send me your name and the aprox. amount of people in your group, and I will update you as details roll in! There's no obligation in being interested! Trip is limited to 15 people.