Warning--you may not believe what you read below. I'm finding it hard to believe too. But it's all true.
"We were like men who dreamed...our mouths were filled with laughter...the LORD has done great things for us and we are filled with joy!" (Ps 126.1-3) In 536 BC, after 70 years of captivity in Babylon and Persia, over 40,000 Israelites returned home to Jerusalem, to rebuild the city and to re-establish Israel. Psalm 126 records their joy as they arrived, the celebration of a miracle that no one thought possible.
Imagine their joy arriving after a dangerous journey up the Euphrates River and then across the desert. Having to travel by foot and animal, the 700-mile trip could have taken more than a year.
Imagine their joy at the miracle of returning home to Jerusalem. History reveals that captives are either killed, enslaved, or dispersed. They do not return home. Also, Jerusalem had no temple, no walls, and only a cluster of houses. The Babylonians had destroyed the city 50 years earlier. The city needed to be rebuilt.
Yet the Israelites rejoiced because they had returned home. And although they had needed a miracle to return, God provided just that.
The following will NOT compare, I know, I know, I know. But for me, the miracle in Glendale, AZ recently stirred in me the same emotions described in Psalm 126.
The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC championship on January 18. I cannot believe it. It does not seem true. But it is, a miracle of sorts in the NFL.
Back in the 1970's, I began rooting for the then St Louis Cardinals because I felt that then quarterback Jim Hart was a good role model. Even after Hart retired, I continued to root for the Cards throughout the '80s and '90's.
However, those teams became synonomous with futility and losing. I never talked much about the Cards, because with the teams going mostly 6-10, 5-11, and 4-12 for over 20 years, there wasn't much to discuss.
I kicked the habit of rooting for the Cards and began rooting for Kurt Warner due to his outstanding testimony for our LORD Jesus Christ and Warner's Super Bowl victory in 2000 with the St Louis Rams.
But after being benched twice, Warner signed with the Cardinals in 2005. I became a Cardinal fan again.
Even with Warner, the Cards continued losing, going 5-11. And worse yet, Warner was benched twice more. He talked of retiring after the 2006 season.
However, he won his job back, had a record-breaking year in 2008, and led the Cards to their first division title in 33 years (I remember the last one, in 1975, when I was a freshman at the Washington Bible College!)
The Cards were given no chance to advance in the NFL playoffs. After all, with their history of losing, they did well just to get there. Yet, they beat Atlanta, upset Carolina, and set the stage for a showdown with favored Philadelphia for the NFC championship.
They jumped out to a 24-6 lead, only to see Philly rally to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Warner then led the Cards on a long, tense drive completing it with his winning touchdown pass. The win completed the miracle and touched off an amazing celebration.
I saw tears rolling down Adrian Wilson' face during his interview with Foxsports. Other players cried as well. Warner called out his wife from the stands, and embraced her. He later choked up twice in his post-game interview. Other fans, even grown men, cried. Long-time Cardinal fans congradulated their sons, and sons their fathers. I read on a blog where strangers actually hugged each other celebrating near the stadium.
I admit, I got a lump in my throat. And then I just started laughing. In fact, I'm laughing right now as I type this. I still cannot believe it. And yet because it's true, I feel this crazy sense of joy, like a dream come true kind of joy--joy for me, joy for the Cards, joy for Kurt Warner, who was benched four times in his career, and then comes back and leads one of the worst teams in the NFL to the Super Bowl.
And joy too because as the Cards advance, Kurt is getting more attention for his outspoken testimony of his faith in Christ. His boldness with the media has encouraged me here in the Dominican Republic.
The Cardinals play the Pittsburgh Steelers for the NFL championship Sunday Feb 1. Again, the Cards are expected to lose. But that's ok.
If they win, I'll laugh and joyfully celebrate the miracle described Psalm 126 all over again. And maybe get another lump in my throat.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Bob's Piano Story
When I was young, I mowed the lawn for my folks. I had this habit of talking to myself (and to God) so loud, they could hear me over the mower. Years later, on January 15, 2004, I had an engaging conversation with myself. And while I kept it inaudible, this time God talked back to me. And I’m glad He did.
Judy and I had just returned from Texas to begin our second semester as missionaries in residence at the Washington Bible College. I was a line monitor at evening registration, but since most everyone had registered, only I and the professors were left in the gym. A few guys were playing basketball at the other end—I found myself wishing I could play with them.
And then a thought hit me like a ton of bricks. “Bob, aren’t you going to take piano?” I had talked to Judy briefly about it, but hadn’t given it any though since. I had taken piano lessons as a WBC student years earlier, but had abandoned it in Haiti. On La Tortue Island, with no running water, electricity, or even a telephone, I had no piano teacher, and no way to get a piano there.
But this time we were not returning to Haiti. We were going to Santiago, Dominican Republic where we are now. And I thought, “I should take piano again. If I take lessons now, and stick with them, where could I end up in 20 years?” But the next thought was, “No way, man, you are crazy, you’re too busy….” And I began to list excuses why I couldn’t take piano again.
But a thought inside me kept at me, “Bob, go for it! You’ve got an excellent chance to improve if you simply try. But you must take that first step. And don’t wait! It’s getting late!” I remember the time being about 8 PM. Registration was to close at 8:30 or 9, but some of the profs were already standing around as if to leave.
So I countered, “Ok, how many men do you know who are 46 years old, haven’t taken piano for more than 20 years, and then all of a sudden decide to take lessons again?”
There! “Gotcha”, I thought. I’ve made my decision. No piano.
WRONG! The very next thought was, “Bob, you are a young 46. Your health is excellent. You play basketball with kids half your age, and you are able to keep up with them. There’s no reason why you can’t take piano. Think of what you could become in the next 20 years if you go for it. But you must start NOW!”
I was beginning to sense that the pro-piano thoughts inside me weren’t really me. I was sensing that I was engaging in an argument with Someone else using my thoughts—and I had a growing realization that that Someone else was the Holy Spirit in me—and that my anti-piano thoughts were wrong. I knew that WBC had an excellent music dept despite being a small college, and I knew that this was an opportunity that I should not miss.
Then God brought to mind 1 Peter 1.2, “Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ.” The Greek word for “obedience” in that verse is hupakoe, meaning “to answer a knock at the door.” When that verse ran across my mind, I thought, “I have preached this sermon to many people in Haiti. God is knocking at my heart’s door and I’d better answer!” So I began to register.
During registration, the music department told me that even though I was a faculty member, the school had a rule that I would be required to pay for my lessons. “Okay”, I thought, “That’s my out—it will cost $400 and we really shouldn’t pay that much.” But the assistant registrar overheard our conversation, came to the music chair, and stated that due to another arrangement we had made with the school, the school would waive the music fee.
Remember your first day of school? I do. I remember being in the back of the bus, watching my parents following me in their car, wishing that I were home. I got that same feeling going for my first piano lesson (and this was 40 years later!) Walking to the music room, I remember my legs taking me to a place that the rest of my body didn’t want to go to!
Yet God provided. He gave me an excellent teacher, changed my attitude, motivated me to work hard, and I left WBC four months later determined to continue.
About a year later, as a birthday present, Judy asked our Dominican church’s pianist to give me lessons. The talented Adonis taught me how to play beautiful Spanish praise songs written by Jesus Adrian Romero. English praise songs that I had heard in years gone by, longing to play but couldn’t, God was now giving me the ability to play them. God filled my heart with joy learning these songs, a joy that I had lacked in Haiti. It’s as if God rewarded me for all those years spent in the desert, so to speak. I felt like that I was drinking from an overflowing fountain of joy,
Recently Adonis and his wife moved to Santo Domingo, leaving our church praise band without a pianist. And this time I (maybe?) thought, “Why don’t you play? It’s wide open.” I hadn’t played in public in years, but mustered the courage to volunteer.
I play with four guitarists and two drummers. Since Dominicans love their music LOUD, and I sit right next to the drummer, sometimes I can’t hear myself play, giving new meaning to “We walk by faith, and not by sight….” Yet I love playing, and I feel like I’m swimming in that fountain of joy now!
The first Sunday I played, a number of people came up and thanked me for playing. Judy said that the piano sounded fine, that it complements the group. But we both wondered if I’m being heard at all! Maybe it’s not all bad not being loud especially when I hit a wrong chord—to which I say out loud, “Sorry guys!” (in English no less. But then again, they don’t hear that either!) Judy has also remarked, “Bob, sometimes you play so slow, the people could actually fall asleep singing.” One Sunday she told me that she could see the music director motioning me to actually SLOW DOWN! (I did by the way—I can still see!)
In the booklet Real People, Real Faith, John Kasay, kicker for the Carolina Panthers encloses a quote from Charles DeBox, “The important thing is this…to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become….”
I’m grateful that He got my attention five years ago on that cold night at WBC.
May God grant that we become all that He wants us to be.
Judy and I had just returned from Texas to begin our second semester as missionaries in residence at the Washington Bible College. I was a line monitor at evening registration, but since most everyone had registered, only I and the professors were left in the gym. A few guys were playing basketball at the other end—I found myself wishing I could play with them.
And then a thought hit me like a ton of bricks. “Bob, aren’t you going to take piano?” I had talked to Judy briefly about it, but hadn’t given it any though since. I had taken piano lessons as a WBC student years earlier, but had abandoned it in Haiti. On La Tortue Island, with no running water, electricity, or even a telephone, I had no piano teacher, and no way to get a piano there.
But this time we were not returning to Haiti. We were going to Santiago, Dominican Republic where we are now. And I thought, “I should take piano again. If I take lessons now, and stick with them, where could I end up in 20 years?” But the next thought was, “No way, man, you are crazy, you’re too busy….” And I began to list excuses why I couldn’t take piano again.
But a thought inside me kept at me, “Bob, go for it! You’ve got an excellent chance to improve if you simply try. But you must take that first step. And don’t wait! It’s getting late!” I remember the time being about 8 PM. Registration was to close at 8:30 or 9, but some of the profs were already standing around as if to leave.
So I countered, “Ok, how many men do you know who are 46 years old, haven’t taken piano for more than 20 years, and then all of a sudden decide to take lessons again?”
There! “Gotcha”, I thought. I’ve made my decision. No piano.
WRONG! The very next thought was, “Bob, you are a young 46. Your health is excellent. You play basketball with kids half your age, and you are able to keep up with them. There’s no reason why you can’t take piano. Think of what you could become in the next 20 years if you go for it. But you must start NOW!”
I was beginning to sense that the pro-piano thoughts inside me weren’t really me. I was sensing that I was engaging in an argument with Someone else using my thoughts—and I had a growing realization that that Someone else was the Holy Spirit in me—and that my anti-piano thoughts were wrong. I knew that WBC had an excellent music dept despite being a small college, and I knew that this was an opportunity that I should not miss.
Then God brought to mind 1 Peter 1.2, “Who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ.” The Greek word for “obedience” in that verse is hupakoe, meaning “to answer a knock at the door.” When that verse ran across my mind, I thought, “I have preached this sermon to many people in Haiti. God is knocking at my heart’s door and I’d better answer!” So I began to register.
During registration, the music department told me that even though I was a faculty member, the school had a rule that I would be required to pay for my lessons. “Okay”, I thought, “That’s my out—it will cost $400 and we really shouldn’t pay that much.” But the assistant registrar overheard our conversation, came to the music chair, and stated that due to another arrangement we had made with the school, the school would waive the music fee.
Remember your first day of school? I do. I remember being in the back of the bus, watching my parents following me in their car, wishing that I were home. I got that same feeling going for my first piano lesson (and this was 40 years later!) Walking to the music room, I remember my legs taking me to a place that the rest of my body didn’t want to go to!
Yet God provided. He gave me an excellent teacher, changed my attitude, motivated me to work hard, and I left WBC four months later determined to continue.
About a year later, as a birthday present, Judy asked our Dominican church’s pianist to give me lessons. The talented Adonis taught me how to play beautiful Spanish praise songs written by Jesus Adrian Romero. English praise songs that I had heard in years gone by, longing to play but couldn’t, God was now giving me the ability to play them. God filled my heart with joy learning these songs, a joy that I had lacked in Haiti. It’s as if God rewarded me for all those years spent in the desert, so to speak. I felt like that I was drinking from an overflowing fountain of joy,
Recently Adonis and his wife moved to Santo Domingo, leaving our church praise band without a pianist. And this time I (maybe?) thought, “Why don’t you play? It’s wide open.” I hadn’t played in public in years, but mustered the courage to volunteer.
I play with four guitarists and two drummers. Since Dominicans love their music LOUD, and I sit right next to the drummer, sometimes I can’t hear myself play, giving new meaning to “We walk by faith, and not by sight….” Yet I love playing, and I feel like I’m swimming in that fountain of joy now!
The first Sunday I played, a number of people came up and thanked me for playing. Judy said that the piano sounded fine, that it complements the group. But we both wondered if I’m being heard at all! Maybe it’s not all bad not being loud especially when I hit a wrong chord—to which I say out loud, “Sorry guys!” (in English no less. But then again, they don’t hear that either!) Judy has also remarked, “Bob, sometimes you play so slow, the people could actually fall asleep singing.” One Sunday she told me that she could see the music director motioning me to actually SLOW DOWN! (I did by the way—I can still see!)
In the booklet Real People, Real Faith, John Kasay, kicker for the Carolina Panthers encloses a quote from Charles DeBox, “The important thing is this…to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become….”
I’m grateful that He got my attention five years ago on that cold night at WBC.
May God grant that we become all that He wants us to be.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
