Looking In

“Behold I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and dine with him and he with me.” – Rev. 3:20

Let me take you back to when I was 12 on my newspaper route in the middle of winter during a North Dakota blizzard. As I snowplowed my way down the sidewalks, I looked like Frosty the Snowman waddling up to each house.  It was dark, bitter cold, the wind was whipping around the streetlights, and the snow began to form deep banks throughout the neighborhood streets. It was not fit for man nor beast…but the newspaper had to be delivered, and I was up against the deadline to collect payments from customers. I stood on the doorstep of one home, pressing the doorbell, and looking inside at the warm glow.  The fireplace was crackling with the aroma descending out from the chimney, an older couple sipped on something hot, chips and pretzels were nearby as they watched Monday Night Football.  I could hear the sports commentator call out “Earl Campbell for the Houston Oilers is unstoppable…” No one came to the door.  I lingered there with ice forming on my eyebrows longing to join this family, to shed my snow crusted gear, warm up by the fire with a hot drink and watch Earl Campbell rumble through the defenses. I knocked on the door and called out “Newspaper”. No response. They couldn’t hear me through the wind outside and the game and crackling fire within. Too cold to take off my gloves and knock again, I placed the paper inside the screen door and trudged onto the next house.

That childhood memory has stuck in my limited brain because of the stark contrast of that moment between the bitter cold and having to complete a job with the relaxing warmth of comfort, food, hot drink and Monday Night Football. It’s probably one reason why I love to watch football today. At that moment there could have been nothing I desired more then to join them in their living room. I think of this desire of Jesus as he stands at the door of our lives this Christmas season.

With all of our Christmas season activity with work parties, get-togethers with friends, baking holiday treats, frantic shopping, attending special events and performances, trying to find the perfect “ugly Christmas sweater”, making time to watch Elf, or Jingle All the Way, and preparing for the big day with family, do we hear Jesus knock and call out to us? Are we so busy with our lives that we have shut the door to Christ and He is left standing outside looking in? Does he see us preoccupied with our stuff, worries and celebrations? He desires to join us beside the fire and be in our presence with laughter or tears, for joy or comfort, but the door is shut.

Open the door to Jesus this Christmas. Invite Him into your celebrations, your work, your home, your family…your life.  To the world this time of the year is Happy Holidays – spend, drink and be merry. To the Christian this is an opportunity to remember to open the door of Christ into our lives with the hope, joy and peace only He can offer. When we worship Christ during Christmas we proclaim the reason for the season and become a testimony to our friends, co-workers, neighbors and family.

Tebowing

It is no secret I love watching football, and to play competitive fantasy football (Hey, when my guy scores I score, when he gets sacked I feel it the next day). This blog is dedicated to my fantasy football friends and to my Bronco brothers & sisters.

“TEBOW, TEBOW!” the fans at Bronco stadium chant as Tim Tebow, #15 takes the field for the first time late in the game against the Chargers in week 5. At that point as a backup quarterback he hasn’t done a whole lot this season except sit on the sidelines and cheer for his struggling last place team, yet he is one of the most loved or despised players garnering national sports attention each day. Since he has started the last 7 games he has been the hottest news buzz even beyond sports with ESPN, CNN, Fox News and anyone who can write (or try to like me). What’s up with Tebow mania and why is he such a polarizing sports figure? It’s his faith in God and bold declaration that whenever he has a public opportunity he will give credit (praise) to God first, his teammates and coaches second, and third grateful for an opportunity to play the game. But despite the fact that he lives the Christian walk who serves the community, loves his family, supports the church and stays clear of the entrapments of this world, he is one of the most ridiculed, mocked and despised players in the league. Consider the Detroit Lions.

In Tebow’s second game as a starter they faced the surging Detroit Lions with the most powerful player in the league, Ndamukong Suh, a Portland native. In that game, the Lions completely dominated the Broncos and made Tebow look like a high school QB running for his life. During the game two Lions players, S. Tulloch and T. Scheffler mocked him with a “Tebowing” celebration on the field. New Webster word, “Tebowing” the act of kneeling on one knee, head bowed, with fist on forehead in earnest prayer. After the game the Lions ripped into Tebow as an inept NFL QB. At that moment they appeared correct and that Tebow’s NFL career might be short lived. But something improbable happened, Tim Tebow kept his faith centered on God, kept working hard at his profession, believed in his teammates, and kept a positive attitude. Since that game things have dramatically changed for both teams.

The Broncos have won 5 straight games, taking first place in their Division with Tebow winning the reluctant praise as a “winning” QB even from his most ardent critics. The Lions on the other hand have gone from dominant team, feared and respected by all, to likely missing out of the playoffs losing the past 3 of 4. Their star defensive player N. Suh embarrassed himself and the team with a cleated stomp on a player lying on the field with a two game suspension, loss of pay and a car wreck in Portland this past week. After a few other incidents involving their coach and unsportsmanlike penalities, the Lions are getting the reputation of being an undisciplined, immature team that has a lot to learn in life and on the field.

Now, the Broncos could falter and not make the playoffs and that would bum me out, and Tebow could fizzle out as a NFL QB and I would be disappointed. But, even if Tebow’s NFL career is short lived he made a HUGE impact in simply being who he is, a committed Christian who walks the walk and gives praise to God for all accomplishments in his life. That’s why I cheer for Tim Tebow and I hope he wears the Bronco jersey for years to come. For the Lions teammates instead of mocking Tebow maybe you should bow on your knee and join him in prayer giving thanks that you get to play America’s favorite game.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:11

My Christmas List

It’s early December and my wife thumbs through our kid’s Christmas lists and with a look of exasperation she turns to me and says, “I need your list. I have no idea what to get you for Christmas.” As I search for an easy answer all I can give to her is “Ok, I’ll think about it and give you some ideas.” So, now I need to make my Christmas list. I don’t know if other guys my age have such a hard time coming up with ideas for Christmas presents, but I’m stumped at the moment. There are a couple of reasons why: one, if it’s something I really want during the year, I usually find a way to get it. “Hey Babe, our internet is slower than dial-up, can I go buy the Lightning Speed Gizzmo Internet Box that runs at 40 mega-zillion bytes per second? You can run Facebook and play Angry Birds at the SAME time!” Two, the stuff I really want costs a boatload of cash like my own media room with a 60 inch LED HDTV, internet gaming, booming surround sound, mini-fridge, popcorn machine and just ONE leather La-Z-Boy recliner, or I could settle for a BMW convertible roadster. But once I leave my fantasyland and all the unicorns have flown away, I get back to the task of creating a realistic Christmas list.

My list is starting to take shape with a few books, flannel pj’s, beef sticks and games, but my mind wanders to what I really want this Christmas beyond a few presents under the tree. All I want for Christmas is to see a smile on my wife’s face with contentment and joy of our shared life together. I desire to see my kids thrive in their interests, studies and friendships. I pray for God’s protection for strong healthy bodies, and that as a family we walk on the path of faith God has provided for us. All I want for Christmas is to know we are in the powerful, merciful, gentle hands of God our Father and to walk in his loving kindness.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11

As I finish my Christmas list, I put my pen down, bow my head and say a prayer of thanks to God that he let me open my present early this year.