Complexity, Paradox, Contradiction in a Holy Land

The Middle East is anything but easy and simple. In a moment it can be tranquil and God-filled and in the next instant full of angst and heartbreak. This is my story from the past two days.

     I snapped this photo early this morning as we were getting on a boat on the Sea of Galilee. We were heading from the west side near Tiberias to the east side of the Decapolis.
     In a word, it was a pregnant moment of SHALOM. If a picture paints a thousand words normally this one painted a million for me today.
     A day earlier we traveled to the far north of Israel, to the Golan Heights and looked eastward into Syria - a land ravaged by civil war for the past two years. Our Israeli guide told us the history of the Golan Heights and how Israel captured the land in 1967 and then re-captured it in the 6-day war of 1973.
     Just as we were standing at the outpost/bunker of Israel gazing into Syria (at 10am on Monday, April 8) there was a countrywide (in Israel) 2-minute silence to commemorate the Holocaust. So there I was, a New York Jew with my new Israeli friend, bowing our heads together and vowing to:
ALWAYS remember...
NEVER be complacent when such crimes occur...
ALWAYS stand up for those who are being persecuted.
     It is our calling as Jews to do these things, because of our history of being persecuted! Except that my Israeli friend seemed a bit complacent that a mere 30 miles from where we were standing a Syrian father, or mother, or child was killed yesterday. Perhaps it was a government soldier, or a "freedom fighter," or a civilian. PEOPLE were killed yesterday across that border, just as my people were exterminated 70 years ago.
     Today was a new day in Israel for me. Perhaps Jesus wanted me to have that snapshot on the Sea of Galilee to remind me (and others) that the military outpost on the Golan Heights and the civil war in Syria ARE NOT THE FINAL WORD!
     Jesus is the Final Word - and He is our Peace!

Israel, Day 4: The Dead Sea and Us

Israel, Day 3: Desert

Israel, Day 2

We spent the day in the Shephelah, which is the hills west and north of Jerusalem and east of the Coastal Plain. Many battles were fought here over the years, most notably in the Valley of Elan and David defeating Goliath.
       I am admittedly a novice to the land of Israel, and I know that it is a very charged topic among Christians, Jews, and Muslims. But as we looked over this valley and read from I Samuel 17 it was pointed out that the message of the story is not that David defeated Goliath, nor that the Israelites regained their rightful place in the land.
       The point of the story is that "the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel." (I Samuel 17:46). In other words, this is a valley (and land) of MISSION... that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would be known to the whole world regardless of ethnicity, skin color, or religious background.
       It is sadly ironic that today this land is so fragmented and divided. Clearly that is not God's purpose and plan for Israel (i.e. the people of God).
       Tonight we drove to the Dead Sea and will spend the next two days here - tomorrow into the Negev (Judean Desert) and the following day visiting sites along the western shore of the Dead Sea.

24 hours later

We are driving on a bus from Ben
Gurion airport to our hotel. The 13-hour flight from LA to Istanbul on Turkish Airlines was LONG, but it's a great airline.
My only disappointment is that they did not serve Turkish coffee on Turkish Airlines!
Time to sleep for a few hours before our first day of the expedition!

On a Jet Plane!

We are at Los Angeles International airport just about to board Turkish Airlines to Istanbul and onto Tel Aviv.
We are with a great group from Joshua Wilderness Institute from Hume Lake. We've had nice introductions to the staff so far.
Now for a 13-hour flight and getting into Israel Wednesday evening. A long trek!

Remembering Edith Schaeffer (1914-2013)

Edith Schaeffer, the co-founder of L'Abri with her husband Francis Schaeffer, died in Gryon, Switzerland last week. She was 99 years old.
       I met Edith for the first time in early 1986 in a cafe in Vevey, Switzerland. We sat at a table in the quaint, turn-of-the-century tea room. Edith insisted that we sit on the same side of the table, with no other guests with us!
       Edith and I were introduced by her son-in-law Udo Middelmann, with whom I worked at Food for the Hungry in Geneva. She was intrigued by all things Jewish, and even more so by any Jewish person who would call himself a Christian.
       I remember Edith asking if I had read her book "Christianity is Jewish," and I was embarrassed to say that I had not. She made sure that Udo would give me a copy at the office the next week.
       Our acquaintance was brief - we visited only a handful of times over a couple of years, then she moved back to America. What impressed me so much about Edith was her zest for life and her hope for the future.
       While she was clearly still grieving the loss of her husband, Francis, she never seemed to allow it to overwhelm her. There was too much good to do for the cause of Christ in the world. There were too many relationships to invest in, and too many projects to launch. There was no time to wallow in the past.
       Edith Schaeffer "slipped into the presence of the Lord" last week, just before Easter. Her resurrection day came a few days before ours.
       I am deeply grateful that God in His unique way had my path intersect with Edith Schaeffer's path. I will always cherish that winter afternoon in Vevey when Edith Schaeffer and I sat side-by-side and shared a slice of life together.

The Pope and Washing a Muslim Woman's Feet

My first impressions of Pope Francis I are quite positive, especially his attitude of humility and moving the spotlight off himself and onto Christ.
       Last week on Maundy Thursday the pope washed the feet of 12 people in a prison. One of those people was a Muslim woman.
       Catholic traditionalists argue that this annual rite should be reserved to men only, because Jesus' 12 disciple were all male. I am less interested in the gender debate and more intrigued by the Pope washing the feet of a Muslim.
       There are two possible concerns that Christians could have with the Pope's actions. First, we may wonder if he is endorsing Islam by his act of contrition. Second, he potentially violated Islamic custom by touching the woman.
       I find the Pope's action both courageous and incredibly humble. I cannot infer that he is "endorsing" Islam or any of its tenets simply by the act of washing a woman's feet. He was showing compassion to a human being who happens to be a Muslim. He was not saying anything (necessarily) about Islam.
       Certainly Pope Francis might have broken Islamic tradition by touching the woman. It seems to me that he has a good example - Jesus himself, who healed on the sabbath and touched a number of otherwise "unclean" people.
       I wonder what the world would be like if more Christians took Pope Francis' example and humbled ourselves to serve the world - even in some radical ways. We might just taste a bit of Shalom.

Bailey's Pups - 1 Year Ago Today!

Our Lab Bailey gave birth to 9 yellow puppies a year ago today. Here's a fun video that Susy put together right after they went to their new homes after 8 weeks. We have great memories of raising these puppies.

Bailey and Her Pupppies from Susy Newman on Vimeo.

Jesus' Kind of Extremism

Rembrandt's, "Christ Drives Money Changers"

Holy Week for Jesus started with a statement of extremism - his unique kind of extremism. Jesus enters Jerusalem, goes to the temple, and trashes the money changers who are positioned in the temple courts.
       Jesus' extremism strikes at the heart of idolatry, in this case the idol of money and material things.
       Much of the Church in the West skims over this first act of defiance by Jesus as he begins the most difficult, arduous week of his life.
       The Western Church (i.e. many Christians) picks and chooses which "moral high ground" we will take - sexuality and the right to bear arms are two of them (an odd pair if you ask me). Other idolatry, such as greed and materialism, is much more taboo for many of us.
       Jesus seems quite comfortable addressing these taboo issues - perhaps that is why the gospel writers recount Holy Week beginning with him overturning the tables of the money changers.

Bridging the Gun Control Gap?

I am writing this post primarily to my politically conservative friends who are strong proponents of the Second Amendment. I am fortunate to have well-informed and articulate friends with whom I spar on political and social issues! It is great conversation around the fire pit!
       This post is a "shout out" to them.

NRA Executive Wayne LaPierre

       There are many issues regarding the Second Amendment and gun control that I disagree with the NRA and Wayne LaPierre. My conservative buds are right that I am a bit of a "bleeding heart liberal" when it comes to these issues. I have never shot a gun in my 50 years on earth, a fact that utterly mystifies my gun-toting friends!
       I listened to Mr. LaPierre on Meet the Press today and agreed with two points that he made:
1) The news media should report on the enforcement (or lack thereof) of current federal laws. LaPierre pointed out that Chicago ranks dead last in enforcement and that city has one of the highest murder rates by handgun;
2) We as a country (and local municipalities) must address the serious issues around mental health which ties directly into shootings such as Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Newtown.
       Thank you, Mr. LaPierre, for articulating these critical issues.
       And now to my conservative friends, I urge you to stand up for other common sense issues that Mr. LaPierre disagrees with and which the NRA puts money to fund. It will take you conservatives to influence lawmakers and the NRA on a few issues which just makes sense:
1) Universal background checks - 85% of NRA members are supportive of this. I cannot understand why Mr. LaPierre cannot or will not endorse it;
2) Banning certain assault weapons - It will take people like you gun owners and enthusiasts to speak into what weapons can and should be banned;
3) High capacity magazines - I know this is a real "hot potato" issue and, once again, it will take more conservative, pro Second Amendment people to speak intelligently into this issue. I would defer to my conservative friends on this, if you are open to working on a solution.
       Every time I write about gun control and second amendment rights on my blog I have to moderate/filter the comments people want to put in the comments. I have been derided, received threats, and told I might burn in hell for my views. This saddens me deeply, and I am grateful for a bunch of more conservative friends here in Colorado who I respect and who treat me with respect as well.

Are We Any Different?

Yesterday I umpired a baseball game in which one coach led his team to humiliate the other team. The first team won the game 14 to 0 and the winning coach told his players to steal bases and hit the ball as hard as they could, even when the score was 10 to zero.

       I was incredulous toward this coach, as parents of the losing team were as well. When my son Steven, who was umpiring behind home plate, called a fairly wild pitch from the losing team a strike the coach of the victorious team asked if that was a "mercy call." Odd expression really!

       I wonder if that winning coach has ever experienced genuine MERCY. I sort of doubt it.

      Sports such as baseball are a reflection of life in general. "Art imitates life," as they say. So do sports. The game of life is often about "to the victor the spoils."

       For example, the 100-person little church continues to lose people because a huge "gorilla" church just opened a video campus location just up the street.

       Leaders of a ministry I know have to keep "ahead of the competition" in creating new outreach tools and training seminars. The competition? Other Christian ministries.

       Thankfully there are churches and ministries that are thoroughly self-sacrificial, caring for the poor and powerless, and frequently asking, "how can we serve others" rather than looking out for themselves.

       Nonetheless, watching the winning coach at the third base line telling his runners to steal third base and score more runs was a vague reflection of some people of faith.

We would do well to employ the "mercy rule" a lot more liberally.

More Light!

We changed the clocks in America last Saturday. It was the "Spring ahead" time of year, and that marks a number of things for me. It also refocuses and motivates me.
       The clock change reminds me that I need to stand in front of a mirror and practice my "strike out" call for umpiring baseball. We were supposed to work our first tournament last weekend, but we got snowed out! Next weekend it is suppose to be 60 degrees though. Play Ball!
       Spring reminds me that God creates and re-creates His creation. God is doing something great in our time. The writer of Lamentations tells us that God's compassions never fail, "they are new every morning." (Lamentations 3:22-23) In the Springtime it feels like those compassions area even newer!
       The additional light brings me to two staggering things that Jesus said about light.
First, Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
Second, Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden." (Matthew 5:13)
       The change of time on the clock points me to the source of the light. When the sun sets later this evening, and I am able to sit in my backyard and watch it go down, I remember that Jesus is THE light, and in his odd economy he calls his followers to also be the light of world.
       I take this calling seriously. "Let your light shine" is not only an encouragement by Jesus but a command. May it be so this Springtime.
       Enjoy the longer days and the sunlight. Remember the source of the light too.

Ah, My "Little" Girl in the Middle East!

Carly, our 21-year-old university senior, is spending the semester in Jordan, Israel, and Egypt on a 4-month study abroad.

       I just saw this picture of Car with a a woman somewhere on her travels. I love this photo - it captures so much of who Carly is and how God has wired her.
       Carly lives among cultures so well, and looks so ALIVE with this woman. (by the way, this lady must be quite small, because Carly is not exactly a giant!)
      Next month Susy and I will be in Israel for a couple of weeks. We are so looking forward to spending a bit of time with Carly and the 25 other students she is with this semester.

Brokenness, Sadness, Transition, and Hope

I woke early this morning, having tossed and turned much of the night. Yesterday evening I finished writing a memo to church elders of a congregation I am beginning to help walk through major transition. It probably would have been wiser to write the memo in the morning rather than late at night! 
       This current church situation brings back painful memories of other church transitions I have observed, been a leader in, and been a consultant. I rarely feel as sad as I do in these contexts.
       This morning I was encouraged by a video slide show that my wife Susy put together a few years ago depicting the process of making pit-fired pottery. More than any other image or video, this captures SO MUCH of the realities the church I am consulting with is going through.

The Potter and "Beautiful Things" from Susy Newman on Vimeo.