2011 Books of the Year

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Jason

2011 marks the first time I’ve ever hit my mark of reading 52 books in a year. Going back to school had a lot to do with that, but I’m pumped. I’ve had this goal for so long, now I don’t know what goal to aim for in 2012…maybe 60 books?

Anyway, here’s my annual list of the best books I’ve read in the last calendar year. Of course, very few of these are 2011 releases. Rather, these are books I’ve read this year that have really impacted me. As you can tell from the list, I don’t read very much fiction; I’m more of a non-fiction guy. Since I’m always looking for book suggestions, I’d love to hear your reading suggestions. Now, on to the list:

  1. The Great Omission, Dallas Willard. What does it mean to follow Jesus? If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, this is the book for you. I’ve discovered that there’s plenty of misunderstanding about grace: the legalists want it to remain elusive; permissives abuse it. Willard answers the call with an incisive reflection on the demands of discipleship. “Grace is opposed to earning, not effort.” Honest and instantly resonant. A must read.
  2. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain. In my opinion, most “classics” turn out to be real yawners. But as the only work of fiction on my list this year, Finn is fully deserving of the moniker in my opinion. This is the Empire Strikes Back of American literature, far surpassing its predecessor. I think what makes this so great is its context — it’s a rare combination of being reflective of the times while being light years ahead of them. Almost makes me want to go back and read Tom Sawyer. Almost.
  3. One.Life, Scot McKnight. McKnight is becoming a perennial contender on this list, with One.Life and his earlier The Jesus Creed. This is yet another concise reflection on following Jesus in today’s context. Couple this with Willard and your life will be richly blessed.
  4. Kisses From Katie, Katie Davis. This is the most inspirational book I’ve read in quite some time. Taken from her memoirs as a Ugandan missionary — better said, her memoir as a lover of people, particularly Ugandans, particularly Ugandan orphans, particularly the 13 Ugandan orphans she has adopted…all before her 21st birthday, no less — Davis has written a moving testimony to the power of love compelled. Read this one at your own risk, folks. You may find yourself more fully open to the call of God on your life.
  5. Prophets, Abraham Joshua Heschel. Heschel’s treatment of the Hebrew prophets was particularly helpful as I studied and taught them earlier in the year. This volume, though lengthy, was impossible for me to put down.
  6. Decision Points, George W. Bush. I think time and distance will help properly frame the Presidency of George W. Bush. To say 9/11 changed our nation is an unremarkable statement; but this recollection helped me see just how much terrorism, particularly 9/11, affected Bush’s administration. Some want to vilify him for everything that’s happened since (Iraq, Afghanistan) while others want to give him a pass. The truth is probably somewhere in between. An insightful reflection on a controversial period of American history.
  7. Strengths-Based Leadership, Tom Rath & Barry Conchie. Those familiar with Rath’s earlier work, Strengths Finder 2.0, will find a team-based skills analysis. The best leaders aren’t necessarily well rounded, but the best teams are. We used this with our ministry staff at Mayfair and the results were really interesting. I recommend it to any leader operating in a multi-staff setting.
  8. Living on the Black: Two Pitchers, Two Teams, One Season to Remember, John Feinstein. My summer baseball read this year did not disappoint. Feinstein spent the 2007 season following two of the most respected pitchers in the majors: Tom Glavine of the New York Mets and Mike Mussina of the crosstown Yankees. Feinstein ably takes his readers into the clubhouse for an unprecedented look at two elite craftsmen in the twilight of their storied careers. Even the most casual fan will enjoy this well written text on the pressure and ritual of being a big time, big league pitcher.
  9. The Tea Party Goes to Washington, Rand Paul. When I tell someone that I’ve read this book, I get one of two responses: either “I love the Tea Party!” or “You’re not becoming one of those nuts, are you?” While I’m certainly do devotee to the cause, I will admit that the whole grass roots “We the people” thing intrigues me. Paul, son of presidential hopeful Ron Paul, gives me an even deeper appreciation for the movement, although he probably proselytizes a bit too much here for my tastes. Still, he’s written an interesting, highly readable account of a political force to be reckoned with in the American political landscape.
  10. How We Decide, Jonah Lehrer. In 2009, Lehrer delivered this fascinating dissection of human decision-making processes. He plumbs the link between deductive reasoning and intuition with just enough layman scientific jargon to help you get it without becoming overbearing. He also laces his text with fascinating illustrations and anecdotes. Decide to read it, then learn all about why you did so.
  11. The Mentor Leader, Tony Dungy. Dungy’s been putting out some great faith-based stuff recently, but I think he especially shines when he integrates his values alongside his coaching experience, all of which comes to a head in The Mentor Leader. Dungy writes with honesty and conviction, imploring his audience to contemplate their role within communities both large and small (organizations, corporations, families, neighborhoods, etc.) and ask one simple question: How can I make the people around me better? Dungy draws on a wealth of coaching stories to make his point, but his NFL experience always moves the conversation forward in more universal areas. For instance, Dungy explains his decision to associate himself with Michael Vick on the heels of the bombshell news of the superstar quarterback’s involvement in a dog fighting ring. In short, Dungy felt he could make a difference in Vick’s life, much as so many others had done for Coach Dungy over the years. Call it paying it forward, NFL style.
  12. Resurrection: The Power of God for Christians and Jews, Kevin J. Madigan and Jon Levenson. Madigan (professor at Harvard Divinity School) and Levenson (professor of Jewish studies, also at Harvard) team up to write an accessible and insightful exploration of the Jewish roots of the doctrine of resurrection. Combine this one with N.T. Wright’s powerful Surprised By Hope (my 2008 Book of the Year) and you’ll be fully prepared for the bodily resurrection. Zombie apocalypse…well, that’s another matter.
  13. Managing Polarities in Congregations: Eight Keys for Thriving Faith Communities, Roy M. Oswald and Barry Johnson. Most of what I’ve read this year has been aimed at congregational development and, therefore, wouldn’t be very interesting to many people. But I think this exception would greatly benefit most church goers by exposing the imaginative gridlock of our either/or thinking.
  14. Practicing Gospel: Unconventional Thoughts on the Church’s Ministry, Edward Farley. Heady. Challenging. And all kinds of good.
  15. Cultivating Humanity: A Classical Defense of Reform in Liberal Education, Martha C. Nussbaum. Drawing on Socrates and the Stoics, Nussbaum argues for curricular advances committed to the production of “world citizens”. Although some of this material is specifically aimed at higher education institutions, it is also written in a highly accessible way to invite a more general readership.
Posted in Books, Church, Devotional, Eschatology, Faith, Gospel, Kingdom Values, Leadership, Ministry, Poverty, Social Issues, Sports | Tagged , | 8 Comments

The Sermon on the Mount 26

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Jason

The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! — Matt. 6:22-23

Jesus seems to be as concerned with inputs as He is with outputs. While the Sermon on the Mount holds up the distinctly Kingdom-oriented way of life (Kingdom ethics), Jesus also emphasizes the a priori nature of Kingdom consumption. Before we can say “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Ps34), we must first have tasted and seen for ourselves. This is precisely the kind of “seeing” that Jesus alludes to — a vision experience that transforms from the inside-out. Religious experience precedes ethics.

It would follow, then, that disciples of Jesus attempt to make themselves aware of the soul consumption-temptations that impair the pursuit of Kingdom ethics. Past failings don’t seem to matter as much as present faithfulness. Yesterday’s failings — rather than being shameful reminders of our brokenness and proclivity toward seduction — are redemptively reconfigured as declarations that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8.1). Yet, those failings serve as warnings against the kind of corrosive consumption that plagues the soul and impairs faithful witness (again, Kingdom ethics). If we perpetually imbibe darkness, how will light emanate from within our hearts? How will we fulfill the call to be light in the world?

It is worth noting that this teaching is sandwiched between two statements about money. Greed flows forth from a distorted vision of the world — an economy predicated on hoarding as many of God’s limited resources as possible. We accumulate and amass for fear that we’ll wake up one morning and it’ll all be gone. But the Kingdom of God lifts this cataract and sets right our vision, helping us to see afresh the world as a place teeming with life and abundance. Rather than devoting ourselves to the shallow pursuit of possession, Kingdom vision liberates us to live generously and hospitably within God’s abundance. This is the place of true faith; “Give us this day our daily bread.”

When was the last time you and I prayed that prayer?

Lord, give us eyes to see…

Posted in Devotional, Faith, Jesus, Kingdom Values, Prayer, Sermon on the Mount, Social Issues, Stewardship | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Christmas Alternatives

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Jason

Around our house, the little lady loves her Christmas music. Correction: we ALL love Christmas music. Time was, yours truly was a curmudgeonly Scrooge when it came to Christmas tunes. My basic argument: lots of holiday songs are schmaltzy and overwrought from beginning to end. (Exhibit A: “Santa Baby” by Madonna) or they’re undone by ridiculous lyrics, like “Do You Hear What I Hear?”, that yuletide ode to the personification of wind conversing with livestock about astronomy. See what I mean?

But over time, Sunny’s appreciation for holiday music rubbed off on me and I’ve learned to embrace — even love — Christmas music. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s, we’re pretty much ear deep in Harry Connick, Jr., Elvis, Amy Grant, Mariah Carey, and a host of other artists, ringing in the holidays. We’ve accumulated all of the classic cuts, but sometimes you get a little tired of the same songs by the same artists.

So here’s a sampling of some Christmas Alternatives, different takes on some holiday standards to liven up your iPod this holiday season. Each track has been carefully selected for uniqueness and time-tested by our expert team of holiday music critics. Enjoy!

Angels We Have Heard On High – David Crowder Band. Two minutes of foot stompin’, banjo bliss. The song’s never sounded better.

Jingle Bells – BNL. “Jingle Bells, Batman Smells, Robin laid an egg. The batmobile lost its wheel, the Joker got away…” Man, I miss these guys.

Blue Christmas – Harry Connick, Jr. Tough to top the King’s version, but Connick’s iteration takes the cake as the bluesiest version of the song ever.

The Christmas Song – Martina McBride. Martina’s Christmas album has been a staple around our home for years, but her rendition of this classic is absolutely beautiful.

The Christmas Waltz – She & Him. I love anything these two record, but their latest Christmas offering is a real winner.

Last Christmas – Taylor Swift. Tired of the synth-heavy Wham! version of this song that’s ubiquitous on Lite FM this time of year? Check out Taylor Swift’s fresh revisioning.

Holly Jolly Christmas – Michael Buble. Personally, I think he tries to hard to emulate Harry Connick, Jr., but this is one of the stronger songs on Buble’s recent Christmas album.

Joy To The World – Sufjan Stevens. Sufjan’s epic 4-disc 2006 album contains many neo-classics. This is simply one of them.

Silent Night – Johnny Cash. This sparse recording highlights Cash’s traditional baritone, which sounds tailor-made for this song.

Silver Bells – Meaghan Smith. I’d listen to this voice sing the phone book. As good as it gets.

Sleigh Ride – Los Straitjackets. Think Hawaii Five-O drum roll meets “House of the Rising Sun” guitar licks.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas – Weezer. This traditional fave gets the emo treatment, thanks to Rivers and the guys.

Winter Wonderland – The Brian Setzer Orchestra. Dean Martin recorded my favorite cut of this track, but Setzer’s swinging interpretation is pretty lively.

Posted in Christmas, Music | Tagged | 6 Comments

So Long, Albert

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Jason

Yesterday, shockwave.

Albert Pujols, erstwhile first baseman and “face of the franchise” for my beloved Cardinals, came to terms on a 10-year, $250+ million contract with the California Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

In St. Louis, where baseball is king, this is front page news. Mind you, there’s no NFL team to serve as distraction in St. Louis. It’s all Cardinals, all the time. And for months, the prevailing assumption — not only in St. Louis, but throughout the industry — was that Pujols would re-sign with the Cardinals. The stars just seem to align on this one: the Cardinals were comfortable with an 8-9 year pact worth approximately $200-220 million (depending on which report you believe); Pujols’ charity work (The Pujols Family Foundation) and restaurant were both located in St. Louis; and perhaps just as importantly, several of baseball’s larger market clubs had already allocated significant resources to elite-caliber first basemen. With no Yankees or Red Sox to bid against, negotiations were bound to be seamless.

Only, they weren’t. When the two sides couldn’t agree to a contract extension prior to the season, we all started to get a little worried. I guess this is just part of the process, we told ourselves. Come fall, we’ll lock him up. But over the past few weeks, talks between the Cardinals and Pujols’ agent, Dan Lozano, became increasingly tenuous. But when the Florida Miami Marlins inked southpaw Mark Buehrle to a 4-year, $58 million deal this week, we all breathed a sigh of relief. Good sign for us, I texted a good friend and fellow Card fan. Buehrle to Marlins means we must have something in place with Puj. Then Cardinals GM John Mozeliak canceled his press appearance Wednesday evening…rumors of another team getting involved, possibly the Angels…then rumors of a third “mystery” team making a late run…culminating in Albert’s decision to sign with the Angels.

As a Cardinal fan, I was shocked. I know the whole “business side” of the discussion, so I understand what’s going on here. But deep down, I never thought it would come to this. You have to understand…since I was a little boy, the St. Louis Cardinals have been my team. As much as I like football, my affinity for the Titans and Vols PALES in comparison to my Cards obsession. I listen to nearly every game, starting in early April and culminating — in the best years! — in late October. Our family makes the annual pilgrimage to Mecca Busch Stadium, decked out in red from head to toe. My son’s room is adorned with all of the Cardinal memorabilia I’ve collected down through the years. They’re my team. Always have been; always will be.

For obvious reasons, Pujols is my son’s favorite player. In tee ball and Little League, he always scrambles to get the #5 jersey. Late in games, you’ll catch Joshua saying, “It’s okay. If Pujols gets to hit again, we’ve got a chance.” The kid loves the Cardinals as much as I do; Stan the Man, Gibby, Ozzie…he knows them all. But Pujols is his favorite. And in this era of performance-enhanced athletes, I’ve been careful about who he looks up to. But I’ve never had any reservation about Pujols, a guy Joshua can look up to both on and off the field.

Albert, you’ve given us 11 great years. Dont’ worry. This isn’t Cleveland. We aren’t going to burn your jersey in the street. Maybe it’s because you delivered — not once, but twice — on bringing a World Series victory to America’s best baseball town. Maybe it’s because you didn’t announce your decision to Jim Gray by saying you were “taking your talents down to Orange County.” More likely, it’s because we know good baseball when we see it. And for 11 years, you gave us some of the best baseball any of us will ever see. For that, we thank you.

Make no mistake…this hurts. In our heart of hearts, we thought you wanted to be here. And I’m sure to a great degree, you did. And in the end, who could blame you for taking the big payout? It’s easy for fans to criticize the “greedy athlete”. That’s not where I’m going with all of this. If the Cardinals’ final offer wasn’t enough, if it was insulting to your pride, then that’s fair. I can live with that. I can even understand it. But deep down, I always wanted to believe that this one might be about something else in addition to the cash. We knew we probably wouldn’t have the highest offer on the table, especially if certain clubs were involved. But in the end, we were hoping that the money would be close enough and that your feelings for us, for the city, for the fans, would be enough to close the gap. And perhaps that’s an unfair expectation we had of you.

But as much as it hurts to see you leave, it doesn’t change the fact that we’ll still be there in our vintage Whitey Herzog jerseys for a mid-June series with the Cubs. We’ll be there cheering every time Skip Schumaker busts his can down the line on a 6-3 groundout. We’ll be there for every Adam Wainwright 12-to-6 curveball; every block in the dirt by Yaddie; every Mike Shannon Mark-Rzepczynski-mispronunciation. And yes, every Matt Holliday fly-ball misadventure…we’ll be there for that, too.

We’ll be there. All 3 million of us. Decked out in red from head to toe.

Yesterday, I picked my son up from school and I asked him the question, “Did you hear about Pujols?”

The first words out of his mouth: “Just tell me he didn’t go to the Cubs.”

Spoken like a true Cards fan.

Thanks for the great run, Albert. We’ll miss you.

But here’s hoping we’ll see you in October!

Go Cards.

Posted in Baseball, Kids, Sports, St. Louis Cardinals | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Hard Sayings: Luke 21:17

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Jason

I was reading through Luke tonight and I came across this verse:

You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. — 21.17

The context is important, of course. Luke 21 contains some of the final teachings of Jesus in Luke’s Gospel before his betrayal and subsequent death. He foretells the destruction of the Temple with the cryptic “wars and tumults” language, which opens the discussion to a whole host of troubling images: nation warring against nation, earthquakes and famine wreaking havoc on humanity, believers persecuted at the hands of the empire. “This will be your opportunity to bear witness,” he says (21.13). The chapter is filled with more vivid end-times imagery: Jerusalem trampled underfoot, the Son of Man returning on the clouds, the importance of watchfulness amid all the waiting. But Jesus is very clear: You will be hated by all for my name’s sake.

They refer to these as “hard sayings”, statements that challenge — and in some cases, dissuade — those who attempt to follow Jesus. It’s not exactly the most tactical PR move to tell the most ardent members of your movement that they’re going to be reviled by everyone for the sake of the mission. But that’s exactly what Jesus does…because He’s telling the truth.

So I find myself asking, “If Jesus speaks these words to me, what is my response?” And I’m reminded that the Christian faith is so far removed from the complacent, cultural Christendom so many of us are associated with in the Bible belt of the southeastern United States. Walking with Jesus is far more risky and far less comfortable than we sometimes make it out to be. Malignment, abuse, and ostracization are part and parcel to the way of Jesus.

He offers a word of hope: But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives. (21.18-19) And yet, the call remains.

Am I willing to be hated for the sake of Christ?

A hard saying, indeed.

Posted in Devotional, Faith, Hard Sayings, Scripture | Tagged | Leave a comment

Winding Down 2011

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Jason

November is winding down and this has been one of the least prolific months since I started this blog 6 years ago. Too much going on to really devote time to writing. But I have a lot of things I’d like to write about in the weeks and months to come. I’m hoping I’ll have the time to knock out at least a few of these ideas. But I’m posting this as a reminder to myself of the things I’d like to record here:

  • A review of Tony Dungy’s excellent book The Mentor Leader. If you haven’t read any of Dungy’s books, I strongly recommend them. He’s great.
  • A few more entries in my “Another Man” series. Per Dungy’s thesis that we all should recognize and commend the mentor leaders in our lives, I’ve been reflecting on the abundant blessings God has filled my life with and I plan to put some of those thoughts into words here in the next few months. God has truly been good to me in that regard.
  • A continuation of my Sermon on the Mount series. I sort of ran out of steam on this back in March. (Coincidentally, that’s when I started to devote most of my free time to my doctoral studies. Maybe that’s the reason I haven’t been blogging much lately!)
  • I also plan on posting my annual end-of-the-year-best-of lists. I’ve read more books this year than in any year I can remember, so my Best Books of 2011 will take me some time to develop. And I always enjoy working through my Best Albums / Best Songs lists every December. So there’s that to look forward to.

Until then, I’ll update as often as I can. Thanks for still checking in.

Posted in Blogging, General | 2 Comments

On Repentance

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Jason

From Kalistos Ware:

To repent is to look, not downward at my own shortcomings, but upward at God’s love; not backward with self-reproach, but forward with trustfulness. It is to see, not what I have failed to be, but what by the grace of Christ I can yet become.

Posted in Discipleship, Quotes, Repentance | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Quote: Brought to the Glory of God

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Jason

The Christian gospel is not merely that Jesus died and rose again; and not merely that these events appease God’s wrath, forgive sin, and justify sinners; and not merely that this redemption gets us out of hell and into heaven; but that they bring us to the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ as our supreme, all-satisfying, and everlasting treasure. ‘Christ … suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God’ (1 Pet. 3:18) —  John Piper, God is the Gospel

Posted in God, Gospel, Quotes | Leave a comment

The Business of Busyness

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Jason

In the past week, I’ve had no fewer than 7 different people begin a conversation with me in this way:

“Jason, I know you’re really busy, but…”

Seriously. Seven different people.

This is cause for some serious reflection.

Apparently I’m putting off a vibe that says “This had better be important, because I’m awfully busy here.” That’s discouraging to me, because I find self-importance to be a particularly harmful — not to mention nauseating — personality trait.

It’s true, I stay pretty busy, but I don’t think I’m any more busy than anyone else. But if I’m putting off an inaccessible vibe, then clearly something needs to change. To that end, here are 10 practical suggestions to keep the idolatry of busyness from creeping further into my life. I submit these mostly as exhortations to myself:

  1. Commit to being fully present to the people in your life. We live distracted lives. How much “family time” is consumed with other competing interactions? Sometimes I need to turn off the cell phone and truly enjoy the company of the people around me. I sometimes wonder what our virtual world is costing us in terms of “flesh and blood” interaction. When you’re present with them, be present with them.
  2. Maintain eye contact. Not in the creepy “I’m-an-axe-murderer” kind of way, but in the “I-respect-you-as-a-person” way. There’s nothing that makes someone feel smaller than when you are looking past them. Consistent eye contact lets people know they have your undivided attention.
  3. Ask sincere questions. If you’re listening, you’ll always have questions. It shows that you’re not busy thinking of something else while I’m talking. Attentive, intentional listening is becoming a lost art for us.
  4. Seek solitude. Nothing keeps the idolatrous practice of busyness at bay like intentional quiet time. Carve out time for reflection; guard it religiously. In essence, practice the discipline of being less busy and see what happens.
  5. Read regularly. This one helps me tremendously, probably because reading is the most reflective practice I participate in regularly. But a devoted time for reading allows my mind to be caught up in something other than the hustle and bustle of my “to do” list.
  6. Discipline yourself regarding “time wasters”. We all have our favorite ways to kill a half hour: Facebook, Twitter, iPad apps, video games, etc. There’s nothing wrong with a little social media time — in fact, I do as much ministry via Facebook as I do any other media tool. But challenge yourself to put some parameters in place to restrict your activity in these time drains. Give yourself 10 minutes on FB and then get back to work. Instead of a “to do” list, come up with a “to don’t” list. You’ll come across as less busy when you’re more efficient with your time.
  7. Practice rest and recreation. Exercise. Go fishing. Get enough sleep. (In a recent leadership magazine, I read a line that said, in effect, “Tomorrow’s spiritual journey begins with tonight’s bedtime.”) These practices boldly close off the advances of work from your schedule.
  8. Call your friends. Just to say hello. I’m terrible at this, but it’s so important. This practice reminds us that our value is found in the depth of our relationships, not in the wide swath of our productivity. This is the seduction of the empire. But interactions with friends — sharing a laugh, sharing a meal — keep us from identifying our worth with our work.
  9. Stop saying “Yes”. I’ve written about this before, but I’m starting to think that it’s sinful to perpetually bite off more than I can handle. Now, in some ways, these are opportunities for God to step in and intervene, to help me do what I cannot do without Him. And while I acknowledge this, agreeing to do too much can often restrict us from fulfilling the Greatest Command, which is to love God with whole heart, whole soul, whole mind, and whole strength.
  10. Aim to be a “non-anxious presence” at work and at home. Even when you are busy, take time to breathe, to reflect calmness and understanding. Don’t feed people’s anxiety further by bringing yours to the table.
Posted in Devotional, General, Leadership | 4 Comments

On Glory

Posted on November 3, 2011 by Jason

This week, I’ve asked a few of my close friends to help me think through the concept of the glory of God. I’m preaching this week from Exodus 33, the narrative of Moses asking to see the glory of God. I think there’s tremendous benefit to the collaborative process of sermon development, so I like to do this kind of thing from time to time. Anyway, the feedback I’ve gotten back from my friends this week has been just incredible. I asked them to share their thoughts on the glory of God. Specifically, how do we seek God’s glory? How do we reflect it? One of my friends, Eric, replied with a story. With his permission, I’m sharing it with you:

When you asked me to reflect on the Glory of God, one experience of mine immediately came to mind. Oddly enough, it didn’t take place in a church. There was no Bible at hand to read. And while there were lots of other people around, it was a solitary experience.

It was the first time I saw the Grand Canyon.

It was the tail end of a business trip to Gomorrah, otherwise known as Las Vegas. The five-hour drive did a lot to cleanse the icky feeling I had while there, but  I arrived at the El Tovar hotel on the south rim of the Grand Canyon very late at night. After looking unsuccessfully for lodging in the park and immediately outside the park, I wound up sleeping in my rental car in the parking lot. While it was in the 80’s in Vegas, it was in the 30’s that night at the south rim. Needless to say, I did more shivering than sleeping that night. Finally around 5am, I started the car and drove out to Yavapai Point. There was already two busloads of other tourists there to see the sunrise.

I made my way through the crowd to get as close to the edge as possible. Even though I couldn’t see it, I distinctly remember the feeling that a yawning chasm was in front of me. As the sun came up, it was stunning. When the first light peeked over the eastern ridge, I could see the canyon for the first time. It was gray and immensely large. Then, over the course of the next 10 minutes, the canyon changed from gray to yellow to red. The two busloads of septuagenarians were gone shortly after that. I stayed for another hour.

As I drove back to the El Tovar for breakfast, I kept thinking that this must have been, in a very small way, what Moses must have felt like from the cleft in the rock. I had just seen the glory of God pass by.

Posted in Collaborations, Devotional, Scripture | Tagged , | Leave a comment