8.8.08 = 15

Many people are all a-buzz concerning the official opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympiad tonight. And it is a big deal. But to me it represents the "Minnesota niceness" of the world. I firmly believe that the all powerful bottom line in this world is more about resources, material, wealth, economic freedom. There is where differences are truly ignored and a common pursuit is shared - the pursuit of happiness.
Two countries maybe on each others nerves but usually they trade items together and the concerns to the economy often outweigh their prejudices. In some ways the Olympics are a shadow of the average person in each country that doesn't really care much about the over-arching geo-political forces, or travesties, of another country.
If I am swimming the 100 meter free-style and the swimmer next to me is from Sudan (country who has currently killed over a million and displaced over 4 million refugees - tribal, Christian, ethnic cleansing) - that person wants to beat their opponent - instead of refusing to swim against a person representing the horror of Darfur. Or if America sold your country weapons in the 80's and now those same weapons are causing death and tribal squabbling in your country... will you pull out of the race? Cause Micheal Phelps is representing America?
So, I am a fan of the Olympics, don't get me wrong -- but to see them as the answer to reconciliation is just not correct. They are a cleaner form of competition, of willful ignorance, of speeches and feelings against the world (possibly China, regularly a top 10 person on Amnesties list of worst human rights violators). I prefer the less clean, less pomp version of world markets and free & fair trade.

there is great 8.8.08 that I celebrate today.

Today is the 15th anniversary of my baptism in the name of the "Father, Son & Holy Spirit". I became a Christian 15 years ago - TRUE reconciliation. However I played my first year more like an Olympics with Jesus. I did my thing, he did his, we didn't talk much - and so I had the real thing, I was covered by his blood for my sins = no guilt, but I wasn't really engaged with the Bible, with our church, with prayer and service to mankind.
I had real reconciliation, peace, with God. But I acted like we were neighboring countries in need of just ignoring each other.
So, Today also marks 14 years since I got fed up with playing Christianity (don't they say your first year is always the hardest, worst?). I decided in 1994 that I was going to just read Mark chapter 6 (for example) - study it, ask questions, seek advice, commentaries -- find the meaning... and DO IT. And it has been a better way. 1 year trying to have it on my terms was like being married and having a date each week - but never really talking to each other. the last 14 years of daily readings, talking, thinking, praising, serving.. of "loving God and Others" ... beats the pants off the "false Olympic facade" that I had erected around the simplicity of childlike faith and mature conviction with Jesus Christ.

And so, i don't have time to walk through the last 15 years.. but I anticipate living at least another year, and seeing a large day in my life. When I am 32 next august, and I will have lived 16 years without Jesus and 16 years with him... I will have something more to say about each experience.
What I can praise God for today is the memory of a son, a brother, a friend that was not really nice, he was a good kid on the outside, didn't rebel for the sake of rebelling, but was a real jerk, hated much of life, saw injustice without hope, atrocity without rescue, sickness without the remedy.
Then he decided to spend a year looking into the answer that everyone else had told him they had found. Jesus. And he found the hope, rescue and remedy that he hated not knowing about. I am glad that that confused, inwardly depressed, outwardly sarcastic and painful 16 year old has been buried with Christ and a new person, a new Spirit, has come to reside in him for the last 15 years.
I am ever impressed that God would know my name, impressed more that he would even think of me, impressed more that he would have emotional feelings about me, impressed more that he cares for my future and personal happiness, impressed even more that he would die to bring peace between us - instead of some religious "Olympic" form of piety, prayer and sacrifice.

God is not as far away as we make him. However, he IS greater, more powerful, bigger, holier and more loving than we usually make him. I am grateful for my grandfather and grandmothers, my parents, friends and my pastor and especially a young preacher at camp name John Taplin who spoke to my heart 2 years in a row at Christian Harbor Youth Camp in Holcombe, WI.

Many go through life knowing that God is near, here, not far away. However their version of God, usually what they have heard and not studied - is a piece-meal of sermons, opinions, lectures, articles and "gut" feelings. And so they live with a CLOSE God who is their version of greatness, their version of powerful, their version of big, holy, love....
And they don't care for that god at all - a different god than the one of the Bible... and yet they have "Jesus" on this gods description. A mental idol (representation) that is not correct.
It is funny how that "god" seems to fit our mental puzzle for what he must be like... but then practically that "god's" puzzle piece doesn't line up with life. doesn't fit the way we thought.

And that is when we must make the decision: our terms, or Jesus' terms? I have found that the Bible challenges my mental "puzzle piece" more than I would like. BUT when I actually get it, try to live it out, it is funny how the puzzle piece that God describes himself as -- it actually fits with life!
And so, we can watch billions of dollars of investment, parade and pomp. however, you will not see the two children: one from North Korea, one child from South Korea -- that happen to find themselves among other children at a park jungle gym. And after several minutes they are laughing, dreaming up heroic scenes together, banishing the dragons, the evil sorcerers, and the demon's from their new little world. And somewhere there... in that little park. That $5,000 investment of some play area and grass.
The true look of reconciliation, forgiveness, of "life together" again is seen. Spend your billions on your "religiosity" of peace, reconciliation - all the while prostituting your Olympic team for politics and self-centered agendas. I will take the the simple faith of children, as they play. And water that seed with conviction, principle and passion. There is hope, rescue and remedy in that small little green park with two kids playing.

And if you think that your approach but be anything but child-like to accepting the gift of Jesus... you are like a 15 year old Josh Paroubek. and I hope you meet the 16 year old Josh Paroubek who grew "younger" in his need to approach his loving Father over a year - and "older" in his conviction, principle and passion.
It is a great paradox that I stepped through in childlike "faith" (pistis in Greek can also be translated as: trust, belief, giving your well being/future over to ______ ). That point in a 16 year old's life, that day, that hour, that moment when GOD was nearer than I expected him to be -- and more great, more powerful, bigger, holier and more loving than I had painted him out to be.

Oh for the Glory of the day
The day I took my Saviors painting away,
For the painting was painted by me through ignorance,
and replace by His self portriat offering a second chance.

I hope those who have found the hope, rescue and remedy of Christ can celebrate with me today.
I hope also that those who have not found Christ, but are interested, would seek to grow younger and older this year in relation to God in Christ.


May the name of Jesus be praised, raised and honored - now and forever more
(in this body of mine)