Silence – Day 1: Ponder Nothing Earthly Minded

Last spring Bob Kilpatrick visited CATG for a memorable time with the worship team and in both Sunday morning services. During this time he talked about his new book that will be released in August. The title is The Secret of Silence. Bob talks about how the business of our world, the cares and worries of life precludes our ability to sit in silence before Him. Being silent before the LORD is commanded in scripture multiple times and in the his book, Bob leads us into a deeper understanding of the power of silence in a 21 day journey.

I am hoping to have a Life Group based around this book in the fall, so I figured it would probably be a good thing to practice the spiritual discipline of silence before I tried to communicate it.

Today was day 1, and it is really hard to sit silent and keep your mind from running around like a hyper chihuahua. Before I went into the prayer closet in this lovely home, the words to a hymn called Let All Flesh Keep Silent came to mind. In particular one line in the first verse. “Ponder Nothing Earthly Minded.” I kept on shaking my head like an EtchaSketch to maintain focus. This is going to be an interesting journey.

Here’s the words to the hymn and a youtube guitar solo of this hymn.

Let all mortal flesh keep silence,
And with fear and trembling stand;
Ponder nothing earthly minded,
For with blessing in His hand,
Christ our God to earth descendeth,
Our full homage to demand.

King of kings, yet born of Mary,
As of old on earth He stood,
Lord of lords, in human vesture,
In the body and the blood;
He will give to all the faithful
His own self for heavenly food.

Rank on rank the host of heaven
Spreads its vanguard on the way,
As the Light of light descendeth
From the realms of endless day,
That the powers of hell may vanish
As the darkness clears away.

At His feet the six wingèd seraph,
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
Veil their faces to the presence,
As with ceaseless voice they cry:
Alleluia, Alleluia
Alleluia, Lord Most High!

Dachau at Dusk

Tonight we were walking near the front gate of the Dachau concentration camp. One of the signs said that the prisoners inside were subjected to daily torture and terror. The spirit of death reigned over that place.

As we walked along at dusk, we heard an Islamic call to prayer from an apartment just outside the camp walls. Perhaps as a reminder to us that anti-Semitism is alive and well in the world today.

Praying tonight for the calling of all God’s children, lost and found, to find Jesus, the Messiah, and for those who already know his name to cry out day and night for his return.

ATTEMPTING A Family Picture for Christmas Cards

Just let the pics speak for themselves….

Yep…That’s how the timer works.

Hilarious, Thomas.

The Alps should be faintly visible behind us but the camera thought we were more interesting. Somebody photoshop in some mountains this picture could be anywhere.

UPDATE: Thomas captured the mountains in one of his pictures. Look here.

Where to eat in Basel, Switzerland?

Where to eat? Where to eat?

There’s a McDonalds. There’s a Japanese Ramen place. There’s an Indian place.

Wait…what’s that…

The Barfi Wrap Corner. I think that may have lost something in translation.

Just a note to my brother…Look what Barfi did after he left us!

“In quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15

We have all commented on the silence and quiet in this country. We first noticed it at the airport on Saturday morning. The whole airport was so quiet. There were many people walking around, but there was a profound hush over the whole place. From the customs to the baggage claim, even the overhead announcements were minimal and hushed.

The village of Kandern is quiet too. The grocery store with quiet. Sitting in this beautiful living room looking at the mountain, the “traditional” white homes with the red tile roofs, the only sounds are the birds and the church chimes that announce the time.

Thinking about this yesterday and thinking about my hopes for restoration during this trip, I was drawn back to Isaiah 30:15:

For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said,
“In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength.”
But you were not willing,

So I am looking forward to resting in the quiet. To find again the strength of the LORD. And to leave behind the last part of that verse and chapter that talks about Israel’s disobedience to this command.

Jet Lag

jet lag also jet·lag (jět’lāg’)
n. A temporary disruption of bodily rhythms caused by high-speed travel across several time zones typically in a jet aircraft. The effects of jet lag, which may include fatigue and irritability, generally disappear after a few days as the body’s internal rhythms readjust themselves to the new time frame.
jet’-lagged’ adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

Today was day two on our little adventure. So far, we’ve found our temporary home, tried out our “loaner car” on very narrow fast curvy roads (break out the Dramamine), looked like major tourists in the grocery store, gone to church in Zurich, gone to a baptism party and baptisms in Lake Zurich and found our way back home again.

This should get more interesting as I get some sleep. But for now I have to figure out how to sneak past Steve who is bound and determined to only let us go to bed at “normal” times.

“I am as safe on the field of battle…”

Last week, I had several people ask me how I was doing and feeling after the threat to my kids. (See previous post for the exact quote.) And I had to immediately think of one of my favorite historical figures of all time.

Stonewall Jackson was a brilliant tactician during the civil war. His childhood as an orphan and the events of his life lead him to a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ.

One of the first battles of the Civil War was the battle of Bull Run. There as the Union began to over run the Confederate line, Jackson was seen at the front of the battle line inspite of the heavy fire all around him. His name “Stonewall” comes from this moment. During this battle, Jackson’s horse was wounded he had several bullet hole through his clothing and a bullet had broken the finger of his hand.

Someone asked him how he could be so vulnerable in the face of such danger. Jackson replied:

Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in the field of battle as in bed. He has fixed the hour of my death. I do not concern myself about that but to be always ready no matter when it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, then all would be equally brave.”

That is the way we should all live. That is the way I am walking this through with my children. Their destinies were not complete on Sunday. Our destinies are not complete today. In this spiritual battle, God has appointed my hour of death. Until that moment comes, I am as safe in my own home as I am anywhere in the world.

Courage and Confidence

Words Kill…Words Give Life; They Are Either Poison or Fruit – You Choose

This title is the Message’s paraphrase of Proverbs 18:21.

Last week this comment came across Steve’s blog:

Steve, I sincerely hope someone kills your children, but not you, in response to the murder of Dr. Tiller. The idea of you experiencing the special feelings that parents experience when their children get murdered gives me the warm and fuzzies all over.

Then this is what happened yesterday to all three of my children.

At CATG we talk about speaking words of Life over people, and how this puts the power of heaven into action in the lives of the ones we speak over. But the reality is that the opposite is also true. When we speak ill of others, we unleash spiritual reality over their lives as well. Death wishes unleash evil to do its work.

BUT the promises of Isaiah 54 follow the children of God:

In righteousness you will be established;
You will be far from oppression, for you will not fear;
And from terror, for it will not come near you.
If anyone fiercely assails you it will not be from Me.
Whoever assails you will fall because of you.
No weapon that is formed against you will prosper;
And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
And their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.

We were aware of the activation of things of evil over us. We asked God to post angels at the four corners of the car as the kids road tripped to Nebraska to see my parent. And God faithfully cared for that which we put into his hands.

In an accident that could have killed all involved, my three children walked away with only one small (barely visible) scratch. God even protected our dog from all harm

BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD