One of the little pleasures in life for me is the NFL. Perhaps because the season is only sixteen games, but more likely because of the drama. The story lines every year are so fun and interesting that the off-field stuff is just as interesting, or sometimes more interesting, than the games themselves. A couple of years ago my favorite team, the Detroit Lions, was featured on a show called Hard Knocks.

Hard Knocks provides a behind-the-scenes look at a team during the preseason. It was so interesting to see all the hard work that goes into preparing for a season. The stories of the players who make the team or get cut are gripping.

I am often struck by how small I think about Jesus. What about you?

Several weeks ago, I wrote the line, “Jesus is from eternity.” My son mentioned it to me and shared that it was one of the best descriptions of Jesus he had ever heard.

I keep thinking about that.

“Jesus is from eternity.”

Do you ever think about where contentment comes from?

Better yet, do you ever think about contentment itself?

Over the last year or so, I have been working on my personal fitness. This pursuit has been spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical. I intentionally try not to say “health” because that implies that at some point I will be “healthy.” That’s a finite game. I don’t want to play that game. I want to play an infinite game of pursuing fitness. I can always be more fit; there is infinite growth there.

As I pursue personal fitness, there is one question that I wrestle with more than any other: “Why do I do what I do?” The answer is elusive.

Have you ever done something that you were afraid to do and then discovered that you actually enjoyed it?

This might sound a little silly, but I was really afraid to drive. I used to be afraid to drive go-karts, golf carts, and four wheelers. I distinctly remember the first time I was in a go-kart on my own and the fear was palpable. But, then after doing it, I realized that it was so much fun! If I had given in to the fear then I would have missed out on so much.

Throughout the Scriptures there is an oft-repeated phrase, “fear not.” In this brief conversation with Jesus that phrase pops up again…

Do you ever feel like you don’t have what it takes?

There are days when I wake up, consider the tasks before me, and think, “How can I possibly do this?”

Life is messy. It often feels like the world is on fire, and I’m armed with nothing but a nearly empty squirt gun. When I read the news, I see so much work that needs to be done. The world is so vast, yet I am so small. The problems in my neighborhood, my town, my state, my country, and the world are, at times, overwhelming.

There have been times in my life when, just looking at what’s happening within my own family, I don’t think I have what it takes.

The following conversation that Jesus has with a man who was an “invalid” for 38 years leaves me scratching my head. I think this is partially because it is a setup for the next conversation in the story. But, it is also difficult because in many ways, it just does not go as I expect it to.

Do you trust anyone?

It’s a hard question to answer, isn’t it?

We live in a culture of radical mistrust. How do we know what is real and what is fake? Is it even possible to know the answer to that any longer?

Every day it seems like I see something on the Internet and think, “Man, that is so cool. I wonder if it’s real?”

Jesus in Conversation

It often strikes me that the saying “there’s nothing new under the sun” rings true. We might pay lip service to the idea, but sometimes, it hits us with surprising force.

Today, I’m grappling with the question: “Where do I find my satisfaction?”

There’s an old joke that’s told in a variety of ways. A man goes to heaven and is getting a tour by St. Peter. Peter is pointing out the various places in heaven that might be of interest and introduces him to various people as they wander the streets. The man looks down a street and sees a doorway, but it is gated and well out of the way, leading into a building. The man asks, “Peter, what is that?” Peter replies, “Oh, that’s for the Presbyterians. They think they’re the only ones up here.”

What do you do when life gets tough? Do you retreat to bed, declaring it a “no good, very bad day,” hoping tomorrow will be better? If so, we might never leave our beds. Daily, we encounter trouble, hardship, heartache, and suffering, even amidst blessings. The news constantly reminds us of the world’s unending problems.

How do we respond? We cannot perpetually hide, waiting for an easy life. The storms inevitably come, and we often live with a sense of impending trouble, even when things are good.

“You should have known better.”

Have you ever heard that before? Man, I feel like I have heard it a ton. Perhaps it is the result of being the oldest of three brothers. Or maybe it’s because I present myself as someone who knows all the things and is pretty confident. Whatever the reason, “You should have known better.” is a phrase that I have heard often.