beauty

But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse. (Romans 1:19-20 MSG)

I'm always amazed at the sheer physical beauty of the country of Nicaragua every time that I'm here. Volcanoes, craters, Lake Nicaragua, the beautiful countryside of mountains and valleys, the waves of the Pacific crashing on the dark sand beaches and sitting on the third floor with a cool breeze watching a thunderstorm roll in over the mountains. The list could go on and on.

But the beauty is marred. It's stained by sin. We've lost Eden. That's also easy to see as you drive around. The beautiful view literally littered by trash. Discarded items mixed in with the seashells. And I imagine to those who call Nicaragua home, all of this is seen and yet hardly garners a passing thought. But for some reason, God has pressed it into my heart all day today.

This Lord's Day started by joining my brothers and sisters in Christ at Verbo Church. I love how physically, passionately and jubilantly they sing and worship. Of course, fist pump guy was leading the charge, but young and old are fully engaged. I love to sing with them in Spanish (when it's a slow enough song that my Spanish can keep up). The message was solid and I left with a full heart. All the while thinking... people from every tribe, tongue and nation are lifting up praise and honor to God. I can only imagine what that sounds like in Heaven. And then can only imagine what it will be like to participate in that in Heaven one day.

What a day that will be, when my Jesus I shall see. When I look upon His face, the one who saved me by His grace. When He takes me by the hand, and leads me to the Promised Land. What a day, glorious day that will be!

Eden as it is meant to be. True beauty. No more sickness, pain or death. No more trash or garbage dumps. No one who walks around there will be blinded to the beauty. What our eyes see dimly now, we will behold in full glory. And that's what our current creation does. It cries out, "Look at my Creator." There is a greater beauty than what can be seen with earthly eyes!

The beach actually had some people there today. Most times I've been out there it is usually just our team. So it gave me a moment (after some failed attempts at surfing) to watch as some walked up and down the beach. Do they see what I see? Do they know what I know? Can they look around as the mighty waves of the Pacific pound the volcanic sands on the shore and exclaim, "There is a God!"

Earlier in the first chapter of Romans, Paul says, "I am proud of the good news! It is God's powerful way of saving all people who have faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. The good news tells how God accepts everyone who has faith, but only those who have faith." (vs. 16-17)

May we add our voice to the song of creation, boldly and proudly proclaiming the powerful saving message of the Good News of Jesus Christ. There is beauty here... He is the Beautiful One... and His name is Jesus!

for the nations

The love of God extends salvation to all. Everyone who believes on Jesus has eternal life with Jesus, and everyone who doesn't perishes. Missions is the answer of our heart to that love. (John Piper)

I find myself more and more praying for a heart for the nations. At our family devotional/debrief time tonight, I was so encouraged to hear my boys start to get a glimpse of God's heart for the nations and our role to have that same heart and by living out God's mission. Watching them play at Casa Robles this morning (the Boys Rescue Home) was awesome. They found themselves restricted by language, yet found a way to share Christ's love. They played and laughed, explored their home - and I could tell they were just taking it all in. A flicker of the flame of having a heart for the nations was starting to burn. That's a flame that I want to fan into a great fire!

So, I'm praying that God's heart continues to grow inside them... and me. I have been praying that God would allow this generation to be the one that sees the completion of the Great Commission. That is a monumental task and at times seems like an overwhelming prayer to pray. Especially in light of the statistics.

The Joshua Project reports that there are 15,988 distinct ethno-linguistic peoples in the world. Of these, fewer that 2% are Christians (6,572 unreached people groups). In those unreached people groups they account for an estimated 2.6 billion people. Of the 100 largest unreached people groups, 44 are in India, 8 are in China, and 7 are in Indonesia and Pakistan... 43 are Muslim, 36 are Hindu and 9 are Buddhist. 22 of them have populations over 20 million. All that to report, there is great work to be done in obedience to the Great Commission. So what are we waiting for? What am I waiting for?

My prayer is that my life would be consumed in not just going... but studying, praying, preaching, leading and speaking in such a way that results in passing on a passion to this next generation of middle, high school and college students - that I'm privileged to shepherd - who would recklessly abandon their lives for the sake of the Gospel for the nations - whether near or far. It's a continual call on my life from God not to waste it. And one I want to shout to this next generation: don't waste your life!

And this great zeal, passion and heart for the nations can only come from catching a vision of the greatness of God and His great design for this world that we call home. May we see God for who He is, believe Him for what He says and live for what He loves!

thoughts on Germany

Well here I am sitting here in Nicaragua (up on the 3rd floor for my fellow Nica peeps, with a great breeze blowing) and I'm thinking about Germany. It's taken me a bit to process our time there and I'm sure more thoughts will come - at least I hope they do before I start to forget the details!

These two countries couldn't be more different. Just driving around today with my family the fact that this is the second poorest country in this hemisphere is so evident. The landscape is different, the cultures are different. You don't see anything like the Cologne Dome here. But you know what? The people look amazingly similar if you look behind their eyes. Sure the skin color is different, hair color, complexion and even language. But the deeper longings of the heart are revealed through the eyes.

The German people are a quiet people. Saying "hi" on the streets is uncommon. Hearing even quiet talking on the trains is unusual. They are seemingly devoid of national pride and some of that is understandable considering the monumental dark spot and atrocities under the oppression of Hitler. They were taught under communism to be needy without being "needy." So to reveal a need - like a spiritual need - is a difficult conversation to get in to. Many of the pastors and missionaries we had an opportunity to serve shared how long they often labor (years and years) to see a convert.

I was told that 2 out of 100 Germans are Christians. The harvest is plentiful for sure. It pained my heart to see these beautiful, giant cathedrals and churches that were once overflowing (post-Reformation) now either virtually empty or simply turned into a tourist attraction. But there is hope. Isn't there always! The Gospel always works and I was so encouraged to meet some of these laborers for the Gospel in Germany. My prayers are with them and for Germany that God's Spirit would fall in power and bring another reformation - a reformation of the heart!

I am so grateful to have had yet another opportunity to go and serve with my fellow a cappella alums. Bringing the Gospel through music is a strategic point of entry to the German's hearts. I was so honored to have the opportunity to preach the Gospel each night as well. My prayer is that the seeds that were planted will be watered and bear much fruit.

And so here I am in Nicaragua. Different country with the same need. The reality is everywhere we go, people are hurting. And the even greater reality is everywhere we go, the Gospel always works. Jesus is always the answer.

a new kind of busy

"When does being curious distract your heart away from what God wants you to focus on?" There the question was... in big, bold, red letters just seeming to flash at me from my laptop screen. A question that, oddly enough, I wanted to be distracted from answering.

To frame out the question in context, it came from an excellent and thought-provoking article that I came across on The Resurgence, which regularly provides some great material for learning, reflecting and in this case, some heart searching.

In Paul's first letter to his young apprentice Timothy, he writes, "Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to." (1 Timothy 5:13)

I've typically quickly passed by this verse, thinking it had more application to the "town gossip" and not something I really struggled with. And besides, "idle" is hardly an adjective that would get ascribed to my life... but "busybody"... what exactly is Paul talking about here?

Trisha Wilkerson says, "I hadn’t identified much with this particular sin until God gently revealed the Internet is my "town" to meander. I have found myself "going from house to house" or "website to website" seeking something. Information, book reviews, blogs, Facebook, email, all sucking my time and seducing my attention.

To ignore this comparison is, for me, choosing blindness. Blindness to the fact that I’m tempted to neglect the people and gifts God has called me to pay attention to. Sin is giving in to the temptation to be a busy-body by giving my attention to worthless and sometimes meaningless information that swirls around in my head, taking up mind and heart space that should be occupied by prayers and purpose."

Ouch. Hits too close to home for someone who not only enjoys technology, but finds it a useful tool for ministry. But where is the line? To be honest, I hadn't really given much thought to the fact that there actually is a line. In fact, there is a line that when viewed in light of this Scripture, becomes sin. And this isn't just a sin of time-management. This is a sin of misplaced desire. Idolatry. Finding someone or something else that we think will ultimately fulfill desire or satisfy, yet always ultimately fails us.

So instead of being more deeply connected to God, Wilkerson says, "... we slip into false intimacy and gather knowledge that doesn’t grow us, but instead wastes time. Like greed or lust, busy-bodying is a thirst for more. We are saying to God that he doesn’t satisfy our hearts."

God came to redeem our time and our time spent on the internet. So that means email, texting, facebooking, blogging and web surfing can and should be redeemed. They should be guarded against trivial idleness or busybodying. Our time and attention are gifts that must be stewarded. Boundaries must be set. Our attention must be refocused on the all-satisfying Christ.

This no doubt will be challenging. It already is as I sit here, oddly enough, on the internet to write a blog post.

You can find Wilkerson's complete article here... but beware... it's a challenging read!

Germany Bound

Germany is calling again. This will be my third mission over to Germany. I've grown to love the people and culture. I have great respect for the missionaries and national pastors giving their lives to the Gospel in such a spiritually dark place. Many will labor years to see a single convert. But there is always hope when the Gospel goes out. But the Gospel must go out. Romans 10:14, "But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?"

We will use music as a means to evangelism. We'll be partnering with local churches and missionaries to do concerts to open the door for relationships to be formed. The Germans love music and we'll have the opportunity to present the Gospel through song. But I'll also have the opportunity to share the Gospel each night. Our travels will take us throughout Germany to the following cities: Munich, Hohenfels, Cham, Nurnberg, Seigen-Geisweld, Cologne, Bruhl, Seigburg, Rudesheim, Mainz, Frankfurt.

I would greatly appreciate your prayer support for our team as we travel, sing, build relationships and look for opportunities to share the Gospel in word, song and in deed. I'll do my best to get some updates posted as I have the chance here (toddveleber.blogspot.com) and on Facebook.

a superb exchange

Every day so far has presented a challenge and a choice. How will I spend my day? What will I invest in today? Not that those questions don't matter every day, in fact, so much of this journey so far has really revealed how closely my identity has been tied to my ministry. Waking up and wondering, "What will I do today?" has been a bit unsettling.

In some ways, connecting with the Lord without my daily routine has been difficult. I always knew I was a creature of habit, but probably not to this degree. In the absence of a "schedule" the battle ensues... the battle of choice. The challenge to stay connected or to abide (as John's Gospel would say) is always a difficult one. But doesn't that seem counter-intuitive? Abiding/resting is challenging... it does take work. But to start, it takes a choice.

One of the more difficult pieces to this process of abiding/connecting with the Lord is surrendering my desires and confessing my failed attempts. It plagues me that I often choice leisure over the Lord and fail the challenge of connection by succumbing to the giant of distraction. But when I make time for Him, He is so faithful to supply more than my every need. He truly does fill the cup to overflowing. Unhurried time with Him is more than a gift... it is life.

And then the gift of unhurried time with my family has truly been amazing. Even though today consisted of mopping, vacuuming and picking up toys, I'm treasuring my time at home. Most of my time with Brooke has been doing whatever I can around the house so that she can recover and heal. The time with my boys has been filled with football, food, laughter, tears, stories and outside fun. We've even had the opportunity to spend time with extended family.

This sabbatical is proving that every day there's a challenge and I have a choice... which is really true of every day - sabbatical or not. I want to choose to reject the lesser, so Christ can fill me with the greater - Himself. Now that is a superb exchange.

to sabbatical

Sabbatical (from Latin sabbaticus, from Greek sabbatikos, from Hebrew shabbat, i.e., Sabbath, literally a "ceasing") is a rest from work, or a hiatus, often lasting from two months to a year. The concept of sabbatical has a source in Scripture (Leviticus 25, for example, where there is a commandment to desist from working the fields in the seventh year).

I find myself struggling to get into the rhythm of my sabbatical, which points to a deeper problem that has given me much to reflect on over these last few days. See the concept of taking a sabbatical, actually comes from a practice of sabbath, which we are all commanded to as Christians. From creation itself, we see the practice of Almighty God (Genesis 2:2-3, in which God rested - literally, "ceased" from his labor after creating the universe) the importance of 'spiritual rest' - one day where we cease from worldly labors for the purpose of surrender and focus on God. And then of course in the New Testament, Jesus further explains the purpose, "Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." (Mark 2:27).

Jesus knew our greatest need and then fulfilled it. It wasn't that we simply needed one day of the week, but rather that we daily need Him for our very life. Not that we simply honor Sunday (and really on Sunday morning since we have NFL to occupy our minds in the afternoon), but that as Colossians 3 exhorts, "Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth..." All the time. Every minute of every day.

The deeper issue is always idolatry, pride, self-sufficiency... at the core: myself. I need to constantly be reminded that I'm my own worst enemy. "I can do this myself, with my gifts and my abilities - so why would I need to 'rest and refocus?'" It's a battle of Lordship.

And so the calling of Christ is "abide in me" (John 15). Find not just your center in me, not just a day in me, but find your very life in me. Exist in me. Everything must be re-examined, re-evaluated, re-focused and ultimately restored in Christ.

John Piper, one of my favorite pastors and authors, recently announced an 8-month sabbatical from his pastoral role at Bethlehem Baptist. In his words he needed a sabbatical, "because of a growing sense that [his] soul, [his] marriage, [his] family, and [his] ministry-pattern need a reality check from the Holy Spirit."

That is a powerful admission. I find it most difficult, not to be that honest with others, but with my own heart. I need a "reality check from the Holy Spirit." And truth be told, I need it every day.

I'm sitting here in the hospital writing this (Brooke's procedure went great... thanks for praying) which brings a greater focus to what really matters in life. And, no, it isn't our health, not physically anyway. James tells us that this life is but a mist, a vapor - here today and gone tomorrow. I need reminding of this. That is the refocus all of our hearts need.

My life is hidden in Christ... I know that intellectually, but do I live that daily? Do my values, priorities, thoughts, behaviors and words reflect that reality? I pray that God will bring that into focus during this sabbatical... as I learn how to sabbath. Something my soul needs daily in practice for what I will have the privilege to do for an eternity.