At cruising altitude...

I'm writing from the plane for the first time.

I bring my laptop with me every time, but aside from the odd times I get caught up in an engaging conversation with the stranger next to me, I never do any writing, quite honestly, because I'm paranoid that they'll be watching my every keystroke and mental lapse as I bare my soul to this electronic box.

For some reason as I roamed the airport leaving Atlanta, my bags felt heavier than when I arrived. I think it was just because I was feeling exhausted, but each time I passed through a security checkpoint, I kept picturing them pulling out several kilo's of cocaine… I guess I'll find out when I get home.

As we were about to take off the pilot announced that the computer was experiencing some glitches and they needed to 'reboot'. The engines, air, and lights all went off. I'm praying right now that's not going to happen in mid-air.

It was a bumpy ride penetrating through the clouds as we shot up into the dark skies. Head pressed against the window, I had my usual thoughts of "Lord grant me more time on this earth so that I might fulfill all the things you've put in my heart".

It's hard to tell how much of that prayer was a front for something more selfish.

But just as the plane broke through the rumbling darkness, a hush of calm came upon the plane as it hovered just about the stratus.

Overlapping lines of red, orange, yellow, green, blue stretched across the horizon.

"God this is so beautiful" just kept rolling off my lips. Finally, it was a prayer I knew had nothing to do with me, and absolutely everything to do with the God who created all of this.

What's amazing is that I'm watching in the sky, something humanity for thousands of years could never see, but was always here.

Hrmm… something almost profound about that last statement. I think I'll need to end here.

In Atlanta...

I'm in Atlanta this week on business. I hate being away from home, but I've got to say it's a blessing being able to travel and see different cities.

I've probably taken well over 50 flights the last few years I've got so say flights still make me nervous. I wonder how many people have a moment with their Maker as they pray for safety in the air.

I know I do.

I reflect on sins I've committed or the good I've neglected to do.

I don't believe in a condemning God but for some reason I wonder if a flight could go down due to some past judgment finally catching up to me.

A part of me smiles because I know I've received so much more than I deserve in this yet life, yet I'm plagued by thoughts of not giving as much as I ought to in this life.

I love stories with glorious endings. The hero in me always wants to die in battle, saving the life of a loved one, or while proclaiming the things that truly matter to me. I can't help but feel that something about burning up in a plane as a passenger seems less glorious to me.

Yet I know it wouldn't be if I was on mission. If I was actively engaging in the purposes of the Creator, what's not glorious about that?

The scary thing is maybe I'm not.

Something about possible death pending really helps add a dose of perspective.

A missionary/student in seminary told me once 'no guts, no glory, no missionary stories'.

I wonder what kind of story I'll be leaving behind...

random links

Heading to Ottawa for the weekend...

Here's what's wierd..
game cube revolution controller video clip

IBM... where I work... is offering employees money and benefits to leave the company for good and become teachers.

The Micah Challenge.

The Kingdom of God...

I led our small group through a discussion on the kingdom of God this week.

We touched on odd passages referring to the kingdom being near, being in you, being on earth, being in process, even 'forcefully advancing'...

We spent part of the evening going through a creative exercise on what a kingdom, any kingdom, would look like.

One comment that came out, amongst many others, was that a kingdom's got to have some high security (ie. impenetrable pearly gates)

It's interesting what a defensive posture we take sometimes.

Could this explain the state of the church as it is today? Could it be that the 'kingdom' would look dramatically different if the church spent less time defending itself, and more time expressing the goodness of God?

When Jesus said that he would build his church and that the gates of hell would not prevail (Matthew 16), the word 'gates' always threw me off. Why the gates, and why not the demons or the forces of hell?

And then it hit me.

It's hell that's on the defense. Jesus sets up his church right along the borders of the kingdom of hell and presses against it. His 'kingdom forcefully advances' and His church prevails over the gates. He sends His warriors into the kingdom of darkness to bring all of those he loves into His kingdom of light.

The kingdoms we often build are nothing like the kingdom of God.

Our kingdoms revolve around self-preservation.
His kingdom goes where no one dares.

Our kingdoms are fortresses from the world.
His kingdom longs that we be a force in the world.

Our kingdoms.
Barely real.

His Kingdom.

Goes on forever.