Robert Robinson was born in 1735. He lost his father at the age of 10. His mother, believed to have been a strong Christian, had a desire to see her son grow to become a minister. However, Robert was willfully lost. When he turned 14 his mother sent him to London to apprentice with a barber. For the next several years Robert lived a life of drinking and gambling. Robert was prone to wander.
At the age of seventeen, he and his drinking buddies went to a meeting where evangelist George Whitfield was preaching. Apparently they were planning on mocking those in attendance but upon hearing the message, Robert's heart was assaulted by Love.
The following three years Robert wrestled with God. In 1755, at the age of twenty, He won by surrendering. As a side note, God won too! It’s what we in the Kingdom call, a “win/win.”
Three years after Robert said yes to Love, he composed a song. This song is stunning in its revelation.
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, mount of Thy redeeming love.
The song has four stanzas in total and for the last 250 years it has captured hearts. The lyrics and melody coalesce beautifully to reveal and releases the wonder of grace and the power of Love. Many have sung this song while in their own wrestling match with God. There have been many win/win’s because of Roberts revelation.
This song was Roberts story. It was a testimony of one sinner’s journey to the “mount of Thy redeeming love!” It’s the prodigal son epic. Its one of the most stunning stories in the universe because its not just Roberts, its ours. Every one of us who have said yes to Love, have tasted and touched, been immersed and redeemed, restored and made whole.
All of us are on a journey like Roberts. We live to discover our Fathers Love. And while this song is powerful in that revelation, I would also like to suggest that the journey doesn’t end at the discovery; that’s just the beginning.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Prone to Love (1) - Grandma Eva
Grandma’s lips always moved. If you were close enough you could sometimes catch a few phrases.
“Thank-you Jesus. I love you Jesus. You are so precious.”
Elmer and Eva were the kindest and most gracious people on the planet. I am not exaggerating. They never spoke harshly of anyone; they were never critical and always giving. What they had was yours. My dad tells stories from his childhood about how the neighbor boys referred to Grandma as the “God Lady.” They would sneak into the Clark house anytime of the day and help themselves to the cookies in the cookie jar. Apparently one day Grandma caught them red handed. Then kindly she said, “Now boys, you can have cookies whenever you want, all you need do is ask.”
There is a verse in Daniel that describes my grandparents. “But the saints of the Highest One will receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, for all ages to come.” My grandma and grandpa, they were those saints. When you were around them you could almost taste it, smell it, feel it - heaven was that close.
My grandparents lived in Gods love. They gave over half their income to missions; their home was open to everyone. And there was almost always someone living with them. In my younger years, I often wondered if some of these people took advantage of their generosity. But looking back, I realize now that it’s impossible to take advantage of love.
Grandpa lived to be 95; he went home first. Grandma followed at the age of 100. After Grandma died, I miraculously found myself in possession of an amazing, holy, historical, Clark birthright - her Bible. I remember helping pack up some of my grandparent’s things at their house. Somehow, I ended up with the box containing grandpa’s cool Sinatra hat and grandma’s bible. It honestly wasn’t intentional.
I am not proud of this, but when I realized I had the Bible, and that no one in my family knew it, well, lets just say, I was almost tempted beyond what I could bear. It took me weeks to let the cat out of the bag. Personally, I thought it was God ordained.
Dad finally sequestered it, but not before I had a chance to read through and scan some of the contents. I still have the cool hat.
I realize I am going on about this Bible but you have to understand, this was her bible for over 50 years! Some of my heritage as a lover of God has been documented and preserved in its pages. It was like having a personalized road map to my inheritance. This bible is marked on nearly every page and in every ink color you can imagine. It is filled with personalized notes and poems about Gods grace, and mercy, and kindness, and most of all, His love.
In fact, Gods love seemed to be the singular pursuit of my Grandmother. There were several hand written notes, and poems she had cut out of papers, and magazines.
“For the love of God is broader than the measure of mans mind. And the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind.”
And
“He drew a circle that shut me out, heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.
But Love and I had the wit to win, we drew a circle that took him in!”
Honestly, while writing this, I am overwhelmed and infinitely grateful by how my grandparents lived. They truly were world changers, heroes in the faith, saints. They lived in such an intimate friendship with Jesus and their prayers never ceased; for their kids, their grandkids, their great grandkids...
Even though they are now in heaven, I still feel the echoes of their prayers; I see the evidence in my life and the lives of my kids. I am their legacy, as are my kids and so on. And that’s the way it’s supposed to be. You see, when saints pray, the Kingdom is possessed, today, and for the ages that come.
My cousins, Chris and Jonathan, had the privilege of growing up in the same town as my grandparents. Since their passing I have heard many stories about their lives. Recently, however, I heard a new story about grandma Eva as told by my cousin Jonathan that just absolutely amazed me. I recognized it immediately because it is my story as well, it was a mile marker on a road map to my inheritance. But its not just for me, I believe I am meant to share with you as well.
Grandma and Grandpa went to church whenever there was a service. They participated in every way. Jonathan was with Grandma one Sunday morning. During worship Jonathan noticed she was not singing the words. Grandma was a worshiper; she always sang the words.
The congregation was singing the famous and beautiful Hymn “Come Thou Fount.” As Jonathan tells it, Grandma was not only not singing, she seemed slightly agitated.
The piano led the voices,
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter; bind my wandering heart to Thee.
To Jonathan, Grandma’s lack of participation was almost stubborn.
Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.
Grandma seemed perturbed by this line. Grandma was the most patient and kind woman on the planet. Perturbed was so out of character for her that Jonathan became concerned. Finally, he leaned over.
“Grandma, what’s wrong?” He whispered.
Grandma said, “I’m not prone to wander Jonathan. I love Him.”
...
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Discovering His Presence
I lay in bed with Ethan last night. We listened to the storm blowing just outside his window. Ethan is my nine year old.
Ethan loves football. He thinks about
it at least half of the time. Lately our bedtime routine has involved a new home made game. I lay on the bed and he sits next to me. One of us will throw a football up to the ceiling and then we play receiver/defender and wrestle over the ball while Ethan gives the commentary, “Interception!” or “The ball is loose,” or “Clark has stripped the ball away. Touchdown! And the crowd goes wild!”
Normally bedtime becomes a frenzied father-son wrestling match. But last night we just lay motionless, mesmerized by the rain that was being blown against the house. Earlier we had stood on the front porch spellbound by the power of the storm. To us, it seemed a small miracle that the trees in our front yard weren’t ripped out of the ground and blown away.
“Ethan” I finally broke the silence. “Can you feel Gods presence right now?” I asked.
“I don’t know dad.” He said,
“What’s He saying to you right now?” I asked.
Ethan looked at me, “He loves me?” He asked, looking for conformation. I confirmed it with a hug. “He does! Do you believe it?”
Ethan smiled, “Yes.”
I continued, “His presence is right here, right now. Lets ask Him to reveal Himself.” I continued, “Father, come make your love known.” Immediately God filled the room. For the next ten minutes while I lay there and held Ethan, my body trembled with His presence. His love was so real. It was wholly unexplainable and absolutely glorious. And we laughed.
After a little while, Ethan began to ask questions, “Dad, how do you know God’s presence and if it’s Him speaking to you and not just your imagination?”
This is what I told him, “Buddy, when our Heavenly Father speaks to us, it is always about His love. He is always saying one thing, ‘I love you.’ And He is always asking one question, ‘Do you believe me?’ So if you are unsure whether it’s God, you simply have to determine if the thoughts and feelings you are having increase your love for Him, yourself and others. If they do, then that’s God speaking to you and you are in His presence.”
I have discovered that to encounter my heavenly Father, I must become convinced in my theology – God is Love. Its absolutely essential that at all times, regardless of my circumstances, or what others say about God, that I believe to the very core of my being that He is Love. You see, I have learned that believing Gods is Love is the precursor to an encounter. To the extent that I’m convinced He is Love, is to the extent that I can recognize when Love is in the room. And He is in the room, always!
When it comes to my kids, I am keen on them experiencing their own encounters with Love. I can be the best father in the world but if I don’t present them with opportunities to touch and experience the heart of God, I have missed my true calling as a parent. I am intent on my kids meeting and becoming familiar with Gods presence, His love, as I believe that it’s the key to living a full life, a life of faith, a life where every dream is available.
Ethan loves football. He thinks about
it at least half of the time. Lately our bedtime routine has involved a new home made game. I lay on the bed and he sits next to me. One of us will throw a football up to the ceiling and then we play receiver/defender and wrestle over the ball while Ethan gives the commentary, “Interception!” or “The ball is loose,” or “Clark has stripped the ball away. Touchdown! And the crowd goes wild!”
Normally bedtime becomes a frenzied father-son wrestling match. But last night we just lay motionless, mesmerized by the rain that was being blown against the house. Earlier we had stood on the front porch spellbound by the power of the storm. To us, it seemed a small miracle that the trees in our front yard weren’t ripped out of the ground and blown away.
“Ethan” I finally broke the silence. “Can you feel Gods presence right now?” I asked.
“I don’t know dad.” He said,
“What’s He saying to you right now?” I asked.
Ethan looked at me, “He loves me?” He asked, looking for conformation. I confirmed it with a hug. “He does! Do you believe it?”
Ethan smiled, “Yes.”
I continued, “His presence is right here, right now. Lets ask Him to reveal Himself.” I continued, “Father, come make your love known.” Immediately God filled the room. For the next ten minutes while I lay there and held Ethan, my body trembled with His presence. His love was so real. It was wholly unexplainable and absolutely glorious. And we laughed.
After a little while, Ethan began to ask questions, “Dad, how do you know God’s presence and if it’s Him speaking to you and not just your imagination?”
This is what I told him, “Buddy, when our Heavenly Father speaks to us, it is always about His love. He is always saying one thing, ‘I love you.’ And He is always asking one question, ‘Do you believe me?’ So if you are unsure whether it’s God, you simply have to determine if the thoughts and feelings you are having increase your love for Him, yourself and others. If they do, then that’s God speaking to you and you are in His presence.”
I have discovered that to encounter my heavenly Father, I must become convinced in my theology – God is Love. Its absolutely essential that at all times, regardless of my circumstances, or what others say about God, that I believe to the very core of my being that He is Love. You see, I have learned that believing Gods is Love is the precursor to an encounter. To the extent that I’m convinced He is Love, is to the extent that I can recognize when Love is in the room. And He is in the room, always!
When it comes to my kids, I am keen on them experiencing their own encounters with Love. I can be the best father in the world but if I don’t present them with opportunities to touch and experience the heart of God, I have missed my true calling as a parent. I am intent on my kids meeting and becoming familiar with Gods presence, His love, as I believe that it’s the key to living a full life, a life of faith, a life where every dream is available.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Collide Magazine - Surrendered & Untamed
"It was freezing, but not the kind of cold that Joel had experienced in his home in DC. It was the kind of cold that could kill you in minutes. It hit -35 degrees without the windshield. With the 55 miles an hour winds, Joel was told it was as cold as -50..."
To read the entire article CLICK HERE
To read the entire article CLICK HERE
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
S&U Promo - Pastor Resources Cover
In conjunction with the magazine release, we have set up a special page on the S&U website where you can go and watch chapter three of S&U "Awaken Your Soul at the Edge of the World" as well as download the corresponding chapter of the Participants Guide. To go to this page CLICK HERE
We also have made chapter one of my book, "Surrendered & Untamed, A Field Guide for the Vagabond Believer" available for download. CLICK HERE
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Bono and I Have the Same Best Friend
Bono: My understanding of the Scriptures has been made simple by the person of Christ. Christ teaches that God is love. What does that mean? What it means for me: a study of the life of Christ. Love here describes itself as a child born in straw poverty, the most vulnerable situation of all, without honor. I don't let my religious world get too complicated. I just kind of go: Well, I think I know what God is. God is love, and as much as I respond [sighs] in allowing myself to be transformed by that love and acting in that love, that's my religion. Where things get complicated for me, is when I try to live this love. Now that's not so easy.
Assayas: What about the God of the Old Testament? He wasn't so "peace and love"?
...
Click HERE for the rest of the interview
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Skill Saw Father - Part Three
Truth is, some one did have to pay. Truth is, He already did.
I have lived most of my life thinking God was in control. It’s only been in the last six years or so that I have begun to realize with growing amazement and thankfulness that He isn’t about control at all. Quite the opposite, He is about authority. He has all authority. That’s what Jesus said in my Bible. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Jesus)… Mat 28:18.”
Jesus didn’t come live here with us, die for us and rise again so he could be in control. He came to give us His authority. Control and authority are two entirely different things; control operates in the reality of need, authority is about love.
My Bible also says that it was for freedom that Jesus set me free (Gal 5:1). While control enslaves, authority sets me free. My heavenly Father has been absolutely amazing at working His freedom in me. As He’s revealed His love – His presence, His goodness, I’ve begun to discover that His love conflicted greatly with the lie that was buried ever so deep in my subconscious. His love is always bigger than the lie.
I am daily choosing to believe a radical truth about the nature of God. This truth has changed everything. The truth? Goodness is not a sometimes deal with God.
Goodness is an extension of His nature, of His love. It’s absolute; it’s not a theory, or a concept. It’s a greater revelation. It’s a truth we can either believe fully or not at all. Our Heavenly Father is fully, completely good, all the time. And if we can learn to believe this, we have found the core value by which everything in life is measured.
As I have decided to believe the “good news” I’ve been set free. Free to discover all the wonders of His goodness.
I have scanned my memory and talked in depth with my siblings. In my thorough investigation, I am confident in this next statement being absolutely 100% true. My dad never used a Skill saw on my siblings or me to get our attention or to teach us any lessons. In fact, I am sure that it never even crossed his mind. Now I realize that my dad is one of the top ten dads in world history. But even if he were just an average dad, I am confident that the skill saw would never have entered the equation.
If my dad wants to get my attention, he calls me by my name – the one he gave me. If he wants to teach me something, he shows me by how he lives. If he wants to impart to me, he reveals his heart with his words and actions. He’s always wanted the best for me and to this day he places high value on my thumbs.
I believe that there is a great shift that takes place in our hearts the day we decide to agree with the truth that God is always good, that it is impossible for a good Father to use skill saws on his kids. When we see our Father as he truly is, we are free to discover the authority of His Love; the same Love that Jesus displayed, the same authority He died and rose again to give us.
This authority is the greater works love that answers every controlling need that humankind faces. Jesus said, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth, now go make disciples of all nations. (Matt 28:18) Essentially, now go live in the same authority.
Our authority is about becoming sure in His love, secure in his goodness. Our authority is found when we see the true nature of our heavenly Father and then chose to both agree and align our hearts in that revelation.
I have lived most of my life thinking God was in control. It’s only been in the last six years or so that I have begun to realize with growing amazement and thankfulness that He isn’t about control at all. Quite the opposite, He is about authority. He has all authority. That’s what Jesus said in my Bible. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me (Jesus)… Mat 28:18.”
Jesus didn’t come live here with us, die for us and rise again so he could be in control. He came to give us His authority. Control and authority are two entirely different things; control operates in the reality of need, authority is about love.
My Bible also says that it was for freedom that Jesus set me free (Gal 5:1). While control enslaves, authority sets me free. My heavenly Father has been absolutely amazing at working His freedom in me. As He’s revealed His love – His presence, His goodness, I’ve begun to discover that His love conflicted greatly with the lie that was buried ever so deep in my subconscious. His love is always bigger than the lie.
I am daily choosing to believe a radical truth about the nature of God. This truth has changed everything. The truth? Goodness is not a sometimes deal with God.
Goodness is an extension of His nature, of His love. It’s absolute; it’s not a theory, or a concept. It’s a greater revelation. It’s a truth we can either believe fully or not at all. Our Heavenly Father is fully, completely good, all the time. And if we can learn to believe this, we have found the core value by which everything in life is measured.
As I have decided to believe the “good news” I’ve been set free. Free to discover all the wonders of His goodness.
I have scanned my memory and talked in depth with my siblings. In my thorough investigation, I am confident in this next statement being absolutely 100% true. My dad never used a Skill saw on my siblings or me to get our attention or to teach us any lessons. In fact, I am sure that it never even crossed his mind. Now I realize that my dad is one of the top ten dads in world history. But even if he were just an average dad, I am confident that the skill saw would never have entered the equation.
If my dad wants to get my attention, he calls me by my name – the one he gave me. If he wants to teach me something, he shows me by how he lives. If he wants to impart to me, he reveals his heart with his words and actions. He’s always wanted the best for me and to this day he places high value on my thumbs.
I believe that there is a great shift that takes place in our hearts the day we decide to agree with the truth that God is always good, that it is impossible for a good Father to use skill saws on his kids. When we see our Father as he truly is, we are free to discover the authority of His Love; the same Love that Jesus displayed, the same authority He died and rose again to give us.
This authority is the greater works love that answers every controlling need that humankind faces. Jesus said, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth, now go make disciples of all nations. (Matt 28:18) Essentially, now go live in the same authority.
Our authority is about becoming sure in His love, secure in his goodness. Our authority is found when we see the true nature of our heavenly Father and then chose to both agree and align our hearts in that revelation.
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