After seeing two of the Oscar nominated films, Mystic River & Lost in Translation, I am struck with one thing. Life is tragic. There are events that happen in our lives that affect us at our being. One's entire life can be shaped around one act.
The Gospel is also tragic. God's creation rebelled against Him, as man sinned. It was only through the death and resurrection of Jesus that salvation from utter tragedy is available. Yet even when we have faith that Jesus is enough for our salvation we face day in and day out the affects of sin in this world.
Just in the last few days I have spent time talking with people in our church who are struggling with serious sin. Some struggle before Jesus in beautifully tragic ways, while other struggle in ways not honoring to Christ. The path of growing more in the likeness of Christ is not a straight line, but has many turns and twists, often leading people in opposition to God before they realize that they are embraced by Him.
I am thankful that however tragic the story, the end is restoration. There will be pain, disappointment, and even death but God has promised that creation, and that includes us, will be brought back to his bossom. He is the one who reaches out to us in our tragic state, he is the one who sustains us in the midst of tragic circumstance, and he will ultimately deliver us unto himself never to know tragedy again.

Living only two miles from work has been great. Yet the last two days I have traded the walking to work thing for the riding a bike to work thing. A woman who attends our church decided to let me borrow her bike so that I can get to work alittle faster. The difference for me between walking to work and riding a bike is the difference between a stroll and a sprint. There are some serious hills I must contend with between my house and the church. The only other challenge with this bike is it is entirely too small. This will work for a temporary period of time, once I am sold on biking to work I will actually have to invest in a bike I can ride without ruining my knees.

Tuesdays begin with out Men's Bible Study. 6:30 AM at the church and we generally have four or five men from our church who come out to study the Bible. Today we were looking at the fact that it is Christ alone who we find our salvation in...we can add nothing. The main passage we were looking at was Hebrews 10:19-25. What strikes me about this passage are two great ideas.

First that we hold fast to God's promises though we waver. (v.23) not because it is the "good" thing to do, or not because we are so smart, but because God is faithful. He is the one who did the work necessary for our salvation and he is the one who follows through with it. Outside of our house here in Oakland we have these sixty foot palm trees that line the street. Some of the kids who attend our church from our neighborhood call it the pretty street. Anyway when we have a storm you see these huge palm trees sway. The wind pushes them around and it is absolutely amazing to watch the tall thin trees still make it through the winds. The reason they make it is because for as tall as the trees are their roots are equal distance down into the ground. As the trees grow up tall visibly, underneath the ground the grow down so that they are able to withstand mighty winds. God's promises are those roots for us. How often I feel like I am being knocked around but it is His promise that keeps me from falling.

The second thing that amazes me is that we are to consider how we can stir up one another to love and good works. For me this can only happen because of my root. The trees on my street may wish they were somewhere else when the winds get rough, they may just want to fall down and give up. But their root allows them to stand and I am able to look at them in amazement. As those who trust in Christ that is what we are for people around us. Whether it is sharing Christ with someone, or inviting them to church, or talking about the weather, or just smiling when you walk past someone, because God is our root we are not defeated by our circumstances and we can be an encouragement to others.

The guys who were at the study today, two are out of work and another may lose his job. Yet they are exactly where they are supposed to be, and God is sure to take care of them tomorrow.

Happy New Year. What do you mean...you are thinking...it is January 22nd...isn't it a little late. Not in my neighborhood. The part of Oakland we live in is one of the most ethnically diverse and integrated neighborhoods in the entire country. Last night our Chinese population made themselves heard.

It was about midnight. Because our entire family has colds we had been asleep for a couple hours. And the fire works starting going off. The were loud poppers, strings of poppers. The fireworks that woke us up were directly across the street from an apartment building and next door. What really amazed me and actually allowed me to enjoy being woken up was when the close fireworks stopped. In the background you heard all over our city the deep roar of very loud fireworks. It almost sounded like thunder. Deep reach thunder, all over our city.

Just this morning as I was leaving for work my next door neighbor was placing his offering on his alter next to his front door. This is the year of the monkey in the Chinese New Year. I pray that this year we would see Christ reveal Himself to our neighbors. That their beautiful and rich culture could be redeemed by the blood of Christ. That offerings would not be placed on the alters of gods who cannot breath, eat, or see. But that their lives would be offered to the living God who will return on the clouds.

Just last week our church looked at the cities of refuge as found in Numbers 35. These cities that God sets apart for the promised safety of a murderer until he or she is able to receive a trial before the congregation. If found innocent of intentional murder the person is able to live in the city unharmed, yet if he or she travels outside the city of refuge the avenger may kill them.

God sets up these cities of refuge because he is compassionate. He cares about his people and desires to see them live. Death, sin, and destruction are in direct opposition to our God who is the Creator. Though he loves life He is also just. Therefore he does not set apart a city which any ol' murder could run to and live, but only the innocent. A trial is still necessary.

Unlike the person who accidentally commits homicide, you and I do things everyday against the will of God. Instead of trusting God we turn to our own efforts to work things out. This could be lying, stealing, cheating, and living sexual immoral or this could be trying to be as good as possible, self righteous, or hypocritical. Either way when we come before judgment there is no way that we can be found innocent, we are guilty. There is nothing in and of ourselves that we can do about it.

That is why Jesus had to become man, live a perfect life, die, and rise again. No longer do we stand before God trying to plead our own case, but we depend on what he has done on our behalf to make us innocent. It is only then that we are able to live in Christ, our refuge, just as the murder could live in the city of refuge.

God gives those He loves refuge. All of the unexpected things that happen to us in our lives may through us for a loop, but God is not surprised. In Christ he has given us the ultimate place of safety so no matter our circumstances we can be certain that we will be delivered.

Understanding this has led me to Oakland to minister the Gospel. In no way do I believe that I can change anyone, but God has called us here and He will do the work necessary to change people's hearts. It is only because we find our refuge in Him that we are able to offer refuge to others. At moments while looking at the challenges before us in Oakland we ask if God has abandoned this city. Then we remember that He has called us here and that is the first sign that He loves and cares for the people here.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 says, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore you fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, delcares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

There were many cities that the murder could of run to. We have many options as to where we will seek refuge in our lives. The truth is that all other places other than at the feet of Jesus leave us vulnerable. Just as the murderer had to watch his back in any other city other the city of refuge, all other places we seek refuge will leave us to depend on ourselves. He has given us the way, let us take our need to Christ.

A first blog should be something special. After being up until 4:00 am with a coughing daughter makes that an incredible challenge. Please be sure to check out what is to come. Oakland is an incredible city, a complex city, and an amazing city to minister in. Check this out.