I am a husband, daddy, german-shepherd-owner, guitar player, song writer, skier, child of the Living God, and Lutheran pastor from Northwest, MT. No one’s more surprised than me that I’m a pastor. God chooses the weak things of this world! In the struggles of life I see humor. It’s not that I think tragedy is funny, but that everything that happens points to two realities. First, that we are nothing without the living presence of Jesus within us. Second, that we persistently attempt to counterfeit that presence. It’s so easy to take ourselves too seriously and fill our lives with holy knock-offs. The other day I was at a book store and saw a new and revised guide to beauty: inner and outer. Here’s where I find the humor: “You mean all I have to do is read this book?!!” Inner beauty for $24.95
I know full well that this sounds rather calloused. But when the creation becomes facinated with itself rather than with the Creator, it never gets closer than one step removed from reality. God’s word calls this the wisdom of this world–and we do well to remember that it is coming to nothing. It’s a self-defeating closed system of thought. More room for humor here: while we were busy dreaming self righteous dreams, God saved the world.
What I document in the world of worship is often influenced by laughing at my frailty and presumptuousness. It’s a laugh of love. It’s a laugh of freedom. It’s a laugh of wonder. After all, what in the world does God expect to do with the likes of me? Good things. Great plans with both a future and a hope. Selah.
