An Open Letter to the Texas Rangers

Dear Texas Rangers,

Yesterday I received an email from you. I was informed ‘regretfully’ that I would not be given the chance to purchase tickets for opening day 2011 against the Red Sox.

You cut me deep.

To read the opening line of your letter and see that you ‘regretfully inform me’ WELL! That makes everything better!  Actually your ‘regret’ does not make the situation better and it does not ease my irritation. Yes I realize that there were 120,000+ people who registered for tickets to see the defending AL Champions play on opening day. Do you realize how many of those are band wagon fans? Do you realize that at the first sign of distress with the team most of those 120,000 people are going to jump ship, and all of a sudden become fans of whoever is playing good at that time?

Let me tell you though, when they do jump ship, I’ll be here. I’ll be waving my claw and antlers flag high and proud. I’ll still rock my Hamilton jersey, and all of my Rangers gear. Do you owe me a favor? Probably not, but just so you know, you guys won the ALCS on the day of me and my wife’s wedding (Oct 22, we were totally good luck for you) and we announced the score at the reception. Plus we watched you in the World Series on our honeymoon. I think we deserve a shot to buy opening day tickets, just saying…

I’m not happy that you wrote me a break up letter and denied me tickets for opening day, but I’ll stay true, I’ll keep cheering you on. I’m like the Michael Young of fans right now, not happy but I will still be there to root you on.

Signed,

Disgruntled in Fort Worth

Philip

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This is Love

You’ve probably seen this picture over the past few weeks.  If you haven’t, this is a picture of Egyptian Christians protecting Egyptian Muslims while they pray as the protests were going on in Egypt.

Mark 12:30-31

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.

These are verses that you know and you’ve heard a thousand times, but the question is do we practice them? You might say ‘Absolutely Philip! I love God with all my heart!’ But do you follow up with the second half of that passage?  Do you love your Muslim neighbor, your homosexual co-worker, the doctor at the abortion clinic, the atheist who works at your local Starbucks, the people who moved illegally into the country, the person who talked behind your back?  If your answer is no, then you are not loving God to the fullest extent. Jesus didn’t say ‘only love your neighbor if…they are living like you’. No He says ‘love them as yourself’. The first half of this passage hinges on the second half.

How about a heart check moment? How can we expect to show God how much we love Him and spread His gospel when we can’t love our neighbor because what they are doing is detestable in OUR eyes? See, God loves that person no matter what they are doing just the same as He loves you. The only difference is that they might not know it yet. I’m not telling you to condone the sin, not at all, but I’m telling you in order to reach a person for Christ you are never going to do it through hate, anger, or turning your back to someone. We must love the person (with a Christ-like love) regardless of the way we picture their lifestyle, and trust God to make the changes in their heart that need to be made.

I look at the picture above and I am moved by the love that is being shown. It makes me take a good look at my heart and say where is my love for people? I want to be able to love and worship God to the fullest extent. I want to come before the throne of God with a clean and pure heart. In order for me to be able to do that I must increase in my love for others.

As a worship leader, I’ve been asking the Lord to increase my love for others; Let me be moved with compassion just like Jesus was. When we act on the full passage above (Mark 12:30-31) we will enter into deeper realms of worship than we can possibly imagine. I don’t know about you, but I want more of Him.

Let’s God Deeper!

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My Next Sunday Morning Special...

I can't wait till we do Mighty to Save again! I'm gonna see if I can work this into the Sunday set list somehow and I'm so gonna rock the Garth Brooks mic!

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