The Ups and Downs of Life

Portland, Oregon

So, was I moving up or down this escalator? It's probably obvious to you that I was heading down, yet it's hard to tell.  We're use to seeing escalators move, and in that movement we know the direction we're heading.

Life isn't static, it is always moving up and down through seasons.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 
   a time to be born, and a time to die; 
   a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 
   a time to kill, and a time to heal; 
   a time to break down, and a time to build up; 
   a time to weep, and a time to laugh; 
   a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 
   a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; 
   a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 
   a time to seek, and a time to lose; 
   a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 
   a time to tear, and a time to sew; 
   a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 
   a time to love, and a time to hate; 
   a time for war, and a time for peace."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 English Standard Version

Seconds turn into minutes, minutes into hours and hours into days.Within this movement of time there is the reality of opposites. There is time for the ups and the downs. As we read through the Preacher's list we know whether we're heading up or down, whether we're experiencing grief or joy, war or peace.

At the intersection of life's escalator stands the One who the ups and downs for us. He is the one who experienced all the seasons of life that he might walk with us through whatever season we're experiencing.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Where Are the People?

Portland, Oregon

No, this is not a mall in Germany. I thought we all needed a break. Don't get me wrong, we'll get back to Germany, but for now let's take a journey through the Lloyd Center in Portland, Oregon.

I had a couple hours to kill while Janice shopped. Like most men, I don't care for shopping, but I do like to take pictures and fortunately I had my iPhone with me. Even though my battery was running low I managed to snap pics that speak to our human condition.

The Lloyd Center has been around since 1960, beginning as an open air mall and through the years morphing to its present state. Like most malls, the Lloyd Center is anchored by major department stores and lined with a variety of specialty shops. It even has an ice skating rink, but where are the people in this pic?

Malls exist for people. The church exists for people. We all know the children's saying, "Here is the church. Here is the steeple. Open the door and see all the people." Yet today we open the door and see only a hand full of people.

"We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming." Hebrews 10:25 God's Word to the Nations

A disturbing trend that I've noticed in Christian communities today is not that people have stopped worshiping completely, but that they choose to worship less frequently. This bothers me as I believe the day of the Lord's return is near, a fact the Christian community always confesses.

Worship is about grace. It is about Jesus Christ coming to us and dwelling with us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Worship is about gathering around the Word of God that speaks to our everyday lives. Worship is about community, knowing that we are not alone in this struggle of life.

Don't listen to the satanic lies that say Christian community is irrelevant. Instead, let your worship of Jesus Christ be the focus of all life's activities.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Christ Crucified

Eisenach, Germany

Believe it or not, St. George Church in Eisenach is a Lutheran Church. Most of our American Lutheran churches, as well as other denominations, do not have crucifixes in our chancels. We prefer the empty cross because it signifies Jesus' victory over death, or is it because Christ on the cross symbolizes defeat and we don't like defeat.

"When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." John 19:30 English Standard Version

Jesus died and we die.

When we look at a crucifix it reminds us of our own mortality (Romans 6:23) and we don't need another reminder. We're reminded of our mortality when we look in the mirror each morning. We're reminded of our mortality when we read the morning paper or watch the morning news. We're reminded of our mortality when we attend the funeral of a dear friend or relative. The last thing we want is a reminder of our mortality when we worship.

We not only see our mortality when we look at a crucifix but the extent of God's love for us. Jesus hangs there in our place. He dies because we die. He dies to conquer death. He dies that we might not be afraid of our death.

I'm not advocating that we remove the empty cross from our sanctuaries and set up crucifixes. I'm suggesting that we not be afraid of looking at both as important symbols of God's love for us.

Christ crucified means that we cannot be conquered by death. Jesus took our place.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

The Summons

Eisenach, Germany

If you travel to Germany you had better enjoy church bells. Every hour, every half hour and every quarter hour the church bells ring.  In Lutherstadt-Wittenberg they rang 24 hours a day. Luckily that was not the case in Eisenach as a Roman Catholic church was across the street from our hotel (though I believe it did start ringing at 6:00 am).

It is interesting that these bells ring from the churches, not the town hall, not places of business, but churches.

"I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance." Luke 5:32 English Standard Version

Every hour, every half hour, every quarter hour and every minute Jesus' call is a summons to repentance. That sounds harsh to our human ears, yet repentance is a call to freedom and liberty.

Repentance is not whipping our backs until we draw blood because we're terrible people. It is the gift of letting go of our failure to do what God has commanded. Repentance is the gift of letting go of all that we have done in rebellion against God because repentance believes in the mercy of Christ and his gift of forgiveness.

The only reason we hear the summons to repentance is because we believe in the absolute, unconditional forgiveness of all the garbage of our lives.

For whom does the bell toll?  It tolls for thee!  And that is a good thing.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

The View

Eisenach, Germany

You needed a break from all this Luther stuff and this picture has nothing to do with Luther except that it was taken in the Lutherhaus in Eisenach.

When was the last time you stared out the window. I've been privileged at gazing out some pretty amazing windows. I've looked at the Pacific Ocean out of a window in the lightkeeper's house at Heceta Beach, Oregon. I've looked out the window of a home on the west hills of Portland to the amazing view of the city below. I've looked out of a resort window to gaze at the beauty of the Alps in Germany.

I've also seen some pretty ugly things out of windows. As a small child I looked through our home windows and saw a knife fight across the street. I saw a nasty collision of two cars through the windshield of my Impala. I watched my cat kill a mouse (okay maybe that wasn't so bad).

If we're afraid of the ugly we can pull the curtains and hide in our homes, but that is not what God did. Through Jesus, God has seen both the beauty of his created world and experienced the ugly. God didn't close the curtains.

"God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him." 1 John 4:9 New Living Translation

This gift of eternal life comes only through the brutality of the cross and the glory of the resurrection. As we gaze through our windows may we see in the good and the bad the cross and the empty tomb knowing that God has not closed the curtain on us.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Who's Standing Behind You?

Eisenach, Germany

Enlarge this picture to understand what's taking place in this painting. Luther is in a battle with the Pope. A neck war seems to be waged between the two of them. Behind the Pope stands an endless stream of priests, cardinals and monks. Behind Luther stands only Christ and his church. Guess who wins?

Before we Lutherans get all sanctimonious, you could replace the Pope with others who, rather than trusting Christ and his Word, rely upon human traditions, philosophies and institutions.

"For I decided to be concerned about nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2 New English Translation

The Apostle Paul was a learned man. He could have boasted in his great knowledge, but he chose to know nothing but Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for humanity. The Corinthians would have preferred that Paul speak eloquently about Jesus. They loved rhetoric, but Paul would have none of it.

We feel the pull that somehow we must defend God to a world that attacks his name, that in some way we must make the cross reasonable. Like Luther, it is Christ, and Christ alone who stands behind us. The conviction that Jesus is who the Scriptures say that he is comes from the Holy Spirit, not some well reasoned argument or the weight of a mighty institution.

Luther was comfortable with Christ standing behind him. May we be as well.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

The Joy of Singing

Eisenach, Germany

Luther fondly remembered the three years that he spent in Eisenach (1498-1501) as he attended the Latin School of St. George's Church. He, along with other students, sang in the streets of Eisenach for food. His singing caught the attention of Ursula Cotta. The Cotta family took Luther into their home, the home in which this painting of Luther singing with his classmates now resides.

"Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name." Psalm 30:4 New Living Translation

Luther might have enjoyed singing as a child, but his love of singing to the Lord would grow as he understood the grace and mercy of God at work in his life.

He could sing, Gott Der Vatter, Wohn Uns Bei - God the Father, Be Our Stay.

He could sing, Komm, Heiliger Geist, Herre Gott - Come, Holy Ghost, God and Lord.  

He could sing, Ein Feste Burg - A Might Fortress.

If you were to compose a song of praise to God what would be its title? Of what would you sing to your God? Luther found inspiration for his songs in that place where the Scriptures intersected his life experiences. How else could he have penned the words to A Might Fortress?

The songs we sing to God are not composed in a vacuum. They are composed in the context of our lives, lives that are encompassed inside and out by the Word of God.

May we, the "godly ones," continue to sing the praises of him who has called us out of darkness into his wondrous light.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Acceptance

Eisenach, Germany

Somethings just aren't fair. This building is know as the "Lutherhaus," the Luther house. It should be know as the Cotta house as Luther lived with the Cottas for three years from 1498 to 1501. He considered these three years to be good years living with the Cotta family while he, as a youngster,  attended school.

Luther experienced acceptance from the Cotta family even though he wasn't their son. Maybe their acceptance aided his belief in God's acceptance of him.

Could this also be said of us? Could it be said that our acceptance of another human creature might pave the way for them to understand God's acceptance of them through the gift of forgiveness?

"Accept one another...just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God." Romans 15:7 New International Version

Acceptance does not mean that you must agree with the other person. Agreement is not a bad thing and something for which Christians ought to strive, but I don't think the Cotta family agreed with everything a young Martin Luther did or said. But he knew acceptance from this family.

Acceptance is best taught when we, in Christ, work at accepting each other. This kind of acceptance will break down walls that we, in our stubborn demand to be right, have erected.

As Christ accepts us, warts and all, may we accept each other.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

The Eternal Purchase

Eisenach, Germany

This is the Marktplatz in Eisenach. Like all the Marktplatz we visited in Germany it is surrounded by a church,(St. George to the right), the Radhaus (the red townhall in the middle of this picture), and other places of business and culture like the museum on the left. At night the Marktplatz is quiet and tranquil but not for the rest of the day. For much of the day it is a bustling center of buying and selling.

If you visited the Marktplatz on a busy Saturday morning, what would you buy?

"Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding." Proverb 23:23 English Standard Version

We are a culture that's infatuated with things. I'm no different than anyone else. I have a blow money account that I'm using to purchase more camera gear. But do I think of investing in truth, wisdom, instruction and understanding? They're not on top of my list of things to buy.

My camera will break, my lenses will fail, but understanding, instruction, wisdom and truth endure into eternity.

The cash needed to purchase these products already lines your pockets. It is the blood of Christ that has purchased these goods. They are yours now. This is the treasure that is laid up for us in heaven which moth an rust cannot destroy.

Through the gift of God's Spirit may we appropriate these gifts on our daily journey this side of eternity.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

The True Knight

Eisenach, Germany

I don't know if these are lizards or dragons. I would guess the latter since they are at the base of the St. George statue in Eisenach. According to a legend, St. George slew a dragon but not before the citizens of the city (I'm not sure what city) promised to convert to Christianity.

Now these lizard/dragons eternally spit out water.

What's your dragon? What has the power to scare you so much that you feel resolved to your fate?

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37 New International Version

In the story of St. George, the king's daughter is about to be the next victim of the dragon. She is resolved to her fate until St. George intervenes.

I don't know what your dragon is, but I know mine.

Too often we act like we are resolved to our fate, that we will never win the battle against our dragon. It is Jesus who steps in and defeats our dragon. In the battle he loses his life, but by the power of his Father he rises to life. The enemy, the dragon, even now stands defeated.

Though we might lose battles, Christ has won the war. His victory is sealed with his blood.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

The Dragon Slayer

 Eisenach, Germany

One of the churches in Eisenach is named after St. George, the dragon slayer. This statue of St. George stands front and center in the Marktplatz in Eisenach. There are many myths that surround the life of St. George. Understanding these myths helps a visitor recognize why St. George is important to Eisenach.

One myth states that he slew a dragon, converted a city and married a princess who was doomed to be consumed by the dragon.

Wouldn't you want that kind of saint protecting your city?

"But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you." Psalm 5:11 New International Version

We don't need a patron saint. The protector of our lives is the one in whom we take refuge, Jesus Christ. Faith grabs a hold of Jesus, believing that even if we suffer for his sake (St. George died a martyr's death), we are his and his inheritance is sure.

Jesus is our dragon slayer. Read the book of Revelation for a better understanding of the fact that Jesus wins the battle. He wins this battle now in time and for all eternity. His weapon is the cross and his victory the empty tomb.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Dealing with the Devil

The Wartburg, Eisenach, Germany

Okay, so one more shot at the Lutherstube, the Luther Room, at the Wartburg. I know this picture looks much like yesterdays except for one important detail and it isn't the green stove. Notice the difference in the wall. There is wood paneling to the left but only plaster to the right. Legend has it that Luther threw an ink well at the devil where the plaster exists.

I know that I'm going to burst some bubbles out there, but according to Schwiebert in his book, Luther and His Times, Luther never threw the ink well. Luther never wrote about it, nor is it mentioned in his Table Talks. It was probably the creation of a biographer by the name of Ratzeberger.

However, the legend lives.  Pilgrims to the Wartburg have for years ripped away the plaster where there was an ink spot, only to have someone replace the ink spot.

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8 New International Version

Some Christians say there is no such thing as the devil or demons, yet there are many in an unbelieving world who believe in them.

The call of Peter is not to be afraid of the devil but to be alert to his presence and his purpose. The devil has only one desire: that you and I reject the person and work of Jesus Christ. He doesn't care if we believe in him, all he cares about is that we stop believing in Jesus.

Maybe it's not a bad thing to throw ink at the devil in Jesus name.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

In Common Language

The Wartburg, Eisenach, Germany

This is the room of Knight George, or so Luther was known at the Wartburg when he was protected by the Elector of Saxony from May of 1521 to March of 1522. He dressed as a knight. He was taught the ways of knight.  He even grew a beard as seen in the Lucas Cranach painting on the wall..  

However, what happened in this room over eleven weeks of that stay changed the lives of thousands of people not because he pretended to be a knight but because he he put his skills to work.

At a table much like this one Luther translated the Greek New Testament into common German, opening the way for anyone to know the word of God.

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 New International Version

Imagine what Luther's work meant for the people of Germany. For the first time people realized that God spoke their language. God would not be seen as far removed from the merchant and peasant, but near. The Bible would not be locked up in the cathedrals of Europe, but make its way into homes.

Today we not only have one English translation of the Bible but many...and we take it for granted. The Bible is a table decoration, a bookend or a dusty old gift given to us by our parents.

The word of God is still "alive and active."  It reveals God's love for us in the gift of Jesus. May we hear afresh the message of this love in our common language.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Beauty in the Passage

The Wartburg, Eisenach, Germany

Christianity is often accused of being a narrow religion. This accusation is probably well justified. This hallway in the Wartburg is a good picture of this fact. This is the narrow passage to the Luther Room where he spent nearly a year protected from both Emperor Charles V and the Pope.

Luther's life was threatened because he had taken a stand in Worms that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ, not through our works. 

"Jesus answered, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me.'" John 14:6 New Century Version

We might feel more comfortable if Jesus had said "I am one way to the Father" rather than "I am the way." But the message of the cross is a stumbling block of exclusivity. 

However, the message of the cross is for all humanity. There is nothing exclusive about the power of Jesus sacrifice. He died for every human creature which means he is your way to the Father, your only way. 

There is beauty in this passageway in the Wartburg. There is beauty in Jesus, your way to the Father. 

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Tolerance Is NOT a Four Letter Word

The Wartburg, Eisenach, Germany

"So those of us who have a strong faith must be patient with the weaknesses of those whose faith is not so strong. We must not think only of ourselves." Roman 15:1 God's Word to the Nations

I have to admit that I struggle with the word tolerance. It seems that for many people this word is synonymous with agreement. In other words, to tolerate another individual's opinion is the same as agreeing with it, yet that is not what tolerance means.

This tower at the south end of the Wartburg taught me an important lesson about tolerance. There is a dungeon at the bottom of this tower and it was used by Lutherans to imprison an Anabaptist leader.

The main problem that the Lutherans had with Anabaptist was their theology on baptism. They didn't believe in infant baptism.  As a result, an Anabaptist leader was held in this dungeon until he died.

Even though we may not put people in physical prisons, we can create cruel dungeons for people who do not agree with our opinions. There is the dungeon of name calling and labeling someone as stupid for their opinions. This is a favorite of people in all spheres of politics.

If tolerance means that I must agree with another person, then I will continue to struggle with this word. If tolerance means the freedom we have in Christ to disagree yet love each other, I will strive to be tolerant.

Besides, you and I don't have the final word, only God does and his final word was spoken on the cross.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Created to Sing

The Wartburg, Eisenach, Germany

You have to stand in awe of rooms like the Great Hall in the Wartburg. I doubt that this hall had a similar appearance at the time of Luther, yet events might have been similar.

While we visited the Wartburg musicians were arriving for an evening concert. I can imagine that a concert in this hall would sound magnificent.

We Christians are musicians who play a special melody in this world that God has created.

"I will sing of steadfast love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will make music." Psalm 101:1 English Standard Version

The Christian community sings of God's justice. All of us want justice. Most all of us believe that somewhere in our lives we have been wronged, maybe even by God, yet God is a just God. He is perfectly just and in his justice he declares us innocent of sin through the merits of his Son, Jesus Christ. This is melody line of the church.

The Christian community sings of the steadfast love of God. God's love for us broken human creatures is constant and consistent. His love never fails. Daily God pours his love on his church. Daily he feeds us. Daily he clothes us. It is the steadfast love of God that sings in harmony with his justice.

The world needs to hear the church sing in the great hall of God's creation. May we sing as God has gifted us.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

There's Always One in the Family

The Wartburg, Eisenach, Germany

There always seems to be that one person who doesn't go alone with the others in the family. St. Elizabeth of Hungary was just such a person. Because of her generosity, she was kicked out of the family.

Elizabeth was four years old when she arrived at the Wartburg around 1211. Here's the problem: Elizabeth liked to give away the family wealth to help the poor and the sick which angered other family members.

We may not agree with all of theology in this mosaic, but we have to admire what she is doing.

In this mosaic, Elizabeth is laying down her crown before Christ on his cross.

"The twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 'Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.'" Revelation 4:10-11 English Standard Version

Elizabeth paid a price for casting down her crown. After her husband Ludwig's death she was forced to leave the Wartburg and its wealth. The pain for Elizabeth was not the result of her personal loss, but the difficulty with which she could care for others, no longer possessing the abundant resources.

Even now, as we cast down our crowns before the crucified Christ, there is a price that we pay. Not doing things the world's way can mean that we're "kicked out of the family."

There's always one in the family. What a privilege it is to be that one.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

A Mighty Fortress, Part I

 The Wartburg, Eisenach, Germany

The Wartburg Castle can be seen from a distance as it sits on a hill outside of Eisenach. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, what you see is similar to what Luther experienced but not quite the same.  Because of disrepair, an extensive remodeling effort in the 1800's gave the castle its present look.

What many people don't know is that when Luther hid here from  May of 1521 to March of 1522 there was no regal family living here and Luther didn't especially enjoy his time at the Wartburg surrounded by knights.

After being placed under both the papal and imperials bans at the Diet of Worms in April of 1521, Elector Friedrick the Wise captured Luther and brought him to the Wartburg for protection. Luther was now public enemy #1.

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety." Psalm 18:2 New Living Translation

Though he might not have always found the Wartburg to be the best place to live, it was a place of safety. Though we might not always like what God's Word says to us, it is our place of refuge.

The Word of God points us to Jesus.

The Word of God directs our footsteps.

The Word of God forms the Christian community.

By the way, it took Luther only ten weeks to translate the New Testament into German while protected by this mighty fortress. Protect by the Word of God, he can do great things through us.

(Look for A Might Fortress, Part II a few blogs down the road.)

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

A True Reformation

Die Wartburg, Eisenach, Deutschland

Okay, so I wanted to show off a little bit of my German ability, and that is all it is, ein bisschen.  

Maybe you thought I'd start this series of blogs from Germany with Luther's room at the Wartburg Castle, or the door on which Luther posted the 95 theses in Wittenberg, a door that no longer exists, or a picture of the pulpit from which Luther preached at the City Church.  Yes, these items will be the focal point of future blogs, but they are not what impressed me most.

I was moved by Aaron and Courtney Tisdale, our hosts, and their love for their children, all five of them. 

"Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior's hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates." Psalm 127:4 New Living Translation

Everywhere we went, the Tisdale family went, and believe me, we put on some kilometers. Now, the children didn't always like it, but they were not abandoned by their parents. Bathroom breaks were taken, tears for a broken dish were wiped away, and time was spent in the swimming pool.

When did children become a nuisance?  

"But Jesus said, 'Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.'" Matthew 19:14 New Living Translation

This was the reformation I needed.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Holy Ground

Ute Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado

I imagine that these roots are from different trees and happen to cross at this point. Life might have been easier for each one of these roots had they never met. Who crosses whom? Which root gets more nutrients and moisture from the ground? If these roots aren't close to each other, these questions don't matter.

However, without these roots coming together there is nothing intriguing about this picture. The crossroads makes the picture.

"For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." Matthew 18:20 English Standard Version

When sisters and brothers in Christ cross paths they stand on holy ground. The promise of Christ is that when we gather in his name, a name which we are privileged to bear, he stands among us. Though all of us need time alone, we don't need to spend all of our time alone. We need each other.

When I pray with people in my office I will often conclude by stating something like, "Lord, your word tells us that where two or three are gathered in your name, there you are in their midst. Thank you that we have been privilege to stand on holy ground."

When Christians share their lives with each other they are on sacred ground.

When Christians pray with each other they are on sacred ground.

When Christians weep with each other they are on sacred ground.

Because of Christ's promise, Christian stand on holy ground when their lives intersect.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Miracle Grow

Ute Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado

I can understand how a pine seed would lodge itself in this crack, but I don't understand how it can start growing here or continues to grow.

"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow." 1 Corinthians 3:6 New International Version

We might plant the seed of God's Word, we might nourish that seed, but it is God who gives growth to his Word. By the power of God's Spirit we plant and nourish the Word of God among others, but we cannot make it grow.

We can plant God's Word and nourish that Word in the lives of our closest friends, but we cannot make it grow.

We can plant God's Word and nourish that Word in the lives of our children, but we cannot make it grow.

The control freak in us wants to manage the growth of God's Word in the hearts of our loved ones. We want to believe that we can guarantee a faithful result on the other end given certain behavior on our part. The truth is that we can't control how people respond to the Word of God.

Faith calls us to believe that if we plant and nourish the seed of God's Word, he will bring the growth even if we never see that growth.

We plant the seed. We nourish that seed. And we wait for the miracle.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Written in Blood

 Ute Park, Colorado Springs, Colorado

I have often wondered how many couples, having etched their love in stone, are still deeply and madly in love with each other. Are Karen and her lover still in love? And what about people who have tattooed the name of their loved one on their bodies? Do they experience tattooer's regret?

"Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name." Malachi 3:16 English Standard Version

God is as much in love with you today as he was yesterday and as he will be forever. He has written a book of remembrance in which your name has been written with the blood of his Son, Jesus Christ.

I'm not sure how many times these lover have come back to visit this rock. They may have never returned, yet God remembers what has been written every day. His book is an everlasting book of remembrance.

As I've mentioned before, there are times that we experience the absence of God (not that he is really absent, just that we do not feel his presence). Know with confidence that God will never forget you. It's written in blood.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

A Day of Praise

Paint Mines, Calhan, Colorado

What do you have planned for today? If you're like me your calendar is filled from the rising of the sun to its setting. We move from appointment A to appointment B and maybe have enough time to gasp for air, swallow some water and take a bite of some junk food in between.

When we arrive home our spouse asks us, "so, how was your day? and we pause, think about the question and try to remember what we did.

Is there a better way for us to spend our day? The psalmist suggest that there is. "From where the sun rises to where the sun sets, the name of the LORD should be praised." Psalm 113:3 God's Word to the Nations

I don't want to suggest that you stay home today and spend it in contemplative prayer (though that might not be bad on occasion). What I'm suggesting is that throughout the craziness of your day that you be mindful of Christ's presence in your day.

One thing you can be sure of, God is think about you. Here's the deal: If your day isn't important to God, why would he give up his Son to be crucified for you? When seen through the cross, every day you move from appointment A to appointment B matters to God.

Let the sunset remind you of God's presence, his nearness to you, and before you close your eyes in sleep, give praise to the God who says that you're significant.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR. 

Veiled Glory

Paint Mines, Calhan, Colorado

We know that the sun is present in this picture, but its form is veiled. The clouds have changed the appearance of the sun as it sets over the eastern plains of Colorado.

"O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens." Psalm 8:1 English Standard Version

King David declares that God's majesty fills all the world, yet the earth cannot contain the fullness of God's glory. We can see his glory in the things that God has made, yet we can never fully comprehend God's glory through creation.

This idea that God's glory is "above the heavens" reminds us that we cannot fully comprehend the nature of God. By definition God must be beyond human intellect or he is no longer God. If we could grasp the glory of God then we could put him in our human box. God cannot be boxed.

However, God can create the parameters in which he chooses to operate. He chose to save us through the gift of his Son, God in human flesh.  He chooses to reveal himself to us in his Word. He chooses to dwell close to his creation even in the expanse of the universe.

At the same time, God is far beyond our comprehension. Though we see his glory as through a veil, we will never fully comprehend the nature of God...and that is how it ought to be.

As you view the glory of God's created sun, may you also see God's glory through the gift of his Son Jesus Christ even if you can't fully comprehend this glory.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2013 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.