As School Begins

 Will Norrid:

Father, as August arrives and the new school year begins, we ask that Your hand of grace would be upon our students, their families, their teachers, and our schools.

Our local schools commence tomorrow, and so today we lift up our students who are standing at the edge of a new beginning.

We give thanks for the youngest of our students who will be entering a wider world and encountering many firsts. We pray for their parents as well in this hard step of letting go and entrusting their children to others. As all the new arrives at once, we ask that these transitions would be smooth and even joyful for children and parents alike. May their first “first day of school” be blessed, and may a lifelong love of learning be kindled in each heart.

We pray for the children now moving swiftly through the years of elementary school. We remember the excitement and the rapid pace of learning, socializing, and maturing that marks these years, and we ask that these precious children may retain their wonder and innocence as we face troubled times in our world.

We lift up prayers of encouragement and support for the students entering the often awkward season of their middle school years. We pray for these students as they continue to form the friendships that will help to shape their characters. We ask a measure of strength for these young people as the temptations around them increase and their access to information grows. Grant them grace and discernment for all that they will face in this season of life. Bless their parents with patience and compassion as well in this phase of transition that often brings intense feelings and expanding interests. Help us as adults to offer support, counsel, and mentoring to the students in our lives.

We lift up teenagers moving into their young adulthood and who are pushing to experience more and more as they build for their futures and test life’s limits. High school and being a teenager can be times of great growth in freedom and fun, and yet we know too that dangers and hurts lie in wait as well. We pray that a spiritual deepening would accompany and compliment the many other milestones in this full season of part-time jobs, first romances, school activities, and dreaming of what is to come. Keep these young hearts in Your care, Lord, and protect and guide them on their journey.

We understand that for some students school is a sanctuary and solace while for others it is a place of struggle. We know that many students are facing drama and even danger in their homes. Help us to realize how little of life’s burdens we see on the surface that yet weigh so heavy on these young hearts. We ask that each student might be blessed with people who see, understand, and care. Grant us a goodness and grace toward the young people in our lives as we seek to encourage and support them. Let us remember our own complicated histories and current imperfections and out of those realizations, let us extend mercy and love to those struggling around us.

We give thanks in this season for faithful parents, loving families, compassionate communities, and caring teachers. For all of us, each day brings something new. In this season when so many are experiencing so much newness, help us to have an extra measure of grace and patience. Let us be reminded of Your presence and be strengthened by the reality of Your nearness.

In an unpredictable world, we ask that every student would feel safe and secure as they move through the school year. Protect and watch over our campuses, our bus routes, our school trips, club events, and our athletic/band competitions.

We pray for each teacher who has spent these blistering summer days preparing a classroom, planning lessons and activities, and making intentional choices for the arriving year. We recognize that it takes a special person to be asked to do more tasks (often with fewer resources) and to show up each day with a smile and with love. We pray our teachers might receive the support they need and be blessed with the encouraging experience of inspiring their students and seeing their progress. May You strengthen them to lean in and keep going amid the difficult days that each school year brings.

We pray for our school boards, administrators, counselors, school resource officers, coaches, bus drivers, and support staff who will be present in each hallway and office and gym and library and cafeteria. Equip each one with compassion and kindness for all our children- especially for the kids who will need such support the most.

We ask for all of us a greater sense of grace and perspective as we walk alongside the young people placed in our lives. May You, as our Father and Beloved Teacher, show us how to love and teach our children well.

Through Christ we pray, amen.

Mark 6-15

 The disciple admiring the temple structure didn’t seem to understand who he was talking to. His focus was on the physical structure, the pride of Israel, rather than the King of kings. How many times during each day do you and I lose our focus from our Lord, and dwell on our circumstances, admiring the power and privileges in our country, or lamenting with fear what might happen next?  The short term vision of the disciple is often like me, wandering away from an eternal perspective. I want to deepen my resolve and practice to dwell on the long term view, in a conversation with others, as I pray, and as I make decisions. 

“The best of life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.” - Randy Alcorn, Heaven: A Comprehensive Guide to Everything the Bible Says About Our Eternal Home

“Whatever the motivation of the disciple’s exclamation about the temple, Jesus’s response would have deflated it. “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down” (Mark 13:2). Jesus spoke of the destruction of the temple, the logical consequence for its failure to bear fruit.

As with many of the things he taught, Jesus’s statement left the disciples confused and wondering. It sent a shockwave through them. The destruction of the temple was the last thing they expected to happen as they anticipated Jesus taking control of the nation as the Messiah.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-14

 One thought hit me as I read today’s study is that Jesus notices the motivation of our hearts. It’s one thing to take note of what is happening in the public arena of life, how many seek to be noticed for their good works and how many are never acknowledged for their sacrifices. But Jesus knew what took place in the widow’s heart. At times my motivation for doing something has been out of guilt, but also out of a desire to be recognized. Neither are appropriate in light of His love. Guilt and pride are each a selfish pursuit. Love and worship re-route my entire being. 

“God goes out looking for you, like any parent of one who is lost, like a compassionate father heartsick for his prodigal child. God’s kind “Where are you?” invites you to pay attention to what’s happening within, to attend to the storms that churn and the fog that dulls, disorienting and disconnecting you. And this requires courage. Too many of us grew up being taught to evade and avoid our ache, to be strong, to suffer alone. Too many of us are offered a flannelgraph faith story that minimizes the pain, that ignores our sense of alienation from ourselves and one another, that even cheapens the reality of God’s compassion in our profound need. But God’s “Where are you?” also invites each of us to remember who we are, at our core.” - Excerpt, Healing What’s Within

Chuck DeGroat

“A disciple builds his life on the truths of the kingdom that Jesus taught, finding in it the authority for all he does.

A disciple’s focus is learning and living the ways of the kingdom, not protecting his power, position, or standing in the eyes of the world.

A disciple’s life is marked by authenticity. He does not engage in pretense and deception. A disciple finds her identity in being the child of God, in being created in God’s image, in being a follower of Jesus, and in the indwelling, empowering presence of the Spirit.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-13

 I am having a hard time trusting those in public authority positions more than ever. Abuse of power for personal advancement and privilege have come to light in the last few years, undermining public trust. Jesus openly confronted the religious scholars who were supposed to be safe guarding tradition and order. Jesus warns us to not be gullible as we follow Him. Kingdom living is reverse thinking from those who seek to climb to the top and want to stay on top. The more we understand God’s character, we become new with a different agenda than the world system of power and control. 

“In a world of exhausting chases and cheap, self-help remedies, this is the ancient path that offers deep healing and transformation. But it can’t be manufactured. When the lights go out, we’re powerless. We may face parts of ourselves we’ve long forgotten, exiled away even in our youngest years. But here we also wait in expectation for the one who longs to “restore you to health and heal your wounds” (Jeremiah 30:17).

But perhaps God is calling you, too, to face the shadows. To stop, slow down, and sit in the dark. Maybe there your eyes will adjust to a dim light on the horizon, signaling the smile of the one who will never ever leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:8).” - Excerpt, Healing What’s Within by Chuck DeGroat

“He spoke of how the scribes enjoyed the standing and honor they received in their society because of their position. They “like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets” (Mark 12:38–39). The best seats in the synagogue were those in the front, facing the rest of congregation, where they could be seen. The places of honor at banquets were at the host’s table. The scribes enjoyed the benefits of their position in the social hierarchy, but they abused that position. They used their position and power to exploit the powerless and vulnerable. “They devour widows’ houses” (Mark 12:40). They were like the Sadducees, who used their oversight of the temple for their own benefit, turning a house of prayer into a den of thieves (Mark 11:17). They took advantage of the powerless and vulnerable while presenting the appearance of being faithful Jews who lived by the Mosaic Law—“for the sake of appearance, say long prayers” (Mark 12:40). ” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-12

 How do you think our modern view of Jesus is similar to this discussion between Jesus and the religious leaders. They were looking for a political leader to release the nation from Roman rule. Many today lump Christian terminology with politics as if a political leader will solve our human problems. But the Kknv of kings, presidents and politicians has an upside down inverse way of changing us. Instead of a conquering violent leader, He calmly asks us to surrender to Hos gentle but strong authority. 

“I have marveled at, and sometimes openly questioned, the self-restraint God has shown throughout history, allowing the Genghis Khans and the Hitlers and the Stalins to have their way. But nothing — nothing — compares to the self-restraint shown that dark Friday in Jerusalem. With every lash of the whip, every fibrous crunch of fist against flesh, Jesus must have mentally replayed the Temptation in the wilderness and in Gethsemane. Legions of angels awaited his command. One word, and the ordeal would end.” - Excerpt, The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey

“The language in Psalm 110 indicates the Messiah was David’s superior and, therefore, greater than David. How, Jesus asked, could one who was David’s superior also be his son? Jesus’s question turned on the idea that the Messiah was greater than David and, as such, was different from David. The people were expecting the Messiah to be like David, doing what David had done as a warrior king. Because he was greater than David, the Messiah would do something different from David. The LORD would work through the Messiah to defeat his enemies by a different method than power used over, down against them.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-11

 It’s easy to gloss over the words of Jesus, smugly thinking that His teaching is for the other guy, or that His wording is lofty for living in a 2025 reality. But living God with our whole being and loving others is the heart of the gospel, the essence of following Jesus anytime, anywhere, and with anyone. I have absent mindedly created barriers between myself and certain groups, and with individuals. I thought I was protecting myself but I have isolated myself from experiencing grace and mercy. I thought I was making progress in the public school setting but I sense a growing dissatisfaction in retirement with my protective walls. 

“In John 13 the point was that, if an individual Christian does not show love toward other true Christians, the world has a right to judge that he is not a Christian. Here Jesus is stating something else which is much more cutting, much more profound: We cannot expect the world to believe that the Father sent the Son, that Jesus’ claims are true, and that Christianity is true, unless the world sees some reality of the oneness of true Christians.” - Francis A. Schaeffer, The Mark of the Christian

““Jesus seemingly didn’t hesitate in responding with the Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4–5. This text from Deuteronomy was recited daily by devout Jews. “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). Then without pausing, he added Leviticus 19:18. “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Mark 12:31). “The second” does not refer to ranking, as though the next one in line. Rather, it means the second part or continuation of the first. The two are inseparably tied together. They go together. The love of God is inseparable from love of neighbor. The way to love God is to love one’s neighbor. “There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:31).” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-10

 Jesus had His critics. Have you ever sensed that a conversation was  set up, that you were backed into a corner?  No matter how you answered the questions, your words could be used against you?  But Jesus pointed to the Scriptures, and to the reality of eternal truth. Jesus didn’t have to pass a test of Bible knowledge, because He was and is the Creator, the Author. One lesson for me is to trust His presence, the wisdom in the Scriptures, when the pressure is on. There is nothing wrong to say “I don’t know” when I do not know a ‘correct’ answer. We are told enough in the Scriptures to trust God, but we are finite creatures to handle the infinite knowledge of an eternal Triund God. 

“The faith of desperation—trusting faith—digs in, holds on, clings tight, and says, “I don’t care what’s going to happen, I am holding on to God!” As the psalmist put it, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Ps. 46:1–2).” - Excerpt, Life Without Lack by Dallas Willard

“Jesus showed them how the testimony of their scriptures bore witness to life after death. “Have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is God not of the dead, but of the living” (Mark 12:26–27). Jesus referenced the account of Moses’s encounter with God in the burning bush.64 In the account, the LORD referred to the three patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—in the present tense, not the past tense. Jesus interpreted the reference to mean they were alive, not dead. Jesus used their scriptures to teach the resurrection. “He is God not of the dead but of the living” (Mark 12:27). He pointedly said, “You are quite wrong” (Mark 12:27).” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-9

 Can you think of similar traps in our cultural mindset?  How do the issues of today tend to draw us into a polarizing ‘I’m against you’ or ‘for you’ attitude?  Each issue is different, but many of the debates draw us away from Scripture and God’s love into suspicion, distrust, and a ‘protect myself’ mindset. I’ve experienced acquaintances bluntly ask at election time, “Who are you for?  If you’re a Christian, you cannot support that person!”  Taking sides becomes more important than listening, more important than re-fouting the conversation to Jesus. 

“When you’re betrayed, abandoned, lied about, and scandalized; when you are sick with a fatal disease; when your finances are going down the drain; when you see your loved one walk through the doorway of hell; that is the moment to trust. And in trusting you will know God. Your point of desperation will likely not involve being sawn in two or wandering about destitute in sheepskins, but it might. Regardless, when you have nowhere else to turn except to God, and you turn to him, your faith of desperation will meet the fullness of God, and you will taste the life without lack as you discover the depths of the faith of sufficiency.” - Excerpt, Life Without Lack by Dallas Willard

“Jesus’s response not only avoided the trap the Pharisees and Herodians had set, it also confronted them. They were living with the appearance of serving God, but in reality, they lived the hierarchal, power-over ways of the world. They were like the fig tree and the temple and the tenants of the parable of the vineyard. They were not producing the expected fruit.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-8

 The religious leaders knew exactly the meaning of Jesus’s story, but wanted to protect their authority and standing in their world. The rue King was talking about another kingdom where each person has the freedom to respond and live. Most cultures emphasize the need to get ahead, protect the power of authority, and repeat what has always worked to maintain that system. Thinking outside the box to think God has always been doing things different than we are used to never enters our mind. Our Triune God continued to reach out to us personally to get our attention, that we might surrender voluntarily to His authority and presence. 

“If someone spends their life saying “I want nothing to do with God,” what would it imply for God to drag them into His presence forever? That wouldn’t be love—it would be coercion. Hell is, in a tragic sense, the ultimate honoring of human freedom. God respects our dignity enough to let us choose—even when that choice defies Him.” - Scott Sauls

“The religious leaders did not miss the meaning of the parable. They realized the parable was about them. Jesus told the parable in an attempt to get the religious leaders to look at themselves, to think about what they were doing, and to think about the teaching of scripture. Instead, the parable stirred their anger even more. They pushed forward with their self-protecting goal of eliminating him. “They wanted to arrest him” (Mark 12:12). Jesus’s popularity with the crowd was the only thing that prevented them from acting on their desire to arrest him.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

“I’ve continued to wrestle with what it really means to believe in a God whose power is love, not control, not coercion, but patient, freeing, persistent love. It’s honestly been both liberating and unsettling. I used to think God’s power meant God could do anything. But I’m starting to believe that the most powerful thing God does… is love us without forcing us.

That kind of love undoes me. Because I still catch myself wanting to fix people, manage outcomes, or control situations, especially with the people I love most. But love that controls isn’t really love. And the older I get, the more I realize how much of my own healing has come not from someone forcing me to change, but from someone refusing to give up on me.” - Paul Dazet

Mark 6-7

One thought for me is that as an American, accepting the authority of Jesus is a struggle with my independent self sufficient mindset. Having been taught to ‘do it yourself’, relying on His presence and His authority takes a requiring of the brain. Transformation inside my whole being is being awakened to how I’ve conformed to the world, going along with group think. May He continue to change us!

“As sinners we are sinners in the hands of a loving God. God has a single disposition toward sinners, that of unconditional, unwavering love. From the heart of God there flows an eternal river of fire, the fire of unquenchable love. The question is not whether God loves us but how we respond to God’s love. To those who respond to God’s love with love—“We love because he first loved us”*30—the river of fire is a source of warmth and light. But to those who refuse to love, this same river of fire produces torment.”

“Hell is the love of God refused.” - Excerpt, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God by Brian Zahnd

“He answered their question by asking a question. In doing so, he shifted the focus back onto them and, with it, the pressure of answering his question. His question pointed to a deeper issue. The central issue was how they had turned the temple from “a house of prayer for all nations” into a money-making business that exploited the people’s hunger for God. The question that needed to be answered was “What were they doing in the name of God?” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-6

 Struggling to pray boldly and fervently has been a life long battle for me. When in a crisis, my praying reflects the urgency of the moment. But my routine is NOT filled with confident praying. But as I read stories of others who experience prayer encounters with our Triune God, I’m compelled to dive in deeper. I’m learning that much of my praying has always been a laundry list of requests rather than listening for what He is saying. The mountains of my selfish view of living must be moved so that I have a clarity of who He is in my life. 

“Do we really think we can experience integration of heart and mind and spirit with an erratic prayer life? Do we really believe we can, like Moses, “speak face to face” with God as someone would a friend by our unpredictable prayers? No, we develop intimacy by regular association. We develop ease as well. Why ease? Because we are forming fixed habits of righteousness. In time these “holy habits” will do their work of integration so that praying becomes the easy thing, the natural thing, the spontaneous thing—the hard thing will be to refrain from prayer.” - Excerpt, ‘Parayer’ by Richard Foster

“We acknowledge to God the mountains—our struggle to forgive, the hurt we hold onto, the anger and bitterness we harbor, our desire for the other to hurt like they hurt us, the grudge we hold. Faith leads us to be honest with God about these things we cling to in our hearts. That honesty with God puts us in a position for God to work in us. God is the one who moves the mountains in our hearts, not us. Our role is to bring the mountains to God, asking God to remove them. Our prayer is the expression of our faith.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-5

 How can you and I avoid the fig tree problem?  Could we be good church attendees, read the Bible, pray that our agenda works out, and still be judged as having a pointless religion?  The fig tree lesson sounds like James, teaching in his letter that we need to pay attention to being and doing what we believe to be true. I can easily over think my actions and words, wondering if I’ve done the right thing. But I’m trying to remind myself to be present in and with His presence, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead, letting Him take care of the results. 

“Only avid discipleship to Christ through the Spirit brings the inward transformation of thought, feeling and character that ​“cleans the inside of the cup” (Matt. 23:25) and ​“makes the tree good” (Matt. 12:33). As we study with Jesus we increasingly become on the inside — with ​“the Father who is in secret” (Matt 6:6) — exactly what we are on the outside, where actions and moods and attitudes visibly play over our body alive in its social context. An amazing simplicity will take over our lives — a simplicity that is really just transparency.” - Dallas Willard

“The first understanding is fruitlessness, the issue of the fig tree and the temple. Fruitlessness is the result of a life shaped by the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod, that is, the hierarchal, power-over thinking of the world. The attitudes and actions of the disciples in the previous section reflected this kind of thinking. Faith expressed in prayer is the way to move beyond such fruitlessness in our own lives. Such prayer opens us to God and the work of God in our lives. It allows the Spirit to work, transforming our thinking, teaching us the ways of God and of the kingdom, cultivating a servant spirit within us.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-4

 Jesus saw knew that the business transactions in the temple violated any idea of holiness and worship. Manipulating the process to worship for financial gain was corrupt and needed to be eliminated. Could the same concept be happening today?  Manipulating relationships within the church or between like minded believers for personal gain could destroy what is true and above reproach. Duplicity of behavior is easy to do but difficult to stop in a group think culture. May you and I carefully apply the wisdom of Jksmlresence as we make decisions. 

“To be formed in Christ is to be unformed by culture. This undoing is painful: it undoes our idols, our defenses, our loves, our ambitions, our pride, our myths. But in that undoing, the truth of God’s love is born.” - Graham Joseph Hill

“Jesus targeted these corrupt practices by driving out those who were buying and selling. He overturned the tables of the money changers and those selling doves (Mark 11:15). He took charge of the temple, forbidding people to carry anything through the temple court. The only activities he allowed were worship and prayer.

He explained his actions by quoting the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. Isaiah wrote, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations” (Mark 11:17, Isaiah 56:7). The temple was a place to meet God, to commune with God, to pray. ” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-3

 The fog tree lesson is sobering to think about for a perennial application. Fruitfulness is far more than looking good. Playing the game of being a Christian is different than following Christ. I’ve grown up with legalism and a checklist of expectations. All of those practices can be okay but if there is no fruit born out of the practice, it’s pointless. Jesus’s comments to the tree and about the tree demonstrate the kingdom’s reality despite what looks good. 

“The great news of God’s revelation is not simply that God exists, but also that God is actively present. Our God is a God who cares, heals, guides, directs, challenges, confronts, corrects, and forms us. God is a God who wants to lead us closer to the full realization of our lionhearted humanity, if you will. To be obedient means to be constantly attentive to this active presence and to allow God, who is only love, to be the source as well as the goal of all we think, say, and do.”

“Growing in faith requires a growing attentiveness to perceive where God is active and to where we are being led. ” - excerpt, Spiritual Direction by Henri Nouwen

“The story of the fig tree is told as a parable about the temple. The temple, symbolizing the nation as the people of God, gave the appearance of bearing fruit. Yet neither the temple nor the nation bore the fruit God desired. They failed to live the ways of God, i.e., the ways of the kingdom Jesus proclaimed. Instead, they followed the hierarchal, power-over ways of the world.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 6-2

 The temptation to participate in group think is strong, even today with our access to so much. The Jews had suffered under Roman rule. Their desperate need for independence, a passion for a leader who would rebel, was at fever pitch.  But everything turned in their group mentality as they realized Jesus was not the leader that would deliver instant freedom from the Romans. The same can be said for me as I look back at what I’ve prayed for, hoping God would provide. Our Shepherd will lead us through the valley and in the dark. His light is different than any worldly standard of successful completion, or measure of progress. 

“Suffering causes us to scan our lives and face the fact that we control very little. So we mourn not only our suffering but also what it has forced us to admit about ourselves. Our loss of the illusion of control also adds to the fear that accompanies suffering.” - Paul David Tripp, Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn't Make Sense

“Hosanna!” is a cry meaning “Save!” or “Deliver!” “The one who comes in the name of the Lord” is a messianic title. “The coming kingdom of our ancestor David” is a reference to the messianic kingdom. The song was a cry for the Messiah to save them by setting up the messianic kingdom. There was no doubt as to the meaning of the people’s actions. Everything the crowd and the disciples did was associated with the reception of a king. They ushered Jesus into the city, proclaiming him to be the long-awaited messianic king.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Sailing / rowing

By Harp, good trouble substack

"Your soul is a boat—with both oars and a sail." — Tim Keller

 I've been sailing once in my life. I pastored a church in Oklahoma City, and one of my parishioners fancied himself a sailboat captain. One afternoon, he invited me out on his boat. Lunch packed, we drove to the marina and set sail. Sort of.

After a quick nautical lesson and a new vocabulary [bow, stern, port, starboard, mast, boom, beam reach, broad reach, and running], we put out in the water. Except, there was no wind. Ever. We sat in the hot Oklahoma sun for hours. It may be the only windless day on record in the Sooner state.

It was miserable.

And yet, despite my sailing fail, the activity is incredibly symbolic. Tim Keller once used a sailboat to give a vivid pastoral metaphor—a diagnostic tool disguised as a parable for the soul. Keller's "Which Boat Describes You?" is deceptively simple, but like all Kellerisms, it opens a door into the heart. It blends biblical wisdom, soul-care, and practical theology with the precision of a seasoned pastor who wants you to make it home.

Let me offer a few reflections that may be helpful as you integrate or consider this framework in your own life and ministry…

The Four Boats: A Diagnostic for the Soul

Keller envisioned our souls as being boats, and we have both a sail and oars. And we are all in one of four positions:

You're Sailing – The Wind is at Your Back

This is a soul at rest and in rhythm with the Spirit. This rest and rhythm is not spiritual triumphalism, it is spiritual vitality. The Word is alive. Prayer is sweet. The wind of God's presence is real. In this state, obedience flows from delight, not duty.

The by-product of sailing:

So, where is your heart/soul? As I reflect on these four positions, I confess that I feel as if I have been rowing for the last two years, especially when it comes to leading my wife and children well. Disciplines and rhythms are in place, but they often feel dry and disheveled. 

Joy is hard fought, and the smallest irritation destroys what peace I fight for. 

In some ways, the church has lost its wonder. My mind wanders when it should be focused on worship.

Instead of running my race, at times, I am crawling.

But, I am crawling forward. And I am crawling with others. In fact, it is the others that keep me going.

Here is what I've noticed about drifters and sinkers: the vast majority of them drift and sink alone. And the vast majority of rowers and sailors row and sail with others.

My encouragement... If your boat is in trouble, don't wait for the wind or white-knuckle the oars. Instead, reorient—steer your soul into community. Cry out to the crowded waters where saints sail and row side by side.

It is in the presence of God and others that grace fills the sails again.

Rowing with you and towards you,

— Harp

https://open.substack.com/pub/charper/p/hows-your-heart?r=43vew&utm_medium=ios

Mark 6-1

 What would it have been like to watch Jesus enter Jerusalem on the colt?  Would we have been cheering Him, welcoming Him?  What would have been our reasoning?  But…how have I been following Jesus in my life?  Have I been admiring Him as the good moral teacher?  Have I been a church goer for my family’s benefit?  For my ticket to escape hell and someday enter heaven?  Or am I worshipping Him as the King of my life, without duplicity, as a participant in His kingdom right now?  

“(Transformation) requires a long and careful learning from Jesus to remove the duplicity that has become second nature to us — as is perhaps inevitable in a world where, to ​‘manage’ our relations to those about us, we must hide what we really think, feel and would like to do if only we could avoid observation. Thus, a part of Jesus’ teaching was to ​“avoid the leaven, or permeating spirit, of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Luke 12:1) - Dallas Willard

“Jesus went to Jerusalem knowing what would happen to him. He understood the dynamics that were at play and the implications of those dynamics. He had thought through the scenarios and prepared for them. He clearly planned and orchestrated three of the events: the royal entry, the “cleansing” of the temple (along with the teaching in the temple courtyard), and the reinterpretation of the Passover meal with his disciples. These events were acted-out sermons patterned after the ministries of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. They were attempts to help the people hear what they could not or would not hear. In these three events, he did things that would be remembered and later understood. In them, Jesus confronted the religious and social systems that embodied the yeast (thinking) of the Pharisees and Herod.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 5-22

 How could a person hear good teaching and be encouraged to do what is right, yet miss the whole point of meaning behind what was being taught?  I am certainly guilty of assuming that good moral teaching was for my benefit, to maintain a decent reputation. But, like Rick Warren has said, “life is not about you or me.”  Glancing through the Bible, accumulating information, is not seeing what the kingdom is all about. Bartimaeus learned first hand from the presence of Jesus. As the comments suggest, perhaps this was a lesson for the disciples that they would ‘see again’ what their purpose and mission was to be, after the resurrection, after enduring suffering. May you and I have our eyes opened to the unseen reality of what God is doing. 

“Personal trust and spiritual maturity were often in direct proportion to the amount of suffering that had been endured for the faith.” - Nik Ripkin

“In Jesus’s arrest and death, their “seeing” would be lost. Their expectations of Jesus as the Messiah would be crushed, their hopes dashed. Jesus’s death would leave them devastated, with no way to make sense of what had happened. Only in the resurrection would they see again. Then they would see clearly. They would understand what Jesus had taught them about the Messiah being the Suffering Servant. They would understand what it meant to follow him as his disciple, i.e., the nature of discipleship.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 5-21

 Many say that blindness will cause the other senses to compensate for the loss of sight. Bartimaeus cried out to Jesus, knowing He was far different than anyone else. His faith in the Messiah brought healing and he knew that he had to get Jesus’s attention. What a lesson for the disciples before they began their journey without Jesus’s physical presence. The disciples would need to depend on our Triune God in ways they never thought possible. Could it be the same for us?  Depending on our Lord is far more than glancing through this story. It requires a desperate plea for His attention to the situation we are in.  Following Jesus sharpens our senses to be attuned to the Hoky Soirit’s promptings  

“How do we do even greater things? It starts with prayer! Prayer is the difference between the best we can do and the best God can do. And that’s an awfully big difference—a ninety-three billion light-year difference! Prayer is escape velocity. It’s how we get outside our spacetime limitations. Prayer is the way we write history before it happens. It’s like our prayers exit the dimension we call time, and we never know when or where or how God will answer.” - Excerpt, A Million Little Miracles by Mark Batterson

“The people viewed Bartimaeus as having little value or significance. He, like the children, occupied one of the lowest positions in their hierarchal world. Thus, the people believed he had no claim on the time or attention of Jesus. Their rebuke was an attempt to put him back in his place. It discounted his need and his desire. Rather than quieting him, their rebuke caused Bartimaeus to call out even more loudly. “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:48). He addressed Jesus as the Messiah—Son of David.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 5-20

 The unseen upside down reality of the kingdom measures success and advancement without any of the calculations in our cultural way of life. Instead of adding our good works and accomplishments to our resume for future career options, we depend on the the Holy Spirit’s prompting to live out what we believe. Instead of storing up Bible knowledge to prove that I’m right on specific issues, I’m learning to listen to what Scripture is saying about His loving presence. The fulcrum of power, independence, accumulation of possessions, and pursuit of status are overthrown with His gentle voice saying “Follow me.”  

“I have found it very important in my own life to try to let go of my wishes and instead to live in hope. I am finding that when I choose to let go of my sometimes petty and superficial wishes and trust that my life is precious and meaningful in the eyes of God something really new, something beyond my own expectations begins to happen for me.  (“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” - Psalm 20: 7)

• Henri Nouwen

“A servant uses power on behalf of another, walking alongside the other. A servant seeks the other’s benefit, often at great personal cost.The contrast is clear: over versus alongside, down against versus on behalf of, for personal gain versus for the benefit of the other, at the expense of the other versus at personal cost.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 5-19

 Have you ever asked “Who put them in charge?”  My anxiety goes up in a meeting when the power shifts to the person who seems to want the most leverage, even though each person should have an equal investment in decisions. On the flip side, I’ve said too much and created a push back that didn’t need to happen. Jesus modeled and taught a kingdom style leadership that serves out of His love. Practicing servant style leadership is not of an empire mindset. As we practice His love, we discover that God is in close grip of all outcomes and we become grateful to be participating, watching what He will do. 

 “Forgive me Lord for twisting your words into a formula that depends on what I attempt to do, rather than what you have already done for me. This robs me of the joy I find in fully knowing, yielding and trusting your works over mine. As I read your instruction to “Be not wise in my own eyes, to fear the Lord and to turn away from evil”, I am reminded that I cannot find wisdom in myself, but only in you. Help me to wait on you, to trust and acknowledge your perfect, holy and righteous ways. Thank you Lord for these beautiful promises. I desire to love you with all of my heart, and trust that you to direct my paths. May I seek you in the morning and learn to walk in your ways. I thank you for your abundant wisdom, understanding and blessings to me.” - Excerpt, The Narrow Way by Rich Villodas

“Living as a servant is nonnegotiable because of who Jesus, the Messiah, is. “For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). The nature of discipleship is determined by the nature of the Messiah. Jesus was the Suffering Servant. His followers also live as servants, using their power on behalf of others. They walk alongside others, seeking the other’s good, often at great cost to themselves. They, like him, live out of a servant spirit.” - Excerpt, Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 5-18

I can easily read this interaction and judge ‘what a dumb question!’  To think that these two disciples would ask to have a high positions of honor in the kingdom. But I have made similar comments, thinking I deserve better than I’m getting. I have often thought like a Pharisee, I’m not like so and so. Many of us have been trained to elbow our way in, thinking we have earned our status with God or others. But none of us know what is around the corner that may cost us more than we have ever given up. I pray that our anchor is in Jesus alone, and we are all in to be with Him as He is in us. Let’s depart from what we are doing for Him and just be with Him. 

“God is not shocked or surprised that you are discouraged. He doesn’t wring his hands, wondering what to do next. He knows every struggle of discouragement in your heart. He knows your cries before you cry. He knew that you and I would be weak; that’s why he promised to be our strength. He has promised never to give up the battle for our hearts until that battle is finally won forever. This means he fights for us even when we have given up the fight. Our desire to follow him may weaken, but he will never give up or turn his back on us. He knows us because he made us, which is why he sent his Son to be for us what we could not be for ourselves and to do for us what we could not do on our own.” - Paul David Tripp, Suffering: Gospel Hope When Life Doesn't Make Sense

“Naively, they said they were ready for what was involved. “We are able” (Mark 10:39). They did not know what was involved nor did they know their own hearts. As his followers, they would indeed experience what he did. They too would know the wrath of an ego-centric, constructed-self world whose hierarchal, merit-based ways were threatened by the kingdom Jesus proclaimed. “But to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared” (Mark 10:40). Those positions are for those whose servant hearts made them the “servant of all” (Mark 9:35).” - Excerpt , Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford

Mark 5-17

 Jesus knew what was ahead for the disciples. He wanted them to be prepared for what they would experience. To me, it seems like the time in Jesus voice might have been live and concern, pleading with them to be ready for what was about to happen. The disciples may have been naive and ill prepared to understand, just as I am much if the time.  You and I are in a relationship with the God of the universe who is trying to prepare us for His kingdom. If you’re like me, I minimize what He is doing and saying directly in my here and now moments. 

“I want the God who initiates life and relationship with me even when I’m not asking. I want the God who loved me even when I was his enemy. I want the God who says to David, “Hey, let me teach you how to fight in a new way, because one day, about ten years from now, you’re going to really need it. You don’t know it yet, you’re not going to trust me yet, but you will. Trust me now in the small, seemingly unimportant things. Learn to do what I say. Throw a rock at that lion. Do it. Trust me, because one day it’s going to make you king. You can do this, trust me.” - Jamie Winship, Living Fearless: Exchanging the Lies of the World for the Liberating Truth of God

“Jesus took the twelve aside and spoke to them in private. He again described what was going to happen to him in Jerusalem. “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again” (Mark 10:33–34).” - Excerpt , Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark by Steve Langford