God is a mastermind, super-under-cover secret agent.

God has got the behind-the-scenes orchestrator role down.

My mother likes to refer to her “I Spy” moments.  She keeps lists of the things in life – the happenstance, seeming circumstance – that evidence for her that God is alive & well & working in her world. “I spy God in the way this extra money showed up right after my car had broken down.” I imagine Mom has quite a few lists stored up.

Very seldom do we, or do our human counterparts in Scripture, recognize and understand fully the circumstances we’re in while we’re in them. You know what it is to be frustrated, verklempt, even angry at God for the messy way things in life seem to unravel. Yet I’d wager that you also know what it is to suddenly come to a realization of how the circumstances that seemed nonsensical, problematic, disheartening or even devastating are seen in a new light – a light that makes clear a pattern and provision that wasn’t formerly obvious.

God is a schemer, and in God’s scheme of things, the unraveling of our circumstances can – and, I believe, always does – lead us to that place known as the good. “We know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28, a famous little verse for you.

I don’t necessarily believe that every bewildering or broken circumstance in which we find ourselves is inherently good. Only that God is a God who loves to take the opportunity in bewildering and broken circumstances to display the power, love, and personal interest taken in our lives.

“Comfort, comfort, my people,” says your God. (Isaiah 40:1)

If there’s one thing to take comfort in, it’s that in the grand scheme of things, the Schemer is on your side.

The Jesus Movement. I’m not talking about God’s flower children from the 60s.

At this week’s North Park home church, one item of discussion revolved around the concept of the “movement of Jesus.” We were asked to respond to that phrase with the first things that came to mind. Here are some of the things we said…

• Counter-cultural
• Unexpected
• Peaceful
• An expectation of unity
• Intuitive (common sense)
• Progressive
• Experiential, as opposed to didactic
• Inclusive, open

Just a sampling – all great thoughts that prompted some great discussion. And yet… you know what I’ve noticed is missing from the list? Exciting. Adventurous. Earth-shaking.

Do you ever consider how – maybe – we consider too much? Do you ever get tired of pontificating, debating, discussing? All the words in the air?

I’m well aware of the irony here – what is this blog if not a chance for me to wax philosophical?

But there’s something not quite right about the lack of excitement that I seem to share with so many of my brothers & sisters of faith. It’s not that I’m a dull person, or that I’m not easily interested in things. All you have to do is mention an episode of Glee or Chick-Fil-A waffle fries for my face to light up and my energy levels rise. Sometimes I’m too easily excited about the most mundane things.

So, I’m asking – like any good charismatic minister from Mississippi would – where is the excitement about my faith? The kind of energy that leads me to DO SOMETHING? If I’ll hop in my car and drive to Point Loma at the thought of some Chick-Fil-A, why won’t I set foot outside my doorstep when the movement of Jesus crosses my mind?

I don’t have an immediate answer for that. But I do know that there is some significant energy building around what we’re trying to accomplish at Citywalk in 2010. There is a vision. We’ve got a mission. There is even some strategy as to how we’re going to get there. Steve is pumped – that’s contagious. My home church group is speaking up more and more – that’s evidence of something “moving.” There’s a stirring…

I’m reminded of the words to one of my favorite songs that we sing together at Citywalk Sundays: I can hear the sound of a rising generation / Not afraid of love or dreaming of the future / They talk about Jesus & the good things he’s done / Fling wide these gates, let’s see his kingdom come

I don’t know what it might take to make me as motivated about The Movement as I am about The Latest Musical Number on Glee. But I feel it coming on – and I plan to do what I can to turn up the heat on my own spiritual reactions. Next time you see me, feel free to remind me by, oh, say… jumping in front of me, inches from my face screaming “ARE YOU EXCITED!?!?” That might do the trick.

What words come to mind when you think of the movement of Jesus?

It’s Thanksgiving week. Time to connect or reconnect with family and friends. Time to reflect on life’s blessings. Time to eat exorbitant amounts of amazing food – and curse yourself later.

In his message this past Sunday, Steve recounted a tradition in his family of taking turns around the table expressing gratitude for something or someone in each person’s life. Well, this blog is the table, and I’m currently sitting at it, so here we go…

I’m thankful for Citywalk’s new website and it’s designer, my landlord roommate Damian. He’s put in a lot of hours to give our community a tool that will help us better organize, connect, spread the word, and ultimately live up to our mission of taking hold of and living out the way of Jesus. He even created this blog, where in the future you will enjoy hearing thoughts from a blog team of 6-7 individuals who will regularly impart great wisdom on us all. While they’re looking up “wisdom” on Wikipedia, though, I thought I’d offer up this inaugural blog post as a moment of celebration and gratitude for the role the Citywalk community has played in helping me to have a great year.

In December of 2008, I recall telling a friend that I had a goal for 2009 – not a New Year’s resolution per se, but a vision that I would be able to look back at the year 2009 and forever remember it as the year when something in me changed. You see, in November 2008, I received a gift. It was anonymously given (though I’m crafty and have since been able to deduce the Giver). It was immaterial – no substance or shape, but something that was nonetheless easy to identify and talk about. I couldn’t hold it, but it was the best gift I’ve ever been given: a glimpse at life unencumbered by the worry, self-doubt, fear, and paralysis that had characterized my experience for years. For whatever reason, God saw fit to simply remove those burdens that I always worked, worked, worked to overcome and simply let me rest in The Gift: that storied “peace that passes all understanding.”

Once I’d had a taste, things really never could be the same. Oh yes – the worry, self-doubt, fear, and paralysis all have made repeat attempts to regain control of my outlook. But because of The Gift, there was no way I was going down without a fight – not after I’d realized that life doesn’t have to be lived in paralysis. Not after I’d seen fears melt away and watched myself trust other people with abandon. Not after being able to make a confident personal decision without second-guessing for the first time in my life.

Nope, I had seen the light and wouldn’t be satisfied any longer with my timid, selfish, isolated response to life anymore! As I peered into 2009, I was certain that, finally, I would remember a year for more than the personal tragedies it encompassed. Wouldn’t you know that prediction has come true!

This isn’t a boast. Like I said, it was The Gift – I had nothing to do with bringing in a shift in perspective or attitude. And I know that not everyone has experienced an amazing 2009. I’ve watched many friends wrestle with very real struggles that came their way – things they had nothing to do with bringing in, either. I saw hearts broken, marriages fall apart, lives lost to sickness and brutal violence, and scores of other trials and hardships come and go.

The fact is, this past year had its challenges and personal tragedies – just like other years. But it also came with a community of close friends who shared a vested interest in seeing one another live well. That’s you, Citywalkers. Being a part of this family of Christ-followers has encouraged and enabled me to take The Gift and make that perspective change permanent. To dwell daily in the peace that passes understanding. To trust recklessly, decide boldly, and live with hope. That’s what this community has done for me.

When I moved to San Diego four years ago, I knew I was coming to build a church community. I never foresaw how much that community would build me up. But it has. And when I think about the upcoming year, I can’t help but be excited for the potential we have as a community to make a similar impact in the lives of so many people. Who is God bringing to our doorstep right now that we can pour into? Who needs The Gift today?

Here’s to being thankful for a great year – and while I’m at it, I’ll just go ahead and cast a vision that 2010 will be even better. Believe it!