This Is Not Valentine's Week

Micah enjoying a birthday lunch with Dad at
Dame's Chicken and Waffles in Durham, NC
following a long day at Duke.
02/10/15

Please don't send me any notes correcting my reading of the calendar. I know that all the world seems to talk of Saturday being Valentine's Day. And yes, there's even some discussion of that in the Buchanan house. However, eight years ago Valentine's Day took a back seat to a far more important celebration on that day.

This Saturday will be the celebration of Micah's eighth birthday. His birth eight years ago forever changed everything about our lives, including our relationship with God.

We pray for all of our children, but more prayers have ascended for Micah, I'm sure, than any of the other four.

All of our children are a beautiful, wonderful, undeserved gift from God who have taught us of the Father's grace, mercy, and love. Micah has taught us of the Father's immense love to allow His Son to suffer deeply for our unmerited blessing.

Each of our boys have their own unique story that tells of God's mighty hand to accomplish supernatural and miraculous things in their lives. Micah has certainly given us front row seats to see numerous occasions of the Master's hands at work.

So after eight years, two transplants, and a whole lot of deep valleys, as well as incredible moments of rejoicing, it is my undeniable and inexpressible joy to say, "Happy Birthday, Micah!"

Three Tents

Yesterday was a different day! Our worship time at Refuge Church looked very different. While that may not always be the case and may not be common, I pray what is not rare is the power of God's presence like we experienced yesterday.

In Matthew 17 Jesus took Peter, James and John upon the mountain where Jesus was transfigured before their eyes. His face was brilliant like the sun and His clothes glowed with the glory of God. Then, they saw Elijah and Moses appear and speak with Jesus. At this Peter offered to make three tents or dwelling places for Jesus, Elijah, and Moses to dwell. In short, what Peter saw was so powerful he just didn't want to ever leave. 

I felt some of that yesterday. I didn't want to leave. I want it to be common for God's presence to be almost tangible and uncommon when it is not. I want to expect when we gather to see Him at work in great ways and not expect He might show up on occasion. I don't want to live in yesterday, but I want the presence of God from yesterday to be here today…and tomorrow…and the day after that.

Take a Daniel moment:

1.  Praise God for what He did yesterday at Refuge and in our hearts.

2.  Ask God to make His presence known just as great if not greater in your life today.

3.  Pray for God to show you where He is at work around you.

4.  Confess your struggles, every one of them, to Him and ask for His strength and grace.

5.  Lift Refuge to Him and ask for Him to do even greater things.

6.  Surrender control. That was a common theme from a number of us yesterday. Let God work.