Psalm 27 remains one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. Written by a guy who faced down a giant, fought off bears and lions, and led armies into battle, King David had plenty to fear. Yet he kept his hope turned upward.

The Lord in my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

It wasn’t that David never felt apprehensions or frustrations. He wrote often of facing his enemies and asking the Lord to intervene. But his fears pushed him toward the Lord rather than away.

I once heard someone say, courage is not the absence of fear, courage is doing the thing you fear the most. While I’m not sure I always agree, I do know that action conquers fear. Moving forward despite our anxiety fuels resilience and hope.

David feared no man, and remained confident in the face of his enemies. But David certainly feared the Lord. He aimed his fear in the right direction.

The worries of this world easily overwhelm. There’s plenty to lose sleep over—a wealth of fear surrounds us. But I rest in the stronghold of God. From this position, and with the Lord as my light, whom really shall I fear?

Psalm 27:1

Photo by Gabriel Lamza

The book of Hebrews chronicles men and women who displayed exemplary faith. The writer describes these folks as those of whom the world was not worthy.

A few days ago my friend, Craig Hauquitz, added his name to that list.

By faith Craig and his wife, Bryn, joined the staff of Cru as freshly minted college grads. By faith they served in the US, and then by faith followed God to Francophone, Africa. By faith they learned French, and by faith started having babies. By faith Craig led student after student to Christ. By faith they fled Cote d’Ivoire during a time of upheaval, and by faith returned as soon as possible, some of the first missionaries to do so.

Serving as his supervisor, I once called Craig to check on a ministry detail. As we talked I heard popping in the background. Guessing that the connection between Colorado and Cote d’Ivoire was faulty, I asked him about the noise. Craig replied, Oh, that’s just gunfire. There’s been a lot of political stuff going on lately. I asked, are you safe?! Craig responded, Yea, it’s a long way off, I think we’re ok.

Craig loved the Ivorians, who loved him back. In all my visits to missionaries on the field in various parts of the world, I never saw anyone connect with others like Craig. I’ve never known anyone who talked about Jesus with such joy and hope.

Craig died when hit by a bus while riding his bike in New Mexico. He and his family were back in the States for a time before returning to Africa. Craig leaves behind a wife and six children. I can’t pretend to understand such tragedy. I question the Lord’s goodness, while at the same time praying for the Lord to bless and keep this family. Like many others, I am deeply saddened by Craig’s death.

Following the roll call of faith, the writer of Hebrews pointed to the reason for hope in spite of such catastrophe:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Craig ran his race, he finished his course, and has now joined the great cloud of witnesses urging us on. I am privileged to have known Craig and will miss him tremendously—one of whom the world was not worthy.

If you’d like to give to his family during this time, you can do so at: Supporting the Hauquitz Family.

Hebrews 11 & 12

To say the Lord has an eye for detail makes for a massive understatement. God created the world and all that it contains. The intricacies of a leaf, or the makeup of the human eye point to exquisite levels of design.

So when God gave Moses instructions on constructing a temple, details should not surprise us. But I was impressed with how a craftsman fashioned a lampstand for this worship center:

He also made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of hammered work. Its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers were of one piece with it…three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch…the whole of it was a single piece of hammered work of pure gold.

I looked up the definition of calyx, which is the base of a flower that holds the petals. Almond blossoms were a symbol of hope, renewal and diligence (Aaron’s rod later sprouted almond blossoms as a sign of God’s favor). These blossoms were worked throughout the design of the lampstand.

God’s instructions are thoughtful and detailed. Using these blueprints, craftsmen formed each lampstand with hammer and heat. Beautiful pieces of art graced the temple and served in worship for years and years.

The Lord’s plans for us show similar consideration. The Scriptures that guide us are thoughtful and detailed. If we pay practice what they teach, our lives take on a new form. Heat and hammers are involved as well. With his eye for detail, the Lord hopes to fashion you and me into graceful people who serve others for years and years—if we allow Him to work his designs upon us.

Exodus 37:17-24

Photo of an almond blossom by Vera De

When hunting for a job or applying for graduate school, most places ask for a résumé, which is a fancy word for a list of your past jobs and accomplishments. No matter how average, every applicant burnishes their credentials, hoping to stand out from the crowd.

Paul shared his pedigree, or as they say in the academic world, his CV (curriculum vitae), in response to challenges to his authority. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.

But Paul’s accomplishments fluttered away like autumn leaves when he met the Lord. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

Paul’s pride in his heritage, education and past exploits faded in light of his encounter with Jesus. In fact, these formed impediments—rubbish—as he moved forward in faith. He wrote, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. The reality of his salvation, and the hope of salvation for those within his hearing, drove Paul like an Olympian straining for the finish line.

Not that I have an impressive list of accomplishments, but I wonder if I could set it aside as fully as Paul? Or maybe the better question is, do I experience Jesus in such a way that my achievements fade in comparison? Even the most powerful résumé grows dim in comparison to moving closer and closer to our amazing God.

Philippians 3

Photo by Resume Genius