Dear Family and Friends,

Depending on which direction you’re heading, the stretch of Kilauea Avenue between 18th Avenue and Makapuu Avenue is one of the most scenic drives on Oahu. Driving down the steep road offers a stunning view of Kahala, the ocean, and even Molokai on a clear day.

But if you happen to be driving up the hill, it’s probably the most formidable of Oahu’s roads – a road so steep, it’s a must workout spot for cross fit masochists.

In 2005, when we were moving our church to it’s new location at Diamond Head Theatre, I drove a cube truck full of everything our eight-month old church owned up that hill. It was the day I almost lost our church.

About a quarter of the way up it occurred to me that the load was a bit too heavy for the truck. But then the road leveled off, the truck sped up, and I had hope that all would be okay.

Until I found that the next stretch was steeper, which caused the truck to slow even more. But the road leveled off again, the truck sped up, and my hope was restored.

If you’re not familiar with that road, the last stretch is by far the steepest. It was in this stretch that the truck slowed to a crawl, and the engine noise was distressing. 

For a brief moment I considered repenting for taking that route. And thinking we just might have to rename the church – No Hope Diamond Head…

Does this story remind you of the feelings we all share about the ups and mostly downs of our country.

Our country is a mess, and it’s hard to be hopeful.

Getting back to my story, my hope began faltering on that hill because my trust was in a truck. What was I thinking? This was the Lord’s church!

Don’t we trust in the same way when it comes to our country, our work, our life, our future. We know people fail all the time, yet we put our trust in them.

I suspect this comes from a tendency to separate our lives into two – our spiritual life and our secular life.

Perhaps we can do better by bringing our hope in Christ into our secular lives?

God commanded His people to keep reminders of His commandments on their hearts, hands, foreheads, doorframes and gates. To impress them on their children and talk about them constantly. (See Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

God wanted their secular and spiritual lives to be one. He knew what was best for man – to be intentional about remembering Him throughout our days.

So, where can we start?

Here’s an idea from the Bible on how to bring Christ into our everyday secular life.

Do you say grace before meals? Are your requests for God’s blessings about the same for every meal?

When the first church shared their meals, they did something we normally do only once a month at church. They took communion.

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.”  ‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭2‬:‭42‬ ‭NLT‬

If you want to bring Jesus into all areas of your life, start by reading or summarizing this passage before every meal.

“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”  Matthew 26:26-28 NIV

Although not mentioned in the Bible, I suspect the disciples raised their eyebrows when Jesus said, “This is my blood of the covenant…”

Why? Because they all knew the words of Moses.

“Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.” Exodus 24:8 NIV

This was no coincidence. Jesus chose the words used by Moses to convey a message to not only His disciples but to us today as well – that something even greater than the exodus would soon transpire.

The Mosaic covenant freed the slaves of Egypt. Jesus’ covenant freed us, the slaves of sin, from the grip of our sins and death.

The Mosaic covenant transformed former slaves of Egypt into the people of God. Jesus’ covenant transformed former slaves of sin into children of the Almighty God.

Remembering what Jesus did on the cross for us will bring Him closer to you.

And help you remember His resurrection on the third day – a day that, despite the trials of life, gives us hope that all is and will be well.

In love always,