by Eric Kampmann 

We are swiftly moving into the heart of Holy Week. Traditionally, this is a time to slow down and reflect on the momentous events that occurred on a small hill outside the walls of Jerusalem. Each of the four Gospels tells the story, but to get the full import of what happened that week, it would be best to read each of the crucifixion accounts. And it is at this time every year that I recite daily the seven words of the cross. If you attend church on Good Friday, you will often hear the words of Jesus as part of a homily, but it would also be good to contemplate one per day leading up to the culminating moment when Jesus says, “’Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’”(Luke 23:43)

Today I was reflecting on the words “I am thirsty.” This comes after his cry of agony echoing the opening words of  the 22nd Psalm, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”(Matthew 27:46) and before “It is finished.”(John 19:30).

 “I thirst.” These words summon up images of a wasteland, a desert landscape of blistering heat, empty wells and abandoned windowless homesteads. Nothing grows there and whatever life survives scrambles for shelter under leafless tree stumps. “I thirst.” We have lost the garden and seem to have no way back. Our way is blocked, but then one appointed from before time came to this arid place to free us to return to a place where life thrives, where plants and trees grow in endless profusion and where “I thirst” is replaced with songs of thanksgiving and joy.

Not too long ago, I wrote a short piece for my book, “Trail Thoughts.” The piece is called “Genuine Thirst” and given the time of year and the words of Christ from the cross, I thought I would share it with you. Here it is:  I was hiking in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in Montana several years ago when I took a wrong turn. I thought I was on the right track and I was comforted by the fact that the map showed a small body of water up ahead so I continued on.
But as I climbed higher, the land grew dryer; trees and vegetation gave way to dust and unrelenting heat and my supply of water quickly dwindled to a few drops. I thought of turning back, but I foolishly decided to forge ahead to what became even dryer and more isolated ground.

 Within an hour, the water on the map became a longing, then an obsession, then an urgent necessity. I was becoming desperate when I finally stumbled upon a shallow pool of still water. Without hesitation, I drank it as if it was the sweetest water I had ever tasted. I experienced great relief and great joy at something as common as water because my body desperately needed replenishment.

 What is true for the body depleted of life-giving water is just as true for the soul of any person wandering in a spiritual wasteland. David says, “As a deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (Psalm 42:1-2) And elsewhere, he says, “O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1)
 
Our physical thirst mirrors a thirst deep within the human heart. Will we turn and find drink to quench this thirst or will we continue farther into the dry land where there is little water to be found?

     I like baseball. No, I’ll admit it, I love baseball! I have been looking forward to this baseball season a lot.  As a Mets fan, it’s a time for new beginnings and to let the depression of last year’s downfall wane.  Once when completing a personality profile, one of the characteristics describing me was, “everything has significance.”   So I find lots of significance in baseball.  Lessons on life including but not limited to: teamwork, coaching, sitting on the bench, winning, losing, fear, strength, commitment, passion, consistency, hitting a home-run, striking out, discipline, etc…the life illustrations are endless…
     
     The Brooklyn Cyclones are one of the Class A teams for the NY Mets. I had the privilege of being their Chaplain from 2002 thru 2007. It was truly the highlights of my summers.  The thing that is so cool about “A-Ball” is that most of the guys who play on this level are kids!  Some are college age and up to early 20’s.  Only 1 out of 10 players on this level make it to the big leagues.  Those aren’t very good odds.  Many of them put a lot of pressure on themselves to perform.  The better they perform, the more likely they are to advance to the next level.     

     After getting to know some of the guys throughout the years, it was interesting to see how difficult it was for these guys to play and win as a team and at the same time want their teammates to succeed.   Deep inside, there has got to be this little “hooray” voice when their teammate and competing position player strikes out or gives up a grand slam to lose the game, or commits an error with the game on the line. The bottom line is that their teammate’s success could hamper their own personal advancement.  It’s got to be hard to root for the other teammate unless his position doesn’t pose a threat.  In other words, if you are a pitcher, it’s easy to “root” for one of your teammates who is not a pitcher.  However, if you are a pitcher, it would be a bit more difficult to root for the success of another pitcher.    

     Hmmm…I wonder; do Christians root for the successes of each other?  Are they excited for a brother or sister when they “win?”  Do they have a competitive nature with other churches? Do they have the “you deserve it” attitude when others fall?  I hope not.  Christians need to really root for each other and encourage and unconditionally love each other.  Not criticize or judge.  There must always be room for repentance.  If none is evident, then Christians must pray for the grace to be patient and non-judgmental.   

     This summer due to many other obligations, I won’t be going back to Brooklyn….I’ll miss it.  To me, it is truly baseball the way it ought to be…Coney Island, summer breeze off of the ocean, the luring smell of high priced food, and the ever-entertaining Brooklyn Baseball Fans! I will continue to pray for the Cyclones new Chaplain, the team, the coaches and the front office staff.      

     I am working with another “team” on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.  Grace Church NYC.  It’s a new church that started last September.  I’m learning a ton from baseball about teamwork.  The only difference is, we are not working for our own advancement either individually or corporately, we are working for the Kingdom and the greatest Coach in the Universe.  He has the game-plan and we must walk in united and humble obedience to accomplish His purposes for NYC and beyond.  

     Be a part of a “team” with purposes greater than you can imagine…and you’ll be in a perpetual “world series.” - John 3:16 

Pastor Charlie Albertell

I am sure your head is spinning just like mine. The news about the Governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer’s sex trysts became public on Monday. Shockwaves were abounding. The recent developments of the Spitzer scandal have the media, politicians, and the law enforcers scurrying for truth.

I actually woke up on Tuesday morning thinking of the situation. I usually start my day spending about an hour with God…reading, praying, meditating and journaling. Tuesday morning when I read my daily Trail Thought that was delivered by email into my inbox, I was floored by the relevancy of the truth for the day…

‘No eye will see me,’ and he keeps his face concealed. In the dark, men break into houses, but by day they shut themselves in; they want nothing to do with the light. For all of them, deep darkness is their morning; they make friends with the terrors of darkness.” From Job 24.

Here are excerpts from Eric Kampmann’s thoughts:

“We seem to have a perverse compulsion to dwell in darkness even when we could just as easily move into the light. Why is this?“Here is the biblical diagnosis: ‘This is the verdict. Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.’ (John 3:19-20)…“From there the infection of knowledge of evil spread like a plague corrupting mankind almost beyond recognition, casting us in the role of ‘rebel(s) against the light.’ (v13) As a result, ‘All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.’ (Psalm 14:3) Jesus, who tells us that he has come to heal sinners, says, ‘For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts…’ (Mark 7:21) and so, ‘in the night (we) steal forth like a thief…and (we) make friends with the terrors of darkness.’(v17)“If we choose to live without God, then we have chosen to live under the tyranny of our sinful nature.”

Spitzer and his family are paying the high price of living under the tyranny of the sinful nature. And now, so is the young lady (Ashley Dupree) with whom he had an encounter. My heart aches for what they must all be going through. It’s so easy to judge. I can’t judge them. It’s not the hypocrisy that bothers me. It’s the fact that we are all just one decision away from doing the same thing.

Our human nature wants to lash out while at the same time there is the fog of guilt in our own hearts. Somehow it makes us feel good or superior that we are not like that. But we are, if we choose to live without God. And for those of us who “walk in the light,” shame on us for judging. If our hearts were exposed and our true secret thoughts came to light, many of us would be no different. I choose to pray for them…not judge them. I even went on Ashley’s MySpace page and sent her an email explaining God’s forgiveness. I hope she responds to God’s love for her.

written by Pastor Charlie Albertell