Why does a musical artist after receiving an award for singing about murder, sex with lots of different women; while completely full of themself, thank God? The artist is a walking contradiction. Somehow, Jesus has become an enigma; even though he ascended to heaven over 2000 years ago.

The second thing to do when God seems absent is to do nothing until fire falls from heaven into our hearts. We want to experience God! But when things get stale, you quit. You hate the idea of going through the motions.

As children, our interest is peaked by the mystery of the unknown. To the child, the unknown has to be exposed, explained, and experienced. To them the adventure of a lifetime could be right around the corner; streams become rivers, trees become forests, and hills become mountains to conquer. As years go by we can lose that sense of adventure. Nothing is a mystery to us anymore, because in our minds we have already experienced it all.

Recently, I attended a church leadership conference that was geared towards young leaders. The speaker line-up consisted mostly of prominent young leaders from growing churches all around the nation. Pen and notebook in hand, I was ready for God to speak something fresh into me. I was disappointed and disheartened by what I heard.

Everyone loves the last second basketball buzzer beater or the touchdown catch as the clock expires...except for the losers. I learned all about that last week. My team lost our football game in the last second on a Hail Mary play.