Jul 2011
The Way It Is Supposed to Be
Friday, July 29 2011
When one rides through the Green Mountains of Vermont on a mid-summer day the overwhelming thought runs through your mind that it should be illegal for people to be allowed to live here. Gorgeous, well-kept farms and lawns sit atop rolling hills back-dropped with breathtaking mountains deep green from the winter snows. The roadsides are littered with Black-Eyed Susans, Queen Anne’s Lace, Day Lilies and Purple Asters. The ponds are layered with Water Lilies and ringed with Purple Loose Strife. The deep blue sky is decorated with cumulous clouds billowing over a scene Monet could never reproduce. The thought run through your mind, “Let’s quit our jobs and move here.” It is far away from the Disney Lands, Wall Drugs and Williamsburgs of our land. It is the world the way it is supposed to be.
Perhaps children belted into the back seats of the family SUV would say, “When are we going to get where we’re going?” Or “I’m bored.” It’s that way when we are small. Paul said, “When I was a child I thought as a child. But now that I am a man I think as a man.” There are so many things in life that change for us as we develop from one stage of life to another. Each stage has its wonders and things to appreciate. No longer am I fascinated by toy trucks. Now I am overwhelmed by big trucks and the complexity of a Vermont eco-zone. The miracle of life fills me with awe and whets my appetite for an eternity of study.
Some people say the Garden of Eden was somewhere in the Middle East. I think it was somewhere in New England. Surely it was here where God said on Friday evening, “It’s very good.”
Perhaps children belted into the back seats of the family SUV would say, “When are we going to get where we’re going?” Or “I’m bored.” It’s that way when we are small. Paul said, “When I was a child I thought as a child. But now that I am a man I think as a man.” There are so many things in life that change for us as we develop from one stage of life to another. Each stage has its wonders and things to appreciate. No longer am I fascinated by toy trucks. Now I am overwhelmed by big trucks and the complexity of a Vermont eco-zone. The miracle of life fills me with awe and whets my appetite for an eternity of study.
Some people say the Garden of Eden was somewhere in the Middle East. I think it was somewhere in New England. Surely it was here where God said on Friday evening, “It’s very good.”
Inspected
Thursday, July 28 2011
In Massachusetts we have inspection stickers on the lower right hand side of our windshields. Every year we have to pay someone twenty-nine dollars to tell us if our car is street-worthy. I don’t understand why it is that even though I know all the lights and stuff are working properly, I still feel intimidated. I feel like a little boy going to the principal’s office. Will I get spanked because a windshield wiper looks a bit tired? There is this moment of relief when the man starts to scrap off the old sticker so he can put on the new.
It reminds me of my favorite Old Testament story. It’s not Samson or Elijah. It’s found in Zachariah 3. Joshua, the high priest, has appeared before the angel of the Lord wearing a filthy garment. Satan is there to proclaim him unfit. Then the most wonderful thing occurs. The Lord exchanges Joshua’s garment with one that is spotless. Awesome. What is this story doing in the Old Testament? One would think it belonged in the middle of Romans. Joshua passes inspection with flying colors. He is heaven-worthy.
If I am intimated when my car is inspected, I can only imagine my horror when I am to be inspected by God. But wait, I read a promise somewhere in John. Ah, yes, it is 5:24. I have made Jesus my savior and according to Him I have already passed inspection. I have crossed over from death to life and don’t even have to show up for judgment. Now I ask you. Does it get any better than this? There is no standing in the spotlight waiting for the emcee to announce my fate. There are no rolling drums to raise my anxiety level to a fever pitch. We, You and I, We Win.
It reminds me of my favorite Old Testament story. It’s not Samson or Elijah. It’s found in Zachariah 3. Joshua, the high priest, has appeared before the angel of the Lord wearing a filthy garment. Satan is there to proclaim him unfit. Then the most wonderful thing occurs. The Lord exchanges Joshua’s garment with one that is spotless. Awesome. What is this story doing in the Old Testament? One would think it belonged in the middle of Romans. Joshua passes inspection with flying colors. He is heaven-worthy.
If I am intimated when my car is inspected, I can only imagine my horror when I am to be inspected by God. But wait, I read a promise somewhere in John. Ah, yes, it is 5:24. I have made Jesus my savior and according to Him I have already passed inspection. I have crossed over from death to life and don’t even have to show up for judgment. Now I ask you. Does it get any better than this? There is no standing in the spotlight waiting for the emcee to announce my fate. There are no rolling drums to raise my anxiety level to a fever pitch. We, You and I, We Win.
The Dead Rabbit
Wednesday, July 27 2011
Don’t get me wrong. I love my dog. She is the sweetest, most caring, most devoted creature one could ever long to have. But this afternoon she found a dead rabbit in our yard. When I say dead I mean really dead, like seriously decomposed. It was hundred degrees last Friday. Can someone tell me why dogs have to roll on those things? Then she came and wanted in the house. I don’t think so! By the time I had her cleaned up I was in need of being cleaned. I had to teach this evening and was fearful that my students could detect my encounter with what was once a rabbit. One can well understand why Lazarus’ family objected to the opening of the tomb after he had been dead for three days.
I have already smelled the decomposition of flesh on a leper and I have to say, Jesus is amazing. In Mark 1 there is a marvelous story of a leper who came to Jesus for help. Jesus did the unthinkable. In front of a crowd He touched the man. Only after that did He heal him. Jesus touched a leper. The stench must have been horrific. I am tempted to think it would be easier for Jesus to approach me. After all I shower and shave every day. I use Dial soap. I brush my teeth and comb what little hair I have left. I’m not like that leper. There – don’t I sound like the Pharisee who said, “I’m not like that fellow.” See Luke 18:11.
How sad to think that we often think ourselves better than others when the truth is the stench of death is on all of us; that is until we meet Jesus.
I have already smelled the decomposition of flesh on a leper and I have to say, Jesus is amazing. In Mark 1 there is a marvelous story of a leper who came to Jesus for help. Jesus did the unthinkable. In front of a crowd He touched the man. Only after that did He heal him. Jesus touched a leper. The stench must have been horrific. I am tempted to think it would be easier for Jesus to approach me. After all I shower and shave every day. I use Dial soap. I brush my teeth and comb what little hair I have left. I’m not like that leper. There – don’t I sound like the Pharisee who said, “I’m not like that fellow.” See Luke 18:11.
How sad to think that we often think ourselves better than others when the truth is the stench of death is on all of us; that is until we meet Jesus.
Friends Moving Away
Tuesday, July 26 2011
What do you do or say when some of your best friends are moving far away? If you have millions in the bank and have no friends, you are a very poor person. Friends make life rich. If you are mentally ill you can talk to your bank account and if you are seriously mentally ill you will hear it talk back. But if you are a balanced rational being all you can get from your bank account is silence. It can’t laugh at your jokes nor tell you it loves you as you exit the bank. Friends can.
John 15:14-15 is one of the most encouraging statements Jesus ever made to His disciples. He called them His friends. Peter tells us in the Book of Acts that Jesus doesn’t play favorites. That means we also are included in that group of friends. In verse 14 He tells us we need to do what He commanded. And what did He command? Just two verses before this in verse 12, Jesus commands us to love one another. It is the sum and substance of His law. The first four commands are about our relationship to God and the last six about our relationship with each other. In Matthew 25 Jesus tells us if we have done it unto the least of them we have done it onto Him. If logic prevails, which it does, then we are down to one commandment; love each other.
This isn’t complicated. It is the simple heart of Christianity. Jesus created us to share our lives with others. He is one of the others. He wants to be our very best friend. That happens when we love each other as He loved and loves and will keep on loving us.
John 15:14-15 is one of the most encouraging statements Jesus ever made to His disciples. He called them His friends. Peter tells us in the Book of Acts that Jesus doesn’t play favorites. That means we also are included in that group of friends. In verse 14 He tells us we need to do what He commanded. And what did He command? Just two verses before this in verse 12, Jesus commands us to love one another. It is the sum and substance of His law. The first four commands are about our relationship to God and the last six about our relationship with each other. In Matthew 25 Jesus tells us if we have done it unto the least of them we have done it onto Him. If logic prevails, which it does, then we are down to one commandment; love each other.
This isn’t complicated. It is the simple heart of Christianity. Jesus created us to share our lives with others. He is one of the others. He wants to be our very best friend. That happens when we love each other as He loved and loves and will keep on loving us.
The Bright Red Truck
Monday, July 25 2011
If I thought he was crotchety you should have seen her; gray, hunched over and making those shuffle steps unique with the aged. What happened next was wonderful. He opened the truck door for her as she crawled into the passenger’s seat. Using the truck for balance and support he went around to the driver’s side and mounted himself behind the steering wheel of a bright red Dodge Ram 1500 with a Hemi. The hood was scooped and ready to suck air. The special mufflers rumbled as he pulled away leaving me a view of his chrome pipes. It was magnificent!
Life only stops when we decide it is over. I have known people in their fifties who pretty much stopped. Obviously it wasn’t this elderly, I will not call them old, couple. I wondered if they were heading home for an evening of romance. I wouldn’t doubt it. Maybe it was a first date or perhaps a 5000th!
Life is a wonderful mystery that takes place in our minds. As our senses pour data into its library we classify, sort and decide just what we are going to do with the data. Some use it to reinforce bad memories and others use it to springboard ahead for the next adventure. In John 10:10 Jesus told us He came to give us the abundant life. That’s for now and the future. He shares the secret of that abundance. It is service and being inventive in hospitality. The more ways we conceive for helping others are more ways for blessings to come our way. Blessings are like tide. They go out and shortly thereafter they come flooding back. It’s a great system designed by the One who is Himself the source of all blessings.
Life only stops when we decide it is over. I have known people in their fifties who pretty much stopped. Obviously it wasn’t this elderly, I will not call them old, couple. I wondered if they were heading home for an evening of romance. I wouldn’t doubt it. Maybe it was a first date or perhaps a 5000th!
Life is a wonderful mystery that takes place in our minds. As our senses pour data into its library we classify, sort and decide just what we are going to do with the data. Some use it to reinforce bad memories and others use it to springboard ahead for the next adventure. In John 10:10 Jesus told us He came to give us the abundant life. That’s for now and the future. He shares the secret of that abundance. It is service and being inventive in hospitality. The more ways we conceive for helping others are more ways for blessings to come our way. Blessings are like tide. They go out and shortly thereafter they come flooding back. It’s a great system designed by the One who is Himself the source of all blessings.
"Epic"
Friday, July 22 2011
My graduate class of middle school teachers told me this evening the “in” word for this batch of adolescents is “Epic.” It’s the “Cool” for now. It can be used positively or negatively. Someone can do something so good it’s “Epic” or something so bad it’s “Epic.” On my way home from class I thought that surely the most “Epic” thing was when God said, “Let there be light.” That was soon followed by the worst “Epic” event. That was when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Paul describes it in Romans 5:19, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, . . .” I am not one to disagree with Paul but he should have said, “all were made sinners.” It was extremely “Epic.” But then Paul continued on with, “so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” The greatest “Epic” ever had to be the Creator of the Universe being nailed to the cross by those sinners.
Each of us can make a personal list of “Epic” events and of course each would be as unique as we are unique. My best one would be the first time I saw the girl that ultimately said, “Yes” to my proposal. Wait a minute that was so long ago maybe I was the one who said, “Yes.” No, I better leave it the way I first stated it. Then of course my list includes the birth of my two incredible sons. I know you can make a great list.
Now we await the next “Epic” event. “Then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” Mark 13:36
Each of us can make a personal list of “Epic” events and of course each would be as unique as we are unique. My best one would be the first time I saw the girl that ultimately said, “Yes” to my proposal. Wait a minute that was so long ago maybe I was the one who said, “Yes.” No, I better leave it the way I first stated it. Then of course my list includes the birth of my two incredible sons. I know you can make a great list.
Now we await the next “Epic” event. “Then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” Mark 13:36
Bubbles
Thursday, July 21 2011
The restaurant supplied the jar of bubbles and the father provided the wind. In a gentle stream soapy bubbles floated across the table toward the sweetest little girl. As she reached for them a giant one settled safely on the back of her hand. The rays of sunlight coming through the window polished its swirled reds and greens. Expressing pure glee she reached out with her other hand to stroke it and bam it was gone. It was so pretty and so ephemeral.
Jesus touched on this theme in the Sermon on the Mount. He said, “See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” Matthew 6:28-30
When we are 10 years old a year is a lifetime. When we are 30 a year is a year. When we are 50 a year is a month. It does not take a Philadelphia lawyer to realize life is as ephemeral as a bubble sitting on the back of a little girl’s hand. Bam it is gone! And how did we live it? Did we make provision for the main event? At first I almost wrote “encore” but that was foolish. An encore comes after the main event and for us the main event is yet to come. Actually there never will be an encore because the curtain will never come down on the main event.
Jesus touched on this theme in the Sermon on the Mount. He said, “See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” Matthew 6:28-30
When we are 10 years old a year is a lifetime. When we are 30 a year is a year. When we are 50 a year is a month. It does not take a Philadelphia lawyer to realize life is as ephemeral as a bubble sitting on the back of a little girl’s hand. Bam it is gone! And how did we live it? Did we make provision for the main event? At first I almost wrote “encore” but that was foolish. An encore comes after the main event and for us the main event is yet to come. Actually there never will be an encore because the curtain will never come down on the main event.
Feed Me
Wednesday, July 20 2011
This evening one of my students told us about his five-month-old son with a voracious appetite. Once he starts eating they cannot feed him fast enough. As soon as the spoon nears his mouth he leans into it, sucks it down and immediately makes noises wanting more and more. As he was telling us about his son I kept thinking about the lyrics “bread of heaven feed me till I want no more.”
Can we actually get enough so we would want no more? As delicious as it is to feed at the feet of Jesus and soak in the promises and His word, I think the answer is yes. We have limited capacity to absorb so much in a specified amount of time. When I hear or read a marvelous new idea about Jesus, I need time to contemplate. I need to stow it away in my mind and roll it around in the lobes inside my head. Sometimes I stop at the perfume counter in a department store and spray a sample on my arm and then another on the other arm and another on the back of my hand and another on the back of the other hand. At some point my nose says, “That’s enough. Stop it.”
But back to ideas, I do want another. It is an endless process because our minds can never be full. Just as we will live forever, our minds will forever soak up and retain great ideas. The feeding at Jesus’ feet will be so much better than the bread and fish He fed the 5000. That was physical. What we are talking about is mental and spiritual.
Can we actually get enough so we would want no more? As delicious as it is to feed at the feet of Jesus and soak in the promises and His word, I think the answer is yes. We have limited capacity to absorb so much in a specified amount of time. When I hear or read a marvelous new idea about Jesus, I need time to contemplate. I need to stow it away in my mind and roll it around in the lobes inside my head. Sometimes I stop at the perfume counter in a department store and spray a sample on my arm and then another on the other arm and another on the back of my hand and another on the back of the other hand. At some point my nose says, “That’s enough. Stop it.”
But back to ideas, I do want another. It is an endless process because our minds can never be full. Just as we will live forever, our minds will forever soak up and retain great ideas. The feeding at Jesus’ feet will be so much better than the bread and fish He fed the 5000. That was physical. What we are talking about is mental and spiritual.
Sixty-Five Years of Change
Tuesday, July 19 2011
This evening Brian Williams closed the NBC evening news by reminding us how much our world has changed in the past sixty-five years. This past week the United States women’s soccer team played Japan in Germany. I could not but wonder what how our world will change in the next sixty-five years. Christians long for Jesus to return, but should He not, what will be? If we have not foolishly blown ourselves into the horror of a nuclear winter will Iran and a united Korea be our closest allies? One thing we do know for sure. There will be massive change.
Most all who read this will have closed their eyes to await that glorious moment Paul speaks of in I Thessalonians 4 and I Corinthians 15 when a trumpet will blast and the dead in Christ will be raised and gloriously changed into immortal beings. But until we do close our eyes that last time our present goal is to change. Personal change, personal growth is the substance of our journey. Only people with closed, self-deceptive minds do not recognize the need. If we read the promises we know anything is possible if we will only reach out in self-discipline to use the power made available to us. In II Peter 1 we read about that amazing and precious promise that we, right now, can participate in the divine nature of our God. Should we do so, the changes in our lives might be subtle to us, but not to those about us as we become rivers of blessings.
It is long overdue for us to stop excusing our failures with, “Well, I’m only human.” According to the promise we need not be “only” human. We become literal temples for the Holy Spirit. How grand.
Most all who read this will have closed their eyes to await that glorious moment Paul speaks of in I Thessalonians 4 and I Corinthians 15 when a trumpet will blast and the dead in Christ will be raised and gloriously changed into immortal beings. But until we do close our eyes that last time our present goal is to change. Personal change, personal growth is the substance of our journey. Only people with closed, self-deceptive minds do not recognize the need. If we read the promises we know anything is possible if we will only reach out in self-discipline to use the power made available to us. In II Peter 1 we read about that amazing and precious promise that we, right now, can participate in the divine nature of our God. Should we do so, the changes in our lives might be subtle to us, but not to those about us as we become rivers of blessings.
It is long overdue for us to stop excusing our failures with, “Well, I’m only human.” According to the promise we need not be “only” human. We become literal temples for the Holy Spirit. How grand.
The Silent Petunia
Monday, July 18 2011
We have all seen grass growing in the cracks in sidewalks. But this morning I saw a full blown petunia smiling at the sun and all who passed over it. What amazed me was hundreds of people were stepping over it leaving it unharmed. How grand. Lest I leave the impression all these people were consciously aware and being kind and ecologically responsible, I have to point out the petunia was strategically located in a crack between the sidewalk and the first concrete step going into a building on our campus. But it was right in the middle of our summer graduation crowd and I must add it made it so much better for its presence.
Being egotistical I wondered if my presence in the crowd added as much pleasure as did the petunia. Honestly speaking, I seriously doubt it. Being that crowds are not my favorite place I went to my office as soon as I could. Families were busy celebrating and taking pictures. A handful of loose balloons sailed high and out of sight. These used to be great days for Kodak but digital cameras have changed all that.
Have you ever departed from a gathering being sorry that you had talked too much? Sometimes we become infatuated with our own wit and think everyone in the room needs us to carry the event. Yuk! We get in the car and chastise ourselves for thinking we added pleasure to the crowd. In Romans 12:10 Paul wrote, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.” Today a single silent petunia added to the day. I should learn that silently listening to another is a sure way to bring pleasure to another.
Being egotistical I wondered if my presence in the crowd added as much pleasure as did the petunia. Honestly speaking, I seriously doubt it. Being that crowds are not my favorite place I went to my office as soon as I could. Families were busy celebrating and taking pictures. A handful of loose balloons sailed high and out of sight. These used to be great days for Kodak but digital cameras have changed all that.
Have you ever departed from a gathering being sorry that you had talked too much? Sometimes we become infatuated with our own wit and think everyone in the room needs us to carry the event. Yuk! We get in the car and chastise ourselves for thinking we added pleasure to the crowd. In Romans 12:10 Paul wrote, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.” Today a single silent petunia added to the day. I should learn that silently listening to another is a sure way to bring pleasure to another.
Brothers
Thursday, July 14 2011
One evening when my boys were teens, three of us were watching one of them play floor hockey in our college gym. I never did see what precipitated the fight but the one playing hockey was into it with another player. I could not believe my eyes as I watched his brother leap from our side and hurl himself into the fray to be by his embattled brother’s side. I never had a brother, just sisters. I guess that’s what brothers do.
Remember when Jack Kennedy appointed his brother to be his attorney general? The press was filled with editorials about nepotism. But there are times when one needs someone beside them they can implicitly trust. We were all riveted to the news as we watched those two brothers agonize us through the Cuban missile crisis. The editorials about nepotism slowed down, way down.
We think the little book of James toward the end of our New Testament was written by James, Jesus’ brother. I can only imagine the struggle he went through to finally realize his brother was Emmanuel, God with us. What kind of relationship must that have been! I am amazed in his letter he doesn’t do a lot of bragging about who he was.
Lest we become envious of him, let’s remind ourselves of the promises in Romans and Galatians. We are promised we can be adopted into God’s family and become members of the family. What an awesome thought it is to come to the same realization that James did. Jesus, the Creator of all things according to Hebrews, is our brother. I like that because I know when I am in trouble He will leap to my embattled side. It’s what brothers do.
Remember when Jack Kennedy appointed his brother to be his attorney general? The press was filled with editorials about nepotism. But there are times when one needs someone beside them they can implicitly trust. We were all riveted to the news as we watched those two brothers agonize us through the Cuban missile crisis. The editorials about nepotism slowed down, way down.
We think the little book of James toward the end of our New Testament was written by James, Jesus’ brother. I can only imagine the struggle he went through to finally realize his brother was Emmanuel, God with us. What kind of relationship must that have been! I am amazed in his letter he doesn’t do a lot of bragging about who he was.
Lest we become envious of him, let’s remind ourselves of the promises in Romans and Galatians. We are promised we can be adopted into God’s family and become members of the family. What an awesome thought it is to come to the same realization that James did. Jesus, the Creator of all things according to Hebrews, is our brother. I like that because I know when I am in trouble He will leap to my embattled side. It’s what brothers do.
Incongruities
Wednesday, July 13 2011
People-watching far exceeds bird-watching as a source of fascination. Don’t get me wrong. Bird-watching is great fun; it’s just that it is far exceeded by the fun of people-watching. My favorite sighting for the day was at Taco Bell. There was this old guy (That means he is older than I.) with diamond studs in his ear lobes. He was well groomed with a nicely trimmed beard. But it was those studs that grabbed my attention. They just didn’t belong. They seemed so out of place. I was instantly reminded of Proverbs 11:22, “Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion.”
There are some things that just do not go together. James 3:9-12 puts it this way. “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
There are certain behaviors, words and attitudes that just do not belong in a real Christian’s walk. But by the same token some of us are so lacking in a sense of humor we think everyone should always be solemn and straitlaced. When I look at some Christians I definitely don’t want to be like them. But I think we all can agree that there is no room for judgmental, derogatory speech and downright nastiness in our lives. We must not use honesty as weapon to cut into other’s hearts.
There are some things that just do not go together. James 3:9-12 puts it this way. “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”
There are certain behaviors, words and attitudes that just do not belong in a real Christian’s walk. But by the same token some of us are so lacking in a sense of humor we think everyone should always be solemn and straitlaced. When I look at some Christians I definitely don’t want to be like them. But I think we all can agree that there is no room for judgmental, derogatory speech and downright nastiness in our lives. We must not use honesty as weapon to cut into other’s hearts.
Eden in New England
Tuesday, July 12 2011
We are coming up on mid-July and New England roadsides are lush with Daylilies and Black-eyed Susans. Stonewalls that line fields and yards are accented with these yellow and orange exhibitionists showing off their splendor to all who pass by. One would have to be visually or mentally challenged not to appreciate their glory. If they could sing they would surely change the words to “You Are So Beautiful” to “I Am So Beautiful” and serenade us on our way. Shamelessly they beg us to take their picture so we can enjoy them six months from now when the days are short and the stonewalls are smothered with snow.
If I had been Moses and quested to write an account of creation I would write something like this. “The Lord God planted a garden in the east and called it New England; and there He put the man whom He had formed. Out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight.”
Living the abundant life is living with our minds wide open to ingest each day’s gifts. Far too soon the greens of the oaks and maples will darken indicating the summer is waning and once again God will take out His palette and paint the hills and lanes with maple reds and birch yellows. Those are good days. But I am not yet hungry for them. Today the table is set with the feast of summer. It is more than enough to satisfy anyone’s taste. Today is the day to sing Psalm 118:24, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
If I had been Moses and quested to write an account of creation I would write something like this. “The Lord God planted a garden in the east and called it New England; and there He put the man whom He had formed. Out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight.”
Living the abundant life is living with our minds wide open to ingest each day’s gifts. Far too soon the greens of the oaks and maples will darken indicating the summer is waning and once again God will take out His palette and paint the hills and lanes with maple reds and birch yellows. Those are good days. But I am not yet hungry for them. Today the table is set with the feast of summer. It is more than enough to satisfy anyone’s taste. Today is the day to sing Psalm 118:24, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Amazing Cookies
Monday, July 11 2011
There are Oreo cookies, peanut butter cookies and sugar cookies, but yesterday we had amazing cookies. Chocolate chips held together by the best cookie dough in the world. They were Goldilocks cookies; baked not too little and not too long. They were baked JUST right. They were placed on the table beside a fresh fruit salad and a marvelous plate of fresh veggies. It was the perfect summer evening fare.
As good as the blueberries were I keep thinking about those amazing Goldilocks cookies. They were like Scripture; hundreds of promises held together by the best stories. There is the story of Jonah with the promise that wherever we go God is there, even if we don’t want Him to be there; He is watching and waiting for us to cry for help and help is immediately on its way. There is the story of Zaccheaus. Jesus wants to come to our house. Then there is the hungry crowd that Jesus fed from a little boy’s basket. God is able to supply all our needs. I could go on and on.
The message is powerful. If we will read the stories we will taste the goodness of the Lord. Reading the Gospel of John is a feast all on its own. Chapter after chapter reveals a new picture of Jesus. In chapter one He is the Creator of all. In chapter nine He is the Light of the World. In chapter ten He is the Good Shepherd. In chapter eleven He is the Resurrection and the Life. The really good part about this kind of feast is that it is calorie free. Those Goldilocks cookies were great but they were rich in calories. Alas. Only Jesus is perfect.
As good as the blueberries were I keep thinking about those amazing Goldilocks cookies. They were like Scripture; hundreds of promises held together by the best stories. There is the story of Jonah with the promise that wherever we go God is there, even if we don’t want Him to be there; He is watching and waiting for us to cry for help and help is immediately on its way. There is the story of Zaccheaus. Jesus wants to come to our house. Then there is the hungry crowd that Jesus fed from a little boy’s basket. God is able to supply all our needs. I could go on and on.
The message is powerful. If we will read the stories we will taste the goodness of the Lord. Reading the Gospel of John is a feast all on its own. Chapter after chapter reveals a new picture of Jesus. In chapter one He is the Creator of all. In chapter nine He is the Light of the World. In chapter ten He is the Good Shepherd. In chapter eleven He is the Resurrection and the Life. The really good part about this kind of feast is that it is calorie free. Those Goldilocks cookies were great but they were rich in calories. Alas. Only Jesus is perfect.
You Complete Me
Friday, July 08 2011
I wonder how many guys have used the line “You complete me”? It really grabs a lady’s attention even if she knows it’s a quote from the film Jerry McGuire. I’ve tried it on my wife with stunning results. What is interesting is the line is not original in the movie. I believe Paul was the first to use it when talking about Jesus. Colossians 2:10, “You are complete in Him.”
In our quest for development we are so aware of our deficiencies. If we were on our own in this pursuit we would be doomed to failure. It is just part of being human that the better we know ourselves the more aware we become of our needs. Surely discouragement would eventually overwhelm us when we realize there is a certain point in the aging process that our cognitive skills and our physical skills aren’t what they used to be. When my family says to me, “Are you alright?” I realize I am sending subtle signals I thought I was covering up.
Fortunately for all of us the completeness encompasses the entirety of our being and with Jesus as our righteousness we stand before God not as a forgiven sinner but as an individual who has never sinned. I have a friend who tells me he wants to check my record when he gets to heaven. I just smile because I know the only thing there is the good stuff. The bad stuff isn’t just a secret between Jesus and me. It’s gone! I love it! He will be so frustrated because he is suspicious I have a pretty raunchy record. He will never know because I’m not talking and neither is Jesus. Jesus completes us!
In our quest for development we are so aware of our deficiencies. If we were on our own in this pursuit we would be doomed to failure. It is just part of being human that the better we know ourselves the more aware we become of our needs. Surely discouragement would eventually overwhelm us when we realize there is a certain point in the aging process that our cognitive skills and our physical skills aren’t what they used to be. When my family says to me, “Are you alright?” I realize I am sending subtle signals I thought I was covering up.
Fortunately for all of us the completeness encompasses the entirety of our being and with Jesus as our righteousness we stand before God not as a forgiven sinner but as an individual who has never sinned. I have a friend who tells me he wants to check my record when he gets to heaven. I just smile because I know the only thing there is the good stuff. The bad stuff isn’t just a secret between Jesus and me. It’s gone! I love it! He will be so frustrated because he is suspicious I have a pretty raunchy record. He will never know because I’m not talking and neither is Jesus. Jesus completes us!
God Gets It The First Time
Thursday, July 07 2011
It’s not my age. I have always had difficulty handling strings of numbers that are spoken too rapidly. My definition of “too rapid” are numbers spoken faster than I can write them down. When I was a pilot and needed to talk to air traffic control or the control tower I always spoke very slowly. They would respond with headings, altitudes and clearances at the same pace. If I forgot and rattled off the plane’s number the numbers I got back were way too fast for me to comprehend. It is the same way with my phone’s voice mail. People leave a message saying, “Call me” and then rattle off their phone number with such speed I never can get it. If they wonder why I do not call them it’s because I have a policy. If I cannot get their number written down after listening to their message four times, I give up.
Obviously I am not like God. Number one – He never gives up. Number two – He gets it the first time. He doesn’t need to listen four times. Number three – He actually gets it before we even call. He’s been watching and He knows our need and knows what to do. Sometimes when we pray we tell God our problem and then we tell Him how to solve our problem. When we think about that it is rather insulting. He is God. He knows. He doesn’t need us to explain. Recently I was at a large gathering and the person who prayed told God who we were and where we were and why we were gathered and what we needed from Him. Instead of talking to Him as an intelligent being we treat Him as if He was some vending machine in the sky.
Obviously I am not like God. Number one – He never gives up. Number two – He gets it the first time. He doesn’t need to listen four times. Number three – He actually gets it before we even call. He’s been watching and He knows our need and knows what to do. Sometimes when we pray we tell God our problem and then we tell Him how to solve our problem. When we think about that it is rather insulting. He is God. He knows. He doesn’t need us to explain. Recently I was at a large gathering and the person who prayed told God who we were and where we were and why we were gathered and what we needed from Him. Instead of talking to Him as an intelligent being we treat Him as if He was some vending machine in the sky.
Do Not Turn Off Your Computer
Wednesday, July 06 2011
The message on my computer screen said, “Configuration Update #496.” In a moment the screen changed with the following message, “Configuration Update. Do Not Turn Off Your Computer.” This happens with some regularity. Somewhere out there in computer land someone, with no name that I know, is keeping the bad guys out of my computer. When they detect a weakness or an attack they surge into action and send me a shield. I like these nameless guys. It’s like they are living in my machine.
Psalm 68:19 says, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” What a great verse. Someone out there, with a name, is watching us but is loading us with benefits. In Ephesians 2 Paul tells us He saves us so He can shower us with grace. Then there is the shield thing. Psalm 28:7 says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped.” I also might add it seems like He is living in me. He is. Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me.”
This is a fabulous metaphor. When Jesus told parables He used everyday things so the people would be reminded of the lesson each time they saw the object in their daily lives. Our computers and our contact with these nameless guys from Windows that send us updates is about as ubiquitous in our lives as anything else. So the next time you receive a message saying, “Do not turn off your computer” remind yourself “Do not turn off your contact with Jesus.”
Psalm 68:19 says, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.” What a great verse. Someone out there, with a name, is watching us but is loading us with benefits. In Ephesians 2 Paul tells us He saves us so He can shower us with grace. Then there is the shield thing. Psalm 28:7 says, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped.” I also might add it seems like He is living in me. He is. Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me.”
This is a fabulous metaphor. When Jesus told parables He used everyday things so the people would be reminded of the lesson each time they saw the object in their daily lives. Our computers and our contact with these nameless guys from Windows that send us updates is about as ubiquitous in our lives as anything else. So the next time you receive a message saying, “Do not turn off your computer” remind yourself “Do not turn off your contact with Jesus.”
My Going Nowhere Spider
Tuesday, July 05 2011
The first time he walked past me I barely noticed. I was deep into a biography of Teddy Roosevelt but my peripheral vision picked him up. The second time grabbed my attention from Roosevelt to this medium sized spider. I was sitting on our patio by a glass table with a four foot diameter. It is ringed by a white metal band so his small black body struck a good contrast. Five times he went round and round. He must have thought he was going somewhere but soon he was back where he started. He was like planet earth. Round and round our sun we go racing along at over 67,000 miles an hour and yet ending up at the same place a year later.
Without Jesus it would all be quite futile. Without Jesus it would be about 70 to 80 trips with as much meaning as my spider’s five trips. Perhaps we would think we were making a difference but really what would it be other than reproducing the human species to make more trips? A small percentage of us might be fortunate enough to live abundant lives and see our children and grandchildren do well but most of mankind has not done so well. Over 56 million of us died during WWII. Over 300 million died from Small Pox in the twentieth century. In 1919 Spanish Flu killed over 50 million. To this day malaria kills 2 million a year.
If we read Ecclesiastes we learn of Solomon’s despair about life and he had every material thing a man could desire. Lest I sound like Solomon let me lift your soul and let it soar to the truth that we are, according to Paul, sons and daughters of the Most High God and we are destined to forever grow more and more like our God. Now that is purpose.
Without Jesus it would all be quite futile. Without Jesus it would be about 70 to 80 trips with as much meaning as my spider’s five trips. Perhaps we would think we were making a difference but really what would it be other than reproducing the human species to make more trips? A small percentage of us might be fortunate enough to live abundant lives and see our children and grandchildren do well but most of mankind has not done so well. Over 56 million of us died during WWII. Over 300 million died from Small Pox in the twentieth century. In 1919 Spanish Flu killed over 50 million. To this day malaria kills 2 million a year.
If we read Ecclesiastes we learn of Solomon’s despair about life and he had every material thing a man could desire. Lest I sound like Solomon let me lift your soul and let it soar to the truth that we are, according to Paul, sons and daughters of the Most High God and we are destined to forever grow more and more like our God. Now that is purpose.
Bald is Stylish
Friday, July 01 2011
We are surrounded by bald heads. Both men and woman are shaving their domes each morning so they are shiny and reflective. So why did I just see a television commercial pushing a hair growing product that finished by telling me I would have more confidence if I had more hair? Where did this Samsonish idea come from other than the product pusher? Are we supposed to be better looking if we have more hair and better looking people are more successful? Actually the last part of that sentence is true. If two people are interviewing for a job and have similar qualifications, according to statisticians, the better looking one will get the job.
My wife tells me I am bald on the back of my head. I have to take her word for it because I have never seen it. Since I have never seen it I’m not bothered by it and smearing the back of my head with hair growth tonic will have nothing to do with my confidence. During the recent British royal wedding I noticed that Prince William doesn’t have all the hair he had when he was fifteen. Yet he is very confident and rightfully so. He is a prince. He is the future king.
Well so are we. According to Romans and Galatians we are adopted into the royal family of the universe when we make Jesus our savior. We become the sons and daughters of God. We are even promised in Revelation that we will sit with God on His throne. I am feeling really confident and it has nothing to do with the number of hairs. Actually the fewer there are the quicker God can count them!
My wife tells me I am bald on the back of my head. I have to take her word for it because I have never seen it. Since I have never seen it I’m not bothered by it and smearing the back of my head with hair growth tonic will have nothing to do with my confidence. During the recent British royal wedding I noticed that Prince William doesn’t have all the hair he had when he was fifteen. Yet he is very confident and rightfully so. He is a prince. He is the future king.
Well so are we. According to Romans and Galatians we are adopted into the royal family of the universe when we make Jesus our savior. We become the sons and daughters of God. We are even promised in Revelation that we will sit with God on His throne. I am feeling really confident and it has nothing to do with the number of hairs. Actually the fewer there are the quicker God can count them!