Who Am I?
Ok, I know. To most I am “Dave.” To others, I am “David.” To my former students, I am “Doc.” To my doctor, my pharmacist, and cops… “Bruce.” To Carol, I am “Sweetie…” one of my favorites. To some who don’t know me, perhaps, “Mr. Liles.” To Brit and Janea, I’m “dad.” To my three grandchildren, Bella, Jovie and Dexter, I’m “Papa.” I love that one also. Anyone who does not like me…I don’t wanna know.
I am also Bruce and Viola’s baby boy. To Marian, Anita, and Buddy, I am their younger brother…reminding me how I used to be a pain in the neck when I was little…but they have learned to live with that. I am a husband, a father, a grandfather, a brother, a son, an uncle, a former colleague, a retiree, a cousin, a citizen; all of these at the same time.
Lately, however, I have asked myself who I am to God. I could say I am a follower of Jesus Christ…and I am. I could say I am a disciple…at least I’m trying to be. But Jesus changed the whole picture when he called his Father, “Abba.” This is a Hebrew term used by young Hebrew kids to refer to their “dad,” or “daddy.” The Jews of Jesus day, and prior to that, would not even speak his name (yahweh; the original Hebrew did not have any vowels)…he was too sacred, too removed, in a sense, to be labeled. That makes what Jesus did absolutely scandalous. No one, under any conditions, ever referred to God in an intimate way like that…until Jesus did.
I have to confess, however, I am not comfortable calling God “Daddy,” as some do. I refer to him as “Father.” Somehow referring to the God who is his own eternity as “Daddy” seems awkward to me. He is transcendent, living beyond time and space, perfectly holy, complete, and beyond comprehension. He is also immanent, or with us all the time. He is guiding my thoughts as I write this. But for me…not anyone else, mind you, just me…calling him Father is most comfortable.
This does raise a point. I recently came across (or the Holy Spirit gave it to me) the idea that I am a child of God. I am a son of God (small “s”). Where does this come from? What does the Bible say about this? I found some scriptures that speak to this. All of these are from the NIV.
Galatians 3:26
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith
Romans 8:14
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
Romans 8:16,
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children.
John 1:12-13
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
2 Corinthians 6:18
And, "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
We have our earthly identity, we belong to a family, and have other relationships in life that help to identify who we are. But perhaps the most important one, the one with eternal significance, is the fact that we are children of the Almighty; his sons and his daughters. This is accomplished when we enter the family of God because of the work of Christ, and are sustained by the Holy Spirit.
So, next time someone refers to you as “brother” or “sister” return the compliment. After all, we have a Big Brother, Jesus, the Son of God (capital “S”) and a heavenly Father watching over all of us.
Praise and thanks be to our Father.
Thursday, December 13, 2018
Monday, October 8, 2018
Growing Up in the New Life
Growing Up in the New Life
I just finished reading John slowly and carefully. I made it a point to underline any verse that seemed to support Christ as the God-Man, or God with us. I was especially taken by the frequent use of the phrase by Jesus, “Him who sent me.” I underlined all of these. I enjoyed taking in the first chapter, especially verses 1, 14 and 18. I also referred to several different translations.
In the meantime I have started Galatians and will try to read it slowly also, gleaning treasures from what has been called, the Magna Carta of Christian liberty. I will get to the rest of Paul’s letters soon. I read chapter two and here is what I saw…that I have actually seen many times, but never “underlined” it in my mind or heart.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
This verse seems to have implanted itself in my mind. My old self has died; my new self in Christ is now alive.
Ok, here is my question. How do I reconcile the idea of an “old self” with the fact that I was a child (age 9) when I invited Christ into my life, and may not have had much of an “old self” before that? I was a pretty normal kid. I did pretty well in school, had friends, played ball, grew up with my siblings, went to church, never did anything dark or particularly sinful.
Then I remembered that Christ has put to death many things in my life since then, and growth in the new life is continuing. I have made most of my progress via pivotal moments that have come my way. Was there an initial moment? Absolutely, and progress has come after that…lots of it.
It all started with the time I invited Christ into my life. I was 9, like I said, and strongly influenced by godly parents who took me to church at a young age. I knew I was different after that, but I could not tell you why. I had seen in mom a faith so tender she could hardly talk about it without crying. I also saw in dad an almost unshakable faith that, “God will work this out; I KNOW he will.” Dad was right. I wanted that.
A defining moment was when I was with my mom at her deathbed. This was a major turning point. I can very easily divide my life into “before and after,” it was that significant. Dad, my sister Marian, and I drove out to Lakeside Nursing Home in Alexandria Kentucky, early that morning. I watched mom take her last breath and leave this world. Strangely, it seemed easy. I thought, you mean your body shuts down completely, you stop breathing, and that’s it? Then, I remembered mom’s godly, tender life and thought, God’s people die well.
I have since lost my dad (May 1997) and my brother Tom (May 2018) and have once again seen God’s hand at work in my own life, turning potential crisis moments into victory.
Lots of other things have taken place, some failures, some successes, some joys, some sorrows. God has used these as times of growth for me. Someone said that we grow more during crisis than at any other time. I think this is because during those times, we focus so much on ourselves and how we relate to God more than when things are going well. There is also a sustaining grace that holds us, even though we might not realize it at the time.
Crisis times are tricky, however, as many people turn their backs on God, wondering why he did not act when he was needed most. There are no clear answers to these questions, at least not yet.
Faith can take over, however. Frederick Buechner put it this way. “Faith is standing in the darkness, and a hand is there, and we take it.” (Frederick Buechner, “The Two Battles,” in The Magnificent Defeat)
There are a whole lot more things to be said about this, but the main thing is to keep listening and growing; trust anyway.
Thanks be to God.
I just finished reading John slowly and carefully. I made it a point to underline any verse that seemed to support Christ as the God-Man, or God with us. I was especially taken by the frequent use of the phrase by Jesus, “Him who sent me.” I underlined all of these. I enjoyed taking in the first chapter, especially verses 1, 14 and 18. I also referred to several different translations.
In the meantime I have started Galatians and will try to read it slowly also, gleaning treasures from what has been called, the Magna Carta of Christian liberty. I will get to the rest of Paul’s letters soon. I read chapter two and here is what I saw…that I have actually seen many times, but never “underlined” it in my mind or heart.
“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
This verse seems to have implanted itself in my mind. My old self has died; my new self in Christ is now alive.
Ok, here is my question. How do I reconcile the idea of an “old self” with the fact that I was a child (age 9) when I invited Christ into my life, and may not have had much of an “old self” before that? I was a pretty normal kid. I did pretty well in school, had friends, played ball, grew up with my siblings, went to church, never did anything dark or particularly sinful.
Then I remembered that Christ has put to death many things in my life since then, and growth in the new life is continuing. I have made most of my progress via pivotal moments that have come my way. Was there an initial moment? Absolutely, and progress has come after that…lots of it.
It all started with the time I invited Christ into my life. I was 9, like I said, and strongly influenced by godly parents who took me to church at a young age. I knew I was different after that, but I could not tell you why. I had seen in mom a faith so tender she could hardly talk about it without crying. I also saw in dad an almost unshakable faith that, “God will work this out; I KNOW he will.” Dad was right. I wanted that.
A defining moment was when I was with my mom at her deathbed. This was a major turning point. I can very easily divide my life into “before and after,” it was that significant. Dad, my sister Marian, and I drove out to Lakeside Nursing Home in Alexandria Kentucky, early that morning. I watched mom take her last breath and leave this world. Strangely, it seemed easy. I thought, you mean your body shuts down completely, you stop breathing, and that’s it? Then, I remembered mom’s godly, tender life and thought, God’s people die well.
I have since lost my dad (May 1997) and my brother Tom (May 2018) and have once again seen God’s hand at work in my own life, turning potential crisis moments into victory.
Lots of other things have taken place, some failures, some successes, some joys, some sorrows. God has used these as times of growth for me. Someone said that we grow more during crisis than at any other time. I think this is because during those times, we focus so much on ourselves and how we relate to God more than when things are going well. There is also a sustaining grace that holds us, even though we might not realize it at the time.
Crisis times are tricky, however, as many people turn their backs on God, wondering why he did not act when he was needed most. There are no clear answers to these questions, at least not yet.
Faith can take over, however. Frederick Buechner put it this way. “Faith is standing in the darkness, and a hand is there, and we take it.” (Frederick Buechner, “The Two Battles,” in The Magnificent Defeat)
There are a whole lot more things to be said about this, but the main thing is to keep listening and growing; trust anyway.
Thanks be to God.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
A Close Call, A Great God
A Close Call, A Great God.
I came close to having a bad accident recently. I firmly believe the hand of God was on me, and later He lifted me above myself into his own presence.
Ok, here’s what happened. I made a trip to Cincinnati a few weeks ago, about 3 hours from Mansfield. I wanted to spend some time with my sister Marian who is aging, and cannot get around like she used to. I picked her up, we went to lunch, then ran some errands. I dropped her off, then headed back to Mansfield.
A 3 hour trip will require you to stop and stretch. I got a chance to do this when I noticed my gas was getting low. I took the Wilmington exit and headed east toward a gas station. There was another station right across from the one I took. I pulled in, filled up, got a snack, and headed on out.
To get back to I71 I had to exit the gas station, cross over one lane, then head west on the two lane highway. I noticed there was a line of about 6 or 7 cars in the lane close to me, waiting at a light off to my right. One driver was approaching the line, but, out of courtesy, gestured me to move out in front of her so I could go on. I had to pass through the line between the cars in order to turn left. I realized I could not see to my right that well, but I went anyway. I turned left…and immediately saw a white pick up truck right next to me. He had to swerve off the road to keep from hitting me. He looked at me kind of funny, but did not express any anger. I gestured an apology and went on my way. I thought later, what if that would have been a semi who could neither swerve nor stop on time.
I was mildly shaken as I turned on to I71, while the pick up truck went on toward his destination. I prayed, thanking God for his hand on me, and proceeded more carefully…and a bit slower.
Now, the other part of this story has to do with my musical up bringing. As a kid, my family loved Southern Gospel Music; the quartets, the great gospel singers, the whole world. Since I have become a professional musician myself, my musical preferences have changed dramatically. I am no longer the big fan I once was, but I do acknowledge the important place Southern Gospel holds in certain cultures. There is a relatively new group I found some time back called the Triumphant Quartet, out of Nashville. They have an album of church hymns. The song I decided to listen to was “How Great Thou Art.”
The arrangement the group uses is fairly simple but gets the point across. The lead singer (Tenor 2 in my world, carrying the melody most of the time) has a solo on two verses, then the group comes in on the chorus, and the whole thing leads to a big Southern Gospel ending. At the end, the tenor (Tenor 1) moves up to a high note, and the bass does a long slide down to the same note, but three octaves lower. The middle voices provide the needed notes to fill out the harmony…all in grand Southern Gospel style. It really is quite good.
However, I got to the place where the style of what they were singing was not the primary thing. My eyes filled with tears as I realized that what they were singing about was far more important than how they sang it.
What they were saying was, we serve a truly great God, one who watches over us.
A bit later I arrived in Columbus. Traffic was fairly heavy, but I was filled with gratitude at how our great God just helped me out of a bad place, possibly rescued me from harm. I was in Columbus, but my heart was elsewhere.
I wanted to quote a scripture verse here on the greatness of God, but there are hundreds, maybe even thousands. I simply could not decide which one would be best, so I would encourage you to do this some time. Sit quietly and ponder the greatness of God in your own life, those moments, how he has blessed you, protected you, kept you going, rescued you. Your heart will be filled with gratitude at His faithfulness. Open your Bible to some verses that speak of the greatness of God, one of the Psalms, maybe. Sit quietly in His presence and allow His Spirit to minister to you. You don’t have to say anything, just be still before Him.
We can go on and on about His creation, His plan of salvation carried out in Jesus Christ. We can talk all we want about His place in history, and how it will eventually come to the fulfillment of the Kingdom, and we should do this. However, sometimes we need to stop and be silent…ponder, and just be in His presence. It has a tendency to change you.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou Art!!
Thanks be to God.
I came close to having a bad accident recently. I firmly believe the hand of God was on me, and later He lifted me above myself into his own presence.
Ok, here’s what happened. I made a trip to Cincinnati a few weeks ago, about 3 hours from Mansfield. I wanted to spend some time with my sister Marian who is aging, and cannot get around like she used to. I picked her up, we went to lunch, then ran some errands. I dropped her off, then headed back to Mansfield.
A 3 hour trip will require you to stop and stretch. I got a chance to do this when I noticed my gas was getting low. I took the Wilmington exit and headed east toward a gas station. There was another station right across from the one I took. I pulled in, filled up, got a snack, and headed on out.
To get back to I71 I had to exit the gas station, cross over one lane, then head west on the two lane highway. I noticed there was a line of about 6 or 7 cars in the lane close to me, waiting at a light off to my right. One driver was approaching the line, but, out of courtesy, gestured me to move out in front of her so I could go on. I had to pass through the line between the cars in order to turn left. I realized I could not see to my right that well, but I went anyway. I turned left…and immediately saw a white pick up truck right next to me. He had to swerve off the road to keep from hitting me. He looked at me kind of funny, but did not express any anger. I gestured an apology and went on my way. I thought later, what if that would have been a semi who could neither swerve nor stop on time.
I was mildly shaken as I turned on to I71, while the pick up truck went on toward his destination. I prayed, thanking God for his hand on me, and proceeded more carefully…and a bit slower.
Now, the other part of this story has to do with my musical up bringing. As a kid, my family loved Southern Gospel Music; the quartets, the great gospel singers, the whole world. Since I have become a professional musician myself, my musical preferences have changed dramatically. I am no longer the big fan I once was, but I do acknowledge the important place Southern Gospel holds in certain cultures. There is a relatively new group I found some time back called the Triumphant Quartet, out of Nashville. They have an album of church hymns. The song I decided to listen to was “How Great Thou Art.”
The arrangement the group uses is fairly simple but gets the point across. The lead singer (Tenor 2 in my world, carrying the melody most of the time) has a solo on two verses, then the group comes in on the chorus, and the whole thing leads to a big Southern Gospel ending. At the end, the tenor (Tenor 1) moves up to a high note, and the bass does a long slide down to the same note, but three octaves lower. The middle voices provide the needed notes to fill out the harmony…all in grand Southern Gospel style. It really is quite good.
However, I got to the place where the style of what they were singing was not the primary thing. My eyes filled with tears as I realized that what they were singing about was far more important than how they sang it.
What they were saying was, we serve a truly great God, one who watches over us.
A bit later I arrived in Columbus. Traffic was fairly heavy, but I was filled with gratitude at how our great God just helped me out of a bad place, possibly rescued me from harm. I was in Columbus, but my heart was elsewhere.
I wanted to quote a scripture verse here on the greatness of God, but there are hundreds, maybe even thousands. I simply could not decide which one would be best, so I would encourage you to do this some time. Sit quietly and ponder the greatness of God in your own life, those moments, how he has blessed you, protected you, kept you going, rescued you. Your heart will be filled with gratitude at His faithfulness. Open your Bible to some verses that speak of the greatness of God, one of the Psalms, maybe. Sit quietly in His presence and allow His Spirit to minister to you. You don’t have to say anything, just be still before Him.
We can go on and on about His creation, His plan of salvation carried out in Jesus Christ. We can talk all we want about His place in history, and how it will eventually come to the fulfillment of the Kingdom, and we should do this. However, sometimes we need to stop and be silent…ponder, and just be in His presence. It has a tendency to change you.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee,
How great Thou Art!!
Thanks be to God.
Thursday, July 5, 2018
The Way of a Child: The Only Way?
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)
“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:2-5)
Why is the faith of a child so important? These statements by Christ (both from the NIV) are startling, and not a little worrisome, especially to us adults. We look at children as less capable than us; unable to manage without us. Part of this may be true, but the fact remains; Christ set the faith of a child as the standard by which we all enter the kingdom of heaven. Children are trusting, dependent, capable of deep love.
My daughter Brit Eaton gave me a great father’s day present this year. I am now reading Ted Dekker’s The Forgotten Way, with study guide by Bill Vanderbush.
Something stood out to me while reading Dekker recently. He was talking about the faith of a child, and how important it is. It dawned on me that when Christ said unless we have the faith of a child we will never enter the kingdom, that may be the only way we are capable of relating to God; like a child does. God is too far above us to try to analyze him, or paint a clear picture, or imagine him, or ever totally understand him. Theological terms that describe attributes of God, like eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, as well as knowledge of the Bible are important, but a child will accept God on the child’s own terms; simple, to the point, trusting, depending on him, believing, etc. Jesus loves us, and that is the name of the game for a child. He expects the same from adults. According to Jesus, this is the only way we will enter the kingdom.
The faith of a child causes them to relate to God differently as well. Recently, my two year old grandson, Dexter, asked if he could pray for the meal. He asked God to bless mommy, daddy, Papa (me), Gram (Carol), and the food. He ended his prayer with “Bye.” Janea and David have prayer with the kids every night and once again Dexter prayed for all of us. This time he ended his prayer with, “Good night.” Jovie was baptized last year. Her pastor talked to her about it, and asked why she wanted to be baptized. Her reply said it all, “Because Jesus wants me to.” Jovie was five at the time. I was drawn to Christ as a child of nine. Carol said she cannot remember a time when she was NOT a Christian. My daughters, Janea and Brit both made their initial commitment to Christ as children. Bella, a couple of years ago, wrote My Big God Story, saying, “God is the life for us.”
Life does get complicated, there is no question about that, and children do need the love, support, and guidance of parents. This is a given in our world. But children relate to Jesus in a simple, straightforward way. That is the way a child does it.
Is there any other way other than the faith of a child? Apparently not, according to Jesus.
Thanks be to God.
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14)
“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:2-5)
Why is the faith of a child so important? These statements by Christ (both from the NIV) are startling, and not a little worrisome, especially to us adults. We look at children as less capable than us; unable to manage without us. Part of this may be true, but the fact remains; Christ set the faith of a child as the standard by which we all enter the kingdom of heaven. Children are trusting, dependent, capable of deep love.
My daughter Brit Eaton gave me a great father’s day present this year. I am now reading Ted Dekker’s The Forgotten Way, with study guide by Bill Vanderbush.
Something stood out to me while reading Dekker recently. He was talking about the faith of a child, and how important it is. It dawned on me that when Christ said unless we have the faith of a child we will never enter the kingdom, that may be the only way we are capable of relating to God; like a child does. God is too far above us to try to analyze him, or paint a clear picture, or imagine him, or ever totally understand him. Theological terms that describe attributes of God, like eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, as well as knowledge of the Bible are important, but a child will accept God on the child’s own terms; simple, to the point, trusting, depending on him, believing, etc. Jesus loves us, and that is the name of the game for a child. He expects the same from adults. According to Jesus, this is the only way we will enter the kingdom.
The faith of a child causes them to relate to God differently as well. Recently, my two year old grandson, Dexter, asked if he could pray for the meal. He asked God to bless mommy, daddy, Papa (me), Gram (Carol), and the food. He ended his prayer with “Bye.” Janea and David have prayer with the kids every night and once again Dexter prayed for all of us. This time he ended his prayer with, “Good night.” Jovie was baptized last year. Her pastor talked to her about it, and asked why she wanted to be baptized. Her reply said it all, “Because Jesus wants me to.” Jovie was five at the time. I was drawn to Christ as a child of nine. Carol said she cannot remember a time when she was NOT a Christian. My daughters, Janea and Brit both made their initial commitment to Christ as children. Bella, a couple of years ago, wrote My Big God Story, saying, “God is the life for us.”
Life does get complicated, there is no question about that, and children do need the love, support, and guidance of parents. This is a given in our world. But children relate to Jesus in a simple, straightforward way. That is the way a child does it.
Is there any other way other than the faith of a child? Apparently not, according to Jesus.
Thanks be to God.
Saturday, June 23, 2018
Grace and Grief: Some Personal Thoughts Straight From the Heart
The two don’t seem to go together. If we think about grace we are filled with gratitude for that which God grants that we don’t deserve. When we grieve, we sorrow at the loss of a loved one. So, how can the two be present in the same situation?
It has been about 6 weeks now since my brother Tom died. The whole week, starting with the early phone call from Tom’s son on Tuesday to the interment service that following Saturday, is still fresh on my mind, and probably always will be. In all honesty, getting on with my life has returned and I am doing fine, but I will never, ever, forget that week. It was another life changing time. My heart was heavy with grief, but I was also rejoicing over Tom’s home going. The thing that makes that part so significant is that Tom had never made a confession of faith that I know of. He occasionally attended the Fairfax Church of the Nazarene in Cincinnati and liked the pastor, Jack Bimber, a lot. Jack turned out to be the one God used to show Tom the way to confession, acceptance of God’s grace, and finally point Tom toward home.
Here are some thoughts from that week that attempt to speak to both grief and grace.
"It seems that mourning for my brother has set in. I was saying to Carol on the way home from Brit and Mike’s that during the last several weeks, I have been geared up to do things; go to Cincy, take messages and updates from Dwayne and pass them on, check with Sonya about medical stuff, make phone calls. I lived with the expectation that there will be some way to help, even though I was not there all the time in the middle of things. It hit me today that my duties, while not as heavy as Dwayne, Mike or Brenda’s have been by any means, are over. When I realized that, my emotions started acting up. We stopped at Mike and Brit’s on the way back home that Sunday for a Mother’s Day dinner and I grew quiet during the time there. It hit me that I will miss Tom a lot. Part of me is now gone. I did not get to visit with him every time we went to Cincinnati, but he was always at the front of my mind. He was one of my heroes, a guy highly respected by those who knew him, generous, kind, friendly to everyone. While I am eternally grateful that he is now with God, my human side is sorrowing over the loss of my big brother.
It seems that my mind is in a couple of different places. One is here, driving home, visiting with Brit and Mike’s for Mother’s Day, chatting with Dave (Mike’s father), taking care of Dexter tomorrow, and all that; in other words, getting back to the regular stuff of life. The other is somewhere far beyond this veil. I don’t really know what I am thinking, just that I am elsewhere.
I will try to focus on what I know and remember, but there is…a longing for something…I don’t know what. What is probably needed is to keep repeating those scriptures, “God is our refuge and strength,” and, “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:1,10, and, “The Lord is near the brokenhearted.” Psalm 34:18.
The most important thing is to remember that Tom is now with God, thanks to His mercy and grace in opening up Tom’s heart, and the persistent care of Tom’s pastor. We had been praying for Tom for a long time, and he got in close to the end. It happened."
Maybe there is no way to logically articulate bringing the two together, but a believer sees it happen anyway. Somehow, in the midst of your grief, you feel God sustaining you, helping you through the dark valley of confusion, keeping your vision clear.
It seems that Paul described it so clearly in 1 Thessalonians 4:13. The idea, from a layman’s point of view, seems to be that we grieve, but not as if we have no hope. We have hope that was established when Christ died and rose again.
Sorrow is a natural part of loss. Jesus wept at Lazarus’s grave even though he knew what he was going to do. Our understanding of heaven is much too limited to get us past the grieving part. Gary Inrig in his book, True North, quoted George McDonald, “If we knew as much about heaven as God does, we would applaud every time a Christian dies.” This points to the fact that we do grieve when we lose a loved one, but we have the hope of eternity because of the work of Christ.
Grief is present and should be acknowledged. However, because of Christ, grace is stronger than grief.
Thanks be to God!
The two don’t seem to go together. If we think about grace we are filled with gratitude for that which God grants that we don’t deserve. When we grieve, we sorrow at the loss of a loved one. So, how can the two be present in the same situation?
It has been about 6 weeks now since my brother Tom died. The whole week, starting with the early phone call from Tom’s son on Tuesday to the interment service that following Saturday, is still fresh on my mind, and probably always will be. In all honesty, getting on with my life has returned and I am doing fine, but I will never, ever, forget that week. It was another life changing time. My heart was heavy with grief, but I was also rejoicing over Tom’s home going. The thing that makes that part so significant is that Tom had never made a confession of faith that I know of. He occasionally attended the Fairfax Church of the Nazarene in Cincinnati and liked the pastor, Jack Bimber, a lot. Jack turned out to be the one God used to show Tom the way to confession, acceptance of God’s grace, and finally point Tom toward home.
Here are some thoughts from that week that attempt to speak to both grief and grace.
"It seems that mourning for my brother has set in. I was saying to Carol on the way home from Brit and Mike’s that during the last several weeks, I have been geared up to do things; go to Cincy, take messages and updates from Dwayne and pass them on, check with Sonya about medical stuff, make phone calls. I lived with the expectation that there will be some way to help, even though I was not there all the time in the middle of things. It hit me today that my duties, while not as heavy as Dwayne, Mike or Brenda’s have been by any means, are over. When I realized that, my emotions started acting up. We stopped at Mike and Brit’s on the way back home that Sunday for a Mother’s Day dinner and I grew quiet during the time there. It hit me that I will miss Tom a lot. Part of me is now gone. I did not get to visit with him every time we went to Cincinnati, but he was always at the front of my mind. He was one of my heroes, a guy highly respected by those who knew him, generous, kind, friendly to everyone. While I am eternally grateful that he is now with God, my human side is sorrowing over the loss of my big brother.
It seems that my mind is in a couple of different places. One is here, driving home, visiting with Brit and Mike’s for Mother’s Day, chatting with Dave (Mike’s father), taking care of Dexter tomorrow, and all that; in other words, getting back to the regular stuff of life. The other is somewhere far beyond this veil. I don’t really know what I am thinking, just that I am elsewhere.
I will try to focus on what I know and remember, but there is…a longing for something…I don’t know what. What is probably needed is to keep repeating those scriptures, “God is our refuge and strength,” and, “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:1,10, and, “The Lord is near the brokenhearted.” Psalm 34:18.
The most important thing is to remember that Tom is now with God, thanks to His mercy and grace in opening up Tom’s heart, and the persistent care of Tom’s pastor. We had been praying for Tom for a long time, and he got in close to the end. It happened."
Maybe there is no way to logically articulate bringing the two together, but a believer sees it happen anyway. Somehow, in the midst of your grief, you feel God sustaining you, helping you through the dark valley of confusion, keeping your vision clear.
It seems that Paul described it so clearly in 1 Thessalonians 4:13. The idea, from a layman’s point of view, seems to be that we grieve, but not as if we have no hope. We have hope that was established when Christ died and rose again.
Sorrow is a natural part of loss. Jesus wept at Lazarus’s grave even though he knew what he was going to do. Our understanding of heaven is much too limited to get us past the grieving part. Gary Inrig in his book, True North, quoted George McDonald, “If we knew as much about heaven as God does, we would applaud every time a Christian dies.” This points to the fact that we do grieve when we lose a loved one, but we have the hope of eternity because of the work of Christ.
Grief is present and should be acknowledged. However, because of Christ, grace is stronger than grief.
Thanks be to God!
Monday, April 30, 2018
Moments
Moments
Sometimes a moment grabs you and won’t let go. Sometimes it stops you cold in your tracks.
I am reading a book by Frederick Buechner called Whistling in the Dark. He takes several topics that may be hard to understand, or are controversial, and tackles them in his own unique way.
I am not that far along in the book yet, but something stood out pretty quickly in his discussion on art. It has to do with what literature, the visual arts, and music require of us. They each create moments that demand we stop and pay attention.
That moment may be something extremely common. When Carol and I visited France a couple of years ago, we visited the Louvre, one of the great art museums in the world. One painting by Cézanne caught my attention like very few paintings ever have. It is called Arbres et Maisons…Trees and Houses. This painting caught my eye in its simple beauty. The moment was captured forever in my mind.
I also have a weird collection, called Favorite Sayings. These are quotes from a variety of sources such as tv programs, Facebook, Bible verses and other places. For example, every time I see the verse in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God,” I am stopped very time. With this, one of my favorite Bible verses, there is nothing I am to do, nothing to say. I am just to be still…like He says.
I have been in music since I was 12 years old and have experienced thousands of moments when something in a piece of music gabs my attention and demands I pay attention to it. The last “Hallelujah,” of the Hallelujah Chorus in Handel’s Messiah, demands my silence every time I hear it even though I have heard it hundreds of times. It is majestic; complete; perfect.
I also recall the first time I held my daughters when they were born. I remember seeing my grandchildren for the first time, pondering the mystery that they are part of me.
Seeing Carol walk down the aisle at our wedding was a heart stopping moment also. Her eyes were red from joyful weeping. I was spellbound seeing this picture of beauty who was soon to be my wife.
On a sadder note, I was with my mom when she breathed her last. We had gone to Lakeside Nursing Home in Alexandria, Ky early that morning. She was more or less out of touch with us, and we never made contact with her again. I gradually began to notice her troubled breathing begin to slow. Finally she exhaled and did not inhale again. That moment changed me forever. Seeing my dad at the funeral home after he died, gave me one of those moments as well.
These things that cause life to pause are moments we are to cherish forever.
What did the disciples think when they looked up and saw Jesus hanging on the cross? Most of them probably kept their distance, but John brought Jesus’s mother forward, and they heard Jesus tell John to take care of her. That was a moment that determined John and Mary’s future from then on.
Then there was the moment Christ just suddenly appeared in the room with the disciples after the resurrection. There was the moment when Thomas realized who He was and fell on his face saying, “My Lord and my God!”
Moments demand our time. Noting else matters. The reaction can be nostalgic; or exuberance; or sadness; or joy; or…sometimes nothing.
That painting will take you someplace you have never been before. That phrase in literature or the Bible will stay with you, possibly forever. That moment in music may bring tears of joy.
Then there are those incomparable moments when God seems especially near. Prayer, a passage in the Bible, or seeing a bright, full moon on a clear night when everyone has gone to bed, can trigger one. You can’t describe them…you don’t need to try. He has something for you that you may not recognize right away but will probably change you forever.
God wants us to have more of those quiet, trusting moments. He wants us to simply slow down and “be still and know…”
When these moments happen, we realize we don’t need any specific blessing; or specific favor from Him; or even a specific answer. We only need Him. Those moments are the most precious of all.
Thanks be to God.
Sometimes a moment grabs you and won’t let go. Sometimes it stops you cold in your tracks.
I am reading a book by Frederick Buechner called Whistling in the Dark. He takes several topics that may be hard to understand, or are controversial, and tackles them in his own unique way.
I am not that far along in the book yet, but something stood out pretty quickly in his discussion on art. It has to do with what literature, the visual arts, and music require of us. They each create moments that demand we stop and pay attention.
That moment may be something extremely common. When Carol and I visited France a couple of years ago, we visited the Louvre, one of the great art museums in the world. One painting by Cézanne caught my attention like very few paintings ever have. It is called Arbres et Maisons…Trees and Houses. This painting caught my eye in its simple beauty. The moment was captured forever in my mind.
I also have a weird collection, called Favorite Sayings. These are quotes from a variety of sources such as tv programs, Facebook, Bible verses and other places. For example, every time I see the verse in Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God,” I am stopped very time. With this, one of my favorite Bible verses, there is nothing I am to do, nothing to say. I am just to be still…like He says.
I have been in music since I was 12 years old and have experienced thousands of moments when something in a piece of music gabs my attention and demands I pay attention to it. The last “Hallelujah,” of the Hallelujah Chorus in Handel’s Messiah, demands my silence every time I hear it even though I have heard it hundreds of times. It is majestic; complete; perfect.
I also recall the first time I held my daughters when they were born. I remember seeing my grandchildren for the first time, pondering the mystery that they are part of me.
Seeing Carol walk down the aisle at our wedding was a heart stopping moment also. Her eyes were red from joyful weeping. I was spellbound seeing this picture of beauty who was soon to be my wife.
On a sadder note, I was with my mom when she breathed her last. We had gone to Lakeside Nursing Home in Alexandria, Ky early that morning. She was more or less out of touch with us, and we never made contact with her again. I gradually began to notice her troubled breathing begin to slow. Finally she exhaled and did not inhale again. That moment changed me forever. Seeing my dad at the funeral home after he died, gave me one of those moments as well.
These things that cause life to pause are moments we are to cherish forever.
What did the disciples think when they looked up and saw Jesus hanging on the cross? Most of them probably kept their distance, but John brought Jesus’s mother forward, and they heard Jesus tell John to take care of her. That was a moment that determined John and Mary’s future from then on.
Then there was the moment Christ just suddenly appeared in the room with the disciples after the resurrection. There was the moment when Thomas realized who He was and fell on his face saying, “My Lord and my God!”
Moments demand our time. Noting else matters. The reaction can be nostalgic; or exuberance; or sadness; or joy; or…sometimes nothing.
That painting will take you someplace you have never been before. That phrase in literature or the Bible will stay with you, possibly forever. That moment in music may bring tears of joy.
Then there are those incomparable moments when God seems especially near. Prayer, a passage in the Bible, or seeing a bright, full moon on a clear night when everyone has gone to bed, can trigger one. You can’t describe them…you don’t need to try. He has something for you that you may not recognize right away but will probably change you forever.
God wants us to have more of those quiet, trusting moments. He wants us to simply slow down and “be still and know…”
When these moments happen, we realize we don’t need any specific blessing; or specific favor from Him; or even a specific answer. We only need Him. Those moments are the most precious of all.
Thanks be to God.
Friday, March 23, 2018
Coming Down (Not Necessarily Calming Down)
Coming Down (Not Necessarily Calming Down)
Have you ever been on a spiritual high, only to come crashing back down rather suddenly? I am certain we have all been in situations where the Spirit of God spoke clearly to us and we felt revived. Maybe the music of a worship service moved us and cleared our minds so we can concentrate solely on him. Possibly a sermon lifted us to new insights. Then, we head back to our lives; work, kids, everyday stuff that is, quite frankly, not as fun or up lifting.
What keeps us from going down so far we can’t get back up? How do we survive times like that?
Jesus, before he came to live among us, was at the pentacle of heaven. He was, and is, the second person of the eternal, blessed trinity, the Son of God. He was present at creation. Then, he was sent to live among us. So, he came down…and down…and down…becoming a fertilized egg in the womb of a very young girl. God himself became a fetus. He was born and lived a relatively normal life until about age 30. Then, his life came to a climax when he willingly gave himself to fulfill God’s righteous requirement of punishment for sin. He died for us…in our place. “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8) This was how far down he came; from the heights of heaven to the cross.
Another incident during his life was when he took Peter, James, and John up to a mountain and was transfigured before them. The three saw him conversing with Moses and Elijah…talk about elite company! What a scene that must have been! No wonder the disciples were so frightened. This was a moment of glory for Christ. Peter, in his compulsive way, blurted out, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:4-5, NIV)
The four, Jesus, Peter, James and John left the mountain. Not long after that, Jesus faced his death and crucifixion.
We will face our own coming down times as well. The two incidents mentioned above were pretty dramatic and part of God’s plan, but the fact remains, we simply cannot stay on the mountain top too long. It would not be good for us; growth probably would not take place. What would have happened if they had stayed on the mountain, built the shelters, and Jesus decided to not face his death? Christianity would have died a worthless death.
However, and this is what encouraged me to write this blog, God’s sustaining grace is what helps us down from the mountain top to the level of everyday life, and even the dark valleys we might enter. His grace can sustain us through anything. Easy? No. Essential? Absolutely!
Psalm 37:24 says this about God’s sustaining grace during those coming down times.
“Though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.” (NRSV)
Ours is to listen, be still (46:10), and trust, no matter what. His grace took Christ from the heights of heaven to the cross, from the mountaintop to his death. It can surely take us back into everyday life and beyond.
Thanks be to God.
Have you ever been on a spiritual high, only to come crashing back down rather suddenly? I am certain we have all been in situations where the Spirit of God spoke clearly to us and we felt revived. Maybe the music of a worship service moved us and cleared our minds so we can concentrate solely on him. Possibly a sermon lifted us to new insights. Then, we head back to our lives; work, kids, everyday stuff that is, quite frankly, not as fun or up lifting.
What keeps us from going down so far we can’t get back up? How do we survive times like that?
Jesus, before he came to live among us, was at the pentacle of heaven. He was, and is, the second person of the eternal, blessed trinity, the Son of God. He was present at creation. Then, he was sent to live among us. So, he came down…and down…and down…becoming a fertilized egg in the womb of a very young girl. God himself became a fetus. He was born and lived a relatively normal life until about age 30. Then, his life came to a climax when he willingly gave himself to fulfill God’s righteous requirement of punishment for sin. He died for us…in our place. “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8) This was how far down he came; from the heights of heaven to the cross.
Another incident during his life was when he took Peter, James, and John up to a mountain and was transfigured before them. The three saw him conversing with Moses and Elijah…talk about elite company! What a scene that must have been! No wonder the disciples were so frightened. This was a moment of glory for Christ. Peter, in his compulsive way, blurted out, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:4-5, NIV)
The four, Jesus, Peter, James and John left the mountain. Not long after that, Jesus faced his death and crucifixion.
We will face our own coming down times as well. The two incidents mentioned above were pretty dramatic and part of God’s plan, but the fact remains, we simply cannot stay on the mountain top too long. It would not be good for us; growth probably would not take place. What would have happened if they had stayed on the mountain, built the shelters, and Jesus decided to not face his death? Christianity would have died a worthless death.
However, and this is what encouraged me to write this blog, God’s sustaining grace is what helps us down from the mountain top to the level of everyday life, and even the dark valleys we might enter. His grace can sustain us through anything. Easy? No. Essential? Absolutely!
Psalm 37:24 says this about God’s sustaining grace during those coming down times.
“Though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.” (NRSV)
Ours is to listen, be still (46:10), and trust, no matter what. His grace took Christ from the heights of heaven to the cross, from the mountaintop to his death. It can surely take us back into everyday life and beyond.
Thanks be to God.
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Loving the Unlovable
Occasionally something I’m reading sends a message, or the Holy Spirit does, that is undeniable. I’m supposed to read it, ponder it, study it, meditate on it, start doing it, write about it, or something. It happened the other night. It was about loving others and allowing ourselves to be loved. I know what Carol and I have shared for more than 48 years now. I know how I feel about my daughters, sons in law, grandchildren and other family members. That is unmistakable. It is very much of a mystery, but it is common enough. This was somehow different.
Before I went to bed I was reading in my new book by Henri Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son. He had seen a picture of that great Rembrandt painting by the same name and something about it hit home. There was God accepting and comforting broken humanity, with skeptics looking on. There is love, as good as it gets. The look on the father’s face is heart-wrenching; somber, a mixture of sorrow and joy, eyes closed. The wayward son is kneeling before him, his face buried in the father’s robes. The boy is filthy dirty, clothes in tatters, hair cut off, no beard, barefoot. We can only imagine other things that make him totally ‘unlovable’. Yet the father pulls the boy to himself and puts his hands on his shoulders pulling him close. Nouwen got the chance to see the original painting in the Hermitage Museum in Moscow. It apparently changed him forever.
Then I opened a page in Frederick Buechner’s book, A Room to Remember, where he speaks of love. A couple of pages I’ve dog-eared. In one place (page 45) he brings the command “You shall love the Lord your God…” into a totally different focus. He says that the final secret to this is that these words become less of a command and wind up being a promise; in other words, we will finally be able to love like we should. This seems to acknowledge the fact that we indeed cannot love God – or others as we should – without Christ’s love working in us, making it happen. We are too limited. Our righteousness is too unlovely; too dirty; too tattered; too barefoot; too incapable.
In another place (page 113) Buechner takes Christ’s words “Come to me…” and describes them as “fresh as air, clear as water, as unpoetic as bread. It is in ourselves that the poetry must happen if it is to happen at all.” This is the ultimate invitation to be loved.
After meditating on these two places and Nouwen’s experience, I began to wonder if I love God as much as I should or if I allow God to love me the way he wants. It seems that the only conclusion we can draw regarding love is that we indeed can’t experience love in either regard like we should – not on our own anyway. I look at the picture of the father accepting his wayward son and wonder, how is it possible to love like that? How do we love the unlovable? How do we love God like we should? How do we allow God to love us like that? How do we show love to cranky neighbors? We can’t, not without the love of God entering us first, transforming us, making us into his image. It’s his love that makes that possible. It has to start there. God does not have to work at loving us. It’s the way he is.
Less a command than a promise is how Buechner put it. I think I’m still waiting for that promise to come to fruition in my own life.
A Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, no one ever loved like you. It is so profound that we can’t comprehend it. You took us into your arms when we were filthy, dirty, tattered, barefoot and totally ‘unlovable’. Fill us with that love that causes us first of all to love you without hesitation, and causes us to love others as we should. Amen.
Thanks be to God.
Occasionally something I’m reading sends a message, or the Holy Spirit does, that is undeniable. I’m supposed to read it, ponder it, study it, meditate on it, start doing it, write about it, or something. It happened the other night. It was about loving others and allowing ourselves to be loved. I know what Carol and I have shared for more than 48 years now. I know how I feel about my daughters, sons in law, grandchildren and other family members. That is unmistakable. It is very much of a mystery, but it is common enough. This was somehow different.
Before I went to bed I was reading in my new book by Henri Nouwen, The Return of the Prodigal Son. He had seen a picture of that great Rembrandt painting by the same name and something about it hit home. There was God accepting and comforting broken humanity, with skeptics looking on. There is love, as good as it gets. The look on the father’s face is heart-wrenching; somber, a mixture of sorrow and joy, eyes closed. The wayward son is kneeling before him, his face buried in the father’s robes. The boy is filthy dirty, clothes in tatters, hair cut off, no beard, barefoot. We can only imagine other things that make him totally ‘unlovable’. Yet the father pulls the boy to himself and puts his hands on his shoulders pulling him close. Nouwen got the chance to see the original painting in the Hermitage Museum in Moscow. It apparently changed him forever.
Then I opened a page in Frederick Buechner’s book, A Room to Remember, where he speaks of love. A couple of pages I’ve dog-eared. In one place (page 45) he brings the command “You shall love the Lord your God…” into a totally different focus. He says that the final secret to this is that these words become less of a command and wind up being a promise; in other words, we will finally be able to love like we should. This seems to acknowledge the fact that we indeed cannot love God – or others as we should – without Christ’s love working in us, making it happen. We are too limited. Our righteousness is too unlovely; too dirty; too tattered; too barefoot; too incapable.
In another place (page 113) Buechner takes Christ’s words “Come to me…” and describes them as “fresh as air, clear as water, as unpoetic as bread. It is in ourselves that the poetry must happen if it is to happen at all.” This is the ultimate invitation to be loved.
After meditating on these two places and Nouwen’s experience, I began to wonder if I love God as much as I should or if I allow God to love me the way he wants. It seems that the only conclusion we can draw regarding love is that we indeed can’t experience love in either regard like we should – not on our own anyway. I look at the picture of the father accepting his wayward son and wonder, how is it possible to love like that? How do we love the unlovable? How do we love God like we should? How do we allow God to love us like that? How do we show love to cranky neighbors? We can’t, not without the love of God entering us first, transforming us, making us into his image. It’s his love that makes that possible. It has to start there. God does not have to work at loving us. It’s the way he is.
Less a command than a promise is how Buechner put it. I think I’m still waiting for that promise to come to fruition in my own life.
A Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, no one ever loved like you. It is so profound that we can’t comprehend it. You took us into your arms when we were filthy, dirty, tattered, barefoot and totally ‘unlovable’. Fill us with that love that causes us first of all to love you without hesitation, and causes us to love others as we should. Amen.
Thanks be to God.
A Good God
A Good God
In the midst of Job’s catastrophes, he cried at one point, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21, NRSV)
How is it possible for Job to say such a thing, especially after he lost everything, including all his children? Does God have the sovereign right to allow the death of a beloved one, or, to take them, as Job said? If we believe in His sovereignty then apparently he does. We are told that it is for a higher purpose, but that is also hard to grasp, especially since we live in the here and now, and cannot comprehend the long term effect of the tragic loss of a loved one; one who died in infancy; too young in life; suddenly and unexpectedly; or one who suffered a long time then died. How do we reconcile a “good God” with the reality of terrible losses?
We have heard of those who cannot come to grips with tragedy, and continue to look at God as a villain who did something terrible to them, or did not answer their prayers. God has become an enemy to them. There are also those who no longer believe God is involved in our lives at all.
Then there are those who remain faithful to God no matter what. My parents were like that. Before I was born, they went through the tragedy of losing two infant sons. Dad was laid off from his primary work for nearly two years. They still sent a daughter to college during that time. Other tragedies came, but their faith in the goodness of God was never in doubt.
Both of my parents died several years ago. They were ready, they were ill, and their passing seemed a blessing. Mom’s long physical suffering was over, and dad put away his aging body to take on a new one. Their faith in the goodness of God took them both home.
There is no way to adequately deal with that unanswerable question, “Why?” However, the Bible has a lot to say about God’s goodness. Here are a few passages from the NIV.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” - Philippians 4:6
“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.” - 1 Timothy 4:4
“The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” - Psalm 145:9
“For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” - Psalm 100:5
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” - James 1:17
“So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” - Hebrews 13:6
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” - 1 Peter 5:7
“Be still and know that I am God” - Psalm 46:10
Perhaps the words Jesus uttered are the most powerful of all.
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.” - Mark 10:18
This in no way covers all of the verses in the Bible on God’s goodness, but maybe they can “whet our appetite,” and encourage us to discover more.
In order to rest in God’s goodness and begin to realize that God is good, we need to be silent before Him; wait on Him. This will not be easy as we live in the here and now and cannot begin to see any long term benefits. In His time, however, we will see how good He is and will submit to His loving care. We will realize that He has been sustaining us all along. I hope these scriptures can give sustenance to all who are suffering.
God cares…He really does!
Thanks be to God.
In the midst of Job’s catastrophes, he cried at one point, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:21, NRSV)
How is it possible for Job to say such a thing, especially after he lost everything, including all his children? Does God have the sovereign right to allow the death of a beloved one, or, to take them, as Job said? If we believe in His sovereignty then apparently he does. We are told that it is for a higher purpose, but that is also hard to grasp, especially since we live in the here and now, and cannot comprehend the long term effect of the tragic loss of a loved one; one who died in infancy; too young in life; suddenly and unexpectedly; or one who suffered a long time then died. How do we reconcile a “good God” with the reality of terrible losses?
We have heard of those who cannot come to grips with tragedy, and continue to look at God as a villain who did something terrible to them, or did not answer their prayers. God has become an enemy to them. There are also those who no longer believe God is involved in our lives at all.
Then there are those who remain faithful to God no matter what. My parents were like that. Before I was born, they went through the tragedy of losing two infant sons. Dad was laid off from his primary work for nearly two years. They still sent a daughter to college during that time. Other tragedies came, but their faith in the goodness of God was never in doubt.
Both of my parents died several years ago. They were ready, they were ill, and their passing seemed a blessing. Mom’s long physical suffering was over, and dad put away his aging body to take on a new one. Their faith in the goodness of God took them both home.
There is no way to adequately deal with that unanswerable question, “Why?” However, the Bible has a lot to say about God’s goodness. Here are a few passages from the NIV.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” - Philippians 4:6
“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving.” - 1 Timothy 4:4
“The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” - Psalm 145:9
“For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” - Psalm 100:5
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” - James 1:17
“So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” - Hebrews 13:6
“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” - 1 Peter 5:7
“Be still and know that I am God” - Psalm 46:10
Perhaps the words Jesus uttered are the most powerful of all.
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.” - Mark 10:18
This in no way covers all of the verses in the Bible on God’s goodness, but maybe they can “whet our appetite,” and encourage us to discover more.
In order to rest in God’s goodness and begin to realize that God is good, we need to be silent before Him; wait on Him. This will not be easy as we live in the here and now and cannot begin to see any long term benefits. In His time, however, we will see how good He is and will submit to His loving care. We will realize that He has been sustaining us all along. I hope these scriptures can give sustenance to all who are suffering.
God cares…He really does!
Thanks be to God.
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Calming Down
Something caught my attention today. I have been listening to a song on Youtube by the Rangers trio, one of my favorite groups back when I followed Southern Gospel music much more than I do now. The song was recorded in 1960, and is called Just to Live With My Faith In God. It speaks of a longing to have greater faith in our great God.
One line in particular struck me big time. The chorus starts, “He can move a mountain, he can calm the sea; He can walk the waters, he can save a wretch like me.”
By way of background, I got a new tv for Christmas in 2016 that we have really enjoyed. Carol got it and Mike and David set it up for me. Well, today, I noticed a red line on the right side of the screen, going from top to bottom. I contacted the manufacturer on the internet and was able to get into a chat with an agent who was qualified to help. I did that three times, and each time was told that I should go back to the website and make a service request and submit it. They said I should hear from them in a couple of days. I did this three times and finally found what I was looking for. In the meantime, I had to gather model numbers, serial numbers, software numbers and all kinds of stuff. The website was not very easy to navigate and my frustration was growing by the minute. Finally I decided to let it go and wait and see if they really will contact me.
Now, I have to admit, this is far from a serious life impacting issue, but it sure was frustrating. I still don’t know how this is going to be resolved.
Soon after that, I got to thinking how I was so upset with the tv and having to deal with the company, and how frustrating that was. I have a tendency to get impatient when ordinary things that should work right…don’t all of a sudden.
Then the thought ran through my mind from the line in the Rangers’ song, Christ can move mountains, he can calm seas, he can walk waters. Then a little more came to mind. He can touch blind eyes and make them see again. He can raise a child from the dead…and Lazarus. He can tell demons to go back to Hell where they belong…and they do. He can touch a leper and make him whole again. He can take a mere 5 loaves of bread and two fish and feed 5000 people. He can love Judas and the other disciples in a way that is beyond our understanding, even after they failed him. He can give his own life for us…and rise victoriously from the dead. Oh yeah, John even spoke of his role in creation. If he can do all of that…and stuff I can’t even think of, surely he can calm me down over a stupid tv. He did, by the way.
Paul said something in Ephesians 3:20-21 that is pertinent here.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (NIV)
Big stuff, little stuff (like tvs), it does not matter. He cares about us and is involved in our lives. Like Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” (KJV)
No matter what that burden is, or frustration, or failure. Give it to him. Just be still and listen, and allow him to give his peace to you. Your issue may not be taken care of right away (my tv still has that red line on the screen), but he can reveal his presence as a reassurance that if we come to Him, he will give us the rest we are looking for.
Thanks be to God.
Something caught my attention today. I have been listening to a song on Youtube by the Rangers trio, one of my favorite groups back when I followed Southern Gospel music much more than I do now. The song was recorded in 1960, and is called Just to Live With My Faith In God. It speaks of a longing to have greater faith in our great God.
One line in particular struck me big time. The chorus starts, “He can move a mountain, he can calm the sea; He can walk the waters, he can save a wretch like me.”
By way of background, I got a new tv for Christmas in 2016 that we have really enjoyed. Carol got it and Mike and David set it up for me. Well, today, I noticed a red line on the right side of the screen, going from top to bottom. I contacted the manufacturer on the internet and was able to get into a chat with an agent who was qualified to help. I did that three times, and each time was told that I should go back to the website and make a service request and submit it. They said I should hear from them in a couple of days. I did this three times and finally found what I was looking for. In the meantime, I had to gather model numbers, serial numbers, software numbers and all kinds of stuff. The website was not very easy to navigate and my frustration was growing by the minute. Finally I decided to let it go and wait and see if they really will contact me.
Now, I have to admit, this is far from a serious life impacting issue, but it sure was frustrating. I still don’t know how this is going to be resolved.
Soon after that, I got to thinking how I was so upset with the tv and having to deal with the company, and how frustrating that was. I have a tendency to get impatient when ordinary things that should work right…don’t all of a sudden.
Then the thought ran through my mind from the line in the Rangers’ song, Christ can move mountains, he can calm seas, he can walk waters. Then a little more came to mind. He can touch blind eyes and make them see again. He can raise a child from the dead…and Lazarus. He can tell demons to go back to Hell where they belong…and they do. He can touch a leper and make him whole again. He can take a mere 5 loaves of bread and two fish and feed 5000 people. He can love Judas and the other disciples in a way that is beyond our understanding, even after they failed him. He can give his own life for us…and rise victoriously from the dead. Oh yeah, John even spoke of his role in creation. If he can do all of that…and stuff I can’t even think of, surely he can calm me down over a stupid tv. He did, by the way.
Paul said something in Ephesians 3:20-21 that is pertinent here.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (NIV)
Big stuff, little stuff (like tvs), it does not matter. He cares about us and is involved in our lives. Like Psalm 55:22 says, “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” (KJV)
No matter what that burden is, or frustration, or failure. Give it to him. Just be still and listen, and allow him to give his peace to you. Your issue may not be taken care of right away (my tv still has that red line on the screen), but he can reveal his presence as a reassurance that if we come to Him, he will give us the rest we are looking for.
Thanks be to God.
Friday, January 19, 2018
Pruning
Pruning
Another verse in the Bible became clear recently. I was reading John 15:2, where Jesus called himself “the vine,” and the disciples (and us) “the branches.”
“Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he [the Father] removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit.” (CSB translation).
Now, if you have ever pruned anything, you know that this involves cutting off dead branches that might hinder the growth of the plant. I am certainly no expert in that area…far from it…but I have done some pruning that hopefully shaped a plant the way I wanted it to look. Pruning helps the plant grow even more by making sure all nourishment from the soil, water, and sun goes to the living parts. The dead parts must be removed, and occasionally even the living parts need pruning as well in order for growth to continue.
There are times when we wonder why our spiritual life seems dead. We wonder why temptation is harder to fight off. We forget where our trust must be, and, in vain, try to fight our own battles. Our journey seems to have hit a dead end. Perhaps some pruning is needed.
Some years ago, I got really interested in Science Fiction. I read a LOT of novels, short stories, novellas, etc, and loved the movies and tv programs about it. I knew all of the major authors, had my favorites, and even knew who would win the major awards, the Hugo and Nebula. At one time, I had a private library of over 700 volumes.
Then, back in the 90s a crisis arose. I found a book by Philip Yancey, called Disappointment With God. The basic story line was about a brilliant seminary student who wrote a thesis on Job that was so good, publishers wanted him to publish it. Then, this student, who had gone through some major crises of his own, said that he no longer believed a word he had written. He no longer believed God was there, or cared, or mattered.
This book changed me forever. I was reminded that sometimes God answers prayer the way we want, and sometimes he doesn’t. Yancey gave a realistic view of God, and how it is ours to simply trust, no matter what.
I soon began to realize that my spiritual life, while not dead, was not “running any races” very well. As a result of reading the Yancey book, I began to see the gold mine that existed in the world of materials about Christian living.
I never saw anything written in the sky, or had a dream or an angel visitation, or experienced a glowing Bible verse, or whatever, saying that I must stop reading SF. The fact is, I simply lost interest. I was spending so much time on SF that I was pretty much ignoring other things of greater spiritual value. It was not ripped away from me. I just saw something much more important that captured my attention.
On the other hand, pruning may be much more painful than what I just described. It may involve something or someone that you love and cannot seem to live without, but is robbing you of growth in Christ. It may even be an addiction of some kind. This process may indeed hurt, and it may take some time.
However, it is necessary to remove anything from our lives, or allow the Lord to, that is making our spiritual life seem like slogging through wet concrete, instead of running a race. We would not run a race with our street clothes on. We would have a hard time even finishing, let alone winning.
What Christ expects is nothing less than Matthew 6:24-26; we take up our cross and follow him. Is this being ridiculous? It would seem so, until we realize that following him entirely is the way to life…abundant life now, and eternal life when this one is over.
It is ours to believe. It is ours to decide which it will be. Do we continue in our own little world while ignoring Christ’s words completely, or do we allow the potential pain of pruning to change us, “…into the same image [of Christ] from glory to glory?” (CSB) That is what he demands after all. He makes this transformation to take place. We don’t have to do it on our own.
Thanks be to God.
Another verse in the Bible became clear recently. I was reading John 15:2, where Jesus called himself “the vine,” and the disciples (and us) “the branches.”
“Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he [the Father] removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit.” (CSB translation).
Now, if you have ever pruned anything, you know that this involves cutting off dead branches that might hinder the growth of the plant. I am certainly no expert in that area…far from it…but I have done some pruning that hopefully shaped a plant the way I wanted it to look. Pruning helps the plant grow even more by making sure all nourishment from the soil, water, and sun goes to the living parts. The dead parts must be removed, and occasionally even the living parts need pruning as well in order for growth to continue.
There are times when we wonder why our spiritual life seems dead. We wonder why temptation is harder to fight off. We forget where our trust must be, and, in vain, try to fight our own battles. Our journey seems to have hit a dead end. Perhaps some pruning is needed.
Some years ago, I got really interested in Science Fiction. I read a LOT of novels, short stories, novellas, etc, and loved the movies and tv programs about it. I knew all of the major authors, had my favorites, and even knew who would win the major awards, the Hugo and Nebula. At one time, I had a private library of over 700 volumes.
Then, back in the 90s a crisis arose. I found a book by Philip Yancey, called Disappointment With God. The basic story line was about a brilliant seminary student who wrote a thesis on Job that was so good, publishers wanted him to publish it. Then, this student, who had gone through some major crises of his own, said that he no longer believed a word he had written. He no longer believed God was there, or cared, or mattered.
This book changed me forever. I was reminded that sometimes God answers prayer the way we want, and sometimes he doesn’t. Yancey gave a realistic view of God, and how it is ours to simply trust, no matter what.
I soon began to realize that my spiritual life, while not dead, was not “running any races” very well. As a result of reading the Yancey book, I began to see the gold mine that existed in the world of materials about Christian living.
I never saw anything written in the sky, or had a dream or an angel visitation, or experienced a glowing Bible verse, or whatever, saying that I must stop reading SF. The fact is, I simply lost interest. I was spending so much time on SF that I was pretty much ignoring other things of greater spiritual value. It was not ripped away from me. I just saw something much more important that captured my attention.
On the other hand, pruning may be much more painful than what I just described. It may involve something or someone that you love and cannot seem to live without, but is robbing you of growth in Christ. It may even be an addiction of some kind. This process may indeed hurt, and it may take some time.
However, it is necessary to remove anything from our lives, or allow the Lord to, that is making our spiritual life seem like slogging through wet concrete, instead of running a race. We would not run a race with our street clothes on. We would have a hard time even finishing, let alone winning.
What Christ expects is nothing less than Matthew 6:24-26; we take up our cross and follow him. Is this being ridiculous? It would seem so, until we realize that following him entirely is the way to life…abundant life now, and eternal life when this one is over.
It is ours to believe. It is ours to decide which it will be. Do we continue in our own little world while ignoring Christ’s words completely, or do we allow the potential pain of pruning to change us, “…into the same image [of Christ] from glory to glory?” (CSB) That is what he demands after all. He makes this transformation to take place. We don’t have to do it on our own.
Thanks be to God.
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