Sunday, February 27, 2005

Expecting An Answer

I was sitting back the other day feeling kind of full of myself thinking about how I’ve changed in the past couple of years. I used to fly off the handle at the least little thing that didn’t agree with my way of thinking. Well, I’ve worked at it hard and I feel I’ve made some advances, but I catch myself getting worked up over nothing still. I’ve been real good about expressing my feelings though. My demeanor has become much calmer even though my passion for perfection is still shining through. Not long after gloating and patting myself on the back I found myself sounding off like a teakettle left on the fire too long. Oh boy, the old me jumped up and turned me into a crazed idiot again. My inappropriate actions had an effect on others to which I had to apologize for after I stopped and prayed about my ridiculous behavior. I went and got the cart before the horse and ended up looking like a fool. I’m still learning that some things I just can’t change and they’re best left to the Lord. I need to pray first, and then take action.
As the drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small community of mid-west farmers was in a quandary as what to do next. The rain was important not only to keep their crops healthy, but also to sustain the townspeople’s very way of living. As the problem became more urgent the local church felt it was time to get involved and called a prayer meeting to ask for rain. In what seemed a vague remembrance of the native-American ritual, people began to arrive. The preacher, on his arrival, watched as folks continued to file in, numbering more than he had seen in the building before. Everyone was taking the opportunity to visit across the aisles, socializing with close friends. He slowly made his way to the front with thoughts of quieting those present and starting the meeting. As he began to ask for quiet, his eyes scanned the crowd and he took note of an eleven-year-old girl sitting in the front row. Her face was beaming with excitement as she quietly sat in her place. Poised in front of her and ready for use was a red umbrella! The beauty and innocence of the girl made the preacher smile as he realized the faith she possessed. No one else had brought an umbrella. They had all come to pray for rain, but she had come expecting God to answer their prayers with the much-needed rain.
[Ephesians 4: 1-6] I’ve come to the conclusion that the guilt feelings we experience and have a tough time dealing with, is simply the calling to repentance we receive from God. Having the full knowledge of the will of God, Paul was inspired to write to those in Ephesus about the unity they must practice to maintain peace in the body of Christ. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” Whoa! Now while that seems an impossible task remember when Jesus was asked, “Who then can be saved?” (Mark 10: 27) Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Why be baptized into the body of Christ, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and not take full advantage of using the powers of God every chance I get to keep peace in my life? Prayer is powerful. The problem we have with prayer is we too often offer up solutions rather than asking for guidance and wisdom. I for one am happy for guilt feelings because they humble me and I have to go to my closet to ask for forgiveness and guidance. Expecting rain? Bring an umbrella. Expecting a reward? Love as God loves you and you will be eternally blessed.

Saturday, February 19, 2005

Supporting Roots

Most of my life I’ve had employment that was fit for the purpose of man. I’ve generally been involved in the building, rebuilding or simply planning and carrying out those plans to the end product. Much of my adult work has centered on the automotive industry, which has had the tendency to educate me in many areas of life. Much of what I learned has helped me tremendously in my most recent job which at times keeps me on my toes to see that everything gets completed on time, day in and day out. Right now along with my regular duties we’re planning for the construction of a parking lot at the church building. There are a lot of people to talk with as to the best way to complete the project in a safe and productive manner. Things on the property, underground, must be located such as water, sewer and gas lines. Rainwater run off must be considered. What are we going to do with all the dirt that’s fixin’ to be removed? So far all the bases are being covered, I think, and we’ll be ready to start the middle of next week, I hope. Well anyway, if everyone will do what they’re supposed to do it will all work out perfect.
You probably know of the redwood tree, but you may not know that the only place in the world it’s found to be growing is on the west coast of America. I’ve stood among some of them and they are an awesome sight. Truly they are the giants of the tree world towering 300 feet or more and having been living for over one thousand years. Just think, when Columbus landed on the eastern shores of America, some of these redwoods were already 600 years old. So what’s the secret of the redwood? How can it last so long and endure so much? Unlike other trees whose taproot goes deep into the ground giving it support, the redwood has no taproot. The redwood sends its roots outwardly on the average of three times its height. That means a giant redwood, 300 feet in height, has a root system 900 feet in diameter at its base. So, if all the trees in the area do the same thing that means their roots are totally intertwined supporting one another. Their roots are woven together so tightly there’s no way any of them could fall over. It is held up by the strength of the trees around it and you’ll never find a redwood standing alone.
[Hebrews 10: 19-25] In 2004 Congress proclaimed the oak tree the official national tree, I suppose, because it is found in most states in one variety or another. The redwood came in second. That’s a shame, because if anything represents the “united we stand; divided we fall” attitude of the United States citizens, the Redwood Forest would be it. What a lesson God has placed before us. It seems that life has been designed in such a way that almost nothing I want to do can be done alone. The writer of the Hebrew book blatantly reminds us that in our Christian walk, if we try it alone we will fall. Why attend worship and why be with my brothers and sisters in Christ on every opportunity I have? We have a common ground, Christ Jesus. The writer says “let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful” and that we should “spur one another on”. Folks, that means we must work with one another. Together with friends and family our lives must become woven and intertwined with love and hope, strengthening one another with the encouragement we need to keep our eye on the goal, life everlasting with the Creator and the Maker of all things. The day is approaching of Jesus’ return. Have you got someone to hold on to? Have you got Jesus to hold you up?

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

The Harvest Is Near

It’s been one of those weeks again. Early last Sunday morning the expected came unexpectedly when the nursing center, where my mother-in-law is in residence, called with the news of her passing in the early morning hours. The death of a loved one is never easy to accept be it accidental or knowing in the heart that age and disease has a choke hold on life. Congestive heart failure and loneliness, mixed with a little depression following the death of her spouse, spurred my wife to move her mother closer to see that she was properly cared for during whatever time was left. Well, nine years were added to her life where upon she got to know and love her great-grandchildren. “Granny Crane” was a grand lady. The kids thought she was “cool”. She had a story with a lesson of moral goodness for every situation and wasn’t ashamed to let anyone know that Jesus was her guide and confidante. She had her own funeral all planned out, bought and paid for. She recorded her wishes with shaky pen in hand on two small pieces of paper. On the back of one is a child-like drawing of an angel with wings looking heavenward rising above the trees and houses, sporting a big grin on her face. She was ready to go home. She had assignments for several of the family to participate during her going home celebration and we honored her requests, with love. Never did you leave her presence without hearing, “I Love You!” except for that day, but our memories rang it out loud.
Most of us can afford to take a lesson from the Oyster. The most extraordinary thing is this. Irritations tend to get into his shell. He doesn’t like them and he tries to get rid of them. But when he cannot get rid of them he settles down to make one of the most beautiful things in the world. He uses the irritation to do the loveliest thing that an oyster ever has the chance to do. He makes a pearl. If there are irritations in your life today, there’s only one prescription – make a pearl. It may have to be a pearl of patience, but anyhow, make a pearl. It takes faith and love to do it.
[Philippians 2: 12-18] Grandma asked that I read that little story at her funeral and that I wasn’t restricted to doing just that. Among other instructions, she insisted no one glorify her but to speak of the one who saved her from the wickedness of the world, preach Jesus. As an amateur preacher of sorts I couldn’t resist, so I preached Jesus. On the wall behind and above the casket hung a painting of Jesus praying in the garden. He was about to take on all the irritants of the world – the sins of mankind. He was praying because He was afraid to die, even asking His Father if there were another way He would do it. But in obedience Jesus said, “…not mine, but your will be done.” Jesus showed us the way to paradise and grandma prepared herself in His way. She worked out her own salvation with fear and trembling and did all she could to teach others Jesus. She took the irritations of life, wrapped them tightly in faith making pearls of them which she wore proudly. The body that lay in the casket was but the shell of the lady we loved and though we couldn’t see it, that shell had been opened and God had harvested the pearl of a spirit. Are you working out your own salvation through Jesus who has shown you the way? How are you handling the irritations of the world? With complaining and arguing or are you a shining star holding out the Word of life? Are you ready to take on death, as we all must do some day? Are you ready for the harvest day?

Saturday, February 05, 2005

Ahhh, Life Is Good With God

I’m fixin to add another year on this week. In some respects time is flying by, but in others time seems to have a mind of it’s own. Life has held some pretty rough challenges for me just as it probably has for anyone with fifty plus years behind them. I think the greatest challenges have been those where a lifestyle change was in order and most of the time those changes were inspired by physical distress and/or the fear thereof. Somewhere along the line we discover there are things we’ve been doing, due to poor judgment on our part, that need to be stopped, if for no other reason than to preserve what’s left of our mind and body. Lifestyle changes aren’t easy, as a lot of us well know, and we had to face some situations we weren’t expecting and were rather uncomfortable with at the time. I’ve forced myself to trespass into some territory no person was ever meant to go and in the long run I’ve had to suffer and pay for my trespasses. Yet, with a goal in mind and a determined attitude to perform a lifestyle change I have, so far, paid the debt for my dastardly deeds and even found a way to forgive myself, for most of them. Ahhh, life is great if you allow yourself to grow in wisdom, and then use it.
There was an elderly man who owned some beautiful farmland in Florida. When he purchased the land it had a large pond situated in a secluded area towards the back of the property. For entertainment purposes he fixed it up real nice with a fishing pier, picnic tables, horseshoe court and some apple and peach trees. The pond was shaped-up and fixed-up for appearance and safe swimming, then it was posted, warning trespassers to Keep Out. One evening the old farmer decided to go down to the pond, as he hadn’t been there for some time, just to look things over. He grabbed a five-gallon bucket in hopes of returning with some fresh apples. As he neared the pond he heard voices, shouting and laughing with glee. Soon he could see a bunch of women skinny-dipping in the pond. He made the women aware of his presence where-upon they fled to the deep end. One of the women shouted, “We’re not coming out until you leave!” “I won’t be long,” answered the farmer as he held up the bucket, “I just came to feed the alligator.”
[Colossians 2: 1-19] Talk about a lifestyle change. Think about Jesus. He is God in a human body. (Genesis 1) God said and it was so. The power of God is in His Word. (John 1:1-5 & 14) The Word of God became flesh. It’s still awesome to me thinking that God loves me so much a part of Him was willing to leave heaven, live among men and teach us first hand how to live a righteous life obedient to His will. And then He did something even more awesome. He took the sins of the world upon Himself as God had planned it (2 Corinthians 5:21), “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus gave himself to God as the perfect sacrifice for the forgiveness of all the sins of all men making them righteous in God’s eyes. Jesus took the sins of the world to the grave never to be seen again. The problem is, we keep digging them up again. Thanks be to God, because Jesus was obedient in all He had to do on this earth, God has given Him all power and authority in heaven and earth. Jesus has shown us the way and has left us instructions on how to be saved from ourselves. If we repent of our wrongdoings, are baptized in His name and strive to live as He taught us, a reward awaits us. Ahhh, life is so good with my God.