Does The Second Hand Matter?

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

I have a second hand on my watch so I can count time in the smallest of fragments.  I am not sure God uses a second hand on his timepiece.  I want answers and actions now.  God allows me to wait.  I am impatient.  God is not.

Maybe lack of patience is one of the hole's in my structure that God wants to work in but I don't seem inclined to let Him just now.  I want answers.  I think He's hard of hearing.  Maybe He thinks I'm impetuous.

My patience with God has run thin of late.  Isn't it ironic that my hope is His patience with me is greater than ever?  That's a lesson of irony I need to take to heart.

Grace and peace to you.

Searching for Words

“But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)

When, God?  I feel so weak right now, I feel overwhelmed by the evil one and I feel so separated from you, God.  

I have people who are willing to do so much for me, yet I still feel alone today.  Where are you God?

Weakness

We are taught that weakness is bad, that we must overcome our weaknesses, we must work and work and work so that our weaknesses will not hurt us.

Do you ever wonder why we have a weakness?

I was visiting with a friend the other day who is worn down by his weakness.  He is so focused on the problems it is causing in his life that he is having trouble moving forward.  He told me he has worked to overcome it yet it only seems to grow and have more power over him.

It made me think about why I have weaknesses.  God made me in his image so why do I have weaknesses?

And then it struck me...

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. - 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

God left a place in us that He could work.  He gave us strengths and talents so we could use them but I think he gave us weaknesses so He would have a place to work in us, a place where we wouldn't forget we need Him.  Of course, I choose whether to try and hide my weakness or invite God in to it so that I will gain strength.  If God made me completely perfect in every way, would I need him as desperately as I do now with my weaknesses exposed?

I don't have all the right answers but in this case, I choose to thank God for my weakness because He will be the one to make me strong through it, stronger than I would ever become on my own.  I have experienced things God can do with my weakness that I never thought imaginable before I really gave myself over to His control. 

I am weak so that Christ's power may rest on me.

Grace and peace to you.

Game 7

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.- Proverbs 4:23

Tonight is Game 7, the finale, between the Celtics and Lakers.  The winner takes home the trophy and the glory of being the NBA champions and the other team goes home a loser - 2nd place of course - but the loser.  Kobe is going to go all out for this game.  Pierce and Allen and Garnett are going to go all out for this game.  Their defense will be amped up and their offense will come from an attacking mindset.  They will not play timid.  They will not stand back around the goal hoping the other team doesn't get too close.  They will be playing up close on defense, keeping their enemy an arm-length away but close enough they can keep a wary eye on him and stop him from scoring.  On offense, they will be looking for every little hole to attack so that they will win their cause.

I need that kind of mindset as a Christian.  I read Proverbs 4:23 and think it would be easy to sink back into a hole, just hide and thereby protect my heart.  I get caught in the first half of the sentence and forget the second half - it is the wellspring of life.  Life.  God wants us to live for Him with some sense of abandon from fear, with an idea of watching for every avenue we have to go on the offensive in glorifying Him.  God wants us to protect our heart from evil but not by hiding it but, instead, using it.  Christians need to be like the guy on the court who is playing tough defense, knowing he is going to have a battle to prevent his opponent from scoring but not backing off one bit - instead, getting a hand out to knock away the opportunity for the opponent and then, not stopping to relish the defense, but to go on the offensive, to live and to share the majesty of the Almighty.

I need to remember to play each day like it's Game 7.  There is a trophy on the line and I want to be the one to bask in the ticker tape parade and glory of being a champion for God.

Grace and peace to you.

Mindless Ramblings

I don't have much to offer today so now's your chance to escape.


I hear something big is happening at Pebble Beach this week.  Any ideas?


Lakers/Celtics is going to Game 7.  I might finally watch my 3rd NBA game of the year.  Might.


How about Matt Treanor?  The Rangers picked him up to be a spare catcher in case of emergency and he's delivered at least 2 or 3 game winning hits this year. 


My son played his first high school level baseball game last night and got his first hit, first RBI, first HBP (hit by pitch), first walk and first strikeout.  His comment, "well, now I need my first double, triple and home run."  Keep swinging, kid.  You'll get it.


I got a vuvuzela app for my iPhone. 


I wonder if the TempurPedic cloud really works? 


I'm thankful for good friends, the people you can share anything with and they still love you, pray for you and support you. 


The group from our church who went to Ecuador are on the downhill run today.  It's their tourist day before getting things wrapped up tomorrow and flying back on Friday.  Please continue to pray that the work they have done has left seeds planted so that God will be glorified and His kingdom will grow and that they have a safe journey back to their homes and families.


Grace and peace to you.

Pain Free

There has never nor will there ever be enough Tylenol to rid the world of pain.  I hear it in the story of the family that adopted and had started raising two little boys after thay had watched their dad shoot their mom before he fled for Mexico only to have other family members who had never seen the children want to adopt them simply for the money.  I hear it in the words written on a blog by a young lady who is filling her days with busyness for fear of feeling guilty for resting.  I hear it in the words of friends and family who are struggling with issues ranging from work to family to illness to unexplainable loss.  I feel it in my own life. 


I wish Johnson & Johnson could create a pill that just makes the pain go away and stay away but such is not the case.


There is a day coming when the pain will disappear, when all will be right and the things we cannot understand or explain today will not be a concern.  No more illness or emotional distress or mental disorders.  No more war, no more murder.


Simply joy and peace forever.  Praise and worship and the presence of the Almighty God.  That is a day to look forward to.


Grace and peace to you.

New Day, New Look

Welcome to the new look.  Be patient as I play around with some options and learning what is available.


I wonder why it is so hard for me to make time for God.  Sure, I went to church yesterday and attended my small group meeting and did and said all the right things.  What about today?  When will I make time for God today?  I've got some meetings and I'll surely have time for lunch and supper and I need to mow and get some other stuff done and when I don't, man, if I could just sit down and catch a bit of the Rangers game and then get to sleep at a reasonable time.  Oh...God...hey, I'll make some time for you tomorrow.  I promise. 


I have been intentional about making time for God over the past couple of years but there are peaks and valleys and not as much consistency as I would like.  Well, today God is going to get some of my time and He will get it right now.


Grace and peace to you.

Are You Thirsty, Deer?

As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after you.  These are words David wrote in what we know as Psalm 42.  I'm not scholarly enough to know what the current situation was when David wrote this psalm but it sure seems similar to situations I encounter.

My tears have been my food day and night...
Why are you downcast, O my soul?  Why so disturbed within me?
I say to God, my Rock, "Why have you forgotten me?  Why must I go about oppressed by my enemy?"

It's obvious David is wrestling with his heart, with his hope for what lies ahead of him.  I know that feeling.  I understand his question to God, "have you forgotten me?"  I get it.  I get it but David doesn't leave it at that.  He doesn't throw up his hands and walk away disgusted with God, does he.

As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs after you.
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

David seeks God completely.  Completely.  He knows God hasn't forgotten him, he knows God hasn't turned his back.  He knows that longing for God with his whole being, that praising God within the storm is the path to take, the path to peace and salvation.

I admit that I struggle with this at times.  I feel like God is not listening to me, that he has forgotten me.  I get down and begin to wallow in my own messes and my thoughts become focused on me.  But not today.  Today I will join David in longing for God as the deer pants for water.  I will join David in praising God because He is the Almighty, He is Lord, He is I AM.  My life is in his hands.  He knows the hairs on my head.  He knows what He wants for me and what He will provide for me and I will exercise faith that it is sufficient for today.

Grace and peace to you.

Black Screen

As is my ritual, I woke up and turned on the TV to hear the weather report (hoping the weatherman will tell me it is going to be sunny and 78 today) and all I get is a black screen on the TV.  Something is amiss with my DirecTV tuner so I call them.  Of course, they don't open until 8:00 but there is a way to get to a technical service member who turns out to be an automated voice.  I figure out how to get the automated attendant to send me to a live person only to get a busy signal.  I tried it twice.  Two busy signals.


It seems like life is too often like that.  We want to do one thing only to find something that prevents it and when we call for help we get what seems like a busy signal.  God, please hear me, please answer me, please help me to overcome this crisis.  Busy signal.  God, I know you are there, I believe it but I don't understand why you won't fix this mess, why you won't make all my hurts go away, why you won't give me the answers I want.  Busy signal.


I know deep down God isn't too busy for me.  I know He is doing what He sees fit, what He knows is best even when I can't see it, but, it comes across like a busy signal at times.  It's frustrating to say the least bordering on maddening at times.  Just like with DirecTV, I want to give up at times and walk away from it all.


I'll call DirecTV back and keep trying until I can get in touch with someone who will then send a fixer to my house in the next 3-10 days.  I'll eventually get my TV fixed so I can see the weather and the Rangers. 


AND, I'll keep calling God back.  I'll keep asking for help, I'll keep asking for answers and I trust that eventually, at the right time, He will show me what He wants me to see.  Even more, I know that eventually He will fix all my problems, make all things perfect and I will not have to worry with the weather or any other problems ever again.  I long for that day.


Grace and peace to you.

It Ain't Easy

Blogging can be a very difficult  hobby.  I have been working on two posts and I cannot complete either of them because of the difficulty of the subjects I want to tackle.  I have much to say but seem to be inept in putting it in a succinct thought process that can be read in day, much less minutes.  It makes me want to scream.  That said, I'll just ramble for a moment and hope the words come to me for these other posts.  I'm sure I will get some feedback in various forms if and when I can get them up.

We have a group of 35 from our church headed to Ecuador this Friday.  I wish I was going but it didn't work out this year so I will ask you to join me in praying for them and the work they will be doing with a home for orphans.  You can learn more about it at hohministries.com.

I have a friend who has a parent dying from cancer.  It was heart-wrenching talking to him the other day.  My heart is heavy for the ordeal that is before them and I pray that God gives them all peace that goes beyond understanding.

Last week, I heard one of our  youth talk to the rest of the group about how fast you can find yourself in trouble.  He knows from experience.  His talk got me thinking about Hebrews 12 again and how disciple allows us to grow.  It's not what anyone wants but it can be very beneficial.  This from Hebrews 12...⁷Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? ⁸If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. ⁹Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! ¹⁰Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Here's to the hope that our joy in the Lord will be bountiful and our discipline short-lived.

Grace and peace to you.

Loaves and Fishes

Wow.  I don't know what else to say after reading about Mobile Loaves and Fishes in a recent Texas Monthly magazine.  Wow.  If you can catch the brief article in the April 2010 Texas Monthly issue, you need to check it out.  If not, you can go to this link and figure out what they are doing.  IMPRESSIVE.


http://www.mlfnow.org/site/PageServer


I had planned something else for this space on this day but I'm blown away by what this organization is doing.  It is definitely a case of "the church leaving the building" and go to where the people who need to be served can be served.


Changing gears, did you hear about the kid pitching for the Detroit Tigers that had a perfect game going through 8 2/3 innings only to have a blown call by the 1st base umpire prevent the 3rd perfect game this year?  Poor kid.  I heard in the interview, when asked about the umpire, the pitcher said "the only person who feels worse about the call than me is the umpire."  To the umpire's credit, he watched the replay after the game, went to the Tigers locker room and apologized for blowing it.  The next night, the umpire that blew the call was behind home plate and the pitcher brought the lineup card out before the game to him.  I believe the pitcher's name is Andres Gallaraga and the umpire's name is Mike Joyce.  While I hate Gallaraga misses out on a perfect game, I hope the world will see the sportsmanship these two men have exhibited over the past couple of days.  Their actions say it all.


Back to regular programming.  I hope the challenge laid out by Loaves and Fishes touches you like it did me.


Grace and peace to you.

Borrowing Again

From John Eldredge...

As Good as It Gets?

If for all practical purposes we believe that this life is our best shot at happiness, if this is as good as it gets, we will live as desperate, demanding, and eventually despairing men and women. We will place on this world a burden it was never intended to bear. We will try to find a way to sneak back into the Garden and when that fails, as it always does, our heart fails as well. If truth be told, most of us live as though this life is our only hope.

In his wonderful book The Eclipse of Heaven, A. J. Conyers put it quite simply: "We live in a world no longer under heaven." All the crises of the human soul flow from there. All our addictions and depressions, the rage that simmers just beneath the surface of our Christian facade, and the deadness that characterizes so much of our lives has a common root: We think this is as good as it gets. Take away the hope of arrival and our journey becomes the Battan death march. The best human life is unspeakably sad. Even if we manage to escape some of the bigger tragedies (and few of us do), life rarely matches our expectations. When we do get a taste of what we really long for, it never lasts. Every vacation eventually comes to an end. Friends move away. Our careers don't quite pan out. Sadly, we feel guilty about our disappointment, as though we ought to be more grateful.

Of course we're disappointed-we're made for so much more. "He has also set eternity in the hearts" (Eccl. 3:11). Our longing for heaven whispers to us in our disappointments and screams through our agony. "If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy," C. S. Lewis wrote, "the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world."

(The Sacred Romance , 179-80)

Grace and peace to you.

Faith

My son recently presented a lesson on David and his faith.  It really got me thinking about my faith and how shaky it is at times.  There are circumstances in my life that are less than optimal and I wonder where God is in them and begin relying on myself to have the answers.  While these times can be painful, I am not hiding for my life in a cave.  I am not being sent into battle with a giant who could crush me in one hand.  I am not fending off wild animals.  No, I'm just going about my life, showing up at work, going to baseball games, catching a movie now and then while my faith seems to drift in and out.


I've pointed out time and time again how our Bible heroes suffered but the beauty that shows through in their suffering is their incredible faith, their unfailing knowledge that God is with them, that He will protect them and provide for them.  The kicker is...He will do that for me if I exercise faith and maybe a bit of patience too.  I want to be a man of faith.  I want to trust that God will give me what I need and overcome my enemies.  I want to live in the knowledge that the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.


Grace and peace to you.

Poor In Spirit...And Ice Cream

In November 2009 I posted a blog about some statistics I learned from Rob Bell about poverty around the world, statistics that were very eye-opening to me.  (The post can be found here: http://wayoutwise.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-rich-are-you.html).  Recently, another blog I read by Jonathon Storment, the associate minister at Richland Hills Church of Christ, reminded me of that post and told the story about Christopher and Mission Ice Cream.  I hope you enjoy the post found here: http://stormented.com/2010/05/poor-in-spirit/#more-1155.

Here's to hoping that we all learn to live below our means and we eradicate poverty around the world in our lifetime.  Here's to hoping that Christians are truly the hands and feet of Jesus, hands that can take a few dollars from our pocket and make meals to feed thousands upon thousands.

Grace and peace to you.