Romans 8:1-10
"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."
*****************************
Today is the 3rd Sunday in the season of Lent. Many of us made a commitment, as is the tradition, to "give something up" during the time from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The question of the day is, "how are things going?".
On Ash Wednesday, we thought about a thing which we would set aside during this time. For some, it may have been a simple pleasure such as chocolate, soft drinks, snacks or the occasional glass of wine. For others, it may have been something more focused on forcing oneself into a penitential frame of mind. One friend of mine committed to giving up escalators and elevators and taking the stairs everywhere. This person, whenever she was trudging up or down stairs, committed to set her mind on the sacrifice Christ made for 40 days in the desert.
If you did make the choice to sacrifice something for Lent, have you been able to stick with it? Are you still fulfilling the commitment, or have you forgotten, or perhaps purposefully set aside the task after missing your goal early on.
We all fall short of the rules, the "law" at times; even the ones we place on ourselves. We each have a litany of things we have committed to do and failed. If we look back on those things, is there a common element to what we chose to pursue and then put aside? Did we set the bar too high? Did we hold ourselves to a standard which was unreasonable?
When you set the goal, did you tell anyone about it? Maybe the goal was achievable, but because you made the deal with yourself in quiet, there was no external accountability or support to make it happen. I wrote in a previous post about my belief in the power of words. A goal, when spoken aloud, when said to others besides yourself, becomes more real. You enable those around you to provide encouragement, helping you achieve your target as opposed to unintentionally abetting its downfall.
So, begin again. Say it out loud and renew your commitment. If you have fallen short of your original target, whether for Lent or something larger, it's OK to start over and try again. We live in Christ. He died once for all of us to forgive all of our sins and our shortcoming. Forgive yourself and be new again, for God's power to forgive and renew us over and over again is greater than our ability to deny ourselves His grace.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Mar 6 - "Shelter From The Storm"
Mark 4:35-41
"On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, 'Let us go across to the other side.' And leaving the crowd behind, they took Him with them in the boat, just as He was. Other boats were with Him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him up and said to Him, 'Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?' He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!' Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, 'Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?' And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, 'Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?'"
***********************************
Are you a morning person? When the alarm goes off or you open your eyes at first light, do you say, "Good MORNING world! I am so excited to be awake and starting my day!!" Or, are you like our middle daughter Rachel, who takes most of the morning to find her cheery self. Jesus seems to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed in this part of scripture. "Rebuking" is not usually the first thing you do if you wake up in a peaceful manner.
There are times when we all feel like we are in the middle of a giant storm. The waves are crashing around us, the wind howls deafeningly in our ears and there is no peace or calm to be found. The cause of the storm can range from things outside of our control...the economy, conflict among those around us...to the self imposed chaos we bring as we try to cram more and more into our lives.
When I read these stories about Christ in the world, I often wonder what else was going on or what led up to the events. Perhaps in this story, the sea was calm when Jesus and His friends left the shore. Jesus, being tired after a day of sharing the Word, laid down in the back of the boat to rest. The disciples, huddled in a quiet discussion away from Him as not to disturb, may have begun to see the storm coming up. Thinking it might pass or not turn something dangerous, they probably waited. As the storm raised into its full fury, they may have talked about waking up the sleeping Christ to ask for His help, but thought they could just hunker down and suffer it out without bothering Jesus.
But finally, they reached the point where their fear overtook them. They called out to Jesus, asking their rabbi for help. Jesus, in His full glory, immediately takes control of the situation and commands peace. After doing this, He asks His friends about why they were worried. You could imagine this as an angry rebuke, Jesus scolding them for their lack of faith. But I see it as a peaceful, calming smile of love, giving them assurance that they were never in danger.
The good news is that we don't have to wait for it to get bad before we talk to Jesus about it. Do you see a storm on the horizon? Are you able to look at the events around you and reasonably surmise that things will quickly get worse if you don't do something about it? Then make the decision now to ask for help. Don't wait for the storm to start.
So, call on Jesus. Allow Him to show you His power to calm the waves and quiet the gale. Don't worry about waking Him up, or about whether He will recognize you if you have not called on Him for a long time...or ever. He will deliver you to peace and, after bringing quiet out of the chaos, He will say to you lovingly, with a smiling countenance "Peace, My child. Do not fear, for I am always with you."
"On that day, when evening had come, Jesus said to them, 'Let us go across to the other side.' And leaving the crowd behind, they took Him with them in the boat, just as He was. Other boats were with Him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But He was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him up and said to Him, 'Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?' He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, 'Peace! Be still!' Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, 'Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?' And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, 'Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?'"
***********************************
Are you a morning person? When the alarm goes off or you open your eyes at first light, do you say, "Good MORNING world! I am so excited to be awake and starting my day!!" Or, are you like our middle daughter Rachel, who takes most of the morning to find her cheery self. Jesus seems to have woken up on the wrong side of the bed in this part of scripture. "Rebuking" is not usually the first thing you do if you wake up in a peaceful manner.
There are times when we all feel like we are in the middle of a giant storm. The waves are crashing around us, the wind howls deafeningly in our ears and there is no peace or calm to be found. The cause of the storm can range from things outside of our control...the economy, conflict among those around us...to the self imposed chaos we bring as we try to cram more and more into our lives.
When I read these stories about Christ in the world, I often wonder what else was going on or what led up to the events. Perhaps in this story, the sea was calm when Jesus and His friends left the shore. Jesus, being tired after a day of sharing the Word, laid down in the back of the boat to rest. The disciples, huddled in a quiet discussion away from Him as not to disturb, may have begun to see the storm coming up. Thinking it might pass or not turn something dangerous, they probably waited. As the storm raised into its full fury, they may have talked about waking up the sleeping Christ to ask for His help, but thought they could just hunker down and suffer it out without bothering Jesus.
But finally, they reached the point where their fear overtook them. They called out to Jesus, asking their rabbi for help. Jesus, in His full glory, immediately takes control of the situation and commands peace. After doing this, He asks His friends about why they were worried. You could imagine this as an angry rebuke, Jesus scolding them for their lack of faith. But I see it as a peaceful, calming smile of love, giving them assurance that they were never in danger.
The good news is that we don't have to wait for it to get bad before we talk to Jesus about it. Do you see a storm on the horizon? Are you able to look at the events around you and reasonably surmise that things will quickly get worse if you don't do something about it? Then make the decision now to ask for help. Don't wait for the storm to start.
So, call on Jesus. Allow Him to show you His power to calm the waves and quiet the gale. Don't worry about waking Him up, or about whether He will recognize you if you have not called on Him for a long time...or ever. He will deliver you to peace and, after bringing quiet out of the chaos, He will say to you lovingly, with a smiling countenance "Peace, My child. Do not fear, for I am always with you."
Friday, March 5, 2010
Mar 5 - "Gifts"
1 Corinthians 7:6 and Mark 4:21-34
"But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind."
"Jesus said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light."
***************************************
What is your gift? What is the thing that God has given you, which He intends for you to use and show His glory by passing on to others?
The world is full of variety of people. With that variety comes a rich assortment of talents which each person brings to any situation. As a part of my daily life, I come into contact with people whose brilliance and intelligence blows me away, but I also see those who make me wonder how they got both legs into their pants that morning. Regardless of how I feel about the relative sharpness of any individual, I recognize that everyone brings something to the table. We all have different talents and every person has something to offer.
"But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind."
"Jesus said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light."
***************************************
What is your gift? What is the thing that God has given you, which He intends for you to use and show His glory by passing on to others?
The world is full of variety of people. With that variety comes a rich assortment of talents which each person brings to any situation. As a part of my daily life, I come into contact with people whose brilliance and intelligence blows me away, but I also see those who make me wonder how they got both legs into their pants that morning. Regardless of how I feel about the relative sharpness of any individual, I recognize that everyone brings something to the table. We all have different talents and every person has something to offer.
Do you know what your gift is? What thing do you have inside that God has blessed you with? Are you hiding it or letting it flow, like the Living Water, refreshing others while you too become refreshed? Right now, you may be saying to yourself,"I don't think I really have anything that is worth sharing with others...". But let me tell you dear friends, it is there. I promise. Don't over complicate it because it may be something very simple.
Are you a good listener to friends who are troubled or in need? Do you have a skill in helping people sort through their problems, giving clarity? Maybe you can sing, or dance, or play an instrument. Are you handy? Perhaps you have a green thumb or have a talent for preparing the food someone else has grown. Can you sew simple fabrics into quilts, creating beautiful tapestries of love? Or, maybe you just have a smile that lights up a room. It is there...in every single one of us.
If you think about it, all of these things and the thousands of things I did not list are gifts which can be used for the glory of God. They were given not for the purpose of wasting away, but for being passed along, enriching others who are a part of God's amazing and varied creation.
So, give your gift. Take that which God has blessed you with and use it as He intended. Do not hide it but make it known, let your light shine. For in showing forth the light God has placed in you, your joy will be multiplied, and the gift you are giving will also give back to you.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Mar 4 - "Fertile Soil"
Mark 4:1-20
"Again Jesus began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 'Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.' "
**********************************
If you have not yet figured it out, faithful reader, I am amazed and deeply thankful for how much God has blessed my life.
The simple beauty of God's blessings, is that they are all around us, all the time. But sometimes, because we are too busy, to wrapped up in the things of this world, we don't allow ourselves to be open to the blessings that come our way. When we look down at the ground, scowling because we are frustrated, angry or discouraged, our eyes are not looking up and around, giving us the ability to become aware of the good things that can come our way. It is also easy to be so focused on what is going wrong in our lives at a particular moment, we are unable to see the good things.
I have a friend who, almost every time I talk to him, tells me about all the bad things that are going on in his life. This thing he owns is broken...traffic was bad and it took him an hour to get home from work...some person in his life said a hurtful thing to him...he lives with regret and sadness over the ways things could have been, or should have been. I try to be encouraging to this friend, but at times our conversations can be dominated by doom and gloom. Some days, it feels like he has closed himself off to receiving and recognizing the blessings which are all around him.
We humans are funny creatures. Our mood and attitude is such a powerful thing, it can affect our physical being. When we allow ourselves to descend into that spiral of despair, the feelings of doubt, fear and sadness abound. We can become physically ill due to anger, hatred or pain which has permeated our soul. When we do this, our nature can become almost poisonous and the blessings which could grow and flourish, wither and die, or never even take root. I believe this is the true pain of sin; not that, when unconfessed and unrepented, it keeps us from entering Heaven, but that it closes us off to the grace of God, because we simmer in our self-perceived unworthiness.
Every once in awhile, I find myself in this state. I can become so caught up with how busy my schedule is, how much work is set before me, I walk around in a constant state of stress, unable to enjoy simple pleasures...a laugh...a smile...a sunrise. But, every single time I take a moment to turn my eyes to heaven, thank God for the work He is doing in my life, peace sooths me like a warm, gentle, spring rain. I am refreshed and renewed, my heart becoming a rich ground in which the multitude of God's blessings can grow and bear fruit.
So, are you fertile soil? Is your heart, your soul and your mind prepared to receive the blessings God showers down upon you? Open up your being to the potential of His gifts, allow them to take root and permit yourself to taste and enjoy the sweet fruit of His work in your life
"Again Jesus began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 'Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.' "
**********************************
If you have not yet figured it out, faithful reader, I am amazed and deeply thankful for how much God has blessed my life.
The simple beauty of God's blessings, is that they are all around us, all the time. But sometimes, because we are too busy, to wrapped up in the things of this world, we don't allow ourselves to be open to the blessings that come our way. When we look down at the ground, scowling because we are frustrated, angry or discouraged, our eyes are not looking up and around, giving us the ability to become aware of the good things that can come our way. It is also easy to be so focused on what is going wrong in our lives at a particular moment, we are unable to see the good things.
I have a friend who, almost every time I talk to him, tells me about all the bad things that are going on in his life. This thing he owns is broken...traffic was bad and it took him an hour to get home from work...some person in his life said a hurtful thing to him...he lives with regret and sadness over the ways things could have been, or should have been. I try to be encouraging to this friend, but at times our conversations can be dominated by doom and gloom. Some days, it feels like he has closed himself off to receiving and recognizing the blessings which are all around him.
We humans are funny creatures. Our mood and attitude is such a powerful thing, it can affect our physical being. When we allow ourselves to descend into that spiral of despair, the feelings of doubt, fear and sadness abound. We can become physically ill due to anger, hatred or pain which has permeated our soul. When we do this, our nature can become almost poisonous and the blessings which could grow and flourish, wither and die, or never even take root. I believe this is the true pain of sin; not that, when unconfessed and unrepented, it keeps us from entering Heaven, but that it closes us off to the grace of God, because we simmer in our self-perceived unworthiness.
Every once in awhile, I find myself in this state. I can become so caught up with how busy my schedule is, how much work is set before me, I walk around in a constant state of stress, unable to enjoy simple pleasures...a laugh...a smile...a sunrise. But, every single time I take a moment to turn my eyes to heaven, thank God for the work He is doing in my life, peace sooths me like a warm, gentle, spring rain. I am refreshed and renewed, my heart becoming a rich ground in which the multitude of God's blessings can grow and bear fruit.
So, are you fertile soil? Is your heart, your soul and your mind prepared to receive the blessings God showers down upon you? Open up your being to the potential of His gifts, allow them to take root and permit yourself to taste and enjoy the sweet fruit of His work in your life
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Mar 3 - "Brothers and Sisters"
Mark 3:19b-35
"Then His mother and His brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to Him and called Him. A crowd was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, 'Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.'. And He replied, 'Who are my mother and my brothers?'. And looking at those who sat around Him, He said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.'."
***********************************
The Wilson family is a pretty tight bunch.
As I was growing up, my brother, sisters and I spent a lot of time with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. For many people, unfortunately, this time with family is at best, a penance. At worst, it is a gathering filled with conflict and discord. But for us...now more than Wilson, but also called Clark and Finnity and Elliott and Cantine (and soon to be Rosen)...it was, and continues to be, some of the most joyful moments in our lives.
When I think about growing up in a very closely knit family, I realize the power which exists when you have a large group of people around you who will do anything for you. When you are surrounded by people who you know, so deeply in your heart because you have seen it so many times, love you and support you and genuinely care about what is going on in your life, how can you fail?
The thing that is most interesting to me about all of the people who have descended from Al and Bonnie Wilson, and the people they have brought into our family as spouses (I am going to brag a little here), is the love they so freely give. Each of them...every single one...seems to possess this abounding love, not only for each other, but for the people in their lives who are outside of our family. Even though, I believe, they each possess a fervent love for their brothers and sisters to whom they are joined by blood, they are also passionate about showing love to those outside our family. They have each taken the gift of love and support which was shown to them and carried it outside of this unit, making brothers and sisters of those around them.
In just over two weeks, my baby sister Abbi is getting married! As if this special event was not already joyful enough, its magnificence is compounded with the fact that I will get to spend a couple of days with some of the people I love most in my life. My parents; my aunts and uncles; Grandma Bonnie; my cousins; my nieces and nephews...my brother and sisters and their husbands and wives. What great joy!
So, be brothers and sisters to one another. Abound in love, build each other up give support to those around you. Know that when you call a man "brother" and woman "sister", you create a special relationship which, when joined with Christ's love, becomes something greater than the two of you as individuals could ever be alone.
"Then His mother and His brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to Him and called Him. A crowd was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, 'Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.'. And He replied, 'Who are my mother and my brothers?'. And looking at those who sat around Him, He said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.'."
***********************************
The Wilson family is a pretty tight bunch.
As I was growing up, my brother, sisters and I spent a lot of time with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. For many people, unfortunately, this time with family is at best, a penance. At worst, it is a gathering filled with conflict and discord. But for us...now more than Wilson, but also called Clark and Finnity and Elliott and Cantine (and soon to be Rosen)...it was, and continues to be, some of the most joyful moments in our lives.
When I think about growing up in a very closely knit family, I realize the power which exists when you have a large group of people around you who will do anything for you. When you are surrounded by people who you know, so deeply in your heart because you have seen it so many times, love you and support you and genuinely care about what is going on in your life, how can you fail?
The thing that is most interesting to me about all of the people who have descended from Al and Bonnie Wilson, and the people they have brought into our family as spouses (I am going to brag a little here), is the love they so freely give. Each of them...every single one...seems to possess this abounding love, not only for each other, but for the people in their lives who are outside of our family. Even though, I believe, they each possess a fervent love for their brothers and sisters to whom they are joined by blood, they are also passionate about showing love to those outside our family. They have each taken the gift of love and support which was shown to them and carried it outside of this unit, making brothers and sisters of those around them.
In just over two weeks, my baby sister Abbi is getting married! As if this special event was not already joyful enough, its magnificence is compounded with the fact that I will get to spend a couple of days with some of the people I love most in my life. My parents; my aunts and uncles; Grandma Bonnie; my cousins; my nieces and nephews...my brother and sisters and their husbands and wives. What great joy!
Now, the mantle has been past. The responsibility of supporting the development of close relationships between each of our children has come to us. The brothers and sisters and cousins of my generation were given an amazing gift. It is our joy and our duty to ensure that the children of the next generation have the same love, the same generosity of spirit, the same power of a supporting family given to them. And, that they take it into the world.
So, be brothers and sisters to one another. Abound in love, build each other up give support to those around you. Know that when you call a man "brother" and woman "sister", you create a special relationship which, when joined with Christ's love, becomes something greater than the two of you as individuals could ever be alone.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Mar 2 - "The Tooth Fairy"
Mark 3:7-19a
"Jesus parted with His disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed Him; hearing all that He was doing, they came to Him in great numbers... He told His disciples to have a boat ready for Him because of the crowd, so they would not crush Him; for He had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon Him to touch Him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and shouted, 'You are the Son of God!'. But He sternly ordered them not to make Him known."
*************************************
Yesterday afternoon, our youngest daughter Eliza lost a tooth. Well...she didn't actually lose it. She came into my office and pointed out how much it was dangling from its spot in the front of her mouth and asked me to finish the job. I, of course, obliged, being the only one in our household with the stomach for the task.
As soon as the tooth had been removed from its precarious position, her thoughts immediately turned to the Tooth Fairy. Not the really bad movie we saw a few weeks, back, but the wily sprite who would bring her a dollar coin that night while she slept, in exchange for the tooth. As silly as it may sound that a dainty pixie would somehow get into our house last night, hauling a bag of coins and an arrangement of teeth from previous stops, her faith in this sequence of events is unwavering. She believes.
Why does she believe? Probably a few simple reasons. One, Greta and I have told her that it will happen. Two, she has seen evidence that it is true via her older sisters' similar de-dentification and receipt of coin, as well as her own previous experience. Three, even while her ever-evolving awareness of the realities of the world push her toward the unlikelihood that this magic is real, there is something inside her which is beyond the telling, beyond the evidence; Faith.
Why do we believe?
We all have our times when our faith feels very strong, unwavering. Other times, it is shaken to the core and we feel alone, wondering if God really exists, if Christ truly walked this Earth. Yes, we have evidence. We have heard of and seen miracles; we feel the presence of God in a shockingly gorgeous Autumn day; our prayers answered. But, wouldn't it be easier if God just showed up on our doorstep one day, with Christ standing beside Him?
Why would Christ tell the demons who had no faith, but had a clear knowledge of His role in Eternity, to keep quiet and not disclose His true being? Wouldn't it have been easier for Him and for all of us if He allowed the Heavenly Host to come down and provide clear evidence of His nature and who He was?
But, alas, that easy road. It's always the same. Easy is not special; easy is not meaningful; easy does not refine or improve; easy is...just...easy.
Faith is a hard thing. But it is the thing that adds the final layer of confirmation onto the foundation of what we are told and what we have been able to see as slim peeks at evidence of existence. Faith is the thing that makes us more than a bag of bones, more than a loose and random assembly of atoms and molecules. Faith distinguishes us from the rest of Creation.
So, believe in that which you cannot see. Have Faith. For in that faith, the impossible becomes possible and the unreal becomes real. Faith allows us to know a secret which, when woven deeply into the fabric of our existence, gives us the power to become ones who lay the foundations for others' faith. We become a part of that which is Holy and by increasing the ability for others to have faith, our own faith grows.
"Jesus parted with His disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed Him; hearing all that He was doing, they came to Him in great numbers... He told His disciples to have a boat ready for Him because of the crowd, so they would not crush Him; for He had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon Him to touch Him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they fell down before Him and shouted, 'You are the Son of God!'. But He sternly ordered them not to make Him known."
*************************************
Yesterday afternoon, our youngest daughter Eliza lost a tooth. Well...she didn't actually lose it. She came into my office and pointed out how much it was dangling from its spot in the front of her mouth and asked me to finish the job. I, of course, obliged, being the only one in our household with the stomach for the task.
As soon as the tooth had been removed from its precarious position, her thoughts immediately turned to the Tooth Fairy. Not the really bad movie we saw a few weeks, back, but the wily sprite who would bring her a dollar coin that night while she slept, in exchange for the tooth. As silly as it may sound that a dainty pixie would somehow get into our house last night, hauling a bag of coins and an arrangement of teeth from previous stops, her faith in this sequence of events is unwavering. She believes.
Why does she believe? Probably a few simple reasons. One, Greta and I have told her that it will happen. Two, she has seen evidence that it is true via her older sisters' similar de-dentification and receipt of coin, as well as her own previous experience. Three, even while her ever-evolving awareness of the realities of the world push her toward the unlikelihood that this magic is real, there is something inside her which is beyond the telling, beyond the evidence; Faith.
Why do we believe?
We all have our times when our faith feels very strong, unwavering. Other times, it is shaken to the core and we feel alone, wondering if God really exists, if Christ truly walked this Earth. Yes, we have evidence. We have heard of and seen miracles; we feel the presence of God in a shockingly gorgeous Autumn day; our prayers answered. But, wouldn't it be easier if God just showed up on our doorstep one day, with Christ standing beside Him?
Why would Christ tell the demons who had no faith, but had a clear knowledge of His role in Eternity, to keep quiet and not disclose His true being? Wouldn't it have been easier for Him and for all of us if He allowed the Heavenly Host to come down and provide clear evidence of His nature and who He was?
But, alas, that easy road. It's always the same. Easy is not special; easy is not meaningful; easy does not refine or improve; easy is...just...easy.
Faith is a hard thing. But it is the thing that adds the final layer of confirmation onto the foundation of what we are told and what we have been able to see as slim peeks at evidence of existence. Faith is the thing that makes us more than a bag of bones, more than a loose and random assembly of atoms and molecules. Faith distinguishes us from the rest of Creation.
So, believe in that which you cannot see. Have Faith. For in that faith, the impossible becomes possible and the unreal becomes real. Faith allows us to know a secret which, when woven deeply into the fabric of our existence, gives us the power to become ones who lay the foundations for others' faith. We become a part of that which is Holy and by increasing the ability for others to have faith, our own faith grows.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Mar 1 - "Be Nice"
1 Corinthians 4:8-21
"Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Quite apart from us you have become kings!"
*******************************
If you are reading this post, it is most likely that you have a few "comforts" in the world; you have the means to purchase or access a computer, you are able to afford some type of wireless or broadband connect to the internet and you have at least a few free moments each day to spend time updating or getting updates on the world and your friends via email, web sites or Facebook.
We live lives of luxury, when compared to a significantly large portion of the world's population. Now...don't worry...I'm not going to get all populist on you and make you feel guilty about the things in your life for which you have worked very hard. I am a free market capitalist tried an true, but, I also think we should take time to step back and recognize our position in the world every once in awhile and take stock.
There are times in our days, weeks, months...where we feel like there is so much to do. If you are the member of a household who has the lion share of the responsibility to take care of all things family, you are a busy person, for sure. You likely spend your week taking kids to and from school or activities; you will shop for food and then have to cook it; you will wash, fold and put away clothes and maybe make a run to the dry cleaners; you will gas up the car; you will plan family outings or vacations. There is plenty to keep you very busy.
If you are one of the "breadwinners" of the household, you also work hard. You trek to and from work in your car; you may travel for your job, spending time in airports, hotels, taxis and restaurants; you work early and late to get the job done, relying on your spouse to pick up the slack when the demands of work run high. You have a lot to do.
But in the fullness of our lives, there are dozens, if not hundreds or thousands of people out there who, because of the work they do, enable us to work and play. They work in stores, gas stations, restaurants, dry cleaners, hotels and airports. They deliver our mail, collect our trash and keep the power on. If we are being honest with ourselves, how do we interact and treat the people who are critical to our lives each day?
Sometimes, it's the little things that can make a difference. Whenever I travel, on business or with my family, and end up staying in a hotel, I clean up after myself. This sounds strange to say, but, how many of us think of a hotel room as a place where we can live out the dreams of childhood and jump on the bed, leave things lying around, trash the place...and someone else will clean up the mess without you getting yelled at or grounded? When I leave a hotel room, the towels are all in the bathtub, there is no trash lying around, whatever I used...water bottles, soap, shampoo, etc...is all in the wastebasket, not strewn around the place.
Now, I know the housekeeping staff still has to clean the room, change the linens and make the bed, but, how nice is it to step into a room that is not a train wreck? Maybe this person has been having a tough day. This past weekend we were at a hotel with a water park...I have to imagine that, with all of the kids at this place, some of the rooms get pretty trashed. Hopefully, when the staff came to our room after we checked out, they thought, "Phew...finally, an easy one."
We have all we want. We are rich. We are kings.
Although each of us may be deeply thankful for the way God has blessed our lives and we may have worked incredibly hard to attain the position in life we currently occupy, are we not obliged to still be conscious of those who toil endlessly in order to support our enjoyment of these blessings?
So, be nice. Give a smile...a please...a sincere thank you to those who support your life each day. Recognize that so many of their jobs are thankless and harder than we can imagine. Be aware that your actions, your decisions on how you treat them can lift their day up, or, even if done unwittingly, destroy it.
"Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Quite apart from us you have become kings!"
*******************************
If you are reading this post, it is most likely that you have a few "comforts" in the world; you have the means to purchase or access a computer, you are able to afford some type of wireless or broadband connect to the internet and you have at least a few free moments each day to spend time updating or getting updates on the world and your friends via email, web sites or Facebook.
We live lives of luxury, when compared to a significantly large portion of the world's population. Now...don't worry...I'm not going to get all populist on you and make you feel guilty about the things in your life for which you have worked very hard. I am a free market capitalist tried an true, but, I also think we should take time to step back and recognize our position in the world every once in awhile and take stock.
There are times in our days, weeks, months...where we feel like there is so much to do. If you are the member of a household who has the lion share of the responsibility to take care of all things family, you are a busy person, for sure. You likely spend your week taking kids to and from school or activities; you will shop for food and then have to cook it; you will wash, fold and put away clothes and maybe make a run to the dry cleaners; you will gas up the car; you will plan family outings or vacations. There is plenty to keep you very busy.
If you are one of the "breadwinners" of the household, you also work hard. You trek to and from work in your car; you may travel for your job, spending time in airports, hotels, taxis and restaurants; you work early and late to get the job done, relying on your spouse to pick up the slack when the demands of work run high. You have a lot to do.
But in the fullness of our lives, there are dozens, if not hundreds or thousands of people out there who, because of the work they do, enable us to work and play. They work in stores, gas stations, restaurants, dry cleaners, hotels and airports. They deliver our mail, collect our trash and keep the power on. If we are being honest with ourselves, how do we interact and treat the people who are critical to our lives each day?
Sometimes, it's the little things that can make a difference. Whenever I travel, on business or with my family, and end up staying in a hotel, I clean up after myself. This sounds strange to say, but, how many of us think of a hotel room as a place where we can live out the dreams of childhood and jump on the bed, leave things lying around, trash the place...and someone else will clean up the mess without you getting yelled at or grounded? When I leave a hotel room, the towels are all in the bathtub, there is no trash lying around, whatever I used...water bottles, soap, shampoo, etc...is all in the wastebasket, not strewn around the place.
Now, I know the housekeeping staff still has to clean the room, change the linens and make the bed, but, how nice is it to step into a room that is not a train wreck? Maybe this person has been having a tough day. This past weekend we were at a hotel with a water park...I have to imagine that, with all of the kids at this place, some of the rooms get pretty trashed. Hopefully, when the staff came to our room after we checked out, they thought, "Phew...finally, an easy one."
We have all we want. We are rich. We are kings.
Although each of us may be deeply thankful for the way God has blessed our lives and we may have worked incredibly hard to attain the position in life we currently occupy, are we not obliged to still be conscious of those who toil endlessly in order to support our enjoyment of these blessings?
So, be nice. Give a smile...a please...a sincere thank you to those who support your life each day. Recognize that so many of their jobs are thankless and harder than we can imagine. Be aware that your actions, your decisions on how you treat them can lift their day up, or, even if done unwittingly, destroy it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)