Archive for October, 2007
If Spock Was A Seeker
“How beautiful are the feet of them who bring good news…”
Photoshopped? Perhaps. I don’t know. But can you deny the power of Baby Samuel’s grasping hand? High-five, little buddy!
We Don’t Know
“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter but the glory of kings to search out a matter.”
(Proverbs 25:2)
“To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.”
(Matthew 13:11-13)
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God…”
(Deuteronomy 29:29)
A hmmmmm moment just now.
I clicked on the NRB (National Religious Broadcasters) channel a bit ago and caught the tail end of a Q&A with Ravi Zacharias. Just knowing that is enough to glue me to the boob tube for a while! He had just recommended Os Guinness’ book God In The Dark: The Assurance of Faith Beyond A Shadow of Doubt to a young man whose question reflected concern for those who had felt let down by God. Then he broke off the session with a parable that has me going hmmmm, isn’t that something?
It seems that Elijah was traveling the countryside with a rabbi when they happened upon a dilapidated lean-to owned by a poor man and his ailing wife. Outside the shack was a skinny cow whose ribs were poking through its hide. The couple let Elijah and guest to spend the night with them, offering them the best of their cupboard: a cake of bread, some butter and milk. During the night, suddenly and sadly, a wall collapsed in the poor couple’s humble cottage but Elijah had no miracle for them, despite their hospitality.
Later that day they happened upon a very rich man who entertained them and allowed them to spend the night. The evening’s fare he spread before them included rich, fat morsels and a feast fit for kings. What a bounty! The next morning, a wall also fell in the rich man’s house and Elijah immediately performed a miracle and restored the wall.
As the two travelers continued their journey together the rabbi could not wait to ask the burning question: why would you restore that rich man’s wall and let the poor couple suffer their fate without intervening?
Elijah said, “Ah sir, the Lord showed me the poor man’s wife was going to die the next day and I interceded for her and she was healed. She and her husband are so grateful to God for His overshadowing miracle they will gladly rebuild the wall together out of joy of being restored to each other.”
“As for the rich man,” Elijah continued, “he is so bound to his greed. He is held captive to it. Behind his wall is a pot of gold and because I performed such a miracle for him, he will never know it, never touch it, and never be bound to it.”
Ravi ended the parable by saying that we have many questions as to why this wall fell and that wall stayed up, why this one was left in rubble and the next is miraculously restored. His point was, quite obviously, God has a perspective on all things we do not have and He sees the end from the beginning. He can also see through the wall that looms large and unexplained before us and He holds our tomorrow in His great big Hands. We bow to the supreme great God who will answer our questions one day but we would be well served to remember that our time is but a “speck in a sea of eternity.”
Have you had any hmmmmmmm or aha! moments of late?
Face of Jesus
Beloved, the pickin’s have been slim around here for awhile but I needed to put something on the plate just so’s you know I’m alive and, well, the other part’s not so easy for a paralyzed guy. I have often prayed about my postings and though I’m in a season of being retrofitted (?), I felt the Lord’s nudge to share this with someone out there who could use a laugh.
Oh yes, God has a very sophisticated sense of humor.
Back in July I was languishing on my sick bed—much better now, thank you—and one of my regular readers (you’re the other one) sent this to cheer me up. Hope it rouses a chuckle or two so you can get back to your mundane day with renewed vim and vigor.
A TRIP TO WAL-MART
You are in the middle of some kind of project around the house. Mowing the lawn, putting a new fence in, painting the living room, or whatever. You are hot and sweaty. Covered in dirt or paint. You have your old work clothes on. You know the outfit, shorts with the hole in crotch, old t-shirt with a stain from who knows what, and an old pair of tennis shoes. Right in the middle of this great home improvement project you realize you need to run to Wal-Mart to get something to help complete the job. Depending on your age you might do the following:
In your 20’s:
Stop what you are doing. Shave, take a shower, blow dry your hair, brush your teeth, floss, and put on clean clothes. Check yourself in the mirror and flex. Add a dab of your favorite cologne because you never know, you just might meet some hot chick while standing in the checkout lane.
You went to school with the pretty girl running the register.
In your 30’s:
Stop what you are doing, put on clean shorts and shirt. Change shoes. You married the hot chick so no need for much else. Wash your hands and comb your hair. Check yourself in the mirror. Still got it. Add a shot of your favorite cologne to cover the smell.
The cute girl running the register is the kid sister to someone you went to school with.
In your 40’s (this’d be me):
Stop what you are doing. Put a sweatshirt that is long enough to cover the hole in the crotch of your shorts. Put on different shoes and a hat. Wash your hands. Your bottle of Brute Cologne is almost empty so you don’t want to waste any of it on a trip to Wal-Mart. Check yourself in the mirror and do more sucking in than flexing.
You’re bothered by the cute girl at the register who insists on calling you “sir.”
In your 50’s:
Stop what you are doing. Put a hat on, wipe the dirt off your hands onto your shirt. Change shoes because you don’t want to get dirt in your new sports car. Check yourself in the mirror and you swear not to wear that shirt anymore because it makes you look fat. The cutie running the register smiles when she sees you coming and you think you still have it. Then you remember the hat you have on is from your buddy’s bait shop and it says, “I Got Worms”.
In your 60’s:
Stop what you are doing. No need for a hat anymore. Hose off the dog doo-doo off your shoes. The mirror was shattered when you were in your 50’s. You hope you have underwear on so the hole in the pants doesn’t become the window to your soul.
The girl running the register may be cute but you don’t have your glasses on so you are not sure.
In your 70’s:
Stop what you are doing. Wait to go to Wal-Mart until they have your prescriptions ready too. Don’t’ even notice the dog doo-doo on your shoes.
The young thing at the register smiles at you because you remind her of her grandfather.
In your 80’s:
Stop what you are doing. Start again. Then stop again. Now you remember that you needed to go to Wal-Mart. Go to Wal-Mart and wonder around trying to think what it is you are looking for. Flatulate out loud and you think someone called out your name.
The old lady that greeted you at the front door went to school with you.
In your 90’s:
Stop what you are doing.
RAMs (Readers And Messages)