It's Not About Me:

Those born in the 70s, 80s, and 90s are sometimes called the "Me Generation."  The demographic takes in my sons, their spouses, and a lot of my friends.  I think labeling them with a title that glorifies egoism is unfair.  I don't say that because young adults don't spend more time in front of a mirror than they should or more money on #1 than is appropriate, but because the issue is not one isolated to their generation.  It is part of the human condition.

This brings me to another one-liner:  recently wrote about the brief summaries that I try to come up with for my Junior High Sunday School class.  In that STTA I mentioned a one-word-er, "Hold!"

I thought I'd explore this a bit.  Here is another.

"God is not an idiot."  (I use that word not to refer to one who is unable to think clearly, but who doesn't, or even chooses to not, act in a clear thinking manner.) It's not about me.

 In the Garden of Eden the serpent offered Eve a way to "be like God."  In essence Satan said, God is holding out on you.  (Another one liner.)  To put it in modern parlance, Eve said, "I'm going to have it my way."  "I deserve it."  and she took the fruit.  

At the other end of Scripture there is a group that rises in rebellion against the King of kings.  Like those envisioned in

Psalm 2 they say, "Let us . . . free ourselves from slavery to God."  

Every generation left to itself is the Me Generation.  God is calling us to be counter-cultural.   It's not about me.  All of creation is to bring glory to God.  (See Psalm 150 for example.)   It's not about me.  It is about Him. 

What am I doing today that will bring praise to my great God?

 It's STTA. 

God Isn't Lacking in Good Sense:

I recently wrote about the brief summaries that I try to come up with for my Junior High Sunday School class.  In that STTA I mentioned a one-word-er, "Hold!"

I thought I'd explore this a bit.  Here is another.

"God is not an idiot."  (I use that word not to refer to one who is unable to think clearly, but who doesn't, or even chooses to not, act in a clear thinking manner.) 

Certainly no Theist who takes her information from the scripture would ever claim that God acts in a manner that doesn't reflect clear thinking--not in so many words.  However many people claim practical, Divine contradictions that are signs of idiocy. 

• I acknowledge that God tells me to do (you fill in the blank), but I claim I can't do it.  So, God Who made me, and knows me, Psalm 139, has given me a task to do without the corresponding ability to do it?  Doesn't sound like clear thinking to me.
• God has given clear guidelines for living--actually "guideline" is to soft a word--yet I see my situation which clearly falls under the purview of one of God's laws, as utterly unique (Check this out.) and therefore God's law and the associated consequences don't apply to me.  
  It makes the God of the universe look like a despotic and idiotic office-manager who writes grandiose sounding policies that don't apply in the real world.

God is not an idiot.  He did think this through.  It may be hard, but you can obey, and obedience is clearly what is best.

It's something we ought to learn by Junior High.

 It's STTA. 

A Remarkable Man:

I have come to appreciate Joseph, the Old Testament patriarch, all over again.  Over the past couple of months it has been my privilege to hang out with Joseph, as I've prepared and shared several messages about his remarkable life.  

One the traits of Joseph's life that I find remarkable is his acknowledgement of God's sovereignty.  At the end of his story there are some clear statements about God's ways.  

In Genesis 45:5-7 Joseph says that it was God Who sent him to Egypt.  Remarkable because Joseph was talking to the very people who had seized and sold him into slavery--the means by which he came to Egypt.

Later he said, " . . .am I in God's place?  As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good. . . ."  (Genesis 50:19-20)

Psalm 105 gives some further information about Joseph's treatment. "Joseph . . . was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron;"  (17-18)

For thirteen years of his life Joseph was either a slave or a prisoner, yet as he looked back he could see God's hand in what had happened.  God was/is bigger than the petty jealousy and cruelty of his brothers, the conniving ways of a wicked woman, and the forgetfulness of a fellow-prisoner who could have helped prisoner number J-O-S-E-P-H.

I know God is certainly bigger than the petty offenses that come into my life.  I'm praying for the grace to acknowledge that even though others might mean it for evil, God in His sovereignty not only intends it for good, but actually brings good to reality.

Lord, make me like Joseph.  Amen.

 It's STTA. 

Doing Nothing And Doing It Right:

I always try to give my Sunday School class a simple answer to the question, "What did you learn in Sunday School?" or, "What was Sunday School about?"  This week the answer was "Hold!" delivered with a raspy intensity.  One of the guys in the class got it about right.  We were looking at the Exodus from Egypt.  The Israelites were up against the Red Sea and all the chariots in Egypt, sent out out by Pharaoh, whose hard heart had only appeared to soften for a few minutes after the death, not only of his first-born son, but of thousands of others.  

It looks like Moses critics are right.  "Why did you bring us out here to die?  We were better off as slaves in Egypt."  Here is Moses reply:

"Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever.  "The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent."  (Exodus 14:13-14)

Moses speech sounds a lot like a line in Psalm 46, "Cease striving and know that I am God;"  (v. 10)  

The Apostle Paul applies the truth to our praying, "In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes forus with groanings too deep for words." (Romans 8:26)   

There are times when not only is there nothing we can do, but when doing nothing is the right thing to do.  That is, if--if we are trusting the Lord.

I'm praying for a friend right now, who needs to hold.  

Oh, "hold!" comes from that scene in Braveheart.  At Stirling the English are charging with "Heavy Horse"  Wallace's forces are all on foot.  Their one hope is to hold until precisely the right time.  

Holding is hard, but when we cease striving and stand still, we get to see the slavation of the Lord.

  

HOLD! 

  It's STTA. 

Flying off the handle over flying the flag:

Normally I don't have much sympathy for politicians.  I figure they worked really hard and spent a lot of money--usually other people's money--to get where they are, so they ought to just accept the public scrutiny and criticism that comes with the job.

Still, I feel sorry for Chris Christie.  

I guess I don't agree with Christie's decision to fly flags at half-staff in honor of Whitney Houston the late popular singer.  I say "I guess," since I didn't have to make the decision, so I can afford some ambivalence.  I figure the "voices" involved on all sides of the issue must be deafening.  Christie says lowering flags at state buildings to half-staff is appropriate "because of [Houston's] huge cultural impact and as "a daughter of New Jersey."" The governor would have been wise to have chosen some other way to publicly recognize the tragic death.  (Here is a message to my governor, Bob McDonnell:  When I die don't fly any flags at half staff.  Save that honor for fallen military, first-responders, and true public servants, not old preachers or popular singers.)

Still I feel sorry for Christie.  Once the issue--as opposed to the flag--was.raised it was a no-win.  We see what happened when he did decide to honor the dead singer.  A brief search of news stories indicates the kind of criticism that would have come had he decided to keep the flags flying high, racism, gender bias, "Sinatra, but not Houston."  

When we are nice, when we do something kind, the act opens us to criticism.  One of the stories that Jesus told is centered on this concept.  A farmer hired workers for his harvest.  At the end of the day he paid those who had worked all day the agreed upon wage.  They would likely have gone home happy had the employer not chosen to also pay those who only worked one hour the same wage.  

I don't have it all figured out, and I figure the New Jersey Governor is used to the heat, but I still kinda feel sorry for him.

It seems to me he was just trying to be nice.
Do we want a world where we make being nice harder?

It's STTA. 

God's grace reaches to each of us.  You can read about it here.

A Lovely Love Story:

One of the pleasures of spending time with people is being pleasantly surprised.  

I was visiting in the home of some older folk the other day.  They have been married for more than sixty years.  There was a box of candy, in a heart-shaped box sitting on a footstool in the living room.  A single rose on top of it.  It turns out that this gentleman has given his lovely wife a box of chocolate every year for Valentines day.  Hold that "Awww" for a moment.  She looked at me with a smile and told me that she had saved every box.  Now let's hear the "Awww" chorus.  You don't learn that kind of love-lesson from the very young.  You could look through that pile of boxes the way scientists examine the rings in a tree.  "This box was given on the year we had that major health issue."  "I received this one the year  _____ died."  " I didn't know if I would be able to buy one for you that year . . ."

Love endures.

To my lovely wife.  

You have told me not to buy you candy.  I do love you.  I love you sixty boxes worth.

Happy Valentines Day.

It's STTA. 

You can read about the greatest love here.

Memories of Whitney Houston:

I Knew Whitney Houston Well:

I had many conversations with her, recognized the off-the-chart potential that she had and was thrilled when that potential was was realized.  I warned her about the direction her life was taking, and was saddened as I watched a life that had such promise become a tabloid tragedy.

OK, I never met Ms. Houston, we never talked or corresponded.  While I was awed by her voice I can't even say I was a fan.  But I knew her, or scores of women and men just like her--people of incredible talent, gifts and potential, who waste it and come to tragic ends.

It has been observed that teens and young adults often feel invincible--"My life will just keep on . . ." seems to be the sentiment of so many.  The beautiful, talented, rich, singer who came to a sad end illustrates how illusive true happiness is, and how quickly fullness of life can evaporate.  

• Decisions have consequences.  Many of the decisions we make--remember Frost's poem about the fork in the road--cut off vast chunks of possibilities.  We ought to be very cautions about making decisions against the counsel of those older, and wiser, who love us.  (I hope you have folk like that in your life.)
• As a fellow pastor friend of mine says, "It matters who you marry.  It is a subset of what I just said, but the person to whom you say, "I do." and, "I will."  will likely affect your life more than any other human being.
• There is a gravity that operates in the moral, spiritual, emotional realm that is every bit as real as the one that influences every physical thing in the world.  The direction it pulls us is the same as well--down.  God has graciously given various forces that counteract that negative pull, entities like family, good relationships, education, and, beyond any of those, the redeeming force of the Gospel of Christ.
  Make the most of them.

Thankfully I've also know young women and men who have made wise choices, built solid relationships, and are investing their gifts and abilities in ways that are a great blessing to all around them.  I've known others who started down the dark trail Whitney Houston took, but seeing the warning signs turned around and pursued a new direction.

I knew Whitney Houston well.  I mourn for her death.

It's STTA. 

You'll find some resources that explains true hope here.