One of the reasons that the tragedy in Haiti has been so utterly tragic is because the island nation was already in such poor shape before the earthquake. Institutions and services that we take for granted, which bring security, and improve our lives immensely were, and are, totally lacking in the Island nation.
I certainly know that I'm not wise enough to make pronouncements as to why God has allowed such a cataclysm to ravage this nation, but we all ought to be smart enough to learn some lessons from what is going on there.
There are many Haitians who are loving, kind, God-fearing people. A gentleman I know grew up in Haiti and reaches out to his countrymen, both in Haiti and here in the US, with the Word of God. I know my friend is not alone. Yet, after decades of corrupt leaders like Papa Doc, and Baby Doc Duvalier, with a corresponding breakdown in many social structures, Haiti became a land with no effective control. People were left to fend for themselves. I can remember back in grade and high school, how good "just doing what I want," looked. Even now, I am an advocate of government allowing citizens to maintain as much freedom as possible. Haiti reminds me, however, that absolute freedom mixed with unchecked depravity--and depravity extends to all of us who claim Adam as an ancestor--equals the Book of Judges, "There was no king in the land. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes."
Haiti has been abused by depraved leaders. More recently it has suffered at the hands of depraved citizens with no leadership to restrain them.
Lord, I pray for the people of Haiti, and I pray for those who are there to help right now. I especially pray for Christians in Haiti, that they will be able to spread the light and hope of the Gospel.
I ask for my own nation, that the depravity that exists in all men's hearts will be restrained by a government that honors principles of doing what is right. AMEN.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Which is our blind side?
The Blind Side is a movie that challenges who we are and what we do with what we have. The story is about a very White, wealthy, Evangelical family and the Black teen who becomes part of their family. It's the true story of NFL offensive lineman Michael Oher, but, aside from football, the film is a great illustration of folk stepping outside of their comfort zone in order to make a difference in the life of another.
We might look at at the Tuohy family and say, "If I had a house like that, that kind of income, etc., etc., I'd do something like that for someone in need. I find in my own life, though, as in my observations of others, that if I'm not using what I have, I probably wouldn't do much with more.
Michael Oher found a home because a lady saw a boy walking in a cold rain wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and T-shirt. All around us are those feeling the foul-weather of this world. Can I help?
It's STTA.
We might look at at the Tuohy family and say, "If I had a house like that, that kind of income, etc., etc., I'd do something like that for someone in need. I find in my own life, though, as in my observations of others, that if I'm not using what I have, I probably wouldn't do much with more.
Michael Oher found a home because a lady saw a boy walking in a cold rain wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and T-shirt. All around us are those feeling the foul-weather of this world. Can I help?
It's STTA.
Friday, January 22, 2010
For the last time, but not for you:
Make sure you read to the bottom of today's STTA. If you don't you are likely to get the wrong idea.
.
Hello, for one more time this is STTA. I'm Howard Merrell.
I figure it is likely that this week's STTAs have started some rumors.
"Howard must be leaving."
Well mostly no, but a little bit yes. I'm not moving away, I don't have a terminal ailment, and I haven't turned in my notice at Covington Bible Church. I will, however, no longer be doing these daily one minute broadcasts on WIQO. I will continue to provide Something to Think About in this email form, and at some point we might even put an audio version online, or get back on the radio. I used to have two regular listeners, but since my Mom moved away, my audience has been cut in half. To my other listener, thanks.
I don't figure that my departure will be as memorable as Enoch's, or Moses', or Elijah's but I hope that I have left you with STTA.
A bit of history and a look ahead:
STTA began as a one minute radio spot on WKEY AM in Covington.
I had been doing a once a week fifteen minute program and decided to do the one minute spots because I figured that it wasn't worth while for someone to turn their radio off or change the channel if they knew I would be off in less than a minute.
At first the broadcast was called Happiness Is. I used a theme-song by that name recorded by Bill Pierce. Early on we found out that title was already taken, so the name became Something To Think About.
From the beginning my goal was not to tell people what to think, but to challenge them to think, and prod them in the right direction. "The words of wise men are like goads." (Ecc. 12:11)
When my older son went to college in 1993 I began sending the scripts of STTA to him, as a point of contact. The list grew from there to the point of it's present number of 272. STTA is read in Russia, Ecuador, Guam, Honduras, Bolivia, Brazil, Korea, Chile, Scotland, Cambodia, Haiti, Bahamas, New Zealand, and Mexico, and in this country from Alaska to Florida, and Arizona to New Hampshire.
A short time ago I started posting STTA at http://sttaspots.blogspot.com/. I have no idea whether anybody reads it there or not.
Our decision to stop doing the radio version of STTA was partly a matter of the allocation of finances, but there are other considerations. When I started doing STTA, just about everyone in our community listened to the local AM station. Later when the FM station became the Country Western (that's right, both kinds of music) standard bearer most people listened to it. It was where people got the weather, news about school closings, and other local news. I used to often go into people's homes where one of the local stations played all day. I had the great privilege of having Paul Harvey as my opening act. Paul Harvey said "Good Day." going to a better day. Folk's listening habits have gone to ipod & Sirius; most check a website for school closing and weather. We decided that our limited funds could do more good invested elsewhere.
.
Hello, for one more time this is STTA. I'm Howard Merrell.
I figure it is likely that this week's STTAs have started some rumors.
"Howard must be leaving."
Well mostly no, but a little bit yes. I'm not moving away, I don't have a terminal ailment, and I haven't turned in my notice at Covington Bible Church. I will, however, no longer be doing these daily one minute broadcasts on WIQO. I will continue to provide Something to Think About in this email form, and at some point we might even put an audio version online, or get back on the radio. I used to have two regular listeners, but since my Mom moved away, my audience has been cut in half. To my other listener, thanks.
I don't figure that my departure will be as memorable as Enoch's, or Moses', or Elijah's but I hope that I have left you with STTA.
A bit of history and a look ahead:
STTA began as a one minute radio spot on WKEY AM in Covington.
I had been doing a once a week fifteen minute program and decided to do the one minute spots because I figured that it wasn't worth while for someone to turn their radio off or change the channel if they knew I would be off in less than a minute.
At first the broadcast was called Happiness Is. I used a theme-song by that name recorded by Bill Pierce. Early on we found out that title was already taken, so the name became Something To Think About.
From the beginning my goal was not to tell people what to think, but to challenge them to think, and prod them in the right direction. "The words of wise men are like goads." (Ecc. 12:11)
When my older son went to college in 1993 I began sending the scripts of STTA to him, as a point of contact. The list grew from there to the point of it's present number of 272. STTA is read in Russia, Ecuador, Guam, Honduras, Bolivia, Brazil, Korea, Chile, Scotland, Cambodia, Haiti, Bahamas, New Zealand, and Mexico, and in this country from Alaska to Florida, and Arizona to New Hampshire.
A short time ago I started posting STTA at http://sttaspots.blogspot.com/. I have no idea whether anybody reads it there or not.
Our decision to stop doing the radio version of STTA was partly a matter of the allocation of finances, but there are other considerations. When I started doing STTA, just about everyone in our community listened to the local AM station. Later when the FM station became the Country Western (that's right, both kinds of music) standard bearer most people listened to it. It was where people got the weather, news about school closings, and other local news. I used to often go into people's homes where one of the local stations played all day. I had the great privilege of having Paul Harvey as my opening act. Paul Harvey said "Good Day." going to a better day. Folk's listening habits have gone to ipod & Sirius; most check a website for school closing and weather. We decided that our limited funds could do more good invested elsewhere.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
A Grand Departure, #3
Elijah would have been the talk of the cable-news shows. He shows up out of nowhere, challenges the king and then vanishes. More than three years later he reappears, again highly confrontational, leading a purge of a corrupt regime. An over-used statement in our time is "Speaking truth to power." Elijah could have been the poster child for that slogan. King Ahab called him the "Troubler of Israel."
Two things stand out about Elijah's grand departure. He, like Enoch, left this life without passing through death, and there was a clear cut passing of the baton, literally the mantle, to his successor Elisha.
Great leaders are not only great in their time, they help others to be great after them.
It's STTA.
Two things stand out about Elijah's grand departure. He, like Enoch, left this life without passing through death, and there was a clear cut passing of the baton, literally the mantle, to his successor Elisha.
Great leaders are not only great in their time, they help others to be great after them.
It's STTA.
A Grand Departure, #2
Recently I watched that old John Wayne movie, Big Jake. It contains all the usual western fare: fist-fights, unbelievable shooting, steely-eyed grit, and bad guys that you love to hate. But this movie also has an element to it that men of a certain age can appreciate. Jake, the John Wayne character, is far from young, but he can still shoot strait, has fists of iron, and faces down outlaws half his age.
He reminds me of Moses.
Deuteronomy 34: 7 describes the great leader at the time of his life. "Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated." His vigor was a sign of God's blessing. Especially those of us of that particular age need to pray that God will give us strength to do what He wants us to do, for as long as He wants us to do it.
It's STTA.
He reminds me of Moses.
Deuteronomy 34: 7 describes the great leader at the time of his life. "Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated." His vigor was a sign of God's blessing. Especially those of us of that particular age need to pray that God will give us strength to do what He wants us to do, for as long as He wants us to do it.
It's STTA.
Monday, January 18, 2010
A Grand Departure, and the Even More Important Prelude:
Enoch is an interesting man--we meet him in Genesis 5. Though we know little about him, the bit that we are told only serves to raise the level of curiosity. Here is a bit of information about him that can easily converted into a riddle. Though Enoch's son, Methuselah was the oldest man ever, his father did not die before or during his lifetime.
Again, we aren't told much, but here is the bare information from Genesis 5:24, "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."
Apparently, Enoch went to heaven without ever passing through death. Enoch was not alone in this experience, and I believe that those believers alive at Christ's return will likewise be taken up alive--as Paul says, "We shall not all sleep."
Whether God takes me in death, or like Enoch, just takes me is up to Him. What is up to me is whether or not I walk with God. When the end comes, Lord, may I be found walking with you like Enoch. Help me to finish well.
It's Something To Think About, from the Covington Bible Church.
Again, we aren't told much, but here is the bare information from Genesis 5:24, "Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."
Apparently, Enoch went to heaven without ever passing through death. Enoch was not alone in this experience, and I believe that those believers alive at Christ's return will likewise be taken up alive--as Paul says, "We shall not all sleep."
Whether God takes me in death, or like Enoch, just takes me is up to Him. What is up to me is whether or not I walk with God. When the end comes, Lord, may I be found walking with you like Enoch. Help me to finish well.
It's Something To Think About, from the Covington Bible Church.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Haiti:
Haiti is so near, yet so far away.
The Island of Hispaniola is just off our shore, yet as the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere and with its extremely volatile political situation Haiti is far removed from the stable, prosperous lives most of us in North America are accustomed to.
Right now our neighbors to the south are experiencing the horrors of an incredible natural disaster. A friend of a friend just reported that he and his family are camped outside, for fear that their house may collapse. A recent acquaintance of mine is, as far as I know, in Haiti. He works with the people who will be most affected by this earthquake.
Pray for the people of Haiti. Pray for those, like my friend who are there, seeking to be of help. I am sure that there will be opportunities for us to be of help in a material way. We ought to be ready to do so, through dependable channels. As those options are made known to me, I'll pass them on. Right now, join me in prayer.
Lord, we live in a world of pain--a world where Your Son was rejected and crucified. I confess I often don't understand, but I pray, today, for the people of Haiti, and especially for those who are reaching out with help. Amen
It's STTA.
BTW: We are posting Prayer Requests and Opportunities to Help about Haiti on our Facebook page. Covington Bible Church
The Island of Hispaniola is just off our shore, yet as the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere and with its extremely volatile political situation Haiti is far removed from the stable, prosperous lives most of us in North America are accustomed to.
Right now our neighbors to the south are experiencing the horrors of an incredible natural disaster. A friend of a friend just reported that he and his family are camped outside, for fear that their house may collapse. A recent acquaintance of mine is, as far as I know, in Haiti. He works with the people who will be most affected by this earthquake.
Pray for the people of Haiti. Pray for those, like my friend who are there, seeking to be of help. I am sure that there will be opportunities for us to be of help in a material way. We ought to be ready to do so, through dependable channels. As those options are made known to me, I'll pass them on. Right now, join me in prayer.
Lord, we live in a world of pain--a world where Your Son was rejected and crucified. I confess I often don't understand, but I pray, today, for the people of Haiti, and especially for those who are reaching out with help. Amen
It's STTA.
BTW: We are posting Prayer Requests and Opportunities to Help about Haiti on our Facebook page. Covington Bible Church
Monday, January 11, 2010
Getting it right, or getting it wrong in the same way:
Senate Majority leader, Harry Reid's, recently exposed gaff--so called--raises some interesting and troubling questions. If we are not already, we are perilously close to the place where there are significant categories of information that simply can't be talked about--kind of an updated version of not discussing politics or religion in polite company. I wonder, though, what if the taboo subject is precisely what needs to be discussed--like going to your physician with a huge tumor, and being told that any discussion of cancer is unacceptable?
And, to the extent that the Senator's comments do enter the public conversation, the talking heads, and sound-biters tend not to discuss whether his words were wrong, right, innocent, dumb, or taken-out-of-context. The comments that hit the news today, are compared to comments of years ago. If the reaction was negative back then, words judged to be similar must be condemned today. If former verbal-sinners were defended, then current offenders must be protected as well. It's a sickly brand of consistency. For a moment suspend judgment. In theory, is it possible that the old reactions were wrong? Am I just a Pollyanna to think that maybe we have learned something over the past decade.
But, ten years ago when I dealt with this I might have said something different, so that would make me wrong today.
In case you miss my point, what we should ask is what is right and true right now.
It's STTA.
And, to the extent that the Senator's comments do enter the public conversation, the talking heads, and sound-biters tend not to discuss whether his words were wrong, right, innocent, dumb, or taken-out-of-context. The comments that hit the news today, are compared to comments of years ago. If the reaction was negative back then, words judged to be similar must be condemned today. If former verbal-sinners were defended, then current offenders must be protected as well. It's a sickly brand of consistency. For a moment suspend judgment. In theory, is it possible that the old reactions were wrong? Am I just a Pollyanna to think that maybe we have learned something over the past decade.
But, ten years ago when I dealt with this I might have said something different, so that would make me wrong today.
In case you miss my point, what we should ask is what is right and true right now.
It's STTA.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Some Thoughts on the New YearL
In doing some reports I was looking back over the past year.
2 things struck me.
1) Even for a guy, like me who keeps rather poor records, there is a considerable trail that is left behind. A friend of mine, who sometimes has to locate people who don't want to be found, once told me, "Don't ever try to hide from me. I'll find you." It reminds that what we do is not in secret. If that is true on a human level, how much more with the One, whose "eyes move to and fro throughout the earth."
2) Time is valuable. As I looked back I could see things that I accomplished, and more that I could have, had I more fully followed the command to redeem the time.
At the beginning of this new year, it's STTA.
Whether I know it or not, anytime I make a plan for the future I put myself on God's turf.
I remember the past--not as well as I would like--but for me to tell you what I did last night is not miraculous; it is a function of my mind.
I am living in the present. If I were into Twitter--or whatever new innovation replaced it last night while I was sleeping--which I'm not, I could bore you with an endless stream about what I am doing. Again, that is not miraculous. We consider self-awareness to be one of the basic indicators of intelligent life.
But the moment i begin to talk about or plan for the future I have entered the realm where I am totally dependent on God. The future is a place none of us have ever been.
As I read and experience the record of God's faithfulness in the past, and as I walk with Him in the present, I gain confidence to face the unknown of the not yet. I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.
It's STTA.
2 things struck me.
1) Even for a guy, like me who keeps rather poor records, there is a considerable trail that is left behind. A friend of mine, who sometimes has to locate people who don't want to be found, once told me, "Don't ever try to hide from me. I'll find you." It reminds that what we do is not in secret. If that is true on a human level, how much more with the One, whose "eyes move to and fro throughout the earth."
2) Time is valuable. As I looked back I could see things that I accomplished, and more that I could have, had I more fully followed the command to redeem the time.
At the beginning of this new year, it's STTA.
Whether I know it or not, anytime I make a plan for the future I put myself on God's turf.
I remember the past--not as well as I would like--but for me to tell you what I did last night is not miraculous; it is a function of my mind.
I am living in the present. If I were into Twitter--or whatever new innovation replaced it last night while I was sleeping--which I'm not, I could bore you with an endless stream about what I am doing. Again, that is not miraculous. We consider self-awareness to be one of the basic indicators of intelligent life.
But the moment i begin to talk about or plan for the future I have entered the realm where I am totally dependent on God. The future is a place none of us have ever been.
As I read and experience the record of God's faithfulness in the past, and as I walk with Him in the present, I gain confidence to face the unknown of the not yet. I don't know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.
It's STTA.
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