Church Life
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“When All This is Over”
Since about March 2020, I have heard that phrase–or similar things–said an untold number of times. Typically, of course, it has referred to the restrictions and unease caused by the coronavirus. People have talked about finally going on a vacation, churches have talked about restarting certain events, and organizations have talked about planning their big get-togethers “when all this is over.” But it keeps dragging on… …so we keep saying it. That said, I want to use that phrase to ask one simple question. I pray it causes all of us to think. I know it has caused me to do a lot of thinking over the last few weeks…
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Sharing, Spreading, and Stirring
I’m old enough to remember when “being social” meant that a person enjoyed being around other people. People invited others into their homes, went to “social events,” and found other ways to share in the lives of one another – in person. It is sad to me that much of that has been replaced by what is known generally as “social media.” It is also very sad to me that the media being referred to is often something other than social. I think that I may have an account on more than one of those social media platforms, but I’m one of those dinosaurs whose primary outlet is Facebook. I know that…
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The One Not Selected
Some students of the Bible, including children, are able to name the twelve men whom our Lord chose to be His apostles. Some are also able to name the man who was chosen to be an apostle after the defection and death of Judas. That man’s name, of course, was Matthias. Do you remember that Matthias was one of two men suggested? Whatever happened to the other man? Here is what we know about him from scripture. His name was Barsabbas. He was one of two men considered to join with the other eleven apostles after the death of Judas. When the selection was made, he was the one not selected. That’s it. As far as…
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Winging It
Sometime recently, I heard a new twist on a well-known passage that I believe provides some food for thought. Most of the time, Matthew 6:25-30 is used as a very comforting scripture. After all, it starts with the words, “Do not be anxious about your life…” It goes on to remind us of God’s persistent care of things in nature, from the birds of the air, to beautiful lilies, to grass that is only good for a short time. Throughout is the concept that, if God cares so well for those things, won’t He care much more for us? We love this passage as humans and we should! We should…
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He’s Already There
When we go through times of great struggle, one of the most difficult things to keep in mind can be the presence of God. For many, they wonder where He is when they are going through a valley of grief or pain or heartbreak. Oh, they know that He’s there. They’ve read the 23rd Psalm. They know the promise that He “will never leave you nor forsake you.” They get all that. But, in the moment, it can sometimes be difficult to really get it into our mind and truly understand. Today, can I give you a simple thought that might help you the next time you are in a…
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First-Century Apostles With a Twenty-First Century Attitude
Their names were James and John. Some of their adult life was spent working with their father, Zebedee, and some as hired servants as fishermen. They are not remembered, however, as fishermen. We remember them today because they accepted the Lord’s invitation to follow Him and become fishers of men. Thankfully, they are also not remembered for exhibiting what seems to me to be a very twenty-first century attitude. They had been with Jesus and had been with Him as He sacrificed His time and energy in order to be of service to others. They had listened to Him teach about sacrifice and service. As the cross loomed in the very near future, they asked…
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Words Are Important, But…
Many years ago, I received a degree in Communication from Southern Illinois University. My minor was in English, and so as you might have guessed, I have always been interested in communicating. I taught basic speech and English on the High School and Junior College level for several years, and I loved it. One of the lessons I learned, which has not changed these many years later, is that words are important. We use them to express what we want others to know about us or some subject we may be discussing. I always taught that it was important to think before you speak and make sure that the words you use are…
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It Isn’t Funny for Long
They are (most likely) two different bears, but the nearness in time of the stories illustrates a spiritual truth all too well to not share. About 10 days ago, a bear in Tennessee decided to “visit” a shopping mall. The animal went up to the doors near the movie theater at the mall. The mall–through social media–joked about their visitor coming to check out the showtimes for movies. Only after that did they, through their social media outlets, tell their patrons to be aware of the situation. Then, just a couple of days ago, another bear in another town in Tennessee actually went into a restaurant and came near to…
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A Startling Realization
I have no idea where the thought came from. All I know is that, when I looked in the mirror at that seventy-two year old face I was shaving, it occurred to me that it is a little too late for me to blame any dumb things I do on any sort of “midlife crisis.” I really doubt that I will live long enough to celebrate birthday number 144. I’m also thinking that senility has not totally “kicked in.” After all, my brain did work well enough to have that thought and both it and my fingers are working well enough for me to type these words. I forget a few things, make…
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Thinking the Best of Others…When Grieving
Grief is a fickle subject. No two people grieve the same way, either in length or intensity. Some are more quiet than others. Some want to be more alone while others need almost constant companionship. Some are confused when they grieve the loss of a job or pet more than the loss of a family member. There is just no way to know how someone else is grieving. But this post is for those who are grieving–or will sometime in their life, which is all of us. We will all face a loss–to death, of a job, of a marriage, through a major surgery, from an illness, or in other…
