Dec 30

LeGo and Let God.

dec 29

Finally, realistic about the self, the mind is free to become full of God.

To be contemplative it is necessaty every day to remember the God within. The posture is a crucial one. Only then can we empty ourselves of the need to play God that day, with anyone, in any way.

- the Illuminated Life

dec 28

The fourth level of humility reminds me to receive others kindly. Knowing my own limitations, I can accept theirs. Then I can walk through the world quietly, without bluster, without calling attention to myself and concentrated on the God within.

- the Illuminated Life

dec 27

The third stage of humility requires us to let go of false expectations in daily life. When I am truly aware of my own littleness, I am not driven to spend life satisfying my ego more than my needs. I do not harbor the delusions of grandeur that compel a person to require the best car, the best chair, the best piece of meat on the plate, whatever the effects on others. The person full of God has much more security than any of the baubles of life - the comforts, the trappings, the titles, the symbols - can give.

- the Illuminated Life

dec 26

The second level of humility requires us to accept the gifts of others, their Godself, their wisdom, their experience, even their direction. By revealing our inmost selves to someone else, we recognize the presence of God in others, yes, but we also free ourselves from the masks we wear and the lies which, in the end, are likely even to fool ourselves about us. For a woman it is the ability to realize that she is not nothing. For a man, it is the grace to understand that he is not everything. Open to the gifts of others and the truth of the self, we can see God where God is.

- the Illuminated Life

dec 23

The Rule of Benedict lays out the four dimensions of humility that lead to contemplation. The first calls us simply to recognize the presence of God in our lives. God, the Rule says quite clearly, simply is. God is with us whether we recognize that presence, that power, or not. God is not bought or gained or won or achieved. God is the ground of life. the point is not that we arrive at God; the point is that we cannot remove ourselves from God. We can only ignore the impact and the meaning of God's presence within us. 'O God, come to my assistance,' we say at the beginning of every prayer period of the day in my community. Even the desire to pray, we acknowledge, comes from the God within us.

- The Illuminated Life

dec 22

The Rule of Benedict reminds the monastic to pray with the psalmist, 'I am a worm and not even human.' What may sound to a me-centered generation like the destruction of human dignity is, in fact, its liberating truth. I am not, in other words, everything I could be. I am not even the fullness of myself, let alone a pinnacle for which my family, my friends, my world, the universe should strive. I am only me. I am weak often, struggling always, arrogant sometimes, hiding from myself most of the time, and always in some kind of need. I cover my limitations with flourish, of course, but down deep, where the souls is forced to confront itself, I know who I really am and what, on the other hand, however fine the image, I really am not. Then, the Rule of Benedict says, we are ready for union with God.

It is not when we become perfect - the whole idea of which becomes ever more suspect ina a daily expanding universe - that we can claim God. It is when we accept the callow material that is ourselves that we can come to see beyond ourselves. It is when we cease to be our own god that God can break in.

- the Illuminated Life

dec 21

Humility enables me to stand before the world in awe, to receive its gifts and to learn from its lessons. But to be humble is not to be diminished. Indeed, humility and humiliations are not the same thing. Humiliations degrade me as a human being. Humility is the ability to recognize my right place in the universe, both dust and glory, God's glory, indeed, but dust nevertheless.

- the Illuminated Life.

dec 20

Humility and contemplation are the invisible twins of the spiritual life. One without the other is impossible. In the first place, there is no such thing as a contemplative life without the humility that takes us beyond the myth of our own grandeur to the cosmic grandeur of God. In the second, once we know the grandeur of God we get the rest of life - ourselves included - in perspective. Reaching the moon told us how really insignificant we were in the universe. We begin to rethink all our dearly held notions of human consequence. Humility leads directly to contemplation.

- the Illuminated Life

dec 19

Abba Xanthias said: "A dog is better than I am because a dog has love, but, unlike myself, the dog does not pass judgment."

Abba Sarmatas said: "I prefer a person who has sinned if he knows that he sinned and has repented, over a person who has not sinned and considers himself to be righteous."

dec 16

Place this over your home, your office, your heart, your mind.

dec 15

Spend some time here and let the song stick with you all day...

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

dec 14

Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.

luke 15:8-11

there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels...it makes me wonder who else is up there. Then I think, Oh, it's God. God the Almighty, he's the one rejoicing. The angels must think He's crazy. He is crazy...He's crazy in love with you.

dec 13

Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, "Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep." I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety-nine righteous persons who do note need to repent.

luke 15:3-7

I'm not a shepherd. But I love the way Jesus talks as if all shepherds would leave 99 sheep to the hills for the sake of 1. I don't talk that way. I don't live that way. Thanks be to God we have a Savior who does.

dec 12

Today, Clyde said that "Repent" was the angels favorite word because it says that they throw a party every time someone does it.

It's true. Check it out: Luke 15:7; Luke 15:10

dec 9

Luke 15:20

So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The son moved a little. The father moved a lot.

The son was still far away. The father saw him. He must have been looking. Waiting.

The son was walking. The father came running.

The son was came with an apology. The father came with a kiss.

dec 8

Luke 15:11...the Prodigal Son story...

Last night, Clyde told me that the Bedouin people say that the moment of repentance happens when the son receives the love of the father. Not when he decides to leave his life of sin. Not when he turns back home. But when the father runs to him. When the father kisses him and hugs him and he receives his affection and does not turn from it.

dec 6

Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

luke 15:1-2

Is there anything more beautiful than knowing that Jesus welcomes sinners and eats with them? I cannot but feel sorry for the Pharisees and teachers. By the way, if you find that you are one...Jesus welcomes you, too.

dec 5

Of all my fears, the fear of the unknown is one of the most powerful. This may come as a surprise to those of you who know me because adventure is also one of the most powerful impulses in my life. Which is perhaps why when I read this this morning it hit me: the unknown is what makes life adventurous.

What if I approached all my unknowns with a sense of adventure? Now that could be exciting.

dec 2

verse 32...

In the same way, any one of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

in the same way...

Jesus is saying: just as the builder counts the cost, and the king weighs his chances, we must take account and see if we have what it takes to be a disciple of Christ.

Here's the thing: the builder doesn't have what it takes to build the tower. He only has enough for the foundation. The king doesn't have a big enough army. He's got to hope to make peace. IN THE SAME WAY we don't have what it takes either.

So stop trying. Give up. Give up everything. All your effort. All your merit. It's not enough. That's what Jesus is saying. Pretty sobering news. And yet the greatest news we could ever hope to hear.

dec 1

Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace.

luke 14:31-32

the next verse is the critical one. it pulls verses 28-32 together, but we will leave them for tomorrow. today let's think about how practical Jesus is in both these passages.

In verses 28 to 30 he basically says, hey, don't look like a fool, make sure you know what you're getting into before you get into it.

In verses 31-32 he basically says, find out whether you got enough ammo before you start shooting at people. if not, find a way to save your butt.

Not the kind of stuff you would expect to come from Jesus' mouth. But that's Jesus. He doesn't do what you expect...

more tomorrow.

nov 30

Tonight, my wife and I met with a builder. It was an eye opening experience...and brought to mind these words of Jesus:

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'

luke 14:28-30

It was humbling to us to see the extent of cost counting that should take place before building something. I am so impulsive. Lord, help me count the cost. What does it even mean to count the cost of faith?

nov 29

I met with my friends Kevin and Stephane tonight. Stephane asked about the line "I believe in the holy catholic church." He's Presbyterian. What's that all about?

Kevin did a great job explaining to him the difference between the Catholic Church and the catholic church. For some reason the small c is the bigger of the two!

The whole time I was just thinking about how thankful I was that we of all backgrounds and denominations are brothers and sisters when Jesus is our king. Amen. Amen.

nov 28

this is a quote from the Presbyterian Mission Prayer Book about my Aunt's church that put on a children's program the last two summers.

"the session knew on paper that it would be impossible for the congregation of shut-ins and elderly persons to do this, but they believed that with God, all things are possible and said yes - a resounding yes. "We have a large fellowship hall and there are hungry children: What is the question?" asked an 88 year old elder. Despite the $10,000 projected cost, they took a leap of faith."

nov 25

Confidence is con ("with") fideo ("faith"). In other words, it is not an alone faith; it is a "faith with" - a faith with God's faith. Your faith and God's faith flow together. You and Christ together have everything necessary.

You have to have faith in His faith. Faith is not merely your holding on to God - it is God holding on to you.

E Stanley Jones

nov 24

Therefore , as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And BE THANKFUL!

Colossians 3:12-15

I love this long list...and I love how it ends. BE THANKFUL. It's like Paul was rereading what he wrote and realized he forgot the most important part. Like putting in that last ingredient to make the soup sizzle. Thankfulness is that ingredient to the recipe of life. It adds the hop to your step, the whistle to your lips, and the twinkle to your eye.

nov 23

As we dive into Thanksgiving...we're going to take a look at a couple of my favorite Thanksgiving verses...here's one.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Anxiety and Thanksgiving do not work well together. Thanksgiving and Anxiety cannot even exist together. One casts out the other. So I'll leave it to you...which one do you choose to live with?

Let the one cast out the other. I promise you, it works.

nov 22

"To be a Christian, then, is to receive God's good gifts and enjoy them the most, need them the least, and give them away the most freely."

What is the Mission of the Church by Deyoung and Gilbert p 179

nov 21

Two Truths to Consider today:

I am more sinful and flawed that I ever dared believe.

I am more accepted and loved than I ever dared hope.

nov 18

People who fight life's battles without fear fight only one enemy - the real thing confronting them. But those who fight with fears inside fight three enemies - the real thing, plus the imaginary things built up by fear, plus the fear itself. Actually, the greatest of these is fear.

E Stanley Jones

nov 17

One morning when Martin Luther was discouraged, his wife appeared in black. When Luther inquired what the mourning meant, she replied, "Haven't you heard? God is dead."

nov 16

Do not worry...

A person who worries says: "I do not trust God; I'll take things in my own hands. God doesn't care, and so He won't do anything - I'll have to worry it through." But faith says, "God does care, and He and I will work it out together. I'll supply the willingness, and He will supply the power. With that combination we can do anything.

E Stanley Jones

nov 15

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

seek first HIS kingdom. so much of my life is doing the business of building my own! a friend and i were talking about this last week. part of our responsibility as Christian leaders (which is all of us) is to help discover and communicate the God narrative of our lives. to answer for ourselves and others this question: what is God doing? that i think in a nutshell is seeking first his kingdom...it is participating on the deeper playing field of the Spirit...it is paying attention to God...it is believing that He is at work...and that He has a place for us if we are willing to join Him.

Nov 14

And why do you worry about your clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:28-34

each day has enough trouble of its own...ain't that the truth. But how crazy is it that the words came out of the One who created day. I love how realistic Jesus is. He just may be the most real thing there is.

Nov 11

And why do you worry about your clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:28-34

Seek first his kingdom...

We need to spend some time here. But before we start we need to know this: Jesus always talks about the kingdom as if it already exists. He didn't say, Build first the kingdom. or Establish first the kingdom. or Conquer first the kingdom. He said Seek it. As if, it was already there. You just have to find it.

Nov 10

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?

Matthew 6:27

My sister recently wrote a prayer email to her prayer list. It was your ordinary my life and the life of my family is in peril type of emails. The ones we have grown accustomed to.

Then she writes an add on email, which read: And don't worry! You know who you are.

As I read it I found myself going, is she talking about me? To be fully honest, I am related to a long line of worriers. I'm pretty sure she was talking about one of them. But the truth is I worry, too. I worry about her. I worry about a lot of things. But the real truth is, Jesus is right. What does worrying get me? It doesn't add. It only takes away.

Nov 9

And why do you worry about your clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:28-34

As I think back on my life, you know what I see? Never have I been short of clothing. Clean clothing maybe. But never not at all. Never have I been without food. For a few hours, yes. Not able to eat exactly what I would have liked, yes. But never not at all. That's a lot of day. A lot of days God has provided for me.

First of all, thanks God.

Second of all, help me remember when I lose faith.

Third of all, allow me to help you provide these basic needs to my brothers and sisters in the world.

Amen

Nov 8

Do not worry...

Worry seeps into my life in those moments I feel out of control. (Many moments feel this way). The worry comes in when I lose confidence in these moments that things might not go the way I'd like them to go. The lack of confidence is due partly from experiences from the past, partly from my lack of faith in the one who knows the future.

Both these things - the past, the future - are not what God would want me to focus upon. And so, and now, before we get to my lack of faith, today, I will pause and let the past remain in the past, the future remain in the future, while I remain in the future. Amen.

Nov 7

Do not worry...

This is from an excerpt Dr. Wayne D. Dyer. I think it's appropriate when you think about how "in the present" Jesus was.

What is worry? I define it this way: Worry is the act of becoming immobilized in the present moment as a result of things that are going, or are not going, to happen in the future.

The key words here are "present moment." Worry, then, is a technique you have created in order to use up the "now" moments of your life, rather than choosing to use these precious, present moments living a fully functioning, happy life.

Everything that has ever happened to you did not happen in the past—it happened in the present moment. And everything that will ever happen to you will not occur in the future—it will take place in the "now" as well. So every moment you elect to spend in worry is your way of using up your "nows" by not being fully present in your life.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/spirit/How-to-Eliminate-Worry-From-Your-Life-Wayne-Dyer#ixzz1cyUVHTnk

Nov 4

And why do you worry about your clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:28-34

we'll unpack this next week...

Nov 3

I was reminded of how great these verses are tonight:

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you nor much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single how to his life?

Matthew 6:25-27

Nov 1 & 2

This is worth two days of pondering...

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/525347

Oct 31

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, "Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Soveriegn Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This what the Soveriegn Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath into these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army.

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them; 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.

ezekiel 37:4-14

What happened to these people? It never says.

One thing is clear - they died again. Sometimes I forget that there is life after death. I get lulled into thinking that this is all there is. The truth is we were designed for eternity. We will live again after we die!

God will open the graves and bring us up from them. He will bring us home. And we will live again with him for eternity.

Oct 28

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, "Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Soveriegn Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This what the Soveriegn Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath into these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army.

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them; 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know tht I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.

ezekiel 37:4-14

What a message! You may think you're down and out. But check out what God can do! He can dead things. Dry bone dead things! And make them come back to life. Not even death can prevent God from getting to his people! I love that! Take hope in that!

Oct 27

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, "Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Soveriegn Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This what the Soveriegn Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath into these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army.

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them; 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know tht I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.

ezekiel 37:4-14

It amazes me that Ezekiel doesn't question God. Perhaps I have never heard God as clearly as Ezekiel did. That's a possibility. But I can't put my mind around how Ezekiel heard such a crazy command from God, and then did it! That's crazy! How about you? How willing are you to do crazy things for Jesus?

Oct 26

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, "Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Soveriegn Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This what the Soveriegn Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath into these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army.

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them; 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know tht I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.

ezekiel 37:4-14

God tells Ezekiel to talk directly to the dry bones in order to remind us/show us that he is God of both the living and the dead. He is sovereign over all. Which is the reason Paul can write that nothing can separate us from the love of God - not even death!

Oct 25

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, "Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Soveriegn Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This what the Soveriegn Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath into these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army.

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them; 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know tht I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.

ezekiel 37:4-14

Is there a spookier scene in the Bible? God makes Zombies!!! How creepy is that? And yet, how many of us choose to live our lives without breathing in and out the breath of God? How much more AIR could we be breathing if we breathed in the Spirit?

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, "Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Soveriegn Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This what the Soveriegn Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath into these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army.

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them; 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know tht I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.

ezekiel 37:4-14

Sometimes the Lord chooses the most impossible circumstances to reveal just how amazing he is. Here he demonstrates his power by the most impossible of impossible circumstances. Dead bones. Not merely dead bones. But dead dry bones. Bones that have been dead so long they rattle. Yep. He's going to make them live.

Oct 21

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, "Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Soveriegn Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord."

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This what the Soveriegn Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breath into these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet - a vast army.

Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' Therefore prophesy and say to them; 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know tht I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.

ezekiel 37:4-14

we'll explore this together next week! Happy Halloween!

Oct 20

I read this this morning to start getting prepped for Halloween.

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. he asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

I said, "O Sovereign Lord, you alone know."

Ezekiel 37:1-3

I love Ezekiel's answer. If God had asked him this at the beginning of the book he would probably have said, No way Jose. But this is Ezekiel 37, by now God has done some pretty crazy things in Ezekiel's life. So if God asks him if something impossible can happen, Ezekiel has figured out that the best answer is to say, Well, I can't see how it is possible, but I know one thing - you can do anything!

May we be the same. You go, Zeke.

Oct 19

The gospel is to be applied to every area of thinking, feeling, relating, working and behaving.

Tim Keller

Oct 18

To be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything He has given us--and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference...Gratitude is therefore the heart of the solitary life, as it is the heart of the Christian life...We live in constant dependence upon this merciful kindness of the Father, and thus our whole life is a life of gratitude—a constant response to His help which comes to us at every moment.

Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude

Oct 17

Today is the Forsyth County Young Life banquet. My nugget for today is to spend some time remembering what or who or how God used others to lead you to himself. Spend some time thanking him for the ways he worked through these people. If you feel the desire, maybe even write that person or organization. Or perhaps, like I will do tonight, write them a check.

Oct 14

I would rather be beaten in Right than succeed in Wrong.

James A. Garfield

Oct 13

I never met a ragged boy in the street without feeling that I may owe him a salute, for I know not what possibilities may be buttoned up under his coat.

James A. Garfield

Oct 12

If wrinkles must be written upon our brows, let them not be written upon the heart. The spirit should never grow old.

James A. Garfield

Oct 11

There is no horizontal Stratification of society in this country like the rocks in the earth, that hold one class down below forevermore, and let another come to the surface and stay there forever. Our Stratification is like the ocean, where every individual drop is free to move, and where from the sternest depths of the mighty deep any drop may come up to glitter on the highest wave that rolls.

James A. Garfield

Oct 10

Sorry, I forgot to front load last week and I was out in the Utah wilderness before I realized it.

We're back! Vacation was great. And it's great to be back.

Yesterday, my pastor quoted a commentator who said this:

God waits for us for us to wait for him.

Let's ponder this together today.

September 30

As we enter Halloween season, think about the SPOOKIEST thing that has ever happened to you.

I would like you to think about your experience of evil.

How does it inform and influence your relationship with Christ?

Here is something to read from Frederick Buechner's Wishful Thinking.

EVIL

- God is all-powerful

- God is all-good

- Terrible things happen

You can reconcile any two of these propositions with each other, but you can't reconcile all three. The problem of evil is perhaps the greatest single problem for religious faith.

There have been numerous theological and philosophical attempts to solve it, but when it comes down to the reality of evil itself, they are none of them worth much. When a child is raped and murdered, the parents are not apt to take much comfort from the explanation (better than most) that since God wants us to love him, we must be free to love or not to love and thus free to rape and murder a child if we take a notion to.

Christian Science solves the problem of evil by saying that it does not exist except as an illusion of mortal mind. Buddhism solves it in terms of reincarnation and an inexorable law of cause and effect whereby the raped child is merely reaping the consequences of evil deeds it committed in another life.

Christianity, on the other hand, ultimately offers no theoretical solution at all. It merely points to the cross and says that, pratically speaking, there is no evil so dark and so obscene - not even this - but the God can turn it to good.

Look at 1 John 5:1-5

The NLT has verse 4 this way: For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.

The three weapons that God has given us to fight evil appear to be Faith, Belief, and Love.

How does that sit with you? What's your experience combatting evil with these weapons?

etc.

How can we apply this to our lives?

september 29

For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.

I John 5:4

When you think of all the weapons you could wield against evil - where does faith stack up? For me, faith might not even make it into the equation. Maybe it's that hippie in me, I don't know, but maybe this faith thing is related somewhat to that bumper sticker I like - wage peace. I like that. It's upside down. It's so JC.

september 27 and 28

Recently, I was given the opportunity to hang out with the Redeemer School's middle schoolers for the weekend. In addition to playing in the band (that's JT on the bass and Jennifer Wolfe Steele on the mic) I was asked to speak. I figured what better audience to experiment with some Clay themes.

Is there any time more formative than the early teens?

I spent the first night talking about the things that shaped me when I was a teenager. You can probably guess how that turned out.

The next day we talked about what happens when we let the one who made us shape us.

september 26

Kingdom of God.

It is not a place of course, but a condition. Kingship might be a better word. "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done," Jesus prayed. The two are in apposition.

Insofar as here and there, and now and then, God's kingly will is being done in various ways among us even at this moment, the kingdom has already come.

Insofar as all the odd ways we do his will at this moment are at best half-baked and halfhearted, the kingdom is still a long way off - a hell of a long way off, to be more precise and theological.

Frederick Buechner - Whishful Thinking

september 23

Here are some questions I'm pondering today:

Why are hard things often good?

Why do I find myself gravitating to the easy when easy often ends up not being good?

Is this what Jesus is talking about when he says to "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

September 22

But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, 'Abba Father.' So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

Thanks Abby. Welcome, Moses.

september 21

One day Louisa Stead (1850-1917) with her husband and four year old daughter went to enjoy the beach at Long Island, New York. While there, they heard a call for help from a young child in the water. Mr. Stead went to his rescue but instead both he and the child were drowned. Louisa and her daughter were left to experience poverty in their life. One day she found some food and money had been left for her on her doorstep. The hymn “’Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus” was born from that incident. Later Louisa and her daughter left for South Africa where she found herself a new husband. After which they led a missionary life. The music to this hymn was written by William J. Kirkpatrick (photo above). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word, Just to rest upon His promise, just to know, “Thus saith the Lord.” O how sweet to trust in Jesus, just to trust His cleansing blood, Just in simple faith to plunge me ‘neath the healing, cleansing flood! Yes, ‘tis sweet to trust in Jesus, just from sin and self to cease, Just from Jesus simply taking life and rest and joy and peace. I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee, precious Jesus, Savior, Friend; And I know that Thou art with me, wilt be with me to the end. Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er! Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!

september 20

In "Beauty and the Beast," it is only when the Beast discovers that Beauty really loves him in all his ugliness that he himself becomes beautiful.

In the experience of Saint Paul, it is only when we discover that God really loves us in all our unloveliness that we ourselves start to become godlike.

Paul's word for this gradual transformation of a sow's ear into a silk purse is sanctification.

Frederick Buechner - Wishful Thinking

september 19

This photo really speaks to me.

september 16

Can I tell you a story? It’s actually recorded in Mark 14:3-9. But I want to tell it to you a different way. You see, it’s a story about a jar of clay.

It was not clay like this. This is brownstone. It’s good clay, but not as good as the kind in this story. The clay in Mark 14 is alabaster. One of the most pure minerals on earth. When it is fired it turns white, almost translucent. It was used for only extremely valuable things. In fact, in this story, the alabaster jar held a very expensive perfume made from the spikenard plant. It’s like the fragrance of lavender except it was very thick. It was so valuable that this vessel of perfume it was said was worth more than a year’s wages. So think about all the money your family makes in one year. This one vessel contained more value than that.

Well, You can imagine what this jar thought about itself. I’m sure if you were the jar you would think pretty highly of yourself. In fact, in your house, you’re probably the most valuable possession. You were only used on very special occasions and in only teenie tiny doses. Well one day, your owner comes running into her room, and picks you up. Someone special must have arrived, you think. But instead of using you, she carries you into the main room. And you’re expecting that some royalty must have arrived. But there, before you, sits a beggar. He’s wearing a robe that probably hasn’t been washed in weeks. His hair is in tangles. There’s dirt, caked in his beard. And his feet. You don’t want to even look at them they’re so disgusting.

And suddenly the worst thing imaginable happens! Your owner, this woman she breaks your perfectly slender neck. You crack down the sides. In an instant you have become worthless. You will never be used again. Perfume starts oozing down, dripping on the floor. And she carries you, your broken pieces and she pours out the perfume. A lifetime’s worth. She pours out every drop on this beggar’s head.

It’s unthinkable! You wouldn’t do this to a King! And yet, here she is, anointing a beggar.

And now you hear voices.

v. 4-5 And the people in the room didn’t understand her. They rebuked her.

And you agree with them. This woman has ruined you. She’s lost her mind. But then, suddenly, you hear another voice. It’s choked. Dry. But there is strength in it. You can tell because every one falls silent.

v. 6-9 Listen to what Jesus says. Jesus doesn’t say this about any other person.

And you realize, all of the sudden, that he’s not speaking only about this woman. His eyes. The beggar’s eyes, they drift to you.

v. 6-9 You, broken one, the one in which I have placed my treasure. You have done a beautiful thing. You did what you could. You poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial.

You see all your life, you thought your value was what you were on the outside. You thought your worth was based on the stuff that you were able to keep for yourself. Little did you know, you were actually much more valuable than that. You would be the one to anoint the head a king. Not just a king. But the King of Kings.

And three days later, on the cross. As the King suffered and died. The perfume you held, that fragrance would still be clinging to that beggar king’s caked beard, his tangled hair. It would be the last beautiful thing Jesus would experience on this earth before his death. Because you were broken. Because you were used in the manner he intended.

That’s what can happen when we allow the Shaper to shape us. Yes, we may be broken. But it will always serve a higher purpose. When your life is shaped by Christ, you will experience meaning and a purpose that is far greater than any meaning or purpose you could create for yourself.

That’s the invitation God is offering you.

september 15

If you are in conflict with someone this is really helpful:

Living Out Matthew 18

When Christians think about talking to someone else about a conflict, one of the first verses that comes to mind is Matthew 18:15: "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you." If this verse is read in isolation, it seems to teach that we must always use direct confrontation to force others to admit they have sinned. If the verse is read in context, however, we see that Jesus had something much more flexible and beneficial in mind than simply standing toe to toe with others and describing their sins.

Just before this passage, we find Jesus' wonderful metaphor of a loving shepherd who goes to look for a wandering sheep and then rejoices when it is found (Matt. 18:12-14). Thus, Matthew 18:15 is introduced with a theme of restoration, not condemnation. Jesus repeats this theme just after telling us to "go and show him his fault" by adding, "If he listens to you, you have won your brother over." And then he hits the restoration theme a third time in verses 21-35, where he uses the parable of the unmerciful servant to remind us to be as merciful and forgiving to others as God is to us (Matt. 18:21-35).

Taken from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict

by Ken Sande, Updated Edition (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2003) p. 144

september 14

This weekend I'm speaking at a middle school camp.

The question we're going to look at is this:

What's shaping you?

Spend some time with it today.

How is God shaping you?

september 13

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:1

Notice the "have been justified." I just looked up past participles on the web...check out this response from Clive and think about it in terms of justification:

Hi,

I was wondering what's the difference between "has been" and "was". For instance- below is an example:

I was there Just tells me about the past. No emphasis on the past event as having importance in the present.

I have been there. Tells me about the past but shows that the past event has importance in the present. eg I have been in Japan in the past, so I understand Japanese society at the present time. Think of it as I have the result now of this past experience.

Best wishes, Clive

It bears repeating:

I HAVE THE RESULT NOW OF THIS PAST EXPERIENCE!

september 12

i ran a relay race this weekend. when it was my turn, i ran as fast as i could. and when i made it to the exchange point, i handed the baton to the next guy, crumpled to the ground, and he took it from there. it was a great metaphor for the body that Christ has designed us to be.

september 9

In honor of the Blue Ridge Relay a thought from the greatest novel written about running, Once a Runner, by John Parker.

There is the trial of miles, and the miles of trials.

This rings true in more than running.

september 8

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Matthew 28:20

Several years ago, a friend of mine had me do an exercise each morning. At breakfast, sit down and ask yourself, what am I feeling? what emotion is predominant at this moment? You know what I wrote down most mornings? Lonely.

So often I am so desperately alone. May his promise remind me that though I may feel lonely I am never alone.

september 7

"Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ." John 1:3

Relationship is central to the life of a Christian. We must relate to God. How do we do this? By talking to Him! By listening to Him. By doing things with Him. And for Him. And appreciating Him. And doing things that please Him...the most important aspect of this relationship is what happens inside the relationship...not what happens outside of it.

september 6

I was asked to consider these questions for a meeting tomorrow night. I think they're worth your time as well:

What is our view of God?
What is our view of Man?
Who is the true older brother?
What is the Gospel?

These are the foundational concepts.

september 5

Life from the Center is a heaven-directed life...It is not we alone who are at work in the world, frantically finishing a work to be offered to God...We need not get frantic. He is at the helm. And when our little day is done, we lie down quietly in peace, for all is well.

thomas kelly

september 2

And under the silent, watchful eye of the Holy One, we all are standing, whether we know it or not. And in that Center, in that Abyss where the Eternal dwells at the base of our being, our programs, our gifts to Him, our offerings of duties performed are again and again revised in their values. Many of the things we are doing seem too important to us. We haven't been able to say no to them, because they seemed so important. But if we are center down, as the old phrase goes, and live in that holy Silence that is dearer than life, and take our life program into the silent places of the heart, with complete openness, ready to do, ready to renounce according to His leading, then many of the things we are doing will lose their vitality for us...

thomas kelly

september 1

We have all heard this holy Whisper at times. At times, we have followed the Whisper, and amazing equilibrium of life, amazing effectiveness of living set in. But too many of us have heeded the Voice only at times. Only at times have we submitted to His holy guidance. We have not counted this Holy Thing within us to be the most precious thing in the world.

thomas kelly

august 31

Strained by the very mad pace of our daily outer burdens, we are further strained by an inward uneasiness, because we have hints that there is a way of life vastly richer and deeper than all this hurried existence, a life of unhurried serenity and peace and power. If only we could slip over into that Center...!

thomas kelly

august 30

We Western peoples are apt to think our great problems are external, environmental. We are not skilled in the inner life, where the real roots of our problem lie. For I would suggest that the true explanation of the complexity of our program is an inner one, not an outer one. the outer distractions of our interests reflect an inner lack of integration of our own lives. We are trying to be several selves at one, without all our selves being organized by a single mastering Life within us...

thomas kelly

august 29

This week we are going to look at excerpts from Thomas Kelly's book A Testament of Devotion.

The problem we face today needs very little time for its statement. Our lives in a modern city frow too complex and overcrowded. Even the necessary obligations that we feel we must meet frow overnight, like Jack's beanstalk, and before we know it we are bowed down with burdens, crushed under committees, strained, breathless, and hurried, panting through a never-ending program of appointments. We are too busy to be good wives to our husbands, good homemakers, good companions of our children, good friends to our friends, and with no time at all to be freinds to the friendless...And we know and regret that our life is slipping away, with our having tasted so little of the peace and joy and serenity we are persuaded it should yield to a soul of wide caliber. The times for the deeps of the silence of the heart seem so few...

august 25 and 26

Good Googa Mooga, Is it Thursday?

I am so sorry.

I'll leave you two thoughts for two days and the weekend.

What would you do if you had unlimited resources and an infinite amount of time?

Then think about what God offers you in Christ.

Then think about the question again.

Then think about how you might apply what you're thinking.

august 23

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.

Romans 8:32

What exactly are these "things" Paul is talking about?

I think we are going to have to camp out here for a bit, and see what we can dig up.

For today, consider this: Paul uses the words "all things" four verses earlier.

And we know that in ALL THINGS God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Let's marinate on these two ALL THINGS verses today. Verse 32 talks about gifts God wants to give us. Verse 28 talks about (at least we usually use this verse to talk about) suffering. Gifts and suffering. God wants to use ALL of Both.

More tomorrow.

aug 22

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. this is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.

1 John 5:4

This is the kind of verse that is hard for me to believe. Perhaps that is why John writes this next:

Who is that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

That's my job. Not to overcome. But to believe.

August 19

It's my anniversary. I did not forget! A friend of mine got married last weekend. In my note to him, I challenged he and his new bride with this word: Remember.

My memory is so bad I need to remember to remember. I wrote that in my note as well. We are a forgetful lot aren't we. Today, I will remember.

I remember Jesus saying something to that effect as well...

August 18

He who has the Son has life.

1 John 5:12a

My friend Paul used to say "What you have, has you." It was a quote. It would appear that he or she who first said it understood what John was writing about.

august 17

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

I remember hearing that there is a difference between ‘wants’ and ‘needs.’ And God promises us that he will take care of our needs, whereas wants were things he was more interested in curing us from.

As it says in Psalm 23 – the Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.

In other words if you are a Christian it is a sin to want anything.

Thou shalt not murder. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not covet...

Thou shalt not want. It's the 11th Commandment.

I’ve used this line of reasoning on my daughter who has no problem wanting things. I say, Anna Rose, there is a difference between wants and needs. I promise to take care of your needs. Wants on the other hand are discretionary.

What’s discretionary, she asks. It means they are more likely to happen if you stop asking me for them, I say.

There is a problem with all this logic of course.

Because whether I want to or not, I often get Anna Rose what she wants. However the biggest problem with the wants v. needs logic is that it’s not true.

First of all, God doesn’t give us what we need. Most of the time, he gives us way more than we need.

For instance, the amount of calories a person needs to survive ranges between 600 – 1000 calories per day. The USDA recommends adult males should eat between 2000 and 2500 calories and women 1800 and 2300 calories per day. Look in your refrigerator and cupboard when you get home, count the calories and see if God has provided enough food for just your needs. He not only has covered your needs of course, he has provided enough to cover the USDA recommendations twice over. In fact, he has probably provided enough sustenance for you to eat too much.

Here is another need. Water. You go anywhere to practically any faucet in this country and there is an unlimited supply. All doctors recommend is 2 quarts. And even that amount is debatable.

How about shelter? A shack would suffice. How many of us live in a shack?

The point is that God doesn’t give us just what we need. And if you find yourself beginning to think you ‘need’ that four bedroom house with air conditioning and a pool, you need to go on a mission trip and wake up and see how the rest of the world lives.

That’s the other thing. There are people. People who believe in God. People that God loves. That Jesus died for. Who will die today because they don’t have what they need. There are children who will die today because God did not provide for them what they needed.

We can debate this if you like. There is enough food and water in this world for everybody. But how does that affect the little Haitian child who is dying today because her mother doesn’t have any milk for her and so she has to give her contaminated water, which will give her dysentery, which will kill her.

The fact is that God doesn’t give us what we need. He gives some people more and some people less. This would be a good time to recall the moment Jesus fed the more than 5,000. These people were in need. They hadn’t eaten for three days, and remember what Jesus says: “You give them something to eat.”

But although it is very important, I’m not here today to tell you how God wants you to fix the imbalance…in fact, I’m not sure if that is the main point from Jesus’ feeding of the 5,000. Because, from the disciples perspective, the big take home for them was the fact they had so many leftovers! Jesus, once again, provides to the point of waste – where I’m sure there were people somewhere on the other shoreline of Galillee starving to death.

All this to say, God certainly cares about our needs. But as Jesus points out, even bad parents do that. However, and this is radical when you think about the implications, what God goes out of his way to show us is that he also cares about what we want.