Moments

  This morning, up early, and the house is dark.  Not wanting to wake anyone up, I left the lights off to come down the stairs.  I could not see the stairs.  I could not see my feet.  But, even in the dark, I knew where the banister was.  When I put my hands on the banister, I could tell where the steps were.  Holding on to the banister, I made it down to the kitchen without incident.  Life is like that a lot.  God can be like that banister in our lives.  Often, what lies ahead is dark.  Our worldly vision is useless.  But, in the darkness and unknown of this world, we can know where the banister is, where Jesus is.  Putting hands on the banister in the dark is like holding the hand of Jesus as we walk through the darkness of this world and the darkness and unknown of our own lives.   There was a comfort when I put my hands on the banister this morning, and I felt secure that I could walk down the stairs in the d...

Woke up very early, too early to get up and wake the rest of the family. It was a good time for prayers.  So I lay there on my back in the bed and tried to pray and meditate on speaking to God.  My prayers felt impotent, and I drifted off on other subjects of a more worldly nature, like all I wanted to do today. It was frustrating not to be able to stay with God. After all He has brought me through and brought me to, I could not talk to Him without worldly interruptions. So, I gave up wondering what had happened that I could no longer connect with prayer like I once did.  Sitting on the side of the bed, I put my head in my hands and wondered what had gone wrong.   Then, with head in my hands, I bowed a little lower and asked God, How do I get it back. For a few moments, I didn't pray but sat there on the side of the bed with my head bowed.   Then it came.  I prayed, and it was real, like before.  Interruptions from the world didn't stand a ch...

 It is easy to see that Faith is like a muscle to be utilized, exercised, and sometimes challenged.    When things are going well, it is easy to let that go think we are in control, and let faith atrophy.  However, the underdeveloped faith muscles are weak against challenges to our lives that are bound to come and to our faith itself.  Fear, can take over when all the confidence we had in being in control of ourselves is powerless.     It can seem we are adrift without an oar, on a fast-moving stream, headed for a waterfall.   So what do we do?  I like what Peter said to Jesus as Peter was walking on water and took his eyes off Jesus.   "Lord save me!"  And Jesus said. "Oh ye of little faith, why did you doubt?"  He took his eyes off Jesus.  He saw the waves, not the master of the waves. However, God has made provision. We can build little muscles, and we can build a little faith.  God sometimes sends u...

  I have an old Bible that I really feel comfortable with.  It is greatly weathered, old, used-up looking.  It has been my Bible for 45 years, and it shows the wear. The old Bible is a marvel for some when I take it in public.  Many are quite impressed that I would use a Bible up that much.  Surely, I must be a super-Christian, right?  Who else would have a Bible used up like that?  I must confess, there is a certain pride when I hear those statements, but it came to me; that's the problem.  It's about me, and how holy, holy, I am with my broken-down Bible.  It's not about Him and the timeless message of hope contained in any Bible in any condition. The Gospel is the same.   In all I have been through health wise this last month and a half, I have had a lot of time to get close to God and pray a lot.  In all this, it has been impressed upon me that I often call myself doing things for God, so to speak, in order to bring attenti...

We know its out there, but we cover death up with bus,y with entertainment and comfort.  We watch the news about the world coming to an end, then blame some politicians or political parties and excuse the awareness of our own greatest vulnerability:  sooner or later, we are going to die.   Do we really have the time and effort to expend on this fear facade that the media portrays to the world to be like?   In our denial, we sometimes work hard and long at something as if we can push death back with our notions that if we are doing something really important and world-saving, death or the thought of it can be put off.  And we are so busy.  We must be doing something terribly important and earth-shattering to be so busy.  Surely, death will leave us alone until all our tasks are completed?   But the truth is that death is right here, moving among us daily, moment by moment, actually. But the stark realization of death makes life more ...

  What can God do with me?   Notice I didn't say, "What can I do for God?"  But that was my throw down first question to myself. The answer to that question is "nothing."   God is all in all.  What service or sacrifice we do is not to help Him because he is so busy and needs a hand or that we can earn our way to heaven.  No,  God gives us the privilege of sharing in His work.  It is much like a father teaching a young boy how to build something.  The father lets the son do as much as he can  though he much slower and makes lots of mistakes but in the process he learns the fathers' ways of building things. Think about it.  The Father created the universe.  Why would you think He would need your help now.   No, we are blessed to be allowed to participate in the building of His kingdom.   We are in training to serve and sacrifice for God.  We have have been given a calling, a purpose, and the spe...