Super Worship

The Super Bowl! The 49ers and the Ravens. The World Series! The Giants and the Tigers. The Stanley Cup! The Kings and the Devils. The World Cup! Corinthians and Chelsea. And the Olympic Games bringing together countries and athletes from around the world.

It's great to cheer for the home team. Your team. Your heroes. And it's great to be inspired by those who work hard, who train tirelessly. Those who set an example of excellence and achievement for the rest of us.

 Yet, is there sometimes a fine line, between adulation, honor, and respect for someone, and hero worship? What is worship after all? Worship takes many forms: Praise. Reverence. Dedication of time, energy, and resources. Raising someone, or something, higher than ourselves. Looking to another to be a example, a hero, a leader to us?

Respecting others is a very good thing. Honoring them for their achievements is good. Lifting them too high is dangerous. It is out of balance. It is dishonoring the One who created us. The One who we are called to worship. Enjoy the game, remembering there is One who made it all, even the game.

Be encouraged by the Word of God:

From Matthew 4:

The devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.

Hideaway Park

"Grandpa, why does that sign say Hideaway Park 4 miles?" "If the park is hidden away, it's a secret, why would they put up a sign telling you where to find it?"

I love the innocent questions of my 7 year old grandson. He's a thinker. As children grow, they learn many things by asking questions like these. It's a simple question, yet spot-on, right on the mark. After all, if the park is hidden away, why would you draw attention to it with a sign?

What about your hidden hideaways? What do you hideaway in your heart? A longing for a peaceful quiet place? A place filled with the new life of nature? With the gentle flutter of a butterfly over a flower? Or for salvation of your spouse? Your child? Your mother?

Or darkness from that secret sin, that darkness that brings you down, prevents you from living life to the fullest? Is your hidden life a distraction, to be addressed and moved beyond. David was a man after God's own heart, and is often considered the greatest king of Israel. Yet he was also a warrior, an adulterer, and a murderer. And as he recognized and confessed his sin, he wrote these words to remind us, to seek the Lord with all our hearts. And to hide His Words in your heart. It's the beginning of healing, and the start of the journey to peace and a joy filled life.

Be encouraged by the Word of God:

From Psalm 119

I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees.

Get Wisdom

16 miles per hour. 23 miles per hour. 29 miles per hour. Faster, faster. 35 miles per hour. 38 miles per hour. 43 miles per hour. Faster, faster. 47 mph. Faster, faster. 54 mph.

Whoa !!!!!!!!!!  This is a 25 mph neighborhood.

San Francisco. The streets. The hills. A young couple riding a BMW R100/ boxer-twin motorcycle, full dressed with windshield, fairing, and saddle bags. Up, up, and up the streets. Faster and faster.

San Francisco hills are famous for their car chase scenes in movies and popular television shows. And sometimes in those movies and shows, the cars go airborne, carefully orchestrated by a team of professional stunt coordinators and drivers.

Today is different. This is not a chase and professionals. This is a 20 something couple who enjoy riding together on their motorcycle. And today is beautiful, sunny, bright. And traffic is light, practically non-existent. As they ride up the first hill they chat aimlessly. The street is a thoroughfare, all the side streets and cross streets have stop signs.

They meet the first cross street, see there is no traffic, and start up the next hill, riding a bit faster. At the next street they maintain speed, getting a little rise off the seat. Hey, that was fun. Next street, faster, and the front wheel comes off the group. This is cool! Another, and faster, and now the front wheel is a full 3 feet off the ground!  No stopping now, faster and faster, 3 more streets, completely airborne on the last two streets!!

A look at the speedometer, 54 miles per hour. This is awesome. The next street's gonna be a blast! Yes, yes!! The top of the hill. The cross street. Then up again. NO! There is no up again, it's the top of the hill and the road ahead is downhill all the way. At 54 mph. Hang on tight!

With the extra speed and momentum, combined with a rapidly descending roadway below, the next few seconds are harrowing, anxious, and immediate. The rider holds tight to the hand grips. Body well off the seat unable to reach the foot pegs as the heavier bike drops away below him. The passenger has nothing to grasp, with only her legs under the raised arms of her rider to keep her over the center of the motorcycle.

After flying through the air, back tire likely 6 feet above the pavement and front tire closer to 8 or 9 feet above, the rear tire hits the pavement. The front tire follows, the rider on the gas tank, and passenger on the rider's seat. A moment of composure and reaction, hard breaking on the steep downhill street, and it's over as quick as it happened.

The young couple stops promptly on the side of the street. Dismount. Give each other a big hug. And thank their Father above for a safe end to an unwise decision. Today they ride away with new found wisdom, learned the hard way.

We often gain our wisdom the hard way. While we can plan well, it is not always thorough. While we seek to follow a steady course, it's easy to get distracted. Or like our young couple, to be caught up in the moment. To follow the crowd. To become enamored with someone, or something, ignoring the warning signs all around.

As Christians, we are encouraged to keep our eyes on Christ, looking straight ahead, and to seek wisdom.  God's word is the starting place to find that wisdom.

Be encouraged by the Word of God:

From Proverbs 4

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Bad News

Bad News

A recent news story tells of a man who received a surprising letter from his bank with bad news. The bank was most sincere in their condolences, upon the death of their customer. Him.

The irony of course, is they named the dear departed, sharing their sympathy with family. Except he was still very much alive, and reading their letter.

They proceeded to assure the family, that in matters such as these, the accounts would be frozen to protect the heirs.

The gentlemen contacted the bank, to assure them he was very healthy and alive. Unfortunately, as the accounts were frozen, he was unable to attend to his banking business.

After much apologies, and some thorough research, the culprit turned out to be a human clerical error. The bank resolved the differences and handled the assorted inconveniences which followed.

It has been said, "to error is human, to forgive divine." As humans, and banks, people, and individuals, we do error, we do make mistakes. No one is perfect. Our knowledge is limited. Our wisdom is incomplete. And our selfish desires often cloud our judgement. In short, we struggle with sin. Yet there is hope. Proverbs 1 declares: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." It's a great place to start!

Be encouraged by the Word of God:

From Romans 3

There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

 

Do Not Worry

Do Not Worry.

The Fiscal Cliff. Gun control. Spiraling debt. Higher taxes. Another school shooting. Government spending. Aids. Syria. Israel. Korea. Iran. Do not worry.

Socialism. Fascism. McCarthyism. D-Day invasion. Communism. The Berlin Wall. WAR. Poverty. Starvation. Unemployment. Polio. Cancer. Assassinations. The United Nations. Do not worry.

1929. The Depression. Prohibition and gangsters. Market crash. Spanish flu pandemic. Dust bowl. Marxism. Czar murdered. The War to end all wars. The League of Nations. Do not worry.

The North. The South. The Land of Dixie. Slavery. Abolitionists. Industrialists. 18 hour days in the factory. The company town. The potato famine. The Boer Wars. The Boxer Rebellion. Do not worry.

The American Revolutionary War. The French Revolution. Madame Guillotine. The Napoleonic Wars. Starvation. Destruction. Feudal war lords. Corrupt knights. Despot kings. Do not worry.

Do not worry. What does it mean? The history of man includes tremendous discoveries, wondrous inventions, and victorious triumphs. It also includes unspeakable sufferings, heart wrenching tragedies, and evil deeds by men. Do not worry.

There is One who walks with us, through both the joys and victories, and through the lowliest suffering. And He walks with a promise, to never leave or forsake us.

Be encouraged by the Word of God:

From Matthew 6

“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 than food, and the body more 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 not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

Flat Stanley

Flat Stanley and the Flat Stanley project.  

What's it all about?  Flat Stanley is a children's book from the 1960s. The Flat Stanley project began in the mid 1990's, based on the book's storyline and main character.  Stanley.

Stanley has the misfortune, or opportunity, of having his bulletin board fall upon him in his bed, effectively flattening him. This proves to be the beginning of an adventure. Being flat, Stanley can now go into places too small to pass as a lad. After enjoying these adventures, Stanley is returned to his full self through the aid of his brother, and a tire pump.

The Flat Stanley project, inspired by the book, spreads Stanley's story much farther. After reading the book, third grade students make their own "Flat Stanley".  And he fits nicely in an envelope. And he can be mailed to other students, in other schools. And have his picture taken with new friends, in new places.

Over the years, Flat Stanley has been created, sent, and received, by thousands of school children. He has visited dozens and dozens of countries around the world. It's pretty amazing when you realize how widely traveled this idea, of Flat Stanley, has become.

An idea was directed to early Christian believers too, an idea based on faith. The early Christians had a message to share, a message of Good News. Jesus encouraged them to take this message, share it with others, and to travel, into all the world to preach the gospel.

Be encouraged by the Word of God:

From Mark 16

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved."

Take Comfort

Take comfort.

"Ring. Ring."
"Ring. Ring."

What? What time is it?

~  3:45 am  ~

"Hello."  "Yes, this is Susan."

"I'm sorry to wake you again Susan, please come back to the hospital right way."  "Yes, it's Carol. There's not much time left."

Startling words at any hour. Especially when built upon weeks of sleepless nights. Upon weeks of worry and concern. Upon weeks of quiet watchfulness. And waiting. And wanting. And helplessness.

Take comfort.

The Christian walk does not remove pain. It does not remove heartache. Yet you are not alone. Take comfort. You have a Father who walks with you. Through the pain. Who walks with you to comfort you. And to encourage you to be a comfort to others. Take comfort.

Be encouraged by the Word of God:

From 2 Corinthians 1

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.