Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father.” (Luke 15:11-12 NIV).
As we come to the next section of the parable the curtain falls on the first act of this little drama and we see something that can be very helpful to us in our families. In the first act, the father exercised calm wisdom at the son’s request; in the second act we see forgiveness in action.
A great deal has happened between the leaving of the young son and this point in our story. To set the story for you, I can imagine the father standing at the crest of the hill, where he has gone every evening since his son left. He stands there and waits until he can no longer see because of the darkness. However, on this particular night he sees something on the horizon. He strains to see clearly, something catches his eye. He’s not sure at first, but then he realizes that it is no stranger as has been the case so many times before. He runs to meet his son and opens his arms to welcome him home. The son has a little speech he’s been rehearsing over and over in his mind since he began his journey home. Every bend in the road he’s rehearsed it: how wrong he was, how he didn’t deserve to be his father’s son anymore, how he just wanted to be a servant in his father’s house. His father met him in the road, they embrace, and the boy begins his little speech, “Father…” and the father puts his hand over his mouth and says, “Son, you don’t have to tell me anything, not where you’ve been, or what you’ve done. I know. The important thing now is that you’re home.”
He takes him home and the curtain falls on the second act of this drama. NOW WATCH THIS… DON’T MISS IT! We learn something very important about the love of God from this scene. When we come back to God, he doesn’t ask us where we’ve been or what we’ve done. He doesn’t demand an accounting of the way we’ve spent our money. He just puts his arms around us and welcomes us home. He forgives us. And, isn’t that just what we want and need? It is what all of us want and need, including our children. This is the example of God’s methodology of parenting and family life. I wonder how many families have been destroyed simply because we have not followed God’s example of grace and forgiveness. Tomorrow we’ll get more specific about these principles of forgiveness. Today, is there some member of your family that has become as a stranger to you simply because you cold not, or would not extend grace and forgiveness? Maybe it’s time to take another step toward making your family like God’s family.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
"A Family Like God's" (Part 4)
Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.” (Luke 15:11-12 NIV).
It occurs to me that in the exploration of the practicing calm wisdom in our families that some basic elements of communicating appropriately might prove helpful So here are ten of them that I think are essentials, especially when dealing with issues in our families. By the way, these work whether the conflict is with your children or your spouse:
• Don't Be Judgmental - You need to avoid words and phrases that attack your child/spouse and speculate on their flaws real or imagined. (i.e. You are so selfish - you are so stupid sometimes - look at you, you can't even have a conversation without acting like you are five)
• Skip the Labels - Don't slap a label on your child/spouse. They have names, use them.
• Use “I communication” - Don't use the word you when you are talking about a problem - instead talk about I (i.e. I feel overwhelmed or I am being pulled in too many directions, I need help)
• Skip the History Lesson - You don't need to drag up every incident that ever happened in the last five years - it's important to be constructive and not destructive (i.e. We had this conversation every month for the last 12 months, you never listen - instead try: We have tried to resolve this before, can you help me think of ways we can avoid having this same problem next month?)
• Eliminate the Negative - We are none of us perfect, constantly reminding your child/spouse of their flaws is not going to help them in any way - in fact, it's more likely to do harm than good.
• Use description, not attacks - You want to communicate what is happening to you and how you feel - not emote and scream at them so they have to guess (i.e. You always do this to me! - instead try: Yes, I am angry and I am frustrated. I need your help.)
• Don't bottle up your body language - When was the last time you wanted to talk to someone who had their arms folded or their back to you with their shoulders bunched up? We communicate nonverbally extremely well and we can see when people are not wanting to listen much less hear us, try to relax your shoulders and keep your arms down, look at them and not away.
• Don't Caption Your Message - Say what you mean and say what you feel - tell them the whole of it and not just the highlights. You aren't delivering the top ten reasons why you are unhappy in pithy commentary, you want to use all forms of communication to express yourself - whether you are conveying positive or negative messages
• Don't Threaten - Threats put someone in a corner - they demand acquiescence and promise consequences - too many people will do exactly the opposite because they don't want to be threatened and a positive family relationship needs cooperation and not intimidation.
• You are not a Mind Reader - Avoid assumptions, you are not a mind reader and neither is your child/spouse - their silence may indicate they are listening to you intently and not ignoring you; ask and be clear in your statements.
Remember, practice makes perfect. Even if you make a mistake, start over and keep working at it. Your family is worth it! Don’t give up… God didn’t!
It occurs to me that in the exploration of the practicing calm wisdom in our families that some basic elements of communicating appropriately might prove helpful So here are ten of them that I think are essentials, especially when dealing with issues in our families. By the way, these work whether the conflict is with your children or your spouse:
• Don't Be Judgmental - You need to avoid words and phrases that attack your child/spouse and speculate on their flaws real or imagined. (i.e. You are so selfish - you are so stupid sometimes - look at you, you can't even have a conversation without acting like you are five)
• Skip the Labels - Don't slap a label on your child/spouse. They have names, use them.
• Use “I communication” - Don't use the word you when you are talking about a problem - instead talk about I (i.e. I feel overwhelmed or I am being pulled in too many directions, I need help)
• Skip the History Lesson - You don't need to drag up every incident that ever happened in the last five years - it's important to be constructive and not destructive (i.e. We had this conversation every month for the last 12 months, you never listen - instead try: We have tried to resolve this before, can you help me think of ways we can avoid having this same problem next month?)
• Eliminate the Negative - We are none of us perfect, constantly reminding your child/spouse of their flaws is not going to help them in any way - in fact, it's more likely to do harm than good.
• Use description, not attacks - You want to communicate what is happening to you and how you feel - not emote and scream at them so they have to guess (i.e. You always do this to me! - instead try: Yes, I am angry and I am frustrated. I need your help.)
• Don't bottle up your body language - When was the last time you wanted to talk to someone who had their arms folded or their back to you with their shoulders bunched up? We communicate nonverbally extremely well and we can see when people are not wanting to listen much less hear us, try to relax your shoulders and keep your arms down, look at them and not away.
• Don't Caption Your Message - Say what you mean and say what you feel - tell them the whole of it and not just the highlights. You aren't delivering the top ten reasons why you are unhappy in pithy commentary, you want to use all forms of communication to express yourself - whether you are conveying positive or negative messages
• Don't Threaten - Threats put someone in a corner - they demand acquiescence and promise consequences - too many people will do exactly the opposite because they don't want to be threatened and a positive family relationship needs cooperation and not intimidation.
• You are not a Mind Reader - Avoid assumptions, you are not a mind reader and neither is your child/spouse - their silence may indicate they are listening to you intently and not ignoring you; ask and be clear in your statements.
Remember, practice makes perfect. Even if you make a mistake, start over and keep working at it. Your family is worth it! Don’t give up… God didn’t!
Monday, June 28, 2010
"A Family Like God's" (Part 3)
Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.” (Luke 15:11-12 NIV).
Yesterday we saw the calm wisdom of the father as he faced the demands of his youngest son. Today I want to focus your attention on the events that most likely led to the son’s demands. The Scripture merely says, The younger one said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate.” It is a story of recurring conflict. This is a very familiar theme, one that all of us have at least seen, and perhaps experienced. While I have taken some liberty with the story, I believe it may have played out in the following manner.
The young son comes to his father and says, “Father, I have come of age. I want my share of the inheritance. I want to live my own life. I want to leave home.” The father is certainly stunned. He is shocked. He must have asked why? The son’s reply is predictable. “I am tired of living under the shadow of your rules, restrictions, and demands. I want to be on my own. I want to decide life for myself.” The father is so shocked, he can only stammer, “My son, wait, listen for a moment. The reason I have these restrictions is for your own good. The reason I have made these requirements is for your own good.”
The son still refuses and the father divides the inheritance and gives the portion to his younger son. Then he walks out of the house and down the road up to the crest of the hill with his son. Arm around his son, the father quietly and gently speaks to his son, “I hardly know how to accept what you are saying, and the decision you are making. To be honest, I think you are making a mistake. I just hope everything turns out like you hope it will. But, son, it is a vast, cold, hard world out there and I want you to know something as you leave: your daddy is going to be right here in the house. If you get out there and decide you want to come home, I want you to know I’ll be here.” The son coldly shakes his hand and the father waves goodbye with a tear in his eye as he watches his son disappear over the horizon.
Calm wisdom prevailed. We really see that truth more as the story unfolds. But it is there from the beginning. I have found that in families of all types, one truth exists universally: the tighter the grip, the more the struggle; the more the struggle, the tighter the grip. As parents we fear for the security and well being of our children. Therefore we tend to over protect and thus overly restrict the growth and independence of our children. Children, on the hand, must experiment with boundaries. They are always testing the edge and pushing the limits. Sometimes the best course of action is a deep breath and calmness of response. With younger children that usually means we step back from a “drill sergeant” approach and use the power of choices. With teens that usually means we lower the volume of our voice and change the tone. Participating in a shouting competition with our children simply doesn’t work well. You might “win,” but the loss suffered may cause greater conflict later. Commit yourself to calm wisdom today!
Yesterday we saw the calm wisdom of the father as he faced the demands of his youngest son. Today I want to focus your attention on the events that most likely led to the son’s demands. The Scripture merely says, The younger one said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate.” It is a story of recurring conflict. This is a very familiar theme, one that all of us have at least seen, and perhaps experienced. While I have taken some liberty with the story, I believe it may have played out in the following manner.
The young son comes to his father and says, “Father, I have come of age. I want my share of the inheritance. I want to live my own life. I want to leave home.” The father is certainly stunned. He is shocked. He must have asked why? The son’s reply is predictable. “I am tired of living under the shadow of your rules, restrictions, and demands. I want to be on my own. I want to decide life for myself.” The father is so shocked, he can only stammer, “My son, wait, listen for a moment. The reason I have these restrictions is for your own good. The reason I have made these requirements is for your own good.”
The son still refuses and the father divides the inheritance and gives the portion to his younger son. Then he walks out of the house and down the road up to the crest of the hill with his son. Arm around his son, the father quietly and gently speaks to his son, “I hardly know how to accept what you are saying, and the decision you are making. To be honest, I think you are making a mistake. I just hope everything turns out like you hope it will. But, son, it is a vast, cold, hard world out there and I want you to know something as you leave: your daddy is going to be right here in the house. If you get out there and decide you want to come home, I want you to know I’ll be here.” The son coldly shakes his hand and the father waves goodbye with a tear in his eye as he watches his son disappear over the horizon.
Calm wisdom prevailed. We really see that truth more as the story unfolds. But it is there from the beginning. I have found that in families of all types, one truth exists universally: the tighter the grip, the more the struggle; the more the struggle, the tighter the grip. As parents we fear for the security and well being of our children. Therefore we tend to over protect and thus overly restrict the growth and independence of our children. Children, on the hand, must experiment with boundaries. They are always testing the edge and pushing the limits. Sometimes the best course of action is a deep breath and calmness of response. With younger children that usually means we step back from a “drill sergeant” approach and use the power of choices. With teens that usually means we lower the volume of our voice and change the tone. Participating in a shouting competition with our children simply doesn’t work well. You might “win,” but the loss suffered may cause greater conflict later. Commit yourself to calm wisdom today!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
"A Family Like God's" (Part 2)
Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.” (Luke 15:11-12 NIV).
For the next few days we are going to be looking deeply into the Parable of the Lost Son. Our reading is the first few verses of that teaching. It is the best model in concise form that God has given us for creating a family like His. Jesus begins with the description of a “wise man” that had two sons. It is no accident that Jesus calls this man wise. The way he handled both of his children in the ensuing challenges was nothing short of perfect wisdom.
So, let’s look more closely. The father realized that behind the youngest son’s request was a real basic need. All of us need to understand that from birth through every successive stage of our development we have general needs. The first need is that of physical care. All of us have a need for shelter, food, and a home. The second need is that of security. We all must feel a part of the family unit, to feel safe, to have a place of retreat. Though the world is against us, we need a place of secure rest. The third progressive need in our lives is that of love. We must have personal love and companionship. There is a fourth need though. We all need independence. The wise parent will learn to recognize this need in their children’s lives. We also have a need to be set free.
The real key in parenting is to find the balance at each stage of our child’s life between each of these basic needs. For example, while providing for their security we can go too far and shelter them from age appropriate challenges leaving them unequipped and incapable of handling themselves as they grow. Or, we can be so intent on providing love for them that we fail to give them the freedom they need at each stage of their life. I won’t bore you with the psychological jargon and labels for these different kinds of parenting style, but let me simply say that the example of Scripture is that of graceful parenting.
I learned a part of this lesson when Kyle was just beginning elementary school in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. It was my habit to either drop him off or pick him up as often as possible. The doors to the classroom fronted onto a common outside covered walk. I was parked, waiting to pick him up as were many other parents. The car was in full sight and I could watch and see him exit his classroom immediately. Both of us could find each other easily in the crowd. One day I was in my usual spot and waiting for the bell to ring dismissing the school for the day. As it rang the children poured out of their classrooms. Kyle was among the crowd. Accidentally an older child ran out of their class and knocked him down. I jumped from the car and ran to him, scooping him up in my arms. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? However, his response was telling. He said, “Dad, not in front of everyone! I’m okay!” And, he was. There was the chance for balance. I missed it. There would be many other lessons, but thankfully I was a pretty quick learner. The key is we must all find balance in the four basic needs for our families. It will make them what God desires for them to be… grace-full! We’re going to be looking at more of these principles in the coming days. Today, commit yourself to having a family like God’s! Find balance and keep it!
For the next few days we are going to be looking deeply into the Parable of the Lost Son. Our reading is the first few verses of that teaching. It is the best model in concise form that God has given us for creating a family like His. Jesus begins with the description of a “wise man” that had two sons. It is no accident that Jesus calls this man wise. The way he handled both of his children in the ensuing challenges was nothing short of perfect wisdom.
So, let’s look more closely. The father realized that behind the youngest son’s request was a real basic need. All of us need to understand that from birth through every successive stage of our development we have general needs. The first need is that of physical care. All of us have a need for shelter, food, and a home. The second need is that of security. We all must feel a part of the family unit, to feel safe, to have a place of retreat. Though the world is against us, we need a place of secure rest. The third progressive need in our lives is that of love. We must have personal love and companionship. There is a fourth need though. We all need independence. The wise parent will learn to recognize this need in their children’s lives. We also have a need to be set free.
The real key in parenting is to find the balance at each stage of our child’s life between each of these basic needs. For example, while providing for their security we can go too far and shelter them from age appropriate challenges leaving them unequipped and incapable of handling themselves as they grow. Or, we can be so intent on providing love for them that we fail to give them the freedom they need at each stage of their life. I won’t bore you with the psychological jargon and labels for these different kinds of parenting style, but let me simply say that the example of Scripture is that of graceful parenting.
I learned a part of this lesson when Kyle was just beginning elementary school in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. It was my habit to either drop him off or pick him up as often as possible. The doors to the classroom fronted onto a common outside covered walk. I was parked, waiting to pick him up as were many other parents. The car was in full sight and I could watch and see him exit his classroom immediately. Both of us could find each other easily in the crowd. One day I was in my usual spot and waiting for the bell to ring dismissing the school for the day. As it rang the children poured out of their classrooms. Kyle was among the crowd. Accidentally an older child ran out of their class and knocked him down. I jumped from the car and ran to him, scooping him up in my arms. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? However, his response was telling. He said, “Dad, not in front of everyone! I’m okay!” And, he was. There was the chance for balance. I missed it. There would be many other lessons, but thankfully I was a pretty quick learner. The key is we must all find balance in the four basic needs for our families. It will make them what God desires for them to be… grace-full! We’re going to be looking at more of these principles in the coming days. Today, commit yourself to having a family like God’s! Find balance and keep it!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
"A Family Like God's" (Part 1)
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. (Genesis 1:26-28 NIV).
I may ramble a bit in today’s Morning Devotional. I suppose it is because I am caught between the proverbial “rock and a hard place.” The “rock” is a vital principle. The “hard place” is the amount of space I have to develop the truth in this venue. So, here goes… I believe there is nothing more powerful in heaven or on Earth than family. It is the single most influential force for good or for evil in all human existence. From birth, it marks you. Your family crafts your conscience and shapes your soul. At home you learn life’s lessons and begin the art of practicing them. At home you learn to love and to do what’s right. More than merely giving you a street address, your home and family imprint you with a spiritual identity shaped by the two people who gave you life. Truly, nothing compares to the strength of being tightly wrapped in the protective fiber of family. It’s who you are. It’s where you belong.
And if all goes well, as it should, it is your family that surrounds you when you start life’s journey, when you face life’s hardest trials, when you go through the valleys and when you die. More than anyone else, the members of your family are the ones who are there for you, caring for you and mourning the loss of you when you’re gone. This should come as no surprise, because God created the family. Look at today’s reading again. At the very dawn of time, “God created man in His own image ... male and female He created them.” Of all the ways He could have chosen to inaugurate His creation, He chose to start with family. In fact, the Bible begins with a marriage in Genesis and ends with a marriage in Revelation. Marriage and family have always been central to what God is doing on planet Earth.
I believe family is still of utmost importance to our heavenly Father. It holds the key to our health, our success as a society, and our future. And I believe it is worth whatever effort is required to nurture, encourage and support it. Its worth whatever sacrifices necessary on your part to make it what it ought to be. Sacrifice everything before you allow anything to come between you and your family. And, here’s the real question: What’s your family like? Regardless of the model you presently operate within today, nuclear family, blended family, or single parent family, I believe it is essential to make it the best that you possibly can make it by following the example of God with His family. Will you make that commitment today? We’ll get more specific in the days to come. Today take the first step. Renew your commitment to family first!
I may ramble a bit in today’s Morning Devotional. I suppose it is because I am caught between the proverbial “rock and a hard place.” The “rock” is a vital principle. The “hard place” is the amount of space I have to develop the truth in this venue. So, here goes… I believe there is nothing more powerful in heaven or on Earth than family. It is the single most influential force for good or for evil in all human existence. From birth, it marks you. Your family crafts your conscience and shapes your soul. At home you learn life’s lessons and begin the art of practicing them. At home you learn to love and to do what’s right. More than merely giving you a street address, your home and family imprint you with a spiritual identity shaped by the two people who gave you life. Truly, nothing compares to the strength of being tightly wrapped in the protective fiber of family. It’s who you are. It’s where you belong.
And if all goes well, as it should, it is your family that surrounds you when you start life’s journey, when you face life’s hardest trials, when you go through the valleys and when you die. More than anyone else, the members of your family are the ones who are there for you, caring for you and mourning the loss of you when you’re gone. This should come as no surprise, because God created the family. Look at today’s reading again. At the very dawn of time, “God created man in His own image ... male and female He created them.” Of all the ways He could have chosen to inaugurate His creation, He chose to start with family. In fact, the Bible begins with a marriage in Genesis and ends with a marriage in Revelation. Marriage and family have always been central to what God is doing on planet Earth.
I believe family is still of utmost importance to our heavenly Father. It holds the key to our health, our success as a society, and our future. And I believe it is worth whatever effort is required to nurture, encourage and support it. Its worth whatever sacrifices necessary on your part to make it what it ought to be. Sacrifice everything before you allow anything to come between you and your family. And, here’s the real question: What’s your family like? Regardless of the model you presently operate within today, nuclear family, blended family, or single parent family, I believe it is essential to make it the best that you possibly can make it by following the example of God with His family. Will you make that commitment today? We’ll get more specific in the days to come. Today take the first step. Renew your commitment to family first!
Friday, June 25, 2010
"Permanent"
Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." (John 10:27-30 NIV).
As many of you know, jobs are very difficult to find in our economy today. One of the challenges of starting Grace Restoration Ministries full time was being able to secure a part-time position that would allow me to earn a little money while I secured a base of support and give me the time to do the work of the ministry. God opened a door at Home Depot for a “part-time temporary” job several weeks ago. The only down side of the job is that I have to wear an orange apron! I am kidding about the orange vest for all of you who are Longhorn fans. There is one real downside though. It is temporary, which means that it will only last through their “busy season.” On Friday of this week that status changed. I was told that I was definitely going to be offered a “permanent” position!
That gave me a thought. The concept of permanence rarely applies to anything. Almost everything in our lives is temporary. The one thing that is truly permanent is our eternal life. There's nothing more tragic than a Christian fearing they will be disowned by their heavenly Father. Much of the time they end each day wondering if they did enough good that day so that they will continue to hear that they are a child of God. Today’s reading is one of the clearest proofs that my salvation is permanent. There may be days I don't feel like His child but feelings don't erase my identity. I’ve talked to a lot of people who cannot wrap their minds around that truth. They have difficulty with the concept of the eternal security of their salvation. They argue that an earthly father can disown a child, or a child can leave home, declare himself free of his family, and never return to home turf again. However, I’d remind them that if DNA testing were done on the father and child, evidence would still show that they are still very much related. Regardless of that argument, god is simply not bound by earthly habits or practices. Scripture speaks of being born again into the kingdom through faith in Christ.
Birth into any family means a new and permanent identity. I am called a child of God. There are many days I don't feel like His child, even act like His child, yet I am because by His grace I was called into this relationship as a freshman at Texas A&M University! No disgracing behavior can erase whom I belong to. If I had decided along the way to say that I had somehow disqualified myself from being His child, my proclamation wouldn't have nullified my adoption. No matter what I say or do today, it's irrelevant as far as my standing with Christ. Though I may break my Father's heart when I sin, He is still my Father. When I come limping home, He will be scanning the horizon looking for my face to appear.
Perhaps you struggle with your faith when the sun goes down. When you think of the Second Coming of Christ, you fear you will be left. Perhaps you suffer from a disease where the days ahead of you are few. The thought of dying seizes your heart with fear. Look at Jesus’ promise again! He has you in His hand and no one or no “thing” can snatch you out of it. The same hand that created the world, threw the stars into place, and causes the sun to rise in the morning and keep our earth on its axis, can and does hold you in a firm grip!
As many of you know, jobs are very difficult to find in our economy today. One of the challenges of starting Grace Restoration Ministries full time was being able to secure a part-time position that would allow me to earn a little money while I secured a base of support and give me the time to do the work of the ministry. God opened a door at Home Depot for a “part-time temporary” job several weeks ago. The only down side of the job is that I have to wear an orange apron! I am kidding about the orange vest for all of you who are Longhorn fans. There is one real downside though. It is temporary, which means that it will only last through their “busy season.” On Friday of this week that status changed. I was told that I was definitely going to be offered a “permanent” position!
That gave me a thought. The concept of permanence rarely applies to anything. Almost everything in our lives is temporary. The one thing that is truly permanent is our eternal life. There's nothing more tragic than a Christian fearing they will be disowned by their heavenly Father. Much of the time they end each day wondering if they did enough good that day so that they will continue to hear that they are a child of God. Today’s reading is one of the clearest proofs that my salvation is permanent. There may be days I don't feel like His child but feelings don't erase my identity. I’ve talked to a lot of people who cannot wrap their minds around that truth. They have difficulty with the concept of the eternal security of their salvation. They argue that an earthly father can disown a child, or a child can leave home, declare himself free of his family, and never return to home turf again. However, I’d remind them that if DNA testing were done on the father and child, evidence would still show that they are still very much related. Regardless of that argument, god is simply not bound by earthly habits or practices. Scripture speaks of being born again into the kingdom through faith in Christ.
Birth into any family means a new and permanent identity. I am called a child of God. There are many days I don't feel like His child, even act like His child, yet I am because by His grace I was called into this relationship as a freshman at Texas A&M University! No disgracing behavior can erase whom I belong to. If I had decided along the way to say that I had somehow disqualified myself from being His child, my proclamation wouldn't have nullified my adoption. No matter what I say or do today, it's irrelevant as far as my standing with Christ. Though I may break my Father's heart when I sin, He is still my Father. When I come limping home, He will be scanning the horizon looking for my face to appear.
Perhaps you struggle with your faith when the sun goes down. When you think of the Second Coming of Christ, you fear you will be left. Perhaps you suffer from a disease where the days ahead of you are few. The thought of dying seizes your heart with fear. Look at Jesus’ promise again! He has you in His hand and no one or no “thing” can snatch you out of it. The same hand that created the world, threw the stars into place, and causes the sun to rise in the morning and keep our earth on its axis, can and does hold you in a firm grip!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
"Astern in the Boat"
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" (Mark 4:35-41 NIV).
I know there are those of you who are much more knowledgeable about ships than I am. However, when I read the verses from our reading today, something very odd struck me. Jesus’ position in the boat was noted by Mark as being “in the stern.” I’m told that the proper language for this place on the ship is “astern” or “aft.”
Now, here’s the interesting thing about that description. I have seen replicas of these ships in Israel. In fact, I’ve been on the Sea of Galilee sailing in one. The way these ships are built, the weight of the boat is astern (at the back). That's what gives the boat its stability. So, I did a little more research after discovering this simple fact. It seems that boats of all kinds find their stability; their strength in the weight near the rear and bottom of the boat. Then I went back to today's scripture. It seems that Jesus was asleep in the part of the boat which gives it strength. The "stern", or the rear of the boat, is where the weight to anchor the boat down is found. If the "stern" area has enough weight, it will help keep the boat from turning over. Around the area called the "stern" one would most likely find the rudder of the boat which would give it direction. Jesus was in the "stern".
Maybe you didn't need a boat lesson today, but maybe you do need to hear that when the storm came upon the disciples, Jesus was in the place of strength. When life appeared most dangerous for the disciples, Jesus was in position to provide direction. At the weakest point, Jesus was still fully in control. By the way, He's in the stern of your life today; and as an added bonus, now He never sleeps!
Isn’t that good news? Don’t react to Jesus’ work in your life with amazement. He’s just doing what He promised to do. He said He would always be with us, to the very end! I like that, especially when the weather is really stormy in my life! Trust Him! He won’t let you down. He’s astern in your life!
I know there are those of you who are much more knowledgeable about ships than I am. However, when I read the verses from our reading today, something very odd struck me. Jesus’ position in the boat was noted by Mark as being “in the stern.” I’m told that the proper language for this place on the ship is “astern” or “aft.”
Now, here’s the interesting thing about that description. I have seen replicas of these ships in Israel. In fact, I’ve been on the Sea of Galilee sailing in one. The way these ships are built, the weight of the boat is astern (at the back). That's what gives the boat its stability. So, I did a little more research after discovering this simple fact. It seems that boats of all kinds find their stability; their strength in the weight near the rear and bottom of the boat. Then I went back to today's scripture. It seems that Jesus was asleep in the part of the boat which gives it strength. The "stern", or the rear of the boat, is where the weight to anchor the boat down is found. If the "stern" area has enough weight, it will help keep the boat from turning over. Around the area called the "stern" one would most likely find the rudder of the boat which would give it direction. Jesus was in the "stern".
Maybe you didn't need a boat lesson today, but maybe you do need to hear that when the storm came upon the disciples, Jesus was in the place of strength. When life appeared most dangerous for the disciples, Jesus was in position to provide direction. At the weakest point, Jesus was still fully in control. By the way, He's in the stern of your life today; and as an added bonus, now He never sleeps!
Isn’t that good news? Don’t react to Jesus’ work in your life with amazement. He’s just doing what He promised to do. He said He would always be with us, to the very end! I like that, especially when the weather is really stormy in my life! Trust Him! He won’t let you down. He’s astern in your life!
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