The Cold, Kind Reality of God's Love
By Brenda Black
Good morning and God bless you today! The sun is shining and the birds are singing even if it is a bit crisp. I have always been fascinated with the resilience of God's creatures and their adaptability to all kinds of harsh conditions. Oh, that I would be so pliable. Just last night I was tossed about in a whirlwind of emotions and various levels of comfort and discomfort while I sat on a cold metal folding chair.
There just isn't anything quite as dreadful as the portable contraptions that feature a protruding back rest that shoves into your shoulder blades and causes your bum to slide forward. Eventually, no matter how many attempts you make to correct your waning posture, you still end up looking lice a spinal "c".
My night in the not-hot seat was filled with adventure. First, I was a loyal mama shouting cheers for my son on the basketball court. Secondly, I was a defensive mother hen when the poor sports from the other team taunted and harassed our players. We're talking parents here. One lady hissed, chanted air-ball, and even mockingly whined when one of our players fouled out of the game! Everything in side of me wanted to confront that awful woman and tell her to grow up! But the Lord pinned me to my frigid seat.
And I'm so glad he did. For next to me, my loving God placed the warmest piece of sunshine. Her name was Lois and she has just returned to the states from 47 years as a missionary in Japan. What a delightful, godly, charming lady. We had a wonderful visit between roaring cheers and applause from our supporters and equally loud cheers and jeers from the opponents. She was new to basketball and I detailed the game and answered her questions as they surfaced. In the midst of the chaos, I learned about her love for the Lord, her work with the Japanese, her family, her faith, her goals, her dreams. And when she spoke, the wretched shouts of that hostile voice one row and down a dozen cold chairs behind me,disappeared into the warmth of Lois'soft and gentle and encouraging words.
In a matter of minutes our hearts merged. Midway through the game we were snuggled under my coat, this elderly saint and me. By the end of the game we embraced and I received a loving Christian kiss on the cheek.
Oh it was right down blissful to become her friend. She asked me to pray for her sister, still on the mission field. She asked me to pray for a Buddhist priest she knows over there who understands the truth of Christ but will not leave the temple. She asked me where she could find out how to minister to women in her new location. Then she offered her prayers for my husband and me in our ministry.
I can already feel them.
I think I've answered my own dilemma over the fowl and friends who live outside. The birds of the air and beasts of the field tolerate fluctuating environmental discomforts because they feel the power and presence of their Almighty Creator who said, "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..." Matthew 6:26"
He makes harsh things habitable when we listen to His voice and share His love with those right next to us.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Where did you find love this Valentine's Weekend
This weekend, I found love. I saw love on some dear faces and through innocent embraces. I felt love through selfless service and rediscovered true love from my sweetheart. After you hear where I found love, tell me where you witnessed love in action this Valentine's!
My husband and I visited with a sweet lady Friday night in the hospital, while she recuperated from a terrifying and near fatal bout with fluid around her heart. She told of the suffocating panic she experienced and then her emergency trip by helicopter. But when I looked into her eyes and held the hand of this incredible woman, I saw love. She focused on the bright side with delightful grace and thanked God for each little detail that helped her survive. She warmed my soul and showed me loveliness in its truest form.
We dined at a nice seafood restaurant after our hospital visit and loitered near the lobster tank with a standing, hungry crowd. While most of the adults avoided eye contact by staring at the floor, shuffling their belongings or talking on their cell phones, three little girls opened their arms and demonstrated unashamed love in the company of strangers. In a matter of seconds, the mini misses became bosom buddies by sharing their exuberance for claws and tails and the attention of one another. One embraced her companion and declared - "She's my best friend!" When the squeeze subsided, the third girl out asked, "Can I be your best friend too?" And all agreed. How lovely.
I watched a busy mother of five pack away four pans of homemade cheese cake she took the time to bake and deliver to the church. I watched a youth advisor slop spaghetti sauce for an hour and a worship leader inspire a group of teens to master music, comedy and compassion all for one night of worship. I witnessed a building filled with generosity and gratitude to support a youth missions trip and saw teens serve their elders. I saw love in action.
I just gave my hubby a silly card and we giggled as we plopped across the bed, not quite ready for the day to end. Then I opened a pastel pink and beautiful, lacy, white card filled with tender sentiment and honest devotion from my husband of 23 years. I melted into his arms where it felt safe and warm knowing he still thinks I make him complete. I'm glad I found true love.
Your turn!!!! Where did you see love?
My husband and I visited with a sweet lady Friday night in the hospital, while she recuperated from a terrifying and near fatal bout with fluid around her heart. She told of the suffocating panic she experienced and then her emergency trip by helicopter. But when I looked into her eyes and held the hand of this incredible woman, I saw love. She focused on the bright side with delightful grace and thanked God for each little detail that helped her survive. She warmed my soul and showed me loveliness in its truest form.
We dined at a nice seafood restaurant after our hospital visit and loitered near the lobster tank with a standing, hungry crowd. While most of the adults avoided eye contact by staring at the floor, shuffling their belongings or talking on their cell phones, three little girls opened their arms and demonstrated unashamed love in the company of strangers. In a matter of seconds, the mini misses became bosom buddies by sharing their exuberance for claws and tails and the attention of one another. One embraced her companion and declared - "She's my best friend!" When the squeeze subsided, the third girl out asked, "Can I be your best friend too?" And all agreed. How lovely.
I watched a busy mother of five pack away four pans of homemade cheese cake she took the time to bake and deliver to the church. I watched a youth advisor slop spaghetti sauce for an hour and a worship leader inspire a group of teens to master music, comedy and compassion all for one night of worship. I witnessed a building filled with generosity and gratitude to support a youth missions trip and saw teens serve their elders. I saw love in action.
I just gave my hubby a silly card and we giggled as we plopped across the bed, not quite ready for the day to end. Then I opened a pastel pink and beautiful, lacy, white card filled with tender sentiment and honest devotion from my husband of 23 years. I melted into his arms where it felt safe and warm knowing he still thinks I make him complete. I'm glad I found true love.
Your turn!!!! Where did you see love?
Monday, February 9, 2009
Wanted: True Love
Wanted: True Love
By Brenda Black
Some say love it is a river; some say love it is a razor. Others claim love is a hunger or a flower. Opinions vary, hinged on personal experience. If you've drowned beneath raging, rough love- waters or felt stabbed in the heart, you may hold to the river/razor analogies. If you've been dismissed, jilted or forsaken, you could think love just leaves you gut empty. But if you've found the seed that makes you blossom, most likely you liken love to a fragrant, long-stemmed beauty.
Scientist say that kind of love doesn't have to fade. A university study in New York discovered a small number of couples respond with as much passion after 20 years together as most people only do during the early throes of romance. Researchers scanned the brains of couples together for 20 years and compared them with results of new lovers. About 10 percent of the mature couples had the same chemical reactions when shown photographs of their loved ones as those just starting out. Before such findings, the common belief held that romantic love fades within 15 months of the wedding and, after 10 years, it has gone completely.
In colonial America, marriage was less about romance and more about men finding a woman who could bear children to help share the heavy frontier work. By the mid-1800s, a shortage of women out West forced men to place ads for capable companions. One ad read:
“Any gal that got a bed, calico dress, coffee pot and skillet, knows how to cut out britches and can make a hunting shirt, knows how to take care of children can have my services till death do us part.”
Doesn't get much more romantic than that!
Not only cowboys were looking to lasso a lady, city gentlemen petitioned through the papers as well. Their focus tended to be more on the financial worth of the woman rather than her work ethic. The Matrimonial News, a San Francisco matchmaking newspaper of the late 1800s carried such notices. “Aged 27, height 5 feet 9 inches, dark hair and eyes, considered handsome by all, his friends unite in saying he is amiable and will make a model husband. The lady must be one in the most extended acceptation of the word since the advertiser moves in the most polished and refined society. It is also desirable that she should have considerable money.”
His competition got even more specific: “I am 33 years of age, and as regards looks can average with most men. I am looking for a lady to make her my wife, as I am heartily tired of bachelor life. I desire a lady not over 28 or 30 years of age, not ugly, well educated and musical. Nationality makes no difference, only I prefer not to have a lady of Irish birth. She must have at least $20,000.”
Ah, love was in the air!
This is the one that tugged most at my heart and made me wonder just how desperate and lonely she must have been. “Young lady of good family and education, considered handsome, would like to correspond with some gentleman of means, one who would be willing to take her without a dollar, as she has nothing to offer but herself.”
And the man who wisely selected her, surely got the best deal!
Love isn't a river. It is not a razor. It has nothing to do with the stomach and you can't grow it in a rose garden. Love can't be measured by brain scans or bought through want ads.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)
If you want true love that never fails, check your heart instead of your brain waves. Look to feed the soul of the other instead of demanding they meet all your needs. Genuine compassion and courtesy are precursors to life-long passion and romance. Ladies and Gentlemen, it goes both ways, if you expect to find true love on Valentine's Day and twenty years and beyond after the wedding.
By Brenda Black
Some say love it is a river; some say love it is a razor. Others claim love is a hunger or a flower. Opinions vary, hinged on personal experience. If you've drowned beneath raging, rough love- waters or felt stabbed in the heart, you may hold to the river/razor analogies. If you've been dismissed, jilted or forsaken, you could think love just leaves you gut empty. But if you've found the seed that makes you blossom, most likely you liken love to a fragrant, long-stemmed beauty.
Scientist say that kind of love doesn't have to fade. A university study in New York discovered a small number of couples respond with as much passion after 20 years together as most people only do during the early throes of romance. Researchers scanned the brains of couples together for 20 years and compared them with results of new lovers. About 10 percent of the mature couples had the same chemical reactions when shown photographs of their loved ones as those just starting out. Before such findings, the common belief held that romantic love fades within 15 months of the wedding and, after 10 years, it has gone completely.
In colonial America, marriage was less about romance and more about men finding a woman who could bear children to help share the heavy frontier work. By the mid-1800s, a shortage of women out West forced men to place ads for capable companions. One ad read:
“Any gal that got a bed, calico dress, coffee pot and skillet, knows how to cut out britches and can make a hunting shirt, knows how to take care of children can have my services till death do us part.”
Doesn't get much more romantic than that!
Not only cowboys were looking to lasso a lady, city gentlemen petitioned through the papers as well. Their focus tended to be more on the financial worth of the woman rather than her work ethic. The Matrimonial News, a San Francisco matchmaking newspaper of the late 1800s carried such notices. “Aged 27, height 5 feet 9 inches, dark hair and eyes, considered handsome by all, his friends unite in saying he is amiable and will make a model husband. The lady must be one in the most extended acceptation of the word since the advertiser moves in the most polished and refined society. It is also desirable that she should have considerable money.”
His competition got even more specific: “I am 33 years of age, and as regards looks can average with most men. I am looking for a lady to make her my wife, as I am heartily tired of bachelor life. I desire a lady not over 28 or 30 years of age, not ugly, well educated and musical. Nationality makes no difference, only I prefer not to have a lady of Irish birth. She must have at least $20,000.”
Ah, love was in the air!
This is the one that tugged most at my heart and made me wonder just how desperate and lonely she must have been. “Young lady of good family and education, considered handsome, would like to correspond with some gentleman of means, one who would be willing to take her without a dollar, as she has nothing to offer but herself.”
And the man who wisely selected her, surely got the best deal!
Love isn't a river. It is not a razor. It has nothing to do with the stomach and you can't grow it in a rose garden. Love can't be measured by brain scans or bought through want ads.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking. It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a)
If you want true love that never fails, check your heart instead of your brain waves. Look to feed the soul of the other instead of demanding they meet all your needs. Genuine compassion and courtesy are precursors to life-long passion and romance. Ladies and Gentlemen, it goes both ways, if you expect to find true love on Valentine's Day and twenty years and beyond after the wedding.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Reagan Reflections
Reagan Reflections
By Brenda Black
Nearly a century ago, on Feb. 6, 1911, Ronald Wilson Reagan entered the world. He won the admiration of movie-goers and two leading ladies, then the favor of the nation when he became the 40th President of the United States. Reagan died on June 5, 2004, at the age of 93, but is still remembered for his landslide victory, more extreme than the most recent with a 489 electoral win over Jimmy Carter's 49. He was loved for his vast appeal and his indelible charismatic and colorful quotes still echo through history and bear the weight of wisdom that we might do well to heed in this generation.
“Facts are stubborn things,” Reagan said.
I would add that ignorance is not necessarily bliss. In order to realize success in any area of life, it is truth that is our greatest ally. The psalmist David put it this way: “Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” (Ps. 119:29-32)
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction,” Reagan said. “We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
The fact is, the truth which is found in Christ is our greatest freedom. The challenge is to instill that truth into the hearts of the next generation so that our freedom will not be lost. Reagan said, “Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.” It's time to wake up and shake up the world with the Word of God!
It begins at home. As Reagan said, “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” Our children must see faith in action as we offer thanks to God, not the government for our provisions. Our families must be taught the importance of honesty, hard work and purity and the advantages for living a life of integrity. It is up to parents to impart truth, not teach tactics for getting something for nothing or lying to get ahead or taking without giving. It begins by demonstrating personal faith and devotion to the One True God of all creation.
“If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God,” the 40th President said, “then we will be a nation gone under.”
This surge forward in American history will be only as progressive as it is purposeful. And our purpose is to live for truth, not self-serving or worldly ambitions. Our eyes are supposed to be fixed on things eternal. Reagan said, “There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.”
When times are tough, when temptations are tantalizing, when solutions to problems come from temporary fixes instead of time-honored truths, choose the better. Opt for truth.
“'I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
“'Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.'” (John 3:24-30)
God is truth. “We are never defeated unless we give up on God,” Reagan charged.
On Feb. 6, 1911, Reagan was born. He left his mark on history by encouraging a nation and inciting Americans to seek God's wisdom and truth. Our purpose is no less historically critical. We are called by the Lord himself to walk in truth and lead others to do the same. A landslide victory for faithful living looks like heaven.
“Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.” (Psalm 15)
By Brenda Black
Nearly a century ago, on Feb. 6, 1911, Ronald Wilson Reagan entered the world. He won the admiration of movie-goers and two leading ladies, then the favor of the nation when he became the 40th President of the United States. Reagan died on June 5, 2004, at the age of 93, but is still remembered for his landslide victory, more extreme than the most recent with a 489 electoral win over Jimmy Carter's 49. He was loved for his vast appeal and his indelible charismatic and colorful quotes still echo through history and bear the weight of wisdom that we might do well to heed in this generation.
“Facts are stubborn things,” Reagan said.
I would add that ignorance is not necessarily bliss. In order to realize success in any area of life, it is truth that is our greatest ally. The psalmist David put it this way: “Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law. I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. I hold fast to your statutes, O Lord; do not let me be put to shame. I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.” (Ps. 119:29-32)
“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction,” Reagan said. “We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”
The fact is, the truth which is found in Christ is our greatest freedom. The challenge is to instill that truth into the hearts of the next generation so that our freedom will not be lost. Reagan said, “Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged.” It's time to wake up and shake up the world with the Word of God!
It begins at home. As Reagan said, “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” Our children must see faith in action as we offer thanks to God, not the government for our provisions. Our families must be taught the importance of honesty, hard work and purity and the advantages for living a life of integrity. It is up to parents to impart truth, not teach tactics for getting something for nothing or lying to get ahead or taking without giving. It begins by demonstrating personal faith and devotion to the One True God of all creation.
“If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God,” the 40th President said, “then we will be a nation gone under.”
This surge forward in American history will be only as progressive as it is purposeful. And our purpose is to live for truth, not self-serving or worldly ambitions. Our eyes are supposed to be fixed on things eternal. Reagan said, “There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.”
When times are tough, when temptations are tantalizing, when solutions to problems come from temporary fixes instead of time-honored truths, choose the better. Opt for truth.
“'I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
“'Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.'” (John 3:24-30)
God is truth. “We are never defeated unless we give up on God,” Reagan charged.
On Feb. 6, 1911, Reagan was born. He left his mark on history by encouraging a nation and inciting Americans to seek God's wisdom and truth. Our purpose is no less historically critical. We are called by the Lord himself to walk in truth and lead others to do the same. A landslide victory for faithful living looks like heaven.
“Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellow man, who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the Lord, who keeps his oath even when it hurts, who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.” (Psalm 15)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
A Hot Place to Find Humility
By Brenda Black
Puberty punctuates immaturity as much as it ushers in adulthood. And impertinence is all the more exaggerated when there is an audience. Tough teen Ishmael counted it entertainment to tease and mock his baby step-brother Isaac during his big “coming-out” party. Not his wisest decision.
“The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, 'Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.'” (Genesis 21:8-10)
One too many caddy remarks can land you smack dab in the middle of a social desert. And a smart alec kid will drag his parents right along the barren, sandy slide if they don't put a stop to it. Nobody likes rudeness, especially in the form of disrespect. Sometimes, it takes a swift kick in the pants to temper a sarcastic tongue or at least a few minutes in a time out, away from all the attention, for humility to have a fighting chance.
And that's where we find Ishmael and his mother Hagar – out in the desert, humbled and scared.
“Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.
“When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, 'I cannot watch the boy die.' And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob.
“God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, 'What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.
“Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
“God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer...” (14-20)
Ishmael was a teenager, 14 years old, and we find him reduced to the ways of the baby he mocked days before. Hagar herself despised her mistress and now weeps alone in the desert, longing for her companionship. On that hot desert, they found humility in the midst of harsh reality.
No matter how far we move away from God, he is able to find us. Under a tree, dying. A bowshot away, weeping. He meets us in our gravest situation, not with judgement, but compassion. He lifts us from our sinfulness and sorrow and shame. He opens our eyes and restores our dignity. Some will accept such grace and walk onward full of faith. Others will never comprehend the love they could have within and the joy they could bring if they would humble themselves and stop living in slavery to sin. Ishmael's legacy leaves no doubt that he disdained the Lord's rescue. He did not receive the inheritance and “his descendants...lived in hostility toward all their brothers.” (Gen. 25:18)
I don't know what became of Hagar, but Galations 4:25 says “Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.”
Did she go the way of her wild, rebellious son or was it her own example that taught him the kind of sarcasm that would cast them away from everyone. All of her history and the uncertainty of her destiny teaches us one sure truth. If we don't accept God's salvation when he offers a living drink, we are in just as much danger as this woman and child lost in the desert. Worse yet, we're lost forever. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible clarifies the difference between sin slavery and salvation. “There is a well of water near them in the covenant of grace, but they are not aware of it, till the same God that opened their eyes to see their wound, opens them to see their remedy. Paran was a wild place, fit for a wild man; such as Ishmael. Those who are born after the flesh, take up with the wilderness of this world, while the children of the promise aim at the heavenly Canaan.”
Don't wait until you are humbled in the heat of a desert. Choose today to live as a child of promise rather than a slave to sin.
Puberty punctuates immaturity as much as it ushers in adulthood. And impertinence is all the more exaggerated when there is an audience. Tough teen Ishmael counted it entertainment to tease and mock his baby step-brother Isaac during his big “coming-out” party. Not his wisest decision.
“The child grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, 'Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.'” (Genesis 21:8-10)
One too many caddy remarks can land you smack dab in the middle of a social desert. And a smart alec kid will drag his parents right along the barren, sandy slide if they don't put a stop to it. Nobody likes rudeness, especially in the form of disrespect. Sometimes, it takes a swift kick in the pants to temper a sarcastic tongue or at least a few minutes in a time out, away from all the attention, for humility to have a fighting chance.
And that's where we find Ishmael and his mother Hagar – out in the desert, humbled and scared.
“Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.
“When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, 'I cannot watch the boy die.' And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob.
“God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, 'What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.
“Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
“God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer...” (14-20)
Ishmael was a teenager, 14 years old, and we find him reduced to the ways of the baby he mocked days before. Hagar herself despised her mistress and now weeps alone in the desert, longing for her companionship. On that hot desert, they found humility in the midst of harsh reality.
No matter how far we move away from God, he is able to find us. Under a tree, dying. A bowshot away, weeping. He meets us in our gravest situation, not with judgement, but compassion. He lifts us from our sinfulness and sorrow and shame. He opens our eyes and restores our dignity. Some will accept such grace and walk onward full of faith. Others will never comprehend the love they could have within and the joy they could bring if they would humble themselves and stop living in slavery to sin. Ishmael's legacy leaves no doubt that he disdained the Lord's rescue. He did not receive the inheritance and “his descendants...lived in hostility toward all their brothers.” (Gen. 25:18)
I don't know what became of Hagar, but Galations 4:25 says “Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.”
Did she go the way of her wild, rebellious son or was it her own example that taught him the kind of sarcasm that would cast them away from everyone. All of her history and the uncertainty of her destiny teaches us one sure truth. If we don't accept God's salvation when he offers a living drink, we are in just as much danger as this woman and child lost in the desert. Worse yet, we're lost forever. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible clarifies the difference between sin slavery and salvation. “There is a well of water near them in the covenant of grace, but they are not aware of it, till the same God that opened their eyes to see their wound, opens them to see their remedy. Paran was a wild place, fit for a wild man; such as Ishmael. Those who are born after the flesh, take up with the wilderness of this world, while the children of the promise aim at the heavenly Canaan.”
Don't wait until you are humbled in the heat of a desert. Choose today to live as a child of promise rather than a slave to sin.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Begin and Finish Faithfully
By Brenda Black
Human error, grammatical oversight or divine intervention? You decide.
The U.S. Constitution includes in the presidential oath a specific statement in which the newly elected Commander in Chief is supposed to swear to "faithfully execute the office of president of the United States". But Chief Justice Roberts reordered the phrase, moving the adverb “faithfully” to the end. Mr. Obama detected the faux pax and hesitated. It's one of the drawbacks of being such a polished speaker. Rote memorized speeches leave little margin for error. One tiny word can throw the speaker and leave him stammering as was the case with Mr. Obama. He obviously had rehearsed the sequence of promises hundreds of times since November. Yet, when faith was misplaced, it left two powerful men at a loss for words.
Certainly, the million people moment would cause the nerves of even the most stoic of public figures to err. But I have to wonder if a higher power than the president or a chief justice addressed the crowd on Tuesday. The God of our nation, the creator of the world might have something to say about how the next president performs his duties. Based on the number of times that faithfully was mentioned and where it was positioned in the oath of the highest office in the world, leads me to believe, the Lord expects loyalty.
He blesses those who faithfully adhere to His plan and listen to His wisdom. “So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today – to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul – then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle , and you will eat and be satisfied.” (Deuteronomy 11:13-15)
I heard one seasoned farmer say recently, “No matter how bad times may get, people still gotta eat.” If we are going to get through these tough challenges, he believes we need to “faithfully” insure that America's agriculture remains viable and profitable. Invoking God's blessings is a great way to begin since 90% of farming is in His hands.
We need his provision and we need his indwelling to faithfully imitate his pattern of love and forgiveness if we expect God to bless these United States. “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:12)
The president included in his inaugural address more than once the words “new age”. He said the world is changing and America must change with it. But according to the Holy Scriptures, some things never change, like the Lord himself who is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End and is the same yesterday and forever. Remaining faithful to Jehovah God in every shift of politics and in every age is a great way to begin, to live and to finish.
“Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers...” (Dt. 11:16-21)
The Lord demands from us what He has already offered himself – an oath of loyalty. One tiny phrase that speaks volumes of hope and warning. In the case of a U.S. constitutional promise, our freedom to believe and worship begins and finishes with faith. Let us pray that our new president faithfully executes the office of president of the United States – full of faith."
Human error, grammatical oversight or divine intervention? You decide.
The U.S. Constitution includes in the presidential oath a specific statement in which the newly elected Commander in Chief is supposed to swear to "faithfully execute the office of president of the United States". But Chief Justice Roberts reordered the phrase, moving the adverb “faithfully” to the end. Mr. Obama detected the faux pax and hesitated. It's one of the drawbacks of being such a polished speaker. Rote memorized speeches leave little margin for error. One tiny word can throw the speaker and leave him stammering as was the case with Mr. Obama. He obviously had rehearsed the sequence of promises hundreds of times since November. Yet, when faith was misplaced, it left two powerful men at a loss for words.
Certainly, the million people moment would cause the nerves of even the most stoic of public figures to err. But I have to wonder if a higher power than the president or a chief justice addressed the crowd on Tuesday. The God of our nation, the creator of the world might have something to say about how the next president performs his duties. Based on the number of times that faithfully was mentioned and where it was positioned in the oath of the highest office in the world, leads me to believe, the Lord expects loyalty.
He blesses those who faithfully adhere to His plan and listen to His wisdom. “So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today – to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul – then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle , and you will eat and be satisfied.” (Deuteronomy 11:13-15)
I heard one seasoned farmer say recently, “No matter how bad times may get, people still gotta eat.” If we are going to get through these tough challenges, he believes we need to “faithfully” insure that America's agriculture remains viable and profitable. Invoking God's blessings is a great way to begin since 90% of farming is in His hands.
We need his provision and we need his indwelling to faithfully imitate his pattern of love and forgiveness if we expect God to bless these United States. “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:12)
The president included in his inaugural address more than once the words “new age”. He said the world is changing and America must change with it. But according to the Holy Scriptures, some things never change, like the Lord himself who is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End and is the same yesterday and forever. Remaining faithful to Jehovah God in every shift of politics and in every age is a great way to begin, to live and to finish.
“Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord's anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers...” (Dt. 11:16-21)
The Lord demands from us what He has already offered himself – an oath of loyalty. One tiny phrase that speaks volumes of hope and warning. In the case of a U.S. constitutional promise, our freedom to believe and worship begins and finishes with faith. Let us pray that our new president faithfully executes the office of president of the United States – full of faith."
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Football, Faith and Footprints
By Brenda Black
I heard the name from sports commentators throughout the National Championship Game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Florida. I had not paid much attention to the Heisman winning quarterback since my alma mater's Chase Daniel lost the 2007 bid. Yet, I found myself enamored with the onslaught of compliments toward the iconic leader of the Florida Gators, Tim Tebow, each time they mentioned his name. Because of this impressive student, God received more credit in a three hour football contest and pre-game show, than in an entire year of broadcast on network t.v. My hat's off to Tebow for his exemplary reputation and my heart is warmed by his story that reveals the Lord 's amazing touch in his life.
The 6-3, 240 pound dynamo helped deliver answers to Gator prayers with the 2008 national title, but his performance last week doesn't hold a candle to the miracle God performed in his life off the field. Tebow never would have been born, if his mother, Pam, would have listened to the doctor who advised her to abort in order to survive amoebic dysentery. She contracted the illness while serving alongside her husband, Bob, as missionaries in the Philippines in 1987. They prayed instead. And 22 years later his life is a living witness.
Just as this rising star gains more and more opportunity to share his faith with sports fans, another God-fearing football notable is stepping off the field. Coach Tony Dungy leaves a big faith-in-action footprint to fill. His genuine Christianity is already documented in a hardback book, while Tebow's total impact remains unwritten. But where the young and old football heroes merge is in their desire to make a difference somewhere other than between two goalposts.
Tebow spends his summers ministering to orphans and the impoverished. He visits the imprisoned and offers them Christ. Dungy has a desire to reach young men for the Lord and help them learn how to be godly fathers for it is his own dad's positive Christian influence that Dungy admires most.
I know of yet another man, Brady Black, who is playing in the game of his life and winning the respect and admiration of thousands for his faithful witness. He once played football and is still a huge fan, but the real contest is being played not in a stadium, but in a hospital in Texas and in the body of his little boy. One day, Brady's son will carry the torch of Christian testimony because of such great faith in a God who delivers miracles. Because of his parent's prayers, my great-nephew, Kobe, will grow to know about the miraculous touch of the Lord. And who knows...maybe some day, the commentary on his life will convey great respect when his parents' faith becomes his own. And the story written will tell of his far-reaching impact on the world.
That's what happens when we put faith in action. We leave a legacy and we lead others to the Lord. I know God is getting the credit he deserves every time I hear Kobe's name and I watch miracles take place. God's gracious answers to prayer will always be bigger than a national championship. These three men know that full well.
**Note – Kobe is four years old and recuperating from three successive surgeries in the past two months to remove thyroid cancerous tumors including one on the brain. Each procedure has produced miraculous results and rapid resiliency. Radiation therapy is scheduled in February to eradicate any remaining cancer cells. To learn more about Kobe's journey and God's touch, visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kobeblack Thank you so much for the loving prayers lifted for Kobe. You are part of the miracle.
I heard the name from sports commentators throughout the National Championship Game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Florida. I had not paid much attention to the Heisman winning quarterback since my alma mater's Chase Daniel lost the 2007 bid. Yet, I found myself enamored with the onslaught of compliments toward the iconic leader of the Florida Gators, Tim Tebow, each time they mentioned his name. Because of this impressive student, God received more credit in a three hour football contest and pre-game show, than in an entire year of broadcast on network t.v. My hat's off to Tebow for his exemplary reputation and my heart is warmed by his story that reveals the Lord 's amazing touch in his life.
The 6-3, 240 pound dynamo helped deliver answers to Gator prayers with the 2008 national title, but his performance last week doesn't hold a candle to the miracle God performed in his life off the field. Tebow never would have been born, if his mother, Pam, would have listened to the doctor who advised her to abort in order to survive amoebic dysentery. She contracted the illness while serving alongside her husband, Bob, as missionaries in the Philippines in 1987. They prayed instead. And 22 years later his life is a living witness.
Just as this rising star gains more and more opportunity to share his faith with sports fans, another God-fearing football notable is stepping off the field. Coach Tony Dungy leaves a big faith-in-action footprint to fill. His genuine Christianity is already documented in a hardback book, while Tebow's total impact remains unwritten. But where the young and old football heroes merge is in their desire to make a difference somewhere other than between two goalposts.
Tebow spends his summers ministering to orphans and the impoverished. He visits the imprisoned and offers them Christ. Dungy has a desire to reach young men for the Lord and help them learn how to be godly fathers for it is his own dad's positive Christian influence that Dungy admires most.
I know of yet another man, Brady Black, who is playing in the game of his life and winning the respect and admiration of thousands for his faithful witness. He once played football and is still a huge fan, but the real contest is being played not in a stadium, but in a hospital in Texas and in the body of his little boy. One day, Brady's son will carry the torch of Christian testimony because of such great faith in a God who delivers miracles. Because of his parent's prayers, my great-nephew, Kobe, will grow to know about the miraculous touch of the Lord. And who knows...maybe some day, the commentary on his life will convey great respect when his parents' faith becomes his own. And the story written will tell of his far-reaching impact on the world.
That's what happens when we put faith in action. We leave a legacy and we lead others to the Lord. I know God is getting the credit he deserves every time I hear Kobe's name and I watch miracles take place. God's gracious answers to prayer will always be bigger than a national championship. These three men know that full well.
**Note – Kobe is four years old and recuperating from three successive surgeries in the past two months to remove thyroid cancerous tumors including one on the brain. Each procedure has produced miraculous results and rapid resiliency. Radiation therapy is scheduled in February to eradicate any remaining cancer cells. To learn more about Kobe's journey and God's touch, visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kobeblack Thank you so much for the loving prayers lifted for Kobe. You are part of the miracle.
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