First Love

A fellow believer whose husband was a victim of Alzheimer’s assumed the role of caregiver, “For the last five years of his life he didn’t know who I was. He was no longer the man I married.” Spiritually speaking, Christ should be able to say the same about us. When we mature in faith, we as the Bride of Christ, are no longer the person we once were.  However, as time goes by some of us may be guilty of losing the passion of our first love for the Lord. To the Church at Ephesus Jesus said, “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (Rev 2:4-5 NIV).

Take Off the Grave Clothes

I’ve had people in my life who, figuratively speaking, I’ve buried and rolled a stone in front of their tomb. No doubt the Lord would have me roll the stone away, but similar to the response of Martha at the tomb of her brother Lazarus my first response is to say, “But, Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” However, Jesus instructed, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go” ((John 11: 39, 44b NIV).

Whisper in My Ear

There are occasions in all our lives when we feel unappreciated and unloved. Those feelings can arise within our family, our job and in the church…and they can be hard to shake off. It’s in those moments that I need to listen for Jesus to whisper in my ear, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Matt 10:29-31 NIV).

Un-Presidential

As if they have inside knowledge on what a President should act like, Republicans, Democrats and the media continue to criticize President Trump for not being Presidential enough. For his part the President doesn’t bow to such peer pressure but seems to respond instinctually to each situation. I wonder if people of faith should take a page from the President’s play book when we hear others pointing an accusatory finger at believers for acting Un-Christian. Although Paul was speaking to a young Timothy, his words remind me that as a Christian I should not let anyone be condescending to me, or to the gift that the Lord has given me. Paul said, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you” (1Tim 4:12 NIV).

Promotion or Warning

A citizen took objection to a reporter’s photo of a young teenage boy jumping off a bridge into a shallow boulder-filled river. In Saturday Evening Post fashion, with one foot on the handrail and the other in mid-air, the photo captures the young man directly above the warning sign on the handrail, “NO JUMPING OR THROWING OBJECTS FROM BRIDGE.” The citizen thought the photo prompted and encouraged summertime fun that was dangerous behavior for children. I, on the other hand, viewed the photo as a call to action for parents who failed to teach their children basic safety skills and to follow the rules.  The Psalmist wrote, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you” (Psalm 32:8-8 NIV).

Extinguishing the Fire

Because of drought Colorado is having multiple wildfires. During a TV interview a fire department spokesperson told the reporter, “We can’t get to the fire, so we’re waiting for the fire to come to us.” As a Christian my personality is not to wait, but to try to deflect and extinguish fires before they get to me. However, I can see the wisdom in waiting for the fire to reach me. Paul said, “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Eph 6:16 NIV).

The Gift of Compassion

Before she passed away in April my mother-in-law lived with us for nine months and we continue to get mail for her. Somehow with Ruth’s change of address she wound up on every charitable mailing list there is— save the children, the animals, the earth and the elderly in foreign lands. I continue to open the solicitations simply because some of them contain pennies, nickels and dimes. On the one hand I have to laugh because Ruth gets more mail that I do, on the other hand the sheer volume of requests for support has jaded my level of compassion. We know that God is a God of compassion, but Paul notes the sovereign right of God to dispense mercy on whom he chooses. “What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy” (Ro 9:14-16 NIV).

Political Spin

My local city officials tout how they listen to the citizens and boast that for the next two years they will spend $5 M to fix streets and address traffic congestion. What they fail to say is they have neglected streets for so long that they currently have over $40,000,000 in deferred street maintenance. Unfortunately, citizens are not attuned and five million dollars over two years is hardly something to crow about. By  all appearances citizens simply accept the spin presented by government officials. I see a similar situation in the church. Paul said, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Tim 4:3-4 NIV).

Facial Recognition

Amazon is under fire for allowing the government to use their facial recognition program. The web service helps law enforcement catch criminals; however, the ACLU feels it is an invasion of privacy and uses the example of the misuse of video surveillance in China. Justifying their use of surveillance China authorities say people act better when they know they are being watched. China has a point…a point that is often lost, even on we who believe. The psalmist says of the righteous Judge, “And I—in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:15 NIV).

Clean-Up on Aisle Five

By all reports President Trump has some major clean up to do after the summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. To me the political and media Pharisees of today are reminiscent of those who attacked and undermined Jesus at every turn. “While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the “sinners” and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:15-17 NIV).

Shut-Ins

Many churches have an organized program to calls on shut-ins, those who can’t always get to church. An elderly friend turned down such an offer from members of her church, “I don’t need people to visit me while I’m getting well.” It occurs to me that in some cases church organization and programming might well interfere with the impromptu nature of the Holy Spirit. The righteous need not have a visitation schedule. Jesus said, “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me’” (Matt 25:37-40 NIV).

Satan Proofing

The political left insist President Trump take Russian President Vladimir Putin to task to make him stop meddling in the US election process. Rather than putting this issue at the foot of President Trump, it seems to me that the responsibility to “Russian Proof” our elections falls under the purview of state election boards and individual voters. Similar to Satan’s activity in the world, believers cannot expect the church or the pastor to always protect them from the meddling of the Adversary. James said, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double–minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:7-10 NIV).

Your Words

The House Congressional hearing with FBI agent Peter Strozk’s testimony is bombastic. Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, believers of both political parties need to remember the words of Jesus, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt 12:34b-37 NIV).

No record of Wrongs

As a journalist I keep a tickler file of records and quotes which documents improprieties, abuse and infractions…both in the world and in the church. On the one hand it helps me recall situations and present facts; however, it can also serve as a grudge file. Paul’s instruction in I Corinthians 13, the Love Chapter, brings me up short. Concerning love Paul said, “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” (1 Cor 13:5-6 NIV).

Some Elections Have Consequences

We just had a Primary Election and the Republican race for sheriff had a 46-vote margin. For the General Election there are no Democratic challengers, so barring a last-minute challenge by an Independent candidate, the next man to become sheriff will be the Republican who narrowly won the Primary Election. The Apostles, feeling the need to fill the position vacated by Judas, cast lots for his replacement. We don’t know the vote count and the margin by which Matthias was selected over Joseph called Barsabbas but using spiritual standards the election/selection for either man was inconsequential. Scripture never again mentions the practice of casting lots, nor do we know anything more about Matthias, his mission, or his effectiveness (Acts:1:23-26).  We’ve been taught that every vote counts; however, the old adage “man proposes and God disposes” can be clearly seen in the election process. 

Trade War

The media is once again crying doom and gloom about a possible trade war with China. One TV millennial commentator said, “People are use to buying cheap goods from China and they won’t put up with higher prices.” These young folks do not know history, nor do they understand the resiliency and determination of people when their back is against the wall. America survived WW I, WW II and the Depression. The prospects of the USA surviving a trade war, with China or on a global scale, are not that daunting.

Wildfires

We’re having a lot of wild fires across the west which devour everything in their path. James said, “Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell” (James 3:45-6 NIV). As believers we seldom look back on our lives and consider the charred desolate landscapes that are the result of our words.

The Spin Zone

As a journalist I get frustrated in government meetings when officials, from one meeting to the next, spin the narrative they think people will buy. For instance, my local city government has underfunded the police department for years while they spent tax dollars for a golf course, recreation trails, tourism and business incentives. Now that they have created a crisis they want to raise taxes in order to hire more police officers and build a new police department facility. Rather than acknowledging wasteful spending, the officials intend to spin the need for more law enforcement. Believers are not immune when it comes to spin. Paul said, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Tim 4:3-4 NIV).

Musical Score

I just re-watched the movie “Jaws” and it occurs to me that one thing missing from the Word of God, if I can be so bold, is the musical score that accompanies the drama in the Book of Revelation. Dah-Dum…Dah-Dum…Dah-Dum-Dah-Dum…John wrote, “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise” (Rev 5:11-12 NIV)!

Independence Day

It’s not unusual for us to feel we are slaves to our circumstances. However, Paul reminds us that when there is an opportunity for freedom we should take it, “Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him. Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so” (1 Cor 7:20-21 NIV).

Strange Inheritance

Normally I think of an inheritance in financial terms. However, watching episodes of the TV series “Strange Inheritance” makes me realize that an inheritance comes in all manner of shapes and sizes…some having the appearance of an albatross around the recipient’s neck. I love the fact that as believers, we are all to receive the exact same inheritance. Peter said, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3-5 NIV). 

A Little Yeast

We have three county commissioners, one of whom resigned a couple days ago. The ex-commissioner, who served three and a half years of a four-year term said, “The only reason I’m resigning is because I can no longer be effective for the residents of the county. I’ve been excluded from secret meetings and rendered ineffective and useless.” Since all three commissioners were elected by the people they are of equal authority. I’m perturbed that two of them would render the other man ineffective and useless by excluding him from meetings. Unfortunately, the same thing can happen in the church and on the religious landscape when people sabotage the ministry efforts of others. Paul had to contend with the Judaizers and warned, “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be” (Gal 5:7-10 NIV).