He who digs a pit may fall into it . . . He who quarries stones may be hurt by them, and he who splits logs may be endangered by them. If the axe is dull and he does not sharpen its edge, then he must exert more strength. Wisdom has the advantage of giving success (Ecclesiastes 10:8-10).
This post is more of a personal note than anything, but, in case that posting suddenly stops, you, my gentle readers, will know why--I have fallen. I have 400 feet of hog barn to put a new roof on. I have worked about 5 days and have completed about 75 feet. What takes most of the time is tearing off the old roof so that the new steel roof can be installed. I will have to say that this hard and demanding physical work is good for this 62 year old body. I have a lot of aches and pains but I feel like I am getting a little stronger and am able to work with much greater agility 10 feet off the ground. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and my skills will increase so that I can complete this task before winter. There is nothing worse than trying to drive screws with numb fingers.
There are blessings that come with hard work and there are dangers; it is good for us to rise to the challenge!
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
GETTING TO KNOW GOD
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made (Romans 1:19-20 RSV).
They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thought accuse or perhaps excuse them . . . (Romans 2:15 RSV).
In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son . . . (Hebrews 1:1-2 RSV).
There are many in the scientific community who see God's fingerprints on the universe. That is what God intended, he wanted people to become aware of his presence through the things he has made; nature speaks of nature's God. Nature cannot call itself into existence; nothing cannot become something on its own. Only God can create something out of nothing and it is he whom we must worship. Those who deny the reality of a creator God worship the creation rather than the Creator.
There are those who reduce human beings to being nothing more than animals and only products of evolution out of nothing; only products of heredity and environment. Thus, the value of a human being is not more than that of an animal and that is why abortion is not troubling to a naturalistic evolutionist.
There are religionists who emphasize the doctrine of original sin so much that they reduce a human to being so totally depraved that he cannot do anything right, everything he does is wrong. Again the reductionism is so thorough that a human being is completely incapable of being aware that there is right and wrong, and thus is not responsible. Original sin has been so emphasized that original righteousness has been forgotten. Human beings are created in the image of God and, as a result, though the image has been dimmed by sin, it still exists! Humans do have a conscience, meaning that there is a little bit of God in every person's heart. Human beings are depraved, but they are not totally depraved; they have enough of God in them to seek him and to do some good and beautiful things.
It is God's will that we know him, so the ultimate expression of his communication to us is Jesus Christ. Jesus "reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature," according to Hebrews 1:3. To know Jesus is to know God. To know Jesus first means to know about him. Is it possible to have a deep, fulfilling and enduring relationship without knowing about another? No. So it must be with Jesus. He is revealed in the Bible. Study about him, relate to those who know him and then you will surrender to him in a relationship that will last for eternity.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thought accuse or perhaps excuse them . . . (Romans 2:15 RSV).
In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son . . . (Hebrews 1:1-2 RSV).
There are many in the scientific community who see God's fingerprints on the universe. That is what God intended, he wanted people to become aware of his presence through the things he has made; nature speaks of nature's God. Nature cannot call itself into existence; nothing cannot become something on its own. Only God can create something out of nothing and it is he whom we must worship. Those who deny the reality of a creator God worship the creation rather than the Creator.
There are those who reduce human beings to being nothing more than animals and only products of evolution out of nothing; only products of heredity and environment. Thus, the value of a human being is not more than that of an animal and that is why abortion is not troubling to a naturalistic evolutionist.
There are religionists who emphasize the doctrine of original sin so much that they reduce a human to being so totally depraved that he cannot do anything right, everything he does is wrong. Again the reductionism is so thorough that a human being is completely incapable of being aware that there is right and wrong, and thus is not responsible. Original sin has been so emphasized that original righteousness has been forgotten. Human beings are created in the image of God and, as a result, though the image has been dimmed by sin, it still exists! Humans do have a conscience, meaning that there is a little bit of God in every person's heart. Human beings are depraved, but they are not totally depraved; they have enough of God in them to seek him and to do some good and beautiful things.
It is God's will that we know him, so the ultimate expression of his communication to us is Jesus Christ. Jesus "reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature," according to Hebrews 1:3. To know Jesus is to know God. To know Jesus first means to know about him. Is it possible to have a deep, fulfilling and enduring relationship without knowing about another? No. So it must be with Jesus. He is revealed in the Bible. Study about him, relate to those who know him and then you will surrender to him in a relationship that will last for eternity.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Sunday, August 22, 2010
FORTY YEARS
Forty years ago today, the lovely and gracious Helen and I were married. When John Wooden dedicated his book, They Call Me Coach, he said: "This book is gratefully dedicated to my wife, Nellie. Her love, faith and loyalty through the years are primarily responsible for what I am--be that good or be it bad." What an influence wives have on their husbands! Wooden's thoughts ring true for most men in long-term marriages, at least they are for me. Thank you, Helen!!!
Your Blessed Husband,
Tom
Your Blessed Husband,
Tom
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
CONFLICT AND EMOTIONAL MATURITY
And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds . . . (Hebrews 12:24).
It is often said that the "causes" of marital conflict are disagreements over such things as children, sex, and money. If no issues surfaces in any of these ares, people would probably get along better. However, people do not have trouble getting along because of issues in these areas. These issues tend to bring out the emotional immaturity of people and it is that immaturity, not the issues, that creates the conflict (Family Evaluation, Kerr/Bowen, 188).
One of the symptoms of low levels of emotional maturity is chronic conflict. In a marriage where there is low emotional maturity, each of the spouses believes that it is the other that needs to change to bring about a change in the relationship. Even though opposites attract, one of the laws of attraction is that people with similar levels of emotional maturity are attracted to each other so, for example, when one of the spouses is aggressive, most often, the other will be passive-aggressive; each will contribute equally to the conflict.
Except for extreme situations, divorce is not a solution, finding someone else is not a solution because the "someone else" will be a person of similar emotional maturity so the conflict will begin all over again. Learning to deal with conflict is not easy, but learning to do these four things will help:
1. Recognize that you are responsible for much of the conflict.
2. Learn to listen so that you understand. Often, we react emotionally before we understand and, as a result, there is conflict.
3. Recognize the effect of your emotional reactivity on yourself and your spouse. To do this, try to be an observer of your own interactions, noting what actually occurs in your conflicted interactions.
4. Be thankful for the good things that are brought to the relationship. On this earth, there are no perfect human relationships. Look for the positive contributions that the other brings to the relationship and be thankful for them. Attempts to coerce a desired behavior in a relationship might appear to be successful, but feed resentments that will eventually manifest themselves in destructive ways. Teach, for the most part, by example and pray that each of you are sensitive to the Spirit's prompting and become the spouses that they need to be.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
It is often said that the "causes" of marital conflict are disagreements over such things as children, sex, and money. If no issues surfaces in any of these ares, people would probably get along better. However, people do not have trouble getting along because of issues in these areas. These issues tend to bring out the emotional immaturity of people and it is that immaturity, not the issues, that creates the conflict (Family Evaluation, Kerr/Bowen, 188).
One of the symptoms of low levels of emotional maturity is chronic conflict. In a marriage where there is low emotional maturity, each of the spouses believes that it is the other that needs to change to bring about a change in the relationship. Even though opposites attract, one of the laws of attraction is that people with similar levels of emotional maturity are attracted to each other so, for example, when one of the spouses is aggressive, most often, the other will be passive-aggressive; each will contribute equally to the conflict.
Except for extreme situations, divorce is not a solution, finding someone else is not a solution because the "someone else" will be a person of similar emotional maturity so the conflict will begin all over again. Learning to deal with conflict is not easy, but learning to do these four things will help:
1. Recognize that you are responsible for much of the conflict.
2. Learn to listen so that you understand. Often, we react emotionally before we understand and, as a result, there is conflict.
3. Recognize the effect of your emotional reactivity on yourself and your spouse. To do this, try to be an observer of your own interactions, noting what actually occurs in your conflicted interactions.
4. Be thankful for the good things that are brought to the relationship. On this earth, there are no perfect human relationships. Look for the positive contributions that the other brings to the relationship and be thankful for them. Attempts to coerce a desired behavior in a relationship might appear to be successful, but feed resentments that will eventually manifest themselves in destructive ways. Teach, for the most part, by example and pray that each of you are sensitive to the Spirit's prompting and become the spouses that they need to be.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
AVOIDING THE MARK OF THE BEAST
Now the weight of the gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty six talents of gold . . . (I Kings 10:14 RSV).
. . . no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let him who has understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six hundred and sixty-six (Revelation 13:17-18 RSV, Emphasis mine).
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well (Matthew 6:31-33 RSV).
Solomon was the wealthiest king in the history of Israel. Just the income of gold was 666 talents, or very roughly, 59,940 pounds. They had so much gold they didn't count the silver. Did all of Solomon's wealth make him into a more devout man of God? Absolutely not! He became more a man of the world. The wealth of the world falls short of the true wealth God wants us to possess. Understanding that the Old Testament is a foreshadowing of the new, I do not believe that is was any accident that Solomon's annual income in gold was 666 talents, it is an important lesson to us all of what happens when one devotes all the labors of his mind and the labors of his hands to the accumulation of wealth.
Those who see money as the solution to every problem are the one's who wear the mark of the beast. The "beast" is an "it" as the Revised Standard Version correctly translates it, not "his" as every other translation glosses it. The beast is materialism and when materialism becomes becomes the dominant focus of a person's, family's, nation's or church's life, things can get ugly! Church's? Yes, Church's!!! To listen to many pastors talk about giving, one would swear that God was going to go out of business if the people didn't "pony up" the required amount of money. The church can be just as guilty of materialism as anyone--watch for the church with the mark of the beast on it! Giving is a matter of worship, it is not a matter of fundraising!
When people join with God, in the obedience of faith, in his enterprise of sharing the gospel and helping people, giving comes freely, joyfully as a matter of worship.
The "Gentiles" are materialistic, God's family is not. I fully understand that there are brothers and sisters in Christ who are in desperate situations, needing food, clean water, clothing to wear. We who have been blessed can be answers to their prayers, but God does not want any of his children to view money as the solution to his or her problems. As the Lord has said, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
. . . no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let him who has understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six hundred and sixty-six (Revelation 13:17-18 RSV, Emphasis mine).
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well (Matthew 6:31-33 RSV).
Solomon was the wealthiest king in the history of Israel. Just the income of gold was 666 talents, or very roughly, 59,940 pounds. They had so much gold they didn't count the silver. Did all of Solomon's wealth make him into a more devout man of God? Absolutely not! He became more a man of the world. The wealth of the world falls short of the true wealth God wants us to possess. Understanding that the Old Testament is a foreshadowing of the new, I do not believe that is was any accident that Solomon's annual income in gold was 666 talents, it is an important lesson to us all of what happens when one devotes all the labors of his mind and the labors of his hands to the accumulation of wealth.
Those who see money as the solution to every problem are the one's who wear the mark of the beast. The "beast" is an "it" as the Revised Standard Version correctly translates it, not "his" as every other translation glosses it. The beast is materialism and when materialism becomes becomes the dominant focus of a person's, family's, nation's or church's life, things can get ugly! Church's? Yes, Church's!!! To listen to many pastors talk about giving, one would swear that God was going to go out of business if the people didn't "pony up" the required amount of money. The church can be just as guilty of materialism as anyone--watch for the church with the mark of the beast on it! Giving is a matter of worship, it is not a matter of fundraising!
When people join with God, in the obedience of faith, in his enterprise of sharing the gospel and helping people, giving comes freely, joyfully as a matter of worship.
The "Gentiles" are materialistic, God's family is not. I fully understand that there are brothers and sisters in Christ who are in desperate situations, needing food, clean water, clothing to wear. We who have been blessed can be answers to their prayers, but God does not want any of his children to view money as the solution to his or her problems. As the Lord has said, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Saturday, August 07, 2010
PRESERVING MARRIAGE
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them (emphasis mine, Colossians 3:18-19).
Way back in1987, Olin Hicks wrote a book called, What the Bible Says About Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. His book was instructive to me and I have used it as a reference many times. In his book he affirmed some thoughts that I was already thinking; it is always good to be affirmed by a real scholar. I'm sharing a quote from his book.
A marriage that is serving the purposes God intended marriage to serve will indeed be unbreakable, not for legal reasons but for emotional reasons. The partners in that marriage simply will not separate. A marriage that is failing to serve those purposes cannot be held together by the edicts of pope, priest, elder or preacher. For too long church leaders have been treating the symptom and not the illness itself. In most cases the "medicine" prescribed seems more harmful to the patient than to the disease.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Way back in1987, Olin Hicks wrote a book called, What the Bible Says About Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage. His book was instructive to me and I have used it as a reference many times. In his book he affirmed some thoughts that I was already thinking; it is always good to be affirmed by a real scholar. I'm sharing a quote from his book.
A marriage that is serving the purposes God intended marriage to serve will indeed be unbreakable, not for legal reasons but for emotional reasons. The partners in that marriage simply will not separate. A marriage that is failing to serve those purposes cannot be held together by the edicts of pope, priest, elder or preacher. For too long church leaders have been treating the symptom and not the illness itself. In most cases the "medicine" prescribed seems more harmful to the patient than to the disease.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Thursday, July 29, 2010
LORD OF THE DEAD AND THE LIVING
For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. For if we live, we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living (Romans 14:7-9 NKJV).
My schedule for the summer has made it difficult to write so I have tried to share some thoughts from some other thoughtful people. Here is another quote from Elton Trueblood:
If this is really God's world, then we are really under His care, whether we live or whether we die. If God is, and if He is like Christ, then the problem of evil, instead of being principally a barrier to faith, becomes one of the chief reasons for believing in the conscious survival of personality after the death of the body. Since many are unfairly treated here, then it is evident that God's goodness is frustrated and defeated unless there is a beyond. But we cannot believe that His goodness is permanently frustrated and defeated. Therefore there must be a future life, beyond our human ability to visualize or even imagine, in which God preserves and purifies that which here He only begins.
What a wonderful, reasonable hope we have in Jesus Christ!
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
My schedule for the summer has made it difficult to write so I have tried to share some thoughts from some other thoughtful people. Here is another quote from Elton Trueblood:
If this is really God's world, then we are really under His care, whether we live or whether we die. If God is, and if He is like Christ, then the problem of evil, instead of being principally a barrier to faith, becomes one of the chief reasons for believing in the conscious survival of personality after the death of the body. Since many are unfairly treated here, then it is evident that God's goodness is frustrated and defeated unless there is a beyond. But we cannot believe that His goodness is permanently frustrated and defeated. Therefore there must be a future life, beyond our human ability to visualize or even imagine, in which God preserves and purifies that which here He only begins.
What a wonderful, reasonable hope we have in Jesus Christ!
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Sunday, July 25, 2010
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14b NKJV).
Not many people play such a pivotal role in history as queen Esther---and yet maybe we do. What would it mean to your children if you acted courageously to save your marriage? What would it mean to your country if you acted courageously to defend the Constitution? What would it mean to one unborn if you acted courageously to protect life? What would it mean to the hopeless if you courageously shared legitimate hope in Christ? What would it mean to the average to be an example commitment and excellence?
Often we do not see ourselves as playing a pivotal role in history but . . . for want of a nail, the kingdom was lost. For such a time as this, you are the nail! You do play a pivotal role in history!
I have said all this to introduce another quote from Elton Trueblood's The Life We Prize:
The owners of nightclubs and motion picture houses profit greatly by the failure of men and women to find meaning in their lives, since, as is generally known, a people who have a sense of meaning feel no conscious need of constantly being entertained or amused.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Not many people play such a pivotal role in history as queen Esther---and yet maybe we do. What would it mean to your children if you acted courageously to save your marriage? What would it mean to your country if you acted courageously to defend the Constitution? What would it mean to one unborn if you acted courageously to protect life? What would it mean to the hopeless if you courageously shared legitimate hope in Christ? What would it mean to the average to be an example commitment and excellence?
Often we do not see ourselves as playing a pivotal role in history but . . . for want of a nail, the kingdom was lost. For such a time as this, you are the nail! You do play a pivotal role in history!
I have said all this to introduce another quote from Elton Trueblood's The Life We Prize:
The owners of nightclubs and motion picture houses profit greatly by the failure of men and women to find meaning in their lives, since, as is generally known, a people who have a sense of meaning feel no conscious need of constantly being entertained or amused.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Saturday, July 17, 2010
THE DANGER OF MODERATION
I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold or hot, I will spew you out of my mouth (Revelation 3:15,16).
While rereading and old book of mine, THE LIFE WE PRIZE, by Elton Trueblood, I came upon a few lines that I had underlined many years ago. It is still good enough to share with my devoted readers:
The dangers of moderation are, paradoxically, greater than are the dangers of excess, because the wholly moderate person is so likely to become balanced on dead center, and consequently to accomplish nothing.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
While rereading and old book of mine, THE LIFE WE PRIZE, by Elton Trueblood, I came upon a few lines that I had underlined many years ago. It is still good enough to share with my devoted readers:
The dangers of moderation are, paradoxically, greater than are the dangers of excess, because the wholly moderate person is so likely to become balanced on dead center, and consequently to accomplish nothing.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Monday, July 05, 2010
LIBERTARIANISM--AN UNREFINED THOUGHT
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; but through love be servants of one another (Galations 5:13).
Often I think about things as I write. This is one of those times when what I write is unrefined and is sort of "raw meat" that needs a little cooking.
The 5th of July is the official 4th of July holiday this year. Today I have a little time to think about liberty and what it means to Americans.
Liberty is a gift to all, yet it must be defended because it can be lost; laziness in its defense leads to learned helplessness which leads to dependence which leads to bondage. That is the slippery slope we are on.
According to the Declaration of Independence each person is equal under God and has been given by Him the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. No matter what station of life a person is in--the poorest, most handicapped person or unborn person is entitled to the same protection of the law as the richest, most educated, and powerful person in the land, or vice versa. Every one's freedom is diminished when that is not true.
True liberty can only be established under law. If there were no law then law of "might makes right" would rule; the weak would be the victim and/or slave of the powerful. God's character is the basis of all true law; any law that is ungodly is not Law.
Love is God's character, law and liberty are expressions of his love. God has never forced people to obey his law. We are free to make our choice of obeying him or not and then living with the logical and legal consequences of that choice. To allow a person to be free means that he is free to be stupid, and make bad choices.
Many of our drug, alcohol, tobacco and coming food laws, are based on the assumption that people are too stupid to make the right decisions for themselves so there needs to be a government "nanny" to restrict them. This restriction amounts to a very real loss of freedom. If there is not a freedom to be stupid, there will be no freedom.
Real freedom is in Jesus the Christ. He has established the worth of each human being and has paid the price of each one's liberation from sin and its penalty. Even in Christ there is the freedom to be stupid, and there are many Christians who do stupid things. In Christ there are those whose decisions are based on the desires of the flesh rather than upon the leading of the Spirit.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Often I think about things as I write. This is one of those times when what I write is unrefined and is sort of "raw meat" that needs a little cooking.
The 5th of July is the official 4th of July holiday this year. Today I have a little time to think about liberty and what it means to Americans.
Liberty is a gift to all, yet it must be defended because it can be lost; laziness in its defense leads to learned helplessness which leads to dependence which leads to bondage. That is the slippery slope we are on.
According to the Declaration of Independence each person is equal under God and has been given by Him the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. No matter what station of life a person is in--the poorest, most handicapped person or unborn person is entitled to the same protection of the law as the richest, most educated, and powerful person in the land, or vice versa. Every one's freedom is diminished when that is not true.
True liberty can only be established under law. If there were no law then law of "might makes right" would rule; the weak would be the victim and/or slave of the powerful. God's character is the basis of all true law; any law that is ungodly is not Law.
Love is God's character, law and liberty are expressions of his love. God has never forced people to obey his law. We are free to make our choice of obeying him or not and then living with the logical and legal consequences of that choice. To allow a person to be free means that he is free to be stupid, and make bad choices.
Many of our drug, alcohol, tobacco and coming food laws, are based on the assumption that people are too stupid to make the right decisions for themselves so there needs to be a government "nanny" to restrict them. This restriction amounts to a very real loss of freedom. If there is not a freedom to be stupid, there will be no freedom.
Real freedom is in Jesus the Christ. He has established the worth of each human being and has paid the price of each one's liberation from sin and its penalty. Even in Christ there is the freedom to be stupid, and there are many Christians who do stupid things. In Christ there are those whose decisions are based on the desires of the flesh rather than upon the leading of the Spirit.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Saturday, July 03, 2010
COMMUNION MEDITATION
It follows that anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of desecrating the body and blood of the Lord. A man must test himself before eating his sare of the bread and drinking from the cup. For he who eats and drinks eats and drinks judgement on himself if he does not discern the Body. That is why many of you are feeble and sick, and a number have died (I Corinthians 11:27-31).
This morning I was reading I Samuel 6 about the return of the Ark of the Covenant from the possession of the Philistines. When the Philistines took the Ark as a prize of war it brought plagues and calamities on them so after a few months they decided the return it to the Israelites. They put the Ark in an ox cart drawn by two cows with unweaned calves. The calves were penned up. The Philistines reasoned that if the cows were released on their own and they found their way back to Israel then it must truly be Divine providence, but if the cows only wanted to stay with their calves they were simply the victims of bad luck. The cows did leave their calves and found their way back to Israel. When the people of Beth-shemesh saw the ark they rejoiced at the sight of it. It is important to note that verse 19 says this: But the sons of Jeconiah did not rejoice with the rest of the men of Beth-shemesh when they welcomed the Ark of the Lord, and he struck down seventy of them (I Samuel 6:19 NEB).
It is my belief that the entire Old Testament is a type, or forshadowing of the New Testament, so every story is significant. The Ark of the Covenant was symbolic of God's redemptive work on behalf of his people. To not rejoice in its return--to not care whether it came back or not--was a slap in God's face; an insult to him. Could it be that our take-it-or-leave-it attitudes about the celebration of the Lord's Supper, the Eucharist, the feast of thanksgiving is an insult to God? Like the Ark, it speaks of God's work of love and redemption on our behalf. Could it be that some of our illnesses and deaths have come as a result? Without a word from the Lord on specific cases it is impossible to know, but the principle is established in his word. Each observance of communion, no matter how often, should be with joy, gratitude and wonder that he should love one such as I.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
This morning I was reading I Samuel 6 about the return of the Ark of the Covenant from the possession of the Philistines. When the Philistines took the Ark as a prize of war it brought plagues and calamities on them so after a few months they decided the return it to the Israelites. They put the Ark in an ox cart drawn by two cows with unweaned calves. The calves were penned up. The Philistines reasoned that if the cows were released on their own and they found their way back to Israel then it must truly be Divine providence, but if the cows only wanted to stay with their calves they were simply the victims of bad luck. The cows did leave their calves and found their way back to Israel. When the people of Beth-shemesh saw the ark they rejoiced at the sight of it. It is important to note that verse 19 says this: But the sons of Jeconiah did not rejoice with the rest of the men of Beth-shemesh when they welcomed the Ark of the Lord, and he struck down seventy of them (I Samuel 6:19 NEB).
It is my belief that the entire Old Testament is a type, or forshadowing of the New Testament, so every story is significant. The Ark of the Covenant was symbolic of God's redemptive work on behalf of his people. To not rejoice in its return--to not care whether it came back or not--was a slap in God's face; an insult to him. Could it be that our take-it-or-leave-it attitudes about the celebration of the Lord's Supper, the Eucharist, the feast of thanksgiving is an insult to God? Like the Ark, it speaks of God's work of love and redemption on our behalf. Could it be that some of our illnesses and deaths have come as a result? Without a word from the Lord on specific cases it is impossible to know, but the principle is established in his word. Each observance of communion, no matter how often, should be with joy, gratitude and wonder that he should love one such as I.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
ONE MORE FOR JOHN
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him. For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are dust (Psalms 103:13-14).
John Wooden's passing reminds us that though life on this earth is temporary, our lives can speak long after we are gone. His coaching philosophy has stood the test of time. As I have said before, I admire the coaches of athletes because their coaching philosophy is tested in the arena of competition before a "great cloud of witnesses" each time his team takes the floor. Ministers of the gospel should also take note because after we have served at a church for a number of years, how the church "plays" is the result of our "coaching."
A man may make mistakes, but he is not a failure until he starts blaming someone else.
It is what you learn after you know it all that counts.
Dare to be a Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known! --Philip Bliss
Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.
I will get ready and then, perhaps my chance will come.
Talent is God-given, be humble;
Fame is man-given, be thankful;
Conceit is self-given, be careful.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
John Wooden's passing reminds us that though life on this earth is temporary, our lives can speak long after we are gone. His coaching philosophy has stood the test of time. As I have said before, I admire the coaches of athletes because their coaching philosophy is tested in the arena of competition before a "great cloud of witnesses" each time his team takes the floor. Ministers of the gospel should also take note because after we have served at a church for a number of years, how the church "plays" is the result of our "coaching."
A man may make mistakes, but he is not a failure until he starts blaming someone else.
It is what you learn after you know it all that counts.
Dare to be a Daniel!
Dare to stand alone!
Dare to have a purpose firm!
Dare to make it known! --Philip Bliss
Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.
I will get ready and then, perhaps my chance will come.
Talent is God-given, be humble;
Fame is man-given, be thankful;
Conceit is self-given, be careful.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Thursday, June 24, 2010
MORE OF JOHN WOODEN
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on our own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3:5,6).
John Wooden was a committed Christian so I know that these two short verses from Proverbs were a significant part of his world view. The quotes that follow also shed light on his philosophy of life and coaching.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.
Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of
Self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the
Best you are capable of becoming.
Be a gentleman at all times.
Never criticize, nag, or razz a team-mate.
Be a team player always.
Never be selfish, jealous, envious or egotistical.
Earn the right to be proud and confident.
Never expect favors, alibi or make excuses.
Never lose faith or patience.
Courtesy and politeness are a small price to pay for the good will and affection of others.
Acquire peace of mind by becoming the best that you are capable of becoming.
It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.
Success is never final.
Failure is never fatal.
It's courage that counts. --Winston Churchill
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
*The summer months are the most difficult times for me to blog. Be patient with me. I will try to do one posting a week.
John Wooden was a committed Christian so I know that these two short verses from Proverbs were a significant part of his world view. The quotes that follow also shed light on his philosophy of life and coaching.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of the way things turn out.
Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of
Self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the
Best you are capable of becoming.
Be a gentleman at all times.
Never criticize, nag, or razz a team-mate.
Be a team player always.
Never be selfish, jealous, envious or egotistical.
Earn the right to be proud and confident.
Never expect favors, alibi or make excuses.
Never lose faith or patience.
Courtesy and politeness are a small price to pay for the good will and affection of others.
Acquire peace of mind by becoming the best that you are capable of becoming.
It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.
Success is never final.
Failure is never fatal.
It's courage that counts. --Winston Churchill
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
*The summer months are the most difficult times for me to blog. Be patient with me. I will try to do one posting a week.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
IN HONOR OF JOHN WOODEN
My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity (Proverbs 3:1-2).
This month we lost the greatest coach to have coached the game of basketball, John Wooden. He was 99. What a legacy he left behind as an inspiration to us all. Back in 1972 I bought his book, They Call Me Coach. Over the next few posts I am going to share a few of the chapter headers and quotes from that book that inspired me. These are some of his sayings born of his philosophy of life. The book was published in 1972 by Word, Waco, Texas.
Learn as if you were going to live forever;
Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.
Do not let what you cannot do
interfere with what you can do.
Who can ask more of a man than giving all within his span?
Giving all, it seems to me, is not so far from victory. --George Moriarty
You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone
Who will never be able to repay you.
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,
because your character is what you really are
While your reputation is merely what others think you are.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
This month we lost the greatest coach to have coached the game of basketball, John Wooden. He was 99. What a legacy he left behind as an inspiration to us all. Back in 1972 I bought his book, They Call Me Coach. Over the next few posts I am going to share a few of the chapter headers and quotes from that book that inspired me. These are some of his sayings born of his philosophy of life. The book was published in 1972 by Word, Waco, Texas.
Learn as if you were going to live forever;
Live as if you were going to die tomorrow.
Do not let what you cannot do
interfere with what you can do.
Who can ask more of a man than giving all within his span?
Giving all, it seems to me, is not so far from victory. --George Moriarty
You cannot live a perfect day without doing something for someone
Who will never be able to repay you.
Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,
because your character is what you really are
While your reputation is merely what others think you are.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Saturday, June 05, 2010
RANDOM SHOTS; SILVER BULLETS
But a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breast plate . . . (I Kings 22:34).
One might say it was a lucky shot, but God was guiding the arrow. Completely at random, one soldier drew his bow and shot an arrow into the air; it struck king Ahab in the chink of his armor so that he died just as the prophet Micaiah said. Though Ahab hated Micaiah and didn't believe his prophecy, just to be on the safe side, he went to the battle in disguise because an undisguised king was sure to be a target. In disguise and in full armor he thought he would surely be safe; he was not because what God says is true!
When I write these "Silver Bullets" they are like that random shot of a Syrian soldier. I write them in no specific order, but only as I am moved to write them. My prayer is that God would guide them to the chinks in deceitful, defensive armor that people put on so that they do not have to deal with inconvenient truth.
These "Silver Bullets" are only intended to be thought-starters, beginning points for meditation and prayer. No topic is discussed so thoroughly that every point is addressed, but hopefully, discussed enough to precipitate thought, meditation and prayer. What makes each bullet silver is that, to the best of my ability, each one is true to God's word.
I have used the Revised Standard Version as the translation for the scripture texts that are cited. I do not believe the RSV to be superior to other translations; indeed it does have deficiencies, nevertheless, I have emotional attachment to it because it is the translation of the Harper's Study Bible I have had since my Bible College days, forty years ago. Now tattered and so worn that it cannot just fall open to the right places, Silver Bullets are a kind of memorial to it.
It's dangerous to read Silver Bullets because one of them might find a chink in your armor--if God guides it.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
One might say it was a lucky shot, but God was guiding the arrow. Completely at random, one soldier drew his bow and shot an arrow into the air; it struck king Ahab in the chink of his armor so that he died just as the prophet Micaiah said. Though Ahab hated Micaiah and didn't believe his prophecy, just to be on the safe side, he went to the battle in disguise because an undisguised king was sure to be a target. In disguise and in full armor he thought he would surely be safe; he was not because what God says is true!
When I write these "Silver Bullets" they are like that random shot of a Syrian soldier. I write them in no specific order, but only as I am moved to write them. My prayer is that God would guide them to the chinks in deceitful, defensive armor that people put on so that they do not have to deal with inconvenient truth.
These "Silver Bullets" are only intended to be thought-starters, beginning points for meditation and prayer. No topic is discussed so thoroughly that every point is addressed, but hopefully, discussed enough to precipitate thought, meditation and prayer. What makes each bullet silver is that, to the best of my ability, each one is true to God's word.
I have used the Revised Standard Version as the translation for the scripture texts that are cited. I do not believe the RSV to be superior to other translations; indeed it does have deficiencies, nevertheless, I have emotional attachment to it because it is the translation of the Harper's Study Bible I have had since my Bible College days, forty years ago. Now tattered and so worn that it cannot just fall open to the right places, Silver Bullets are a kind of memorial to it.
It's dangerous to read Silver Bullets because one of them might find a chink in your armor--if God guides it.
Our Father's Blessings,
Tom
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
A HEART FOR PRAYER
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words (Romans 8:26).
When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen . . . (Isaiah 1:15).
Each New Year's Eve my church has a prayer vigil from noon to midnight; there is not a better way to watch the new year come in, asking our Father in Heaven for his provision in it. Each participant commits to pray for the duration of a specific thirty-minute segment. I always choose the final segment, eleven thirty to midnight, and I go to the church building to pray because that is where the Church gathers for worship. The building is old so there are some creaks and groans that heighten the prayer experience, reminding me of some of the very dear saints, and perhaps, not so dear saints who have gone on before.
Often the prayer-vigil participants will worry how they will pray for thirty minutes. When they express their anxiety I am reminded of a quote said to be by John Bunyon, "In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart." Though one might not have the words, one must have a heart for prayer. It is reassuring to know that our Advocate, the Holy Spirit, prays for us when we do not have the words. Prayers filled with cliches are evidence of words without a heart. God will not listen to prayers from insincere and/or unrepentant hearts!
There are times when the last thing one feels like doing is praying, but that is the time when it is most important to pray. My son, Paul, says that during those times he begins by reciting the Lord's Prayer, or some other inspirational scripture. Beginning a prayer time in this way centers the thoughts, "primes the pump," and touches the heart, directing it to God. Prayer beginning in the depths of despair can end in the heights of glory if one simply has the faith to be obedient in prayer. Read the whole of Psalms 22. Even when you do not feel like praying you can have a heart for prayer if it is begun in obedient faith.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen . . . (Isaiah 1:15).
Each New Year's Eve my church has a prayer vigil from noon to midnight; there is not a better way to watch the new year come in, asking our Father in Heaven for his provision in it. Each participant commits to pray for the duration of a specific thirty-minute segment. I always choose the final segment, eleven thirty to midnight, and I go to the church building to pray because that is where the Church gathers for worship. The building is old so there are some creaks and groans that heighten the prayer experience, reminding me of some of the very dear saints, and perhaps, not so dear saints who have gone on before.
Often the prayer-vigil participants will worry how they will pray for thirty minutes. When they express their anxiety I am reminded of a quote said to be by John Bunyon, "In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart." Though one might not have the words, one must have a heart for prayer. It is reassuring to know that our Advocate, the Holy Spirit, prays for us when we do not have the words. Prayers filled with cliches are evidence of words without a heart. God will not listen to prayers from insincere and/or unrepentant hearts!
There are times when the last thing one feels like doing is praying, but that is the time when it is most important to pray. My son, Paul, says that during those times he begins by reciting the Lord's Prayer, or some other inspirational scripture. Beginning a prayer time in this way centers the thoughts, "primes the pump," and touches the heart, directing it to God. Prayer beginning in the depths of despair can end in the heights of glory if one simply has the faith to be obedient in prayer. Read the whole of Psalms 22. Even when you do not feel like praying you can have a heart for prayer if it is begun in obedient faith.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Monday, May 24, 2010
TIME-TRAVEL LEADERSHIP
You are the salt of the earth . . . (Matthew 5:13). You are the light of the world . . . (Matthew 5:14).
Among counselors there is a saying: 'Things work out as they should.' In other words, when all things are considered, it is not surprising that one is in the mess that he is in. However, a good leader can change a future that otherwise would have been a failure into a success and can also help to redeem a negative past into a positive present. Is that time-travel or what?
Leadership is about influence. Though there are various styles of leadership, there is no leadership if there is no positive influence. At some time in each person's life there will be an opportunity to lead as a peer, a parent, a Sunday school teacher, a coach, and so on. Through their positive influence many of these leaders have inspired others to reframe or discard a negative past and change on otherwise certain future into something good.
Leadership begins with the kind of person one is. Some leaders are all about themselves, leading for the purpose of personal prestige, power and fortune. A real leader can create and maintain trust because he is a person of integrity, not just speaking the truth, but doing the truth and keeping his word. Politicians do not rank very high on the trust scale because so many of them are in it for themselves, using the power of government for their own purposes, taxing and legislating restrictions on the "little people" while they, themselves, do not live by their own rules.
Leadership is intentional. What I mean by that is that good leaders have intentionally taken the time to learn leadership skills. They know that leadership is not bossiness, but rather, inspires others. They know that leadership is having a vision and can communicate that vision in such a way that others will follow. Though some seem to be born with the ability to take charge, that ability by itself will build resentment unless one also knows his or her people, how to network and build alliances. Power alone does not make a leader; wisdom does.
Your time for leadership will come! What kind of leader will you be?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Among counselors there is a saying: 'Things work out as they should.' In other words, when all things are considered, it is not surprising that one is in the mess that he is in. However, a good leader can change a future that otherwise would have been a failure into a success and can also help to redeem a negative past into a positive present. Is that time-travel or what?
Leadership is about influence. Though there are various styles of leadership, there is no leadership if there is no positive influence. At some time in each person's life there will be an opportunity to lead as a peer, a parent, a Sunday school teacher, a coach, and so on. Through their positive influence many of these leaders have inspired others to reframe or discard a negative past and change on otherwise certain future into something good.
Leadership begins with the kind of person one is. Some leaders are all about themselves, leading for the purpose of personal prestige, power and fortune. A real leader can create and maintain trust because he is a person of integrity, not just speaking the truth, but doing the truth and keeping his word. Politicians do not rank very high on the trust scale because so many of them are in it for themselves, using the power of government for their own purposes, taxing and legislating restrictions on the "little people" while they, themselves, do not live by their own rules.
Leadership is intentional. What I mean by that is that good leaders have intentionally taken the time to learn leadership skills. They know that leadership is not bossiness, but rather, inspires others. They know that leadership is having a vision and can communicate that vision in such a way that others will follow. Though some seem to be born with the ability to take charge, that ability by itself will build resentment unless one also knows his or her people, how to network and build alliances. Power alone does not make a leader; wisdom does.
Your time for leadership will come! What kind of leader will you be?
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
DELIVER US FROM EVIL
. . . above all taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16).
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil . . . (Isaiah 5:20).
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13).
What is evil? Evil is more than the absence of good; maliciousness is a characteristic of it as well. Webster includes these descriptions: arising from real or supposed wickedness, what is morally wrong, what hinders the realization of good. When Peter, with good intentions, told our Lord that his death on the cross should never happen, Jesus recognized the true source of those words and replied, Get behind me Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men (Matthew 16:23). In this satan was attempting to sabotage God's plan of redemption. Peter's words arose from a malicious, wicked personality who desperately wanted to destroy God's plan of redemption for humanity. It should be noted too that Peter's words simply reflected common Jewish thought about the Messiah. This means that the source of human philosophy which conflicts with the word of God is the devil.
At least since Darwin, modern thinkers have attempted to minimize evil by reducing it to mythology. They insist that the bad things that happen in the world are explained by ignorance and natural causes but: Evil is much more than the absence of good--it is not explained by the absence of education, "enlightenment," good nutrition, clean air, and nurturing love for every child--for evil is present when all of the above grace human culture. The most evil acts in history occurred in recent times in the twentieth century, with humankind presumably in its most advanced stage when technology, medicine, psychology and philosophy had reached never before dreamed of sophistication (Dr. Bruce Parmenter, Hiller Lectureship, North American Baptist Seminary, 2001). Evil exists, it is everywhere and it is malignant, seeking to destroy everything that is good. It is necessary to recognize the pervasiveness of evil so that it can be understood that even in the best of times one must always be on guard, ready for the devil's schemes.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil . . . (Isaiah 5:20).
And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13).
What is evil? Evil is more than the absence of good; maliciousness is a characteristic of it as well. Webster includes these descriptions: arising from real or supposed wickedness, what is morally wrong, what hinders the realization of good. When Peter, with good intentions, told our Lord that his death on the cross should never happen, Jesus recognized the true source of those words and replied, Get behind me Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men (Matthew 16:23). In this satan was attempting to sabotage God's plan of redemption. Peter's words arose from a malicious, wicked personality who desperately wanted to destroy God's plan of redemption for humanity. It should be noted too that Peter's words simply reflected common Jewish thought about the Messiah. This means that the source of human philosophy which conflicts with the word of God is the devil.
At least since Darwin, modern thinkers have attempted to minimize evil by reducing it to mythology. They insist that the bad things that happen in the world are explained by ignorance and natural causes but: Evil is much more than the absence of good--it is not explained by the absence of education, "enlightenment," good nutrition, clean air, and nurturing love for every child--for evil is present when all of the above grace human culture. The most evil acts in history occurred in recent times in the twentieth century, with humankind presumably in its most advanced stage when technology, medicine, psychology and philosophy had reached never before dreamed of sophistication (Dr. Bruce Parmenter, Hiller Lectureship, North American Baptist Seminary, 2001). Evil exists, it is everywhere and it is malignant, seeking to destroy everything that is good. It is necessary to recognize the pervasiveness of evil so that it can be understood that even in the best of times one must always be on guard, ready for the devil's schemes.
Grace&Peace,
Tom
Friday, May 07, 2010
YOUR GIFT: USE IT OR LOSE IT
I tell you, that to every one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away (Luke 19:26).
. . . nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything. And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each of us, for 'in him we live and move and have our being' (Acts 17:25-28).
During my tenure at Midwest Christian Services, an adolescent residential treatment facility, I noticed that one of the common features of the residents was that they were gifted; the reason for their admittance to MCS was not due to a deficient mental capacity. Generally, the residents came from dysfunctional family environments so that they were negatively influenced and undisciplined, and, as a result, made bad choices. Poor academic performance at school resulted from deficient self-discipline and life-skills rather than low intellectual capacity. Out in the general population the same phenomena is also true. Most people are more gifted than they think, but because of negative thinking habits and attitudes, never make the most of what they have.
Though there is a difference between natural gifts and Spiritual gifts, there is not as much distinction as one might assume because even natural gifts have a Spiritual purpose. God has not left his creation without supervision to exist on its own; he is deeply involved in it so that humanity would seek him. He has graced humanity with a vast array of natural gifts so that we can bless each other, for example, the Holy Spirit can use a competent secular counselor to help a person with their problems.
The Bible teaches that if your gift goes unused, it will be lost, but if your gift is used, more gifts will be given. One sure way to lose your gift, natural or Spiritual, is to let it go unused. One sure way to become more gifted is to use more the gift that you have for the Lord. Those who avoid any opportunities for service will lose everything.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
. . . nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything. And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each of us, for 'in him we live and move and have our being' (Acts 17:25-28).
During my tenure at Midwest Christian Services, an adolescent residential treatment facility, I noticed that one of the common features of the residents was that they were gifted; the reason for their admittance to MCS was not due to a deficient mental capacity. Generally, the residents came from dysfunctional family environments so that they were negatively influenced and undisciplined, and, as a result, made bad choices. Poor academic performance at school resulted from deficient self-discipline and life-skills rather than low intellectual capacity. Out in the general population the same phenomena is also true. Most people are more gifted than they think, but because of negative thinking habits and attitudes, never make the most of what they have.
Though there is a difference between natural gifts and Spiritual gifts, there is not as much distinction as one might assume because even natural gifts have a Spiritual purpose. God has not left his creation without supervision to exist on its own; he is deeply involved in it so that humanity would seek him. He has graced humanity with a vast array of natural gifts so that we can bless each other, for example, the Holy Spirit can use a competent secular counselor to help a person with their problems.
The Bible teaches that if your gift goes unused, it will be lost, but if your gift is used, more gifts will be given. One sure way to lose your gift, natural or Spiritual, is to let it go unused. One sure way to become more gifted is to use more the gift that you have for the Lord. Those who avoid any opportunities for service will lose everything.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
USING YOUR GIFT?
The Lord said to Moses, "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic design . . . (Exodus 31:1-3).
I had just filled the fuel tank on my farm tractor and started the engine to let it warm up for the hard day of work that lay ahead when I noticed hydraulic oil begin to "gush" forth from deep inside the tractor; a hydraulic line had burst. Having done a fair amount of mechanic work in my life, my first thought was to attempt to fix it myself. I removed a heavy access plate to gain entry to the internals of the tractor. Once removed I found that the access was not much of an access at all and after studying and working at the problem for a couple of hours I decided to talk to my mechanic about it. He said, "Give me a few minutes to gather some tools and I will come and see what I can do." When he arrived I showed him exactly what the problem was. He laid himself up on the tractor near the access point, it is a big tractor, with tools in hand and within two hours the tractor was repaired.
I told myself as I handed him wrenches and watched him work, "This guy is made for what he does." I have "wrenched" enough over the course of my life to have experienced the down and dirty of intimacy with machines, reading the manuals, getting sweaty and greasy, laying in the dirt, snow and on cold concrete, but I am not a mechanic. I am not efficient when I do the work, the desire to do it day after day is not in me because it is a frustrating job for me. On the day my mechanic worked on my tractor I did not hear him swear once, but my Christian vocabulary is severely tested when I am doing that kind of work--perhaps the Lord is teaching patience.
The counselor in me understands that life generally works out as it should, meaning that when hereditary and environmental factors and the Spirit of God are considered, it is no surprise that a person ends up doing what they do. I believe that the Spirit of God has led each person who is doing honorable work to his or her task. One need not worry about what their gift is, just get on with the tasks at hand and the gift will become evident. Do not worry about finding the gift, you will find it as you serve our Lord and Savior each day.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
I had just filled the fuel tank on my farm tractor and started the engine to let it warm up for the hard day of work that lay ahead when I noticed hydraulic oil begin to "gush" forth from deep inside the tractor; a hydraulic line had burst. Having done a fair amount of mechanic work in my life, my first thought was to attempt to fix it myself. I removed a heavy access plate to gain entry to the internals of the tractor. Once removed I found that the access was not much of an access at all and after studying and working at the problem for a couple of hours I decided to talk to my mechanic about it. He said, "Give me a few minutes to gather some tools and I will come and see what I can do." When he arrived I showed him exactly what the problem was. He laid himself up on the tractor near the access point, it is a big tractor, with tools in hand and within two hours the tractor was repaired.
I told myself as I handed him wrenches and watched him work, "This guy is made for what he does." I have "wrenched" enough over the course of my life to have experienced the down and dirty of intimacy with machines, reading the manuals, getting sweaty and greasy, laying in the dirt, snow and on cold concrete, but I am not a mechanic. I am not efficient when I do the work, the desire to do it day after day is not in me because it is a frustrating job for me. On the day my mechanic worked on my tractor I did not hear him swear once, but my Christian vocabulary is severely tested when I am doing that kind of work--perhaps the Lord is teaching patience.
The counselor in me understands that life generally works out as it should, meaning that when hereditary and environmental factors and the Spirit of God are considered, it is no surprise that a person ends up doing what they do. I believe that the Spirit of God has led each person who is doing honorable work to his or her task. One need not worry about what their gift is, just get on with the tasks at hand and the gift will become evident. Do not worry about finding the gift, you will find it as you serve our Lord and Savior each day.
Grace&Peace;
Tom
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