Monthly Archives: August 2017

GLIMPSES OF GOD

“Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; at noon they grope as in the night.” (Job 5:14)

Thousands had gathered in anticipation of their arrival. Several hundred reporters, photographers and cameramen from radio, television and the press were also standing by. The feverish attention they created was like none ever before. It became labeled as an invasion; others referred to it as ‘mania.’ Whatever you called it – riotous-like behavior broke out, the crowd noise became deafening, and police had to close off streets due to the hysteria. It was all caused by the American arrival of four English lads in their early-20’s, dressed in mod suits and sporting mop-topped haircuts. It was February 7, 1964, and the “Fab-Four” had just arrived at New York’s Kennedy Airport via a several thousand-mile flight which had departed only hours before from London’s Heathrow Airport. They were of course John, Paul, George and Ringo – better known as “The Beatles.” To just get a glimpse of them caused many a teenage girl to faint. Listening to their music set the course of rock and roll history for many years to come.

Forward fifty plus years. Two of the Beatles have died, but Paul and Ringo are still performing solo acts continuing to draw fairly large crowds. It’s August 21, 2017, and people have again traveled thousands of miles to witness an incident which has not occurred since February 26, 1979. Then news anchors Frank Reynolds and Walter Cronkite reported on the day’s events, looking forward to what would not transpire for another 38 years and hoping for “a more peaceful world.”  Though not at peace, what the world did find were people looking skyward in the middle of the day to catch a glimpse of a happening which would last for less than three minutes. Known as a total solar eclipse, it gave a somewhat eerie reference to what many will someday witness. Again looking toward the heavens, they will see Jesus. For “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him . . .” (Revelation 1:7).

I am reminded of a story I once heard about a group of salesmen who were attending a convention in one of our larger cities. Arriving late for their flight home, they hurriedly ran through the airport attempting to make the gate for their departure. In doing so, one of them accidentally caught the leg of a table which held a display of apples. Never looking back, they managed to reach their plane in time. Except for one. Observing apples scattered everywhere across the terminal floor, only one felt guilty for the mess they had made. Staying behind to offer assistance, he found a 16-year old blind girl groping to recover some of her fruit while, in frustration, tears ran down her face. The salesman knelt to the floor, attempting to reorganize the display. Then he discovered that many of the apples had become bruised, so he sat those aside. When he was done, he asked the young girl if she was going to be okay. He then pulled $40 out of his wallet and requested that she please accept the money as repayment for the damage she had incurred. While beginning to walk away, the blind girl called out to him, “Mister.” As he glanced in her direction – she looked up with eyes that could not see and said, “Are you Jesus?”

Has anyone called you Jesus lately?  Probably not. But the more pertinent question is, “When was the last time someone saw Jesus in you?” The Apostle Paul offered this challenge: “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God” (Ephesians 5:1-2). Jesus put it this way:  “You are the light of the world–like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:14-16). As you follow His heart and obey His teachings, you are lighting your candle in a world of darkness and allowing others to see Jesus in you. Famed singers and eclipses will come and go. However, glimpses of God’s glory are lasting and available to us daily. Have you taken a peek lately?

REFLECTION: One person said: “I read the Bible to catch a glimpse of God’s beauty, because that’s where God has revealed Himself. Then, as I get to know God, I try to imitate Him, and He begins to make me beautiful like Him.” What are some ways you might seek to show the world who Jesus is?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., SEPTEMBER 2, 2017.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

ON BEING OFFENDED

“Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.” (James 1:19)

While channel surfing recently, I came across a documentary tour of one of America’s state capitol buildings. The narrator included descriptions of the gold painted rotunda and the large entry doors. But what took my eye were the many references to God, etched into the walls of the amazing facility. I thought to myself – “I wonder how long it will be until some person or group takes issue with those statements, claims to be offended by them, and petitions for their removal?”  After all, it wasn’t that long ago that religious displays in public schools and engravings of the Ten Commandments in government buildings were challenged in the Supreme Court. And later on, statues of historical figures were toppled because intolerant persons were offended by what those folks once represented. Imagine desecrating artifacts or memorials with no allowance for any kind of human frailty as a basis to be offended.  It would be almost certain that no statues remain, as our lessons from history begin to fade.

It seems like it doesn’t take much anymore for persons to claim that they have been offended. Once we might have said that these individuals were “thin-skinned.” But these days, the wrong comment or a perceived inappropriate act may instantly evoke sufficient anger and toxicity to set the stage for potential violence. Those who allow for such activities might consider the words of Solomon: “The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead” (Proverbs 21:16). At the very least, it is not uncommon to find yourself surrounded by those who allow a wound to fester rather than attempt to promote its healing. The late American philosopher Wayne Dyer subscribed to a different philosophy as he stated, “When you are spiritually connected, you are not looking for occasions to be offended, and you are not judging and labeling others. You are in a state of grace in which you know you are connected to God and thus free from the effects of anyone or anything external to yourself.”

Often times, those who become intolerant and easily offended have cultivated within themselves a degree of “moral smugness.” They are commonly referred to as the self-righteous and assert that their own beliefs and actions are of greater virtue than those of the average person. Jesus warned against this as He communicated this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people–robbers, evildoers, adulterers–or even like this tax collector.  I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 18:10-14).

The Apostle Paul tells his readers that if righteousness could come from our own actions, then Jesus died “for no purpose” (Galatians 2:21). He also stated: “A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24-25). One must consider that act of being offended is a choice. The Reverend Joel Osteen put it this way: “Every day we have plenty of opportunities to get angry, stressed or offended. But what you’re doing when you indulge these negative emotions is giving something outside yourself power over your happiness. You can choose to not let little things upset you.” As Christians, there are times we must respond by speaking out. At other times, it may be pertinent to engage in some self-reflection asking why we are offended or if we have a right to be offended . . . and just maybe need to get over ourselves.

REFLECTION: As Christians, what should offend us? How should we act when others are offended? Think of a situation recently where you were offended. What could you have done differently? Why is judging others sometimes both necessary and right? When is it wrong? How can we know the difference?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., AUGUST 26, 2017.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

REFERENCE CHECK

                  “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind,                                     the man Christ Jesus…” (1 Timothy 2:5).

There’s an old expression known as ‘vouching for someone.’  One might say, “Sure you can extend credit to Pete. I’ll vouch for him because I know him to be a stand-up guy.  If he says he’ll do something . . . he will. I have no doubt he’ll pay you what’s due.” As years passed, we grew to call it a reference. In one of my work settings, I did a lot of reference checking in conjunction with job applications. In some cases, I found that they were unreliable because often times the applicant would list people with whom they had worked rather than their supervisor. Therefore, you never quite got the full story. Scrutinizing references began to really become a difficult endeavor whenever employers were legally advised to provide restricted information limited to date of hire and position held.

These days, it is not unusual for employers to ‘snoop’ the social media platforms of perspective job candidates. There, a company can find out all kinds of information that most applicants would rather not reveal to a future employer. Thinking that you are sharing information among ‘friends’ – all the posts one has made about calling off from work and how much they hate their current employer may be just hanging out there publicly for the world to see. Provocative photos, discriminatory comments, sharing confidential information about clients, or slandering work colleagues and bosses says a lot about who you are and what risk and challenge you will most likely represent to a future employer. It’s frequently enough to put your application on the bottom of the pile and just move on.

One of my interview questions used to be, “do you know anyone who works here and what would they say about you?” I cannot begin to count the number of times that I have gone to a good employee to vouch for one of these ‘name-droppers’ and their response was, “I really don’t want to say.” When we demonstrate a complete lack of discretion as to how we represent ourselves in today’s highly visible society, we can never be quite sure what will come back to haunt us or who will stand up for us. If that is true for the things of this world, who will advocate for us when it comes to heavenly things which we hope will take us to a place of eternal comfort?  The Apostle Paul said to fellow believers – “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand” (Colossians 3:1).

As we set our sights heavenward, it is important that we live a life following the example which Jesus Himself demonstrated for us. Knowing that we would never be without sin, Jesus became the rescuer to liberate us from condemnation. “Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25). I have always loved the words penned by Carol Gilman in the chorus to the song, “He’s Ever Interceding” –

And He’s ever interceding to the Father for His children;
Yes, He’s ever interceding to the Father for His own;
Through Him you can reach the Father, So, bring Him all your heavy burdens;
Yes, for you He’s interceding, So, come boldly to the throne.

Jesus understood that we were incapable of living a life without sin, but He does expect that we will work toward doing so. Some of us want the glory of heaven but not the burden of obedience here on earth. Many will seek the benefit of Jesus’ great sacrifice without endeavoring to live like He lived. If we love Him enough that our life has been changed, then we must make the effort to walk the faithful walk. In doing so, we will build a resume for serving Him alone and have the full assurance that He is the one and only reference we will need for eternal placement.

REFLECTION: How do the words of Romans 8:34 (“Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us”) give us an assurance that Jesus is actively advocating on our behalf?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., AUGUST 19, 2017.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.

FOUL

“Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.” (Proverbs 19:11)

In 2003, Steve Bartman became instantly famous for a reason he in no way intended. He was rapidly labeled as the evil fan who allegedly cost the Chicago Cubs a potential clinching win during Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. His instinctive attempt to catch a foul ball may have prevented Cubs left fielder Moises Alou from recording the second out in the eighth inning while protecting a three-run lead.  The Cubs were up three games to two in a best of seven series. Instead, the team surrendered eight runs in the inning and lost the game and the series to the Florida Marlins. While the Cubs argued for fan interference, an umpire ruled that the ball had departed the field of play and entered the stands where it was deflected. Bartman, a life-long Cubs fan, ended up being escorted from the stadium by security guards, showered with verbal abuse, and later placed under police protection due to hate mail and death threats.

Few people mention that a critical error by the Cubs shortstop would have ended the inning that got away. It just somehow became easier to place blame on the diehard fan, who reportedly was one of many who had reached for the ball that October day. It took another thirteen years until the Cubs won the Fall Classic, and it was the first time the team had done so in over a century. One year later in an effort to place the incident behind them, the Chicago Cubs awarded a World Series ring to Bateman in July, 2017. With it, the organization issued a statement which, in part, read: “We hope this provides closure to an unfortunate chapter of the story that has perpetuated throughout our quest to win a long-awaited World Series. While no gesture can fully lift the public burden he has endured for more than a decade, we felt it was important Steve knows he has been and continues to be fully embraced by this organization.” Bartman stated that he was moved by the gesture and viewed it as “an important reminder for how we should treat each other in today’s society.”  That society commented with mixed reviews.

With today’s easy access to sentiments expressed in the news and social media, it’s difficult for some people to move on.  More and more, many of our understandings are predisposed to some kind of bias. At times we judge others very harshly in the court of public opinion as if we have never made a serious blunder ourselves. In the Old Testament, we receive this counsel: “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18). Jesus said: “You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:36-37). The Apostle Paul stated it this way, “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others” (Colossians 3:13).

“Let go and let God” is a catchphrase that evolved some years ago. Working at ‘letting go’ is difficult at times, especially when we have become emotionally vested in what we are holding onto.  It is, however, what God wants us to do “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).  Corrie ten Boom once wrote – “Hold everything in your hand lightly; otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open.” As followers of Christ, we would likely say with some degree of consideration that God owns everything. Why then would we fail to admit that the thing which you are grasping so tightly also belongs to Him?  It is because we want to maintain control. We must come to understand that we will never be able to let go on our own accord and that we will only be able to do so through His power alone. So relax your grip, and simply give all the fouls you are attempting to hold onto to the One who can actually resolve them. It is when we yield our control and abide in Him that we will truly be in line to catch the blessings in this game of life.

REFLECTION:  Reconsider the words of Proverbs 12:18 in the text above. Are you a stabber or a healer? What are the personal fouls or the fouls of others that continue to affect your life? In what ways can you begin to relinquish control and allow God to remove the blame and heal the wounds of hurt, however simple or great they might be?

A NEW LOOKUP  DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., AUGUST 12, 2017.  COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.