Tag Archives: Lord

THE TEN SUGGESTIONS

Posted on December 22, 2013 | 2 comments

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Being a believer is often inconvenient; there are rules to be followed. What’s with that?

Let’s just look at the Ten Commandments. There a real drag on our lifestyles*. How might these tenets look if they were modern and politically correct?.

THE TEN SUGGESTIONS

1. I, the Lord, am your God. Your other gods are wealth, power and celebrity.

2. You shall take the name of the Lord God in vain only as a sign of frustration or anger.

3. Remember to celebrate the Lord’s Day with golf or football, depending on the season.

4. Your father and mother should honor you. Do not let father and your mother stifle you or negatively affect your self-esteem.

5. Killing is inconvenient and messy and should be avoided, unless you’re standing your ground.

6. It’s not adultery if he or she is really hot.

7. You shall not steal, but loopholes, off-shore dummy corporations and golden parachutes don’t count.

8. You shall not bear false witness, but anything that gets you your own reality television show is okay.

9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; instead keep trading up your own wife until you get a trophy wife your neighbor will covet

10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods; either get bigger, faster, better for yourself or else sneak over and vandalize them.

Somehow I think God’s rules make more sense.

*Incidentally, the commandments appear twice in the Bible – in Exodus and later in Deuteronomy – and the two instances use words that don’t exactly match, although the ideas are the same. This has given experts all kind of ammunition to argue, modify or parse them.

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Personal Trinity

Posted on October 2, 2013 | Leave a comment

celtictrinityknot

Three is an interesting number in so many ways. It’s prime. A three sided brace is strong since the angles can’t change unless the lengths of the sides do.

Not to mention the Holy Trinity, the days between Christ’s death and resurrection.

I’ve found that in dealing with things, I have my own trinity.

My emotional self may want to stamp its feet, yell, run around in circles or whatever. It just kind of is, but after it does its thing, the pressure is bled off and I can deal better with things.

My intellectual self wants to think its way through a situation. How do I fix it? What do I do next? What’s Plan B?

Finally, there’s my spiritual self that tries to understand that I don’t understand. That I need to rely on faith as well as logic. My spiritual self realizes that a leap of faith is just that – a leap. Not a small step, but a move to commit your entire self to your belief that God knows what He’s doing and cares for us.

God, in His infinite wisdom gave us these tools so we could face any challenge. I know this because in the Gospels, I see Jesus using all three. He cried at Lazarus’ death and got angry at the money changers in the temple. Much of what He taught is good practical earthly, “street smart” advice. And, of course, His spiritual self dominated everything.

When I’m done dealing with an issue, my spiritual self is usually the one to finish up and put the worries away. Usually with something like:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

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Another Updated Biblical Quotation

Posted on September 23, 2013 | 2 comments
Photo - National Geographic

Photo –
National Geographic

Once again, while thinking about Biblical teachings, I’ve wondered how things might be phrased if they happened today.

Here’s the original:

1 Kings 19

11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Here’s how it might be presented today:

The Lord said, “Be prepared, for I will pass by today.”

Elijah looked for the Lord in the Breaking News on cable television, but the Lord was not in the news. Elijah used his iPad to search the Internet, but the Lord was not on the Internet. Elijah checked his smartphone to see if the Lord had tweeted, or sent a text message or left a voicemail, but he did not find the Lord through his smartphone.

So Elijah went to a quiet place, and he heard a whisper, and he knew it was the Lord.

For my part, I think that God brings peace with Him. If we are open to Him, He does not need to startle us. Instead, He waits for us to open ourselves to Him, and comes to us calmly and quietly.

“My Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you.”

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How Sharper than a Serpent’s Tooth

Posted on August 5, 2013 | Leave a comment
"Oh Lord, won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz" written by singer Janis Joplin with the poets Michael McClure and Bob Neuwirth, and originally recorded by Joplin

“Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz”
written by singer Janis Joplin with the poets Michael McClure and Bob Neuwirth, and originally recorded by Joplin

While waiting for my daughter to finish practice, I bumped into another soccer dad who commented how it frustrated him that his children felt they were entitled to just about everything. They never seemed to be grateful.

I confess that I thoroughly understood his feelings. Maybe it’s the fixation on “self-esteem.” Maybe it’s television. It doesn’t really matter.

However, I began to wonder how many of us treat God that way.

Dear God, I want a bigger, better, newer [whatever]. Amen.

Do we see God like an omnipotent Amazon.com and heaven as the ultimate “fulfillment center” with delivery promised by tomorrow if we pray today before close of business?

Maybe it would be better if we asked God what He wants for us. Trust in Him and then be grateful.

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Personal Manna

Posted on June 27, 2013 | 1 comment

Just a quick note tonight – it’s been a busy week and I’m tired.

Long ago I knew I’d never be wealthy; I’d never have a yacht, nor a mansion.  In the past I’ve driven a 1972 Ford Pinto that was held together with Bondo and today I drive a 2007 Ford Focus which is five years newer than my wife’s minivan.

However, I have no complaints.  God has always seen to it that I have what I need and then some.

My kids are in a good school system.  My roof is new and my air conditioner works.  When something breaks I can get it fixed.  If I want something a little special for me or someone in the family, I can get it.

I feel like the Israelites.  I have manna and quail to satisfy me.  I can’t store it up, but each day what I need is given to me as a blessing.

I look at His generosity as a reason to take a moment throughout the day to say, “Hi, God,” or, “Thanks!” and “I love You!”  I believe He deserves to have me acknowledge His blessings throughout my day.

Just like He blesses me throughout every day.

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Who Speaks for Me?

Posted on May 5, 2013 | 3 comments
theBible_poster_joshua_cc

The Bible
The History Channel
http://www.history.com/shows/the-bible

When we see family or tribal based societies, we have difficulty appreciating them. Many Muslim countries adhere to these relationships just as the Jews did throughout the Bible. The father, as head of the family could speak on behalf of the whole family – and the extended family. All who lived as part of his family were subject to his decisions. Joshua could, therefore, commit his entire household to serve the Lord God.

Imagine how such a commitment might play out today.

“I have committed this family to serve the Lord,” said Joshua as he walked into his suburban home outside a major American city.

“Now, Joshua,” replied his wife. “We’ve talked about you committing me to things without me agreeing to it, first. You can say whatever you want, but don’t expect me to blindly follow.”

“Dad!” replied his eldest son. “All the kids are into worshiping the Baals! I’m not going to be a social outcast, just because of you.”

“Hey, don’t look at me,” replied another child. “I’m your stepson. When I talk to my REAL dad, he’ll be honked off.”

Today the dynamics are different. In a faith centric family, the husband and wife are hopefully already on the same page. Two committed adults are stronger than one and better able to guide the family together. It’s different, in that each of us has more of a voice.

But that means each of us is called upon to commit ourself to God and his way individually as opposed to relying on someone else to commit us.

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Can’t Escape God

Posted on February 8, 2013 | Leave a comment
david

Michelangelo’s David

Yesterday I told everyone that I wanted to fight back against all the negativity by focusing on the good stuff. As I was pondering a subject for the blog something that shouldn’t have surprised me, did. For me, at least, it’s almost impossible to think about the good stuff without God becoming a part of the equation.

I was thinking of all the parents who are committed to their families. Their kids, who are not in the news because they didn’t do anything horrible or outrageous. Families who juggle school, sports, and other obligations with an eye toward sharing meals and breaking bread as a family. Divorced parents who maintain relationships with their kids in the face of extra challenges.

My thoughts went to the Old Testament when God sent Samuel to the house of Jesse in search of the king who would succeed Saul. Several of the sons were very impressive, but when Samuel thought that he had found a worthy successor, God told him no and said that He saw men’s hearts – what they really were.

When Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more sons, Jesse replied that his youngest was tending the sheep. David, of course, was this last son and the one chosen by God. David who wasn’t at home because he was the one engaged in his mundane chore.

Isn’t that like it is with us today? Today it may not sheepherding, but taxiing the kids, getting groceries or doing laundry. Yet God sees right through us and knows that we do these things, not for attention, certainly not for glory, but because we love one another and show this by our actions.

Next time when you’re exhausted but putting that last load in the laundry, or shoveling snow, or picking up the trail of school supplies, dirty clothes and whatever, listen.

You just might hear God saying, ” I have chosen you for this.”

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