Blogs

You live in a world of time, speed, and distance. You make good estimates of travel times based on experience and expect them to be fairly consistent. This makes for an efficient use of your time and allows you to keep a schedule. Yet in the economy of my Kingdom, you are always available for an assignment that you may not have planned for. A Samaritan was traveling and encountered a crime victim in need of assistance. He stopped to help, causing him an unexpected delay and expense. Yet for this he is known throughout the world as the Good Samaritan. Are you willing to have your day interrupted to carry out my assignments?

You experience time as a continuous progression, but you have a regular means of tracking it with clocks and calendars. Different cultures have different calendars so not everyone agrees on the beginning and ending of a year, and the selection is somewhat arbitrary. Do you spend some time reflecting on what has happened in a year when one rolls into the next? It is good to be aware of changes and progress. Yet you shouldn’t wait for a new year to deal with issues in your life with resolutions, for I use a shorter time horizon. I call you to live in the present moment, and your time is always ready. Don’t worry about tomorrow, for sufficient unto the day is the evil and grace thereof, and my mercies are new every morning. 

You are correct in thinking that salvation is the central event in the life of any person. Yet you would be wrong to think that my work in a person’s life begins and ends there. I was at work in your life before you were saved, to break up the stony ground and prepare it to receive me. I continue to work in your life after it received the good seed and life came forth. I weed and water and watch over your growth. Salvation was an event that changed your state of being, but in another sense your life is an ongoing story of becoming, and so I have called you to follow me on the strait and narrow way that leads to life. 

The woman had fallen and couldn’t get up (sorry I couldn’t resist).  She was all by herself but had a medical alarm, which she pressed, and we were there to help her a few minutes later. 

Photographers travel great distances to the most scenic areas of the world to take pictures. Those with even greater vision see beauty wherever they look, and their photos reveal to others the beauty that was there all along. Not everyone is a photographer, but beauty is admired and appreciated by all. Yet do you see beauty everywhere you look? You understand the theology of living in a fallen world, yet do not be quick to criticize and reject it. I see beauty everywhere I look, and as you are transformed into my likeness you will too. I invite you to declare and affirm it that you may become an agent of beauty. 

Question: How do I handle my sexuality? It is such an intense, persistent and driving force. I battle with pornography. How do I tame this monster within me? I see so many people and even Christian leaders fall, and I don't want to fall. I want this to work! I feel trapped and no-one is preaching a sermon on how to handle this. So I grit my teeth, try my hardest, and fail over and over again, and then get consumed with shame. Can you help me? Have you found any answers that work?

You have heard believers pose the question, what would Jesus do? It is good for you to ponder and reflect on the actions you imagine I would take in response to any situation. Do you assume that the answer would be identical for every believer? If all strive to be Christlike, does it imply that alls strive to be the same? No. Can you accept this as a mystery? For I created each one with a unique identity and destiny. I am big enough that each of my disciples can follow me and be transformed into my likeness without looking identical to everyone else who does the same thing. 

I had the honor of being asked to write a guest blog for Bek Curtis.  Please check out her blog at www.perfectlyflawed.net  Here is the blog I wrote!

You have heard of various things referred to as works of art. This is a complimentary term. Do you think of yourself as a work of art? For you are fearfully and wonderfully made. Even the basic essence of humanity is marvelous but I didn’t stop there. For I am completing the good work I have begun in you. I formed the first man from the dust of the earth and breathed life into him. The gestation of human procreation takes more time, and transforming you into my image takes a lifetime. Do not be discouraged at the pace of visible progress. Life is formed in inward secret places over time. Be encouraged that I will complete you as my work of art. 

It is unlikely that you will meet someone with whom you agree about everything, or with whom you will disagree about everything. What is your first impulse when you meet someone for the first time? Do you look for areas in which you disagree that you may set them straight or avoid the influence of their errors? Yet unless your knowledge is already perfect then they may know something you could benefit by learning. If you start by looking for areas of agreement then you will have this opportunity that you would miss if you started looking for disagreement. Cast your net wide and then sort out your catch.