About Me

My photo
Saginaw, Michigan, United States
A sinner who may come before God because of Christ

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

Whose view?

My last entry I mentioned that it was time for America to bless God as a nation as a whole.

I know that there are many people who are striving and giving up themselves for Christ, but as a nation, as a government, as a people, we are turning from God while still expecting Him to give us something.

There has grown in this country a mentality that we are 'owed' or 'entitled' to being blessed. I think of this as having the view of God as a grandpa than as a Father. That when something 'bad' happens it is God's
fault.

When I was in high school (yes, they had them back then) I had a girlfriend.

We had been going 'steady' for two years when she suddenly. I fully expected her to be my wife one day and to live out my days with her.

One day, rather unceremoniously, she broke off our relationship (and broke my heart).

I was really upset about this because I had already planned out our lives together and now we were not going to be together.

I blamed God.

How could He do this to me? If He was so loving how could He allow me to be hurt so much? What had I done to Him for Him to do this to me?

OK, at 17 we can be pretty convoluted, but how many 30 or 40 or 60 year olds have this same attitude. That the world is spinning around and for them.

One Sunday I had the privilege of teaching the High School group.

The subject was "Giving", so I asked them to tell me what they had done for God this past week, in what way had they honored our Lord.

It was interesting to see the looks on their faces as they pondered this, and as I went around the room to hear their answers (a few honest ones actually said that they had not done a thing in this area).

Most had never really looked at their world from God's perspective

Of course, as usually happens in teaching, I had to confront this in my life as well.

How often do I fail to see my world through the eyes of our Lord?

Let us remember to open our eyes to see our lives through His eyes and in that opening to strive for His Glory and our humbleness.

For His Glory,
Tom


Subscribe Now! Enter your email address below





Powered by Christian eMail Service

Monday, October 01, 2007

Praying for Blessings

A few years as the city I live in went through a difficult time. A rash of gang killings and general crime, sent a fear into the hearts of the citizenry. A couple of major employers were either on the brink of bankruptcy or threatening to close plants, threatening thousands of jobs. Due to large budget deficites, cuts to programs loomed and services reduced. There were some scandals in the city offices as well and the city was very divided between black and white, liberal and conservative, middle class and poor. It was a very dark time for the city and it has not yet emerged from those times, but it is doing better.

At one of the bleakest moments the mayor asked for the residents to pray for the city. A number of prayer vigils and gatherings of religious leaders held. A group even went around to the various parts of the city to pray.

In many ways it is sad that we only acknowledge God in times of trouble. Where are the gatherings during the good times? Where are the neighborhood praise parades for the street being fixed? When does the mayor come out and direct people to thank God for what He has bestowed?

There is an ever asked question – “Why God allows bad things to happen?” Maybe – just maybe, because that is the only way He gets our attention.

After the horrific attack on the US of September 11, the red, white & blue came out in a flourish. Every other car sported sticker saying "God Bless America". However, America continues to refuse to bless God, to honor Him, to thank Him.

Now I am not advocating that the US was created to be a 'Christian' nation. I am not sure what that would even look like (though I would think heaven would be such a nation, one nation, under God as we bow before His Majesty).

What I am advocating here is that we believers need to recognize that God is more important than patriotism or ideology or philosophy. That our purpose for existence is to give God another conduit to show His glory, and how much more glorious is He, then when a sinner is saved through His blood! Not when a nation triumphs in a war, has a booming economy and safer streets.

In fact, we Christians should expect that matters will get worse as the world spins towards the final days, so our response to the tragedies of life need to be more than platitudes, more than prayer. We need to be expressing the hope of Christ and not just asking for the blessing of God.

For His Glory,
Tom


Subscribe Now! Enter your email address below





Powered by Christian eMail Service