There Are Days

As a Christian perhaps one of the toughest things we do (or in this case don't do) is to get too wrapped up in this world.

We are reminded in John 18:3 that our home, our Kingdom, is not of this world, and are warned in Romans 12:2 not to conform to this world. Simply put, as the adopted children of God this world is not our home and, in fact, it will one day end and there will be a new Earth (Revelation 21:1).

Yet, we are existing now in this time and place and there are days when it seems to be spinning in a maddening fashion. From global issues such as climate change to personal issues like who took the garbage out last to the animals fighting and struggling to instinctively survive, this world is not a place at peace. It is a place of beauty, but not a place of peace.

So on those days when a "there are days" moment occurs, when this world just seems so overwhelming, it is time to go to God in Word and prayer and put your mind on Him and remember His "things above" (Colossians 3:2). Worship Him and this world fades away.

For His Glory,
Tom

What I Learn From My Personal Trials

I am in a "down" season.  

It is hard to put my finger on it, but there is a lot of things in my life that are askew right now, things I would rather not put out there for the public.  It is a time of some personal disappointments, some questioning, some reflection.

These are times when we lean heavily on our faith.  

God led me to John Piper's book "Future Grace" - full of wisdom about relying not on today but on what is coming, and that is what God reminds me through the trials of today.  This life is all temporary.  A few hundred years and very little will still be here.  Even the mountains erode and the continents are moving.

I can find peace in this or fear.  I choose peace.  Peace that it is God's hand that moves everything for His Will...His Good and Perfect Will.

I may experience tragedy, I may witness catastrophe, I may be swept away in a disaster, but it is really all about Him and every time I get into a "down" season, I am reminded just how much I am not God and He is.

For His Glory,

Tom

Entitled To What?

I got some feedback that my posting about the economic state, crime and general malaise in the city where I live, was a little "down" for them (like they needed to be reminded of this).

What I was attempting, albeit not very well, was to express how quickly we are to run to God when times are troubled but, basically, ignore Him when life is well. 

I also talked about it being time for America to bless God and should have made it clear that I was not talking about individual people, but referring to our nation as a whole. 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. In fact, I have joined up to fast for the President once a month (you can too at Fast for the President)

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 something 'good' it was because we 'earned it'.

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, unceremoniously, broke off our relationship (and broke my heart). I was broken hearted. We had already planned our lives together and now we were not going to be together.

Well, 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? (the answer was nothing...I had done nothing for God. He was pretty irrelevant in my life and His commandments were a joke to me) OK, I was pretty convoluted at 17 but I saw the world as spinning around me.

One Sunday I had the privilege of teaching to the High School group at church.  The subject was "Giving", so I asked them to tell me what they had "given" to (done for) God that past week - in what way had they honored our Lord?

It was interesting to see the looks on their faces as they pondered this question. As I went around the room to hear their responses, a few honest ones actually said that they had not done a thing. Some answered they did things by what I would call "commission" (I prayed to God) and others by "omission" (I didn't beat up my brother), but mostly I think this was the first time they had looked at their world form God's perspective, and it was eye-opening (at least for some who told me that).

Of course, as usually happens to me when I am teaching, I had to confront this lack of giving to God in my life as well. How often do I fail to see my world through the eyes of our Lord? More often than I would care to admit, how about you?

Tom

nsf 7-20-02