“How many things have to happen to you,” Robert Frost writes, “before something occurs to you?” Wow, that is a loaded statement of truth. How long do we live our lives depending on our own instincts and talents and inspirations before we realize there has to be more, there has to be a larger story?nce.
The grace of God, like pure olive oil, comes with a persistent daily effort. Pure olive oil can only be achieved through tedious time-consuming perfection. God’s grace only comes through a daily prayerful meditative persistence.
Whether it is news nationally such as illegal immigrants pounding the border or personal news of a death or sickness, bad news ingulfs each day with a heaviness that can overwhelm us if we let it. So, on this Thanksgiving, how do we rise above all the bad news and cultivate thanksgiving and joy?
A shepherd guides, watches, preserves, restores, tends to, as well as feeds. Sheep are one of the dumbest animals alive. They will jump off a cliff if their buddies jump first. So, shepherding is very important to their well-being and protection. They literally follow the voice of the shepherd.
As I was about to write this blog, a new message came up on my e-mails, “Brain Revolution, New smart pill restoring your memory”. Our culture is preoccupied with brains, bodies and bucks. Our children are a product of that mind set
Why is it that those that know the most and have the most are the most gloomy? The irony is that God does not say that we should avoid knowledge and wealth. He does say that we should worship God alone and not worship false gods like intellect and wealth.
Abe’s story is the story of God and his ownership of us. He created us and has bought us back at a heavy cost…the death of his son. This is the message of the Bible, but I want to share another message that might resonate more with our children, who in so many cases have rejected the first message.
What does it take to leave a Legacy to our children that is profoundly impactful to them, the grand kids and possibly even generations to come? Is it possible to do so even if your children are currently lost? Can your past mistakes be overcome? Would if you have been divorced once or twice? Is there a time when your efforts to move a God centered Legacy forward should be abandoned?
How would you answer these:
The one who became poor so that…
The pathway to lasting honor is…
At the end of the day…
The answers will help you create a legacy that matters. Mark 13 is framed by the introduction of two women. At the end of chapter 12 there is a widow’s offering to which Jesus draws His disciple’s attention. Jesus is demonstrating here the way to measure a gift. It's by sacrifice, not amount. Jesus is trying to pound into the mind of His disciples what it means to be committed to the Kingdom.
I write this blog on Valentine ’s Day. I am a hopeless romantic and I overwhelm my wife with cards, candy, notes, flowers and dinner, but I can’t help but wonder if what I do is just a moment in time and does not reflect what I feel and believe. I wonder if what God calls us to is not much more.