The Expected Gift

Hope you all out there in the blogosphere had a wonderful Christmas day and weekend.  We got to spend it with two of our daughters live plus one via Skype (ah the wonders of technology – we put the video cam up and it was almost like she was with us) and our son-in-law.  I have noticed as we get older, the wonder and importance of actual gift giving is less in importance.  In fact, our kids tell each other what they want (not so unusual), but then tell each other what they got the other (very unusual).  Strange if you ask me. 

I have wondered what the scene was at the first Christmas as the long awaited Messiah was born.  Israel had been in darkness for over 400 years – the 400 silent years eagerly anticipating the Messiah, the “expected one”.  At the birth of Jesus, a heavenly throng appeared to shepherds praising God (Luke 2:14).  Yet Jesus was born into relative obscurity.  Yes, even the historians don’t give much lip service to King Herod’s view of the kingly threat.  The slaughter of a few infants and babies in a small town of Bethlehem hardly draws any attention.  Jesus was expected, but not expected.  People had their own notion of what the Messiah can or should be.  Who is this Christ?  More importantly – who is He to me?  The Light shone in the darkness, but the darkness did not comprehend it (John 1:5).  Pat Morley says “there is a God we want and there is a God who is and they are not usually the same God”. 

The obscurity of Jesus eventually transferred to the hostility towards Jesus. You see now expectations were high for a certain type of Messiah and Jesus did not fill the bill.  The Roman conquering, nation building Jesus was not on the radar.  Jesus did not even come close to that perception – in fact, he preached obedience toward government.  Ignorance transferred into outright hostility.  No one wants to admit that the issue is with me, myself, and I.  I need a gift and the gift I need is a paid debt.  It is hard to get your head around a gift that is a paid debt.  Totally unexpected I think.  It doesn’t make for a very nice gift.  I can imagine someone putting a mortgage under the tree with the stamp on it “PAID”. Would I look at it as a gift?  Kind of like receiving warm clothes when you are a kid.  You know you need them, but it doesn’t meet the pleasure factor.  Not expected, not valued. 

I think I would look at it any differently if someone gave me the money and then I paid back the debt?  I probably would because I would somehow rationalize it that I earned that money to pay off the debt.  God sees our sin debt as insurmountable, something that simply cannot be paid off.  He also sees us as incredibly valuable something deserving of the highest value He can give.  Those two are mutually exclusive but God makes it possible.  A gift of incomparable value to pay off an insurmountable debt.  Not a bad gift after all.

A very blessed belated Christmas to you all!

The Rejected Gift

Continuing on this gift theme for the holidays - a gift is not a gift unless it is accepted. We learned last few weeks that a gift is eagerly anticipated and a gift must be valued. Why would a gift not be accepted?

A friend of ours related a story of the "you've been gifted" cards. As many in this area know, we have these cards that our church uses to blanket the area with 10,000 seemingly random acts of generosity. The stories are incredible. So our friend was at a gas station and he happened to have a free tank of gas to give away. He purposes in his heart to give that tank of gas to the next person he saw filling up his/her tank. A woman pulled up (in a mini-van no less) and he approached her and offered to pay for her gas. She gave a curt reply of "NO".  Our friend reiterated to her that there are no strings attached, it was totally free.  This went on for three or four times with no explanation as to why she was turning down this gift. He finally gave up. 

A gift cannot be a gift unless it is accepted. People sometimes grudgingly accept gifts, but deep down they may resent the giver. I remember my parents and in-laws as very generous people whom were always giving us things particularly when we were first married. I accepted the gifts but in some weird way I harbored bitterness. There were no strings, no expectation of return. Just pure and simple gift because they loved us. Our sinful nature wants no part of that which is freely given. Second, gifts are hard because in the flesh, we want to earn something. Maybe the woman at the gas station felt that way. Why is this guy gifting me gas - I can afford to pay for it myself?

God's gift of indescribable value is rejected by many because it is not earned and therefore is hard to accept. God paid an incredible price for it and to reject it is the ultimate slap in the face. Our friend was hurt that the woman rejected his gift, but it didn't cost him anything.  Our rejection of God's gift grieves him. What is God's gift?  It is His only Son, Jesus Christ judged and abandoned at the cross. It fully paid for a debt we could not pay - the price of our sins. 

This Christmas, will you reject a gift that is so costly yet so freely given?  I pray you will accept this gift from God with a fully appreciative heart. 

Packers Stock

I have this hot stock for $250 a share.  Just a few small catches.   It pays no dividends, will not go up in price and even if it did, was not transferable.  Oh and it has no resale vaue anyway.  You would think that I would have a hard time getting takers for this stock. Yet the Green Bay Packers sold 1600 orders in the first 11 minutes. The President and CEO made no bones about the intent. 

"I encourage you to buy shares of stock in the Packers. We need your help. As an owner, you will be invited to shareholder meetings and have voting privileges. Ownership will also provide you with significant bragging rights. You will become an owner of the defending world champions, a team that has won more world championships than any other team in the NFL."

So the shares were sold with the sole value of bragging rights. I don't know about you, but $250 is an awful lot of money for bragging rights. Now I love the Packers. I adopted them as my second favorite team (to the woeful Browns) when I worked for a Milwaukee company. But I am not spending $250 per share for bragging rights.  

Isn't it strange how gifts of unlimited value given freely are turned down, but given a chance to spend on worthless, we will pay any price. God has given us a truly remarkable gift with far more "bragging rights" than any Packers stock. It cost us nothing, but cost Him everything. Further, our identification is with a team that has already won the Super Bowl. The game of life has already been won, the time has just not ended yet. The bookies would have a field day knowing the outcome is decided, but the game is still at hand. Don't want to go crazy on this analogy - you get my drift. 

On this Christmas season, will you buy what is worthless and ignore a gift that is priceless?

Eagerly Awaiting Special Gifts

In the morning, O Lord you hear my voice.  In the morning, I order my prayer to you and eagerly watch.  Psalm 5:3

This is one of my favorite pictures.  It is a picture of our oldest daughter at age 5 who was asleep at the top of the stairs while eagerly awaiting the start of Christmas morning.  Note the clock sitting next to her at the top of the stairs.  When we were young, the anticipation of opening gifts on Christmas morning was overwhelming.  Our kids were never taught about Santa Claus.  The meaning of Christmas was to celebrate the birth of our Savior who gives the greatest gift of all.  Nevertheless, it would be wrong for me to say that they didn’t make a special deal out of all of the opening of the gifts and our kids were no different in that heightened anticipation.  I am sure along the way, our kids may have been disappointed in some of their gifts, they sure didn’t let on. 

So why is it that we don’t look at a heavenly Father who loves to lavish gifts on His children in the same way?  We think of God as a cosmic killjoy who wants to disappoint us.  Sometimes we want to use reverse psychology on God and say “Well God really didn’t want me to have this” and secretly hope we get it anyway.  God says He will give us the “desires of our heart” (Psalm 37:4).  I am sure not all gifts requested by my children were received.  For example, a pony would probably be out of bounds.  We know other gifts may not be completely right for our children.  We never gave our kids video games because rightly or wrongly we didn’t think it was something they should have (I am not bemoaning other parents who give video games).  God has perfect knowledge of what is right or wrong for us.

Can we trust a heavenly Father who gave his only Son as a perfect gift to smother us with love and gifts?  Can we wait in eager anticipation as to what He is going to do?  As I get older, I find myself eagerly awaiting what God is going to do in my life.  That “He who began a good work in me will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6).  

Thanksgiving Overload

Yesterday, I hit my worst.  I had a complete overload of Thanksgiving Day food (as well as all of the surrounding days).  I had gained nearly four pounds of food induced baggage on my already overloaded frame.  I couldn’t motivate myself to do much of anything.  Normally I run on Saturdays, but it was all I could muster to take a walk around the neighborhood.  I think even the dog was sluggish. 

We spend Thanksgiving with relatives and extended relatives in Cedar Lake, Indiana.  All three of our girls were there along with somewhere around twenty five other relatives.  It was just a great time and I am very thankful for the graciousness of my mother and father-in-law who pulled off such a fun gathering.  As I was enjoying the time, I felt the subtle pressure of things undone for work and my class and the subtlety of desiring a more quiet Thanksgiving.  However, on Thanksgiving Day, my wife read an e-mail from a neighborhood friend saying that a boy on the Aurora football team was tragically killed in a single car automobile accident about a mile and a half from our house.  He was on his way back from football practice on a very quiet road, apparently crossed the center line, then jerked back, lost control of the car and hit a tree.  To further compound matters, the Aurora football team was in the state semifinals and a town was thrust from celebration to mourning. 

How quickly circumstances change and things you take for granted are gone.  When I see all of our girls together, I have to remind myself to relish in the moment.  Our lives on this earth are there and gone in a whisper, in a moment of time.  God has given us today.  The Bible says today is the acceptable time of salvation.  God has given us family and friends to enjoy.  In football, there is such a penalty as an excessive celebration penalty.  But we face no such penalty (other than the food hangover) when we celebrate with family this time of year.  And in the process relish in the gifts and opportunities God gives us each day.

Thoughts on Happy Valley

Everyone has weighed in on the troubles at Penn State.  I think we as Americans seem to be somewhat aghast and fascinated at the same time by what is going on.  As my wife likes to say “it is loathsome, yet I cannot look away”.  Here we have a coach of over 60 years disgraced.  We have a program that has apparently looked the other way at what Jerry Sandusky did.  But I want to share some thoughts that you will likely not hear on the news.

1. Perversion of this sort is rampant – how long before we start to look at the evils of pornography and see that it is the cause of the continued increase in sexual perversions on the part of men.  The same people who condemn what Jerry Sandusky did are the same people that want to uphold pornography as free speech.  We even want to allow it in the public libraries!  The more rampant the pornography becomes, the more likely the types of perversions we see in our culture.  Look at the non-stop news we have been seeing lately.
2. A man with this type of perversion can only break the cycle of perversion supernaturally.  I am absolutely convinced of this.  If somehow the higher ups at Penn State thought that this situation would go unnoticed or even stop cold in its tracks, they were sadly mistaken.  Perversions get worse, not better on their own devices.  The cycle is broken by a broken man who confesses his sins and fills his heart with God’s presence.
3. it is really sad that the priority of a Penn State football program would outweigh the vulnerability and exploitation of young boys.  However, it could have happened anywhere to any program.  We are so hardened by what is around us that we miss what is truly important.  This is not unique to Penn State.
4. Any man is capable of what Mr. Sandusky did.  This is not unique.  All of us have at least the potential to harbor illicit, immoral thoughts in our brain with the potential to act on them.  It is only by the grace of God that we are able to live in total freedom to a monogamous lifetime relationship that God has designed completely for our fulfillment.

That is what you won’t read in the news, but it is the truth.  We need to address the root problems as a culture and not the symptoms.

No Small Sacrifice

Friday we celebrated Veterans Day and as such we recognize the tremendous sacrifice our military go through for our country and our freedoms.  I have mentioned in the past that every time we encounter military personnel, Deb always goes up to them and thanks them for their service.  We tend to overlook what these man and women go through to protect the liberty and freedom we have. 

Today in our morning church service, we also recognized the amazing sacrifice that Christians around the world experience who are persecuted for their faith.  Annually, 105,000 Christians are martyred for their faith.  It goes largely unnoticed falling below the radar so to speak.  The persecution translate to a martyred Christian every 5 minutes.  To make the point home, at the service, a candle was blown out every five minutes.  So in an hour long service, 12 Christians were martyred.  For more information, visit www.persecution.com.  There are still many countries where the sharing of the Christian faith is illegal.  How we know very little of this in the USA.  I was reminded of this somewhat forcefully as we ended the church service which focused on the persecuted church and I saw multiple people walking out the church service with smoothies or latte’s in hand.  I am not knocking these people – I have been there.  But oh what Jesus must think as he views his children – we truly are the Laodicean church – lukewarm.  My son-in-law’s parents serve in Pakistan, a hotbed place and have for many years.  They love the people and they love Jesus.  The show their love for HIm day in and day out.  What a testimony to us weak, lackadaisical Americans.

Sometimes I really wonder what persecution would bring to the USA.  I think the church would thrive when it throws out our comfortable existence.  Do we truly fall under conviction and live for Christ?  Are we prepared to sacrifice all for our Savior?

86,400 to Invest

I have been given an investment to make each day that totals 86,400.  The stipulation is that I have to invest all of that amount each day and what is not spent is wasted.  There is no carryover of a balance into day two and so on.  Each day I get a new 86,400 to invest. 

By now, you probably have figured out that the 86,400 is seconds a day.  We all have been given the exact same investment and it is up to us to invest wisely.  I don’t know about you, but I feel like I waste so much time so often.  There are days where I question exactly what I did accomplish that day.  Sometimes I shortchange the 28,800 seconds I really need of sleep (like right now).  Is that a good investment?  I think it is but it is the one that many of us shortchange.  Is 2,700 enough for a concentrated bible study and prayer time in the morning.  I think so.  Could be more.  How about the 3,600 seconds on a good workout? 

Mindless time looking at junk e-mail may not be a good investment of time.  I probably spend 3,000 seconds on that.  Social technologies could be good or bad.  I am really glad I invest some time in Facebook and LinkedIn.  I have hooked up with old school chums and it keeps tabs on my kids activities and whereabouts.  But mind numbing time obsessing with that stuff to me is not a good investment.  For you Twitter dudes, I would imaging that you overdo time in this area.  I really don’t know why I would want to send text bits out all day.

The bottom line is you get to make the investment.  No one else can spend it for you unless you are incarcerated somewhere I suppose.  God gives each of us the same time – no more and no less.  I find that I must discipline myself to relax – seems strange, but I am wired to overdo it.  Same thing with relationships.  By my natural self, I will shortchange them.  I am not a pleasure seeker, but I love to work on “projects”.  I have to force myself into time with friends, family, and especially my wife.  I never regret it however.  God has wired us for relationship with both Him and His creation.  How more and more precious it becomes as I get older.  

Is Compassion Alive?

Terri Weissinger probably never signed up for eight days in the San Francisco airport.  Hoping to start a new life in Idaho, she had booked a one-way ticket and showed up at the airport with 30 dollars to her name.  No one ever told her about baggage fees and USAir wanted to charge her $60 for her bags.  Offering to leave a bag behind as collateral was her offer, but that violates security provisions.  Having missed her flight, she now faced not only the baggage fees, but a $150 change fee.  And, USAir would have to rebook the flight at the current prices which would put it over $1,000.  See the story below.

Terri could not find any friends or relatives who could or would put up the $210 to cover her trip.  So she waited, and waited, and waited.  Eight full days holed up an airport.  A real-life version of Tom Hanks character in “The Terminal”.  Finally, parishioners at the Airport Church of Christ gave her the money and she was on her way. 

I remember a similar situation that Deb and I saw when leaving the Cleveland airport.  A mentally challenged man was trying to get a bus from the airport and was obviously distressed.  He said he was out of money.  We walked him near where the bus was about to leave and gave him the money he needed.  The shear joy on his face told us there was no way this was a faked situation.  But you now what – it doesn’t matter.  Are we so cynical that we would not be willing to take a risk to help someone?  I find myself in that state.  I doubt people, I question their motives.  I am so callous.  God help me find baby skin that reflects who I am as a believer in Christ. 

Back around September 11, it was said that we were a more compassionate culture.  People started going around helping each other.  It has taken 10 years for us to come back to a compassionate-less culture.  And when compassion occurs, it is so striking.  Our church has an annual custom where we hand out “You’ve Been Gifted” cards.  These cards are used by our church people to shell out random acts of kindness to perfect strangers.  The stories we here are amazing.  God uses compassionate people to make a difference.  The man with leprosy came to Jesus and said “If you are willing, you can make me clean”.  Jesus response “I am willing – be cleansed” (Luke 5:13)  Are we willing to say “I am willing”?

Walk-off Homeruns in Heaven?

I love baseball.  I have always loved baseball.  I still play it at nearly age 52.  In fact, this is the first year in a while other than injury where I have missed playing with my teammates down in Florida.  They are there now.  I play all summer and never get tired of it. 

In watching the World Series, that sixth game was everything that makes baseball great.  It was one of the best games ever despite the fact that there were five errors and lots of sloppy play.  But the backs against the wall comebacks are what makes the game great.  And then in the bottom of the 11th, the ultimate – a walkoff homerun.  The picture of the hero, David Freese coming home after that homerun reflects pure, unbridled joy.  I would love to have some of that kind of joy in Cleveland.

I have a completely different perspective of heaven after reading Randy Alcorn’s book on the topic.  Think of the most incredible joy that you can experience on this earth and then multiply it and you have heaven.  What an injustice that we picture heaven as this big long boring church service.  It is not sacrilegious to think of this kind of joy in heaven.  In fact, it is what God says.  The psalmist says in God’s presence is “fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11) and that in the courts of the Lord, “we will sing for joy to the living God” (Psalm 84:2).  How cool is that?  I believe some of that joy we will receive will come from accomplishments and as we have responsibilities in heaven.  After all the master put the servant in charge of many things as he enters into the joy of the master (Mat 25:21).  

That joy only is available to those who love God on this earth and believe in his Son as the atoning sacrifice for their sins.  God gives us some semblance of the joy in heaven on this earth and all experience that joy to some degree on this earth.  The birth of a baby, the rush of going down rapids, the walk-off homerun.  But the joy in heaven is discriminatory and will only available to those who appropriate God’s love here and now.  Thanks be for that indescribable joy.

Prevailing in Circumstances

At 12:02 AM early on a Thursday morning, the Boston Red Sox were in first place on their way to another playoff appearance and avoiding it appeared, the worst collapse in baseball history.  At 12:02, Orioles infielder Robert Andino slapped a game winning single against Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon, and three minutes later Tampa Rays Evan Longoria hit a walk-off home run against the Yankees propelling Tampa past Red Sox into the playoffs.  So in three minutes the Red Sox had gone into baseball ignominy. 

Have you considered the fact that your life can change in an instant?  It could be an illness, an accident, a mistake.   Life could throw you a curveball.  I have been reading in the book of Job where unmitigated catastrophe befalls Job and for most of the book, he and his friends try to rationalize it.  But God’s ways are not our ways.  The thing that must stay constant is a deep, abiding relationship with Him.  It comes down to trust and how God can work in our lives.  I heard it this week described as a canvas, a work of art.  I am not a big fan of artwork, but I can appreciate the beauty that is expressed in each work of art.  God’s purposes are trustworthy and can prevail over the bumps that God allows in our lives.

The Mind Keeps Going

We have had horrible weather this year surpassing record rainfall and it is not even November.  So the last two weeks we were unable to blow the leaves off the lawn because it has been raining.  But we had a very nice weekend and so I was able to get out yesterday and rake the leaves.  My iPhone is what keeps me going.  I was out blowing leaves (helped by my beautiful bride) for four hours.  For four hours there was constant repetition – back and forth, back and forth.  Without my iPhone, I would be bored stiff, but with my iPhone, I was kind of in a zone.  I listened to multiple podcasts, a couple of sermons and before you know it the four hours was up.  A friend of hours spends every year driving to Florida.  He sleeps pretty much all day, then they leave at 3:00 and drive all night.  He keeps awake because he is engrossed in audio books.  It keeps his mind active preventing him from falling asleep.

Paul talks in Romans about the mind being transformed.  He says “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2).  Renewal of the mind is something that every one of us can identify with.  The mind has the capability to completely set us off track.  Our mind can cause us to obsess with something completely wrong for us.  The mind can make us a prisoner of sin (Rom 7:23).  Paul says to set our mind on things above, not on things of this earth” (Col 3:2).  So we have to train our mind.  We have to set the iPhone content of our lives on things which train us for godliness.  That is why I memorize Scripture because I am training my mind.  It is incredible how God churns the word back and forth in my brain.  When I am in deep, dark valleys, the word of God comes alive in my mind. 

I am shocked at how many Christians do not train their minds.  Emotions rule the day.  This allows them to get too high or too low.  Paul says in Romans 8:6 that the mind set on the Spirit provides life and peace.  In the ebbs and flows of life, it is the mind that keeps us on the right track.  

The Ultimate Homecoming

October is the typical month for Homecoming festivities whether in high school or college.  We attended the 30th anniversary of my graduation from Valparaiso University.  Yes, I know it is hard to believe that I am 30 years removed from my graduation.  The turnout at Valpo was very disappointing but still got to see a few of my fraternity brothers.  We also stopped by and saw my old friend, roommate, and fraternity big brother on the way home after 30 years.  We spent time reminiscing and getting caught up.  My wife was a jewel enduring the conversations of that weekend although secretly she was texting our daughter saying to “get her out of here”.


I got to pontificating on what home really is.  I know how good it feels to arrive home after a long day at work.  When our kids were young, they would yell “DADDY” always a reminder of the joy of being at home.  You just get a general sense of peacefulness arriving at home.  Home is where family and friends are.  We have a core group of friends that we get together with typically once a month or at least once a quarter.  We got together with friends this past Friday and we just laughed and laughed.  I could always take or leave these kinds of social gatherings, but the older I get, the more I appreciate them because they represent home as well.

But despite the love of being at home, in this life we will never feel completely at home.  Because home here is only for a small percentage of our eternal existence.  There is a longing to be somewhere else where the frailty of life does not exist and the presence of the eternal God is omnipresent.  Now Jesus says in John 14 that this is a physical place that He is preparing for us.  It will have many rooms, but more importantly this place is where He is.  And he has been preparing such a place for me (and you) for over 2000 years.  If that is the case, then as the late songwriter Keith Green says then “we are living in a garbage can compared to what is up in heaven”.  The Bible says we yearn to arrive at our eternal home.  I have got to believe that the pleasure of home in this life will be a drop in the bucket compared to the pleasures we will experience in our eternal home.

At our 30th college reunion, you see all kinds of people.  Some that age well and some that don’t age well.  But eventually all of us do age.  The law of entropy says that we all degenerate and decay.  But heaven does not experience entropy.  In fact, I think it gets better over time because the addition of souls is what makes it better.  As we arrive at this Homecoming, we will be forever reminded of the ultimate sacrifice made by Christ allowing us a ticket to this special Homecoming.

Reflecting on Steve Jobs

Before Steve Jobs passed, I was going to write a blog on Homecoming, which I attended last weekend at my alma mater Valparaiso University.  I am still going to write that blog, but they actually are kind of related. 

Steve Jobs passed away this past week and many of us who use the technology that Steve Jobs created are very grateful because it has indeed changed our lives.  I am an iPhone user and my life literally has changed as a result of this device.  I do much of my bible study on that machine, I receive e-mail, manage my calendar, listen to tunes, map to my next destination, and on an on it goes.  I literally run my life on it.  I also use iTunes which has revolutionized how music is distributed.  I listen to Podcasts every day and it has become a staple of my life. 

So in reflecting on Steve Jobs, we reflect on his legacy of innovation.  We need innovation pioneers like Jobs.  But unfortunately, we don’t reflect on Jobs as a person who influenced our lives in our relationships, whether relationships with each other or relationships with the Creator God.  I can’t speak for Steve Jobs’ relationship with his wife, with his God, with his children, or with his Apple employees.  Steve Jobs had no influence on me with any of those corresponding relationships with me either.  So as a result, his influence is confined to the time and sphere of this existence and it makes our lives clearly better on this earth.  However, it has no eternal ramifications.  Did it draw me closer to God?  Did it impact my relationship with my wife or my kids?  Did it cause me to more fully or deeply desire Scripture?  Those are the things that have a much longer shelf-life than the improvement of technology.  Again, don’t misunderstand me – the innovations have great impact, but not for eternity.  But the fruit is grocery perishables. 

I am CEO of a technology company that desires to implement and expand technology at lower costs.  That is an admirable ambition and one that I invest my time in.  However, I don’t want to be remembered as a technology CEO, but as an individual who made a difference for eternity in people’s lives.  Technology cannot do that by itself.  I want to be remembered for the impact that I make in people for eternity.  I can use the vehicle of my company, my class, but in the end, it is our lives that create enduring value.

Tuning into the Call of God

I have been completely inconsistent in my blog posting.  The reason is because I took on the challenge of teaching a class at Kent State and it has completely sucked up what little free time I have.  I did not quite realize how much time it would take.  But isn’t that the case with all of us.  We get so hung up on the busyness of life that we miss the important things.  This summer has come and gone.  We are now officially in Fall.  For us in Cleveland, Falls are not so bad.  It is the winter and the absence of spring that is so bad. 

We had Bethany here with us for six weeks or so this summer.  And as we have gotten to appreciate the summers here, we ate out on the deck a lot.  And because we had so much rain in the spring, the mosquitos were out in force.  There were a number of days where we had to go back in because they were “bugging” us so much.  But I had heard on one of my podcasts of a new type of iPhone app that actually emits a high piercing sound that apparently drives away mosquitos.  So in searching around, I found a number of apps that do just that (after all there is always an “app for that”).  I downloaded the app and it actually seemed to work, although Debsue and Bethany may dispute that.  The other thing we learned is that I could not hear the pitch of this app, but Bethany could.  In fact, if I cranked it up, it was bothersome to her.  We even ran a test where I turned it off and on to see if she really could hear the sound and she convinced me through the non-statistical sample that she could in fact hear the noise. 

While an incomplete analogy, I did think of the fact that some of us are attuned to God’s calling and some of us aren’t.  We hear God speaking into our life and we act on it.  Maybe it is a prompting, an urging that comes from Scripture.  Maybe it is a pastor speaking a sermon that almost seems to be written specifically for us.  Maybe it is that small voice of God speaking to us in relationship.  Whatever that is, it is coming from the Holy Spirit and we have to be sensitized to it.  If we do not open ourselves up to hearing, we will not hear.  It is called “quenching the Spirit” (1 Thess 5:19).  It is so easy to do – we get hung up in ourselves that we are not pliable to the Spirit. 

I have found memorizing Scripture to be one of the best formulas to training my mind to receive the Spirit.  We need to have “ears to hear” (Luke 8:8, 14:35) which is a readiness to hear God speaking into our hearts.  Another avenue is just being quiet before God.  That is so hard for me to do.  I am a Type A and always on the go, but just relaxing and talking to God in an attitude of expectant prayer is the ticket.  Worshipping God through music is yet another way of opening yourself up to the call of God.  I find that when I listen to gospel music the first thing in the morning, I am much better equipped to hear God’s voice throughout the day.  Finally, it is repelling of sin that is essential to allow us to hear God’s voice.  Psalm 66:18 says the Lord will not hear us if we are in sin.  If He can’t hear us, He won’t be speaking to us either.  That is a sure fire way of driving the Spirit’s speaking to us.  So we have to have repentant hearts that immediately repents of sin and calls out to God for help in ongoing rejection of sinful habits.  By filling our minds with Scripture, prayerful attitudes, and joyful worship, God is able to speak to us. 

Remembering 9/11–Best and Worst

I am one day late in writing this post but better late than never.  Everyone remembers what they were doing on 9/11.  I was in a board meeting and I remember the shock when someone told us a plane had hit the World Trade Center.  I remember being very concerned because I knew my brother-in-law did business in the tower.  As it turns out, he was supposed to be in the tower mid morning.  I remember after the full brunt of the impact had hit that we gathered our company team around and I just led us in prayer.  I remember some of our team being stuck in California as places were grounded and one of our guys having to share a ride back across country.  This same individual lost a family member in the WTC bombing.  I remember dismissing everyone mid-day so they could reflect on what had occurred. 

But what I most remember is the best and the worst.  The worst being people bent on destroying other people in the name of false religion.  Doesn’t something not add up when you can somehow justify killing innocents?  Christianity is imparting life and life abundantly and eternal.  Are you about life or are you about death?  The best was our country’s response.  I am very proud to be a U.S. citizen and we rallied in the face of a new threat.  As Americans, we live our life to the fullest.  The other major part of the story is it caused us to reflect on what we value most.  We hugged our spouse and kids tighter that night as we realized life can be fleeting.  But most of all, we realized that there is a path to eternal life and it wasn’t the way the terrorists envisioned it.  It had a shocking death too, but it was not to take life but to assure it.  The terrorists chose the path that leads to death.  It is the way to the cross and to the death Christ gave that leads to life. 

Do You Have a Right to be Angry?

We have been studying in the book of Jonah at our church.  This has caused me to really think through this short, but deep book.  Everyone that reads this book focuses on something different.  The great fish swallowing Jonah seems to be what gets the most Sunday School material.  Some have even questioned the legitimacy of this book given the fish story.  But the greater story here is the dialogue that Jonah and God have.  That is the more unbelievable story.  God desires a relationship, even when we are shaking our puny fist at Him.

Twice in Chapter 4, we have God asking Jonah if he has a right to be angry.  Once it is regarding the city of Ninevah and once regarding the plant that God built through the worm and then caused to whither.  Ninevah was repentant and God was gracious.  A double formula that none of us should be angry about.  Does anyone deserve to come into the kingdom on their own merits?  Is anyone beyond the reach of a compassionate and gracious God?  Of course the answer is a resounding “No”.  Can we ever be angry about God’s compassion?  No, because none of us deserve it. 

The worm is even more challenging.  I equate the plant and the worm to life’s circumstances.  My goodness, so many times I get frustrated by life’s events and just lash out.  How silly when compared to the weightier issues of eternity.  And that is God’s point – you were more concerned about the plant when souls are perishing.  In my vernacular, I am more concerned about my career, my baseball, my income, than I am people.  I have NO right to be angry about  anything.  Usually my anger is because I expect things to be different than what they are.  Life throws me a curveball.   But the active God is fully aware of my life and continuously brings me to lives that are waiting to be touched in some way.  The “worms” in life bring us to a more deeper awareness of God’s grace. 

Dialogue with God

If you were to walk down the street and see someone talking with God in a verbal dialogue, you might be inclined to questions such a person’s sanity.  Dialogue or  conversation with God is something that we don’t generally think of.  Sometimes, we have a dialogue with God, but it is really a monologue.  It is us talking to ourselves and hoping God is listening.  Sometimes we blame God when it is really ourselves to blame.  Sometimes we don’t think in terms of God and conversation.  But God is a personality and because we are created in God’s image, we have God’s personality.  Much of Scriptures contain active dialogue between God and man. 

I found a series of “conversations” between Jeremiah and God in chapter 14 and 15 (after the “underwear” object lesson in Chapter 13).  There are five of them and in the dialogue, you see a great glimpse into why the Bible says that we are created in God’s image.  In these chapters, God’s longsuffering and patience finally give out. 

14:11 – Don’t pray for them.
15:1 – My heart is not with these people – send them away from my presence.
15:6 – I am tired of relenting. 

God is completely exasperated.  If you have children, you can identify with God (except for mine).  He is done!  Game over!  Don’t even bother praying for these people.  He is going to judge Judah because they have long since deserved it.  Years of idolatrous worship and sinful behavior have come to roost.  Over and over again, God tells Jeremiah not to pray for his people.  What is interesting is that this conversation occurs during the reign of good king Josiah whom has instituted massive reform.  But it is too little too late.  Judgment is coming. 

Is God acting on emotion?  Never, unlike us, but we see the character of God resting in perfect holiness yet almost limitless patience.  Hundreds of years of patience have given out.  How does a God balance perfect holiness against unlimited love and patience?  In the image and actions of Christ who is the perfect answer to that dilemma.  So despite Judah’s judgment, a time is coming when he will restore Israel.  Perfect judgment leads to perfect redemption.

I am so glad that Scripture reveals the personality of God.  It makes Him completely approachable.  One that we can have a conversation with, question, even wrestle with, yet at the end of the day, completely trust.  Are you willing to have that kind of conversation?

Wall Street– A Perspective

Today, the Dow fell 634 points, the largest drop in 2 1/2 years and the sixth largest on record.  The drop was based partly on an S&P downgrade and the slowing U.S. economy plus escalating debt problems threatening Europe.  The fall is reminiscent of the roller coaster ride we had several years ago.  The market has given back all of its 2011 gains and then a lot more.  Suddenly everyone is talking double dip recession and there is anger and fear in people’s voices.  Republicans blame the Democrats and Obama.  Democrats blame the Tea Party specifically.  There is plenty of blame to go around.  I have an opinion, but that is not the point of this blog. 

Several years ago, I spent a ton of time being an active stock picker.  I attended the Money Show multiple times, took training and got my hands on just about every investment book I can find.  I am still a lifetime member of the American Association of Independent Investors.  I loved the thrill of the markets.  I dabbled quite a bit at the end in options which even heightened the thrill.  But as I look back on it now,. I find myself wondering how I could have wasted so much time.  This is not an indictment against people who do that kind of thing.  It is a rush and some people do it a lot better than I can. For a while there I thought I was really good as I significantly outperformed the market and my own former investment manager.  But it didn’t keep up and slowly I lost interest.  Further in 2008 like others I lost a ton of money in it.  That and investing a ton of money in a failed company so now we don’t have much to lose in the stock market. 

Like a lot of people, the markets for me were a symptom of other issues.  Relational issues, spiritual issues, social issues, pride issues, sinful attitude issues.  As I look back on it, I had misplaced priorities.  To some degree I still do.  It is a daily struggle to align the real priorities of faith, family, and friends.  A friend of mine lost a dear friend of his suddenly, unexpectedly.  Another friend struggles through a marriage.  Sorrow gives a different perspective.  There is the laughter that comes along with hanging out with family at the zoo Saturday.  The joy that comes from being around friends when I play baseball.  The joy of hanging out with brothers as we study the bible Tuesday morning.  True joy brings a different perspective.

I am not at the place where God could take everything temporal (not looking for a Job experience), but I am close to that.  God has slowly driven it into my thick skull that relationships and the word of God are the only things that will survive for eternity.  I have been dragged kicking and screaming into this equation.  But as I slowly come to this realization, something like scales fall from my eyes.  I am like the blind man whom Jesus partially heals in Luke that sees people walking around like tree trunks.  I don’t have full clarity, but it is getting there. 

Treasure in a Poop Pot

For we have this treasure in earthen vessels.  2 Cor. 4:7

Ok, the title may attract some of us that have somehow that little kid sense of grossness.  A few weeks ago while we were in the Virginia Beach area for a wedding, we stopped and saw the Museum of Grossology.  Now before you draw the wrong conclusions, it was a part of the Air and Space Museum (figure that) and that is what we paid admission for.  So imagine every combination of gasses coming out of various orifices along with lots to learn about snot, or vomit.  It would be every little boys dream.  So what does that have to do with this blog?

Earthen vessels were common clay pots used for collecting everyday things.  They were disposable, clay pots and most commonly used to collect waste including human waste.  So the picture Paul uses is that these most lowly of pots that is used for waste is actually carrying the most unimaginable treasure known to man.  When we visited Rwanda,, we saw our share of slit toilets.  Debsue obsessed with taking pictures of slit toilets took this picture of the jar by the toilet that was actually in a high end getaway place near where people visit the gorillas.  The sign kindly encouraged you to use the clay pot to collect your waste – one for number 1 and one for number 2 and please don’t mix the two.

What is that treasure?  The gospel of Christ that shines in our hearts.as light shining in darkness (v.6).  The gospel shines like a beacon through to our broken bodies that are slowly decomposing to reveal the stunning glory of the gospel of Christ.  There is no greater contrast than what Paul uses.  Earthen vessels is crap, man!  The gospel is the most precious jewel that is implanted. 

I recently had a piece of artwork appraised.  Unfortunately the artwork was not very valuable.  But what I did learn is that the glass plate was obscuring the painting and potentially damaging it.  Further, the painting, if it had been priceless was being surrounded by a frame that was less than stellar.  Thus, the priceless treasure of the gospel is housed in less than satisfactory frame.  However, the treasure is so strong that it can absolutely overwhelm and obscure the less than satisfactory frame it is held in.  If the artwork had been priceless, I am sure the appraiser could have given two hoots and a holler about how bad the frame was. 

The treasure stands in stark contrast to the vessel it is held in.  It is priceless!

Dan Peek Went to Heaven Last Night

When I was in high school and even beyond high school, my absolutely favorite rock band was America.  I owned every one of their albums, knew every one of their songs by heart.  The music was almost like it spoke to me.  I have probably been to their concerts five different times including not too long ago when they were in the Taste of Cleveland performing as a couple different old guys playing the same old songs.

One of the founders of America and the writer of the hit song “A Horse With No Name” died last night.  What made Dan Peek even more memorable is that he left the group in 1974 when he reached absolutely rock bottom, accepted Christ as his Saviour and became a carpenter of all things.  His testimony follows.

When I first came to know Christ in 1981, I started listening to Dan Peek as an individual gospel writer.  His music had a strong influence on me. 

The Lord took Dan home in his sleep last night.  We will miss you Dan, but look forward to a new set of songs in heaven.

A False Armageddon

And they gathered them together to the place, which in Hebrew is called Harmageddon.  Rev 16:16
There are some words in the English language that people just like to play with.  They describe a particular imagery that we wish to connote.  Armageddon is just one of those words.  Just in the past few weeks, we have heard the use of it in connection with the closing of Interstate 405 in California.  We have also heard it used by our President in connection with the potential economic impact if our congress does not act to raise the debt ceiling (“an economic Armageddon”).  The idea I think they are trying to convey is that of chaos.  It is the idea that things will slip completely out of control and it will be extremely difficult to come back to normalcy.

However, that is not the real usage of the word Armageddon.  Armageddon is only used once in the Bible and it is found in the above verse.  And it really refers to the lunacy of an army trying to assemble and attack the living God.  It is the final attempt to overthrow God by the forces of evil.  This conflict will reach its final conclusion at the battle of Armageddon.  The word actually comes from the plains of Megiddo in Israel where many believe this final battle will take place.  It is a vast plain where many historical battles have taken place.  It connects several major trade routes.  This is no battle however – it is a slaughter.  The Bible tells us in Revelation 19 that this was a one-sided battle.  The forces of evil will be wiped out completely.  I remember trying to picture this army assembled when we visited the plains of Megiddo in our trip to Israel in 1999. 

So there is really no confusion in the word Armageddon.  God is not surprised at the attempts to overthrow Him.  The battle for good and evil has been occurring since the fall of man.  Why does a Norwegian man go in and systematically kill over 90 people, mostly children?  Because evil still exists. But the good news is that a righteous and holy God has already pronounced judgment on  evil.  Game over. We just have not seen the battle played out yet, but we know the outcome is already certain. So our usage of this word to promote the idea of disarray and confusion couldn’t be further from the truth.  It should even remind us that the truth is in fact known and the victory is certain.  We can bank on it – rely on it. 

As it turns out, the drivers on Interstate 405 found this out when everyone stayed home and they coined a new term Carmaheaven.  But that is for another day.

Doing the Right Thing

Christian Lopez caught Derek Jeter’s 3000 hit.  He didn’t auction the ball on the Internet.  He didn’t try to strong arm the Yankees into negotiating other stuff.  He just gave it back to Derek Jeter.  His reason – “It is not about the money.  This is a milestone”.  “Money is cool and I’m 23”, Lopez said.  “’I’ve got a lot of time to make that.  It was never about the money”.  The Yankees also did the right thing giving him suite tickets and signed merchandise.  Of course, the IRS wanted the tax on that which for gift taxes is $5,000-$13,000.  I guess the IRS doesn’t care if it is the right thing or not.

The Internet waves are full of people laughing at Lopez and calling him a fool.  It tells you a little bit about our country when what is definitely right becomes so unusual, it almost seems wrong.  I recently was paying for a bike repair when I noted they had not charged me for something I know they did.  When I brought it to their attention, it was surprising their reaction.  I could have pulled one over on them.  They wouldn’t have noticed.  But I would have known and God would have known.  And it is the “right thing to do”. 

A Christian should have the fragrance of the aroma of Christ.  This means always doing the right thing.  Why is it so hard?  Because it seems so unnatural.  It is almost supernatural.  Let’s face it, we are broken – we have accepted what is wrong as right.  Chuck Colson has a new series out called “Doing the Right Thing” with the intent of putting the spotlight back on ethics in our society.  You can get a sneak peak of this at the video below. 

It airs in a live simulcast on September 24. You can also get the DVD series.  Maybe we can all see that “doing the right thing” is the right thing.

Extended Families are Fun

Sorry it has been so long since I blogged.  I have just been so incredibly busy.  Two of the last three weekends we have been out of town.  Three weeks ago, we went to a family reunion in New York.  We Quiggs have a family reunion every other year.  Each time we rotate it so that a different individual is leading it.  We have relatives in Maui, Juneau, and Boise so we have gotten to go to some pretty neat places.  Two years ago however, we held it in a neutral spot in Park City, UT.  This year my sister Laura hosted it in New York City.  Since daughter Ashley lives in New York as well, it was a no brainer to go.  We got to see my brother, my dad, and all of our girls.  We also got to see each of their kids.  Very rare that that happens and it is such a joy. Laura and Bjorn (brother-in-law) did a great job hosting.

Last weekend, we attended the wedding of my son-in-law’s twin brother Caleb in Newport News, VA.  So we made the long car trip again and were able to make it.  Caleb and Josh are two of four brothers, three of which have gotten married in the last year plus.  Their family is so interesting.  Multiple generations of medical missionaries serving in Abbattobad, Pakistan.  You may have heard this region in the news because that is where Bin Laden was hiding out.  The family lived and still lives six miles from where Bin Laden was.  Kind of like me going to the local WalMart which is six miles away.   They are a missions-minded family.  Caleb and his bride Rachel have known each other since fourth grade, but very rarely lived near each other.  They waited for each other – and now the time is here.  A true love story and one that is just beginning.  What a blessing to have more family to get to know as we get older.  To have our daughter marry into such a godly family is such a blessing.  Not only do we get a great son-in-law, but we get to know so many more wonderful people in his family.

It is such a pleasure to have a great family and one that is growing.  The downside of getting old is, well getting old.  The benefits are seeing your kids grow up, get married, live life, and who knows.  Are Debsue and I ready for grandkids?   

We Still Live in a Great Country

DebSue and I have done a lot of traveling to various countries.  As I think about it, we have been to Africa (Rwanda, Ghana, Uganda) on three different occasions, India, China, Israel, Peru multiple times, Nicaragua, DR, interior Mexico (not where the tourists go) multiple times, Great Britain, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, and New Zealand.  Of course there is always Canada as well.

Every time we go to a country whether it is developing or not, we deeply appreciate what we have in this country.  This is still a great country!  When I leave and come back, I almost want to kiss the ground when we get back.  You don’t really appreciate it when you never go outside of it.  No question, we have our faults and we are far from perfect.  But we have a stable society, a democratically elected government, a wide variety of places to go and people to see, a giving people (USA is still the number one giver), and believe it or not a relatively low tax base (compare it to some countries with VAT taxes of 15-25%).  It is the people that make the USA so great.  From New Yorkers to the heartland to the south to the west to Californians, we have such great variety.  I am partial to the Midwest, but that Most notably, we have freedom of religion.  We need to think about all that is happening in other parts of the world where this freedom does not exist.  For good information, check out Voice of the Martyrs site.

As we celebrate this Independence Day, let’s think about all that is good in living in the USA. 

A Father’s Reflection

Fathers, do not exasperate your children but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.  Ephesians 6:4

Debsue and I have three daughters. They are all adults ranging from 24 to 20.  Ashley, age 24 is in New York City and is a cartoonist by background and is also working as an assistant for a woman that buys and sells high end merchandise on eBay. Meghan, 23 is a sales assistant for a publishing company.  Her background is in international relations and has worked for several non-profits. Josh, our son-in-law is a graphic designer who grew up as in Pakistan as part of a multi-generational family. Josh and Meghan both work for the same company. Bethany, our baby is 20 and is going into her junior year at Wheaton College. She is a  math major with secondary education minor.

We are very proud of our daughters and son-in-law. As Debsue and I spent the day and conversed with each of them, it is just such a matter of joy that they are now living their lives and following the path that God has laid out before them. They are following the journey of life. These days are tough for this generation. The economy is tough. Jobs are tough to come by. It is a culture rampant with sinful conduct. It is a culture that has effectively relegated God to the back burner. It is not that this country is anti-God, it is that God is marginalized and compartmentalized.  For your kids to turn out well in the face of such opposition is a real joy.

As a parent, I am more aware that I have the potential to screw it up more than to help my kids. Most of parenting is knowing when to intervene and when to let go. The best thing we could do for our kids was to be committed to a relationship with Jesus Christ and to make that the center of the family. The second thing we could do was to be committed to each other as husband and wife. The third thing was to love them unconditionally – to model the kind of love God had for us. And we do love our kids unconditionally. There is nothing they could say or do that would make us change that. In our house, what I remember most about our times with our kids was that we laughed a lot. We spent time with them and just enjoyed being around each other. There were definitely moments of heartache and frustration, but those are overwhelmed by joyful memories.

Even with all that, it is no guarantee that your kids turn out all right. Just as there are imperfect parents, there are imperfect kids. We prayed (and still pray) regularly for our kids. That they would have a deep relationship with Christ, that they would marry godly men and that they would serve others.

Rooting Against LeBron?

I am a bitter, angry Cleveland sports fan.  You know how many of us there are.  Yes, I admit it that I was rooting for Dallas against Miami.  No, that is wrong.  I wasn’t rooting for Dallas.  Dallas has Mark Cuban, the ugh Cowboys.  I do like Dirk Nowitski but the others I don’t feel a particular allegiance for.  Truth be told, I was rooting against LeBron James.  I really wanted him to get his comeuppance.  To a large degree – he has deserved this vendetta.  To throw your home team under the bus on national T.V. in a despicable way was tough. 

But it just does not feel right to root so strongly against a person, a single person.  For years, I have been rooting against the Yankees and it doesn’t feel quite so bad.  I don’t feel particularly good that LeBron lost.  If I truly admit it, it had fleeting benefits.  It felt good for a day, but as I write this, it has kind of worn off.  It does not have nearly the lasting effect that it has if you are rooting for someone and they are successful.  That makes you feel genuinely good.  Watching LeBron take a beating was just not the same feeling.  It was kind of like when I was in school and I beat someone up (yes, I got into frequent fights in high school and college) and then you just kind of feel bad. 

Bitterness is a poison pill.  Paul says in Ephesians 4:31 to put it aside.  That verse says to put it aside, let it go.  Clevelanders love to be bitter.  I mean we hate rivals e.g. Pittsburgh.  We are really nice people, but there is something to be said for having six months of winter and sports teams that are perpetually lousy.  Bitterness goes with anger, wrath, clamor, slander, and malice in the list to put aside.  It is not healthy.  It kills love, it kills fruitfulness.  It quenches the Holy Spirit.  Ephesians 4:32 says the opposite to be kind, tender-hearted, forgiving, because God in Christ has forgiven you.  I was worse to God than LeBron was to Cleveland.  I made my own “Decision” many times to spurn God’s love.  But he loved me anyway and ultimately I came to a place where my own decision was made to follow Him. 

The real trick next year will be to see if I can progress to actually rooting for LeBron!  Maybe then I will know if fruit is truly manifest in me.

Much Wisdom–Much Pain

“Because in much wisdom, there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain”.  Ecclesiastes 1:18ip

Technology is a wonderful thing.  I am 51 years old.  If I had been born in the 18th century, I would have been a very old man (my kids may still consider me a very old man – it is relative).  If I lived in Sub Saharan Africa, I would still be considered an old man.  The average life expectancy in these countries still is in late thirties to early forties.  In the United States today, I can be expected to live 24 more years because the US life expectancy is 75 for a guy.  Women on the other hand get another five years.  We guys grind ourselves into the dust sooner.

Technology has also improved our way of life.  We have access at our fingerprints to so many things.  I can access the internet from wherever I am at any time.  We were talking recently how we used to carry bucketloads of CD’s on our vacation trips but now we simply plug in our iPod.  I can call my mom who lives in Peru for free using Skype and the Internet.  We can dial up entertainment that can be streamed down to our high definition T.V.  Think of all the advances we can expect to see in the next 50- 100 years. 

Yet for all this, man has not solved though his wisdom how to be satisfied and truly joyful.  In fact wisdom is FRUSTRATING.  By having wisdom, we think we can create happiness when all we can do is make pain more leisurely.  There are so many mysteries that simply cannot be solved through human wisdom.  The wiser we get, the more frustrated we become.  Solomon, the wisest person of all time could not find happiness.  You would think someone with Solomon’s wisdom would end well, but Solomon did not end well.  Ecclesiastes is his commentary of life based solely on human achievement.  Horses, women, wealth beyond all measure were Solomon’s, yet those things corrupted him. 

I have been following the NBA finals – mostly to root against the Miami Heat.  One of these two teams will be crowned the champion.  Yet, how many will remember who won the 2011 NBA finals ten years from now.  Someone once asked Duane Thomas a football player in the 1972 Super Bowl how he felt winning the “big game”.  He replied “if it is such a big game, why is there another one next year?”.  Good question! 

True Godly wisdom makes me aware of my failures.  I see myself the way God sees me as a fallen human being.  But I also see myself of being of infinite value to God that he would pay the ultimate sacrifice to have a relationship with me.  I am grieved by my sin, but overwhelmed by the love and joy I have in my relationship with my heavenly Father.  True Godly wisdom also makes me appreciate the value of personal relationships, both vertical and horizontal.  I realize that wisdom of this world is fleeting, but the wisdom that is motivated out of relationships is eternal.  That is the conclusion Solomon expresses in the book.  He concludes that the real key is to “fear God and keep His commandments: (12:13).  Then I see people the way God sees them; of deep and high personal value.  That is true wisdom.

Tressel - Little Issues, Big Problems

I lead off this blog post by saying I am still a big Jim Tressel fan.  I guess the evidence is overwhelming that he at best winked an eye to the numerous minor infractions that took place.  My personal feeling is that he got into a comfort level with minor infractions.  We all do it – going five or ten miles an hour going over the speed limit, subtly cheating on taxes, making a few extra copies on the job for personal use, maybe cutting the edge on the truth. 

A year ago, I wrote a blog on how fast you can throw away a reputation.  One mistake can be catastrophic.  As I got to thinking about the whole Tressel affair, it occurred to me that minor infractions over a period of time build up a callousness to integrity.  Little lies begat big lies.  The only way I have found to combat this is to admit right then and there whether publicly or privately before God that I have messed up.  Once you start down a slippery slope, it is hard to stop.  I have to believe it is especially hard for Tressel who probably felt pretty comfortable with who he was even thought this winking against infractions was a part of it. 

The one thing that came to mind was Achan’s sin in Joshua 7.  Achan took a few things that were under the ban set by God when Jericho was destroyed.  After being confronted by Joshua, he and all his family (emphasis mine) were condemned and stoned.  The sin was minor – he took some stuff.  The duplicity was also benign.  His family overlooked the infraction.  The penalty was an ignominious death. Seems kind of harsh to me, but God takes this sin stuff seriously.   

I feel horrible for Tressel.  This is a man revered in the Buckeye state and his reputation is forever tarnished despite the many good things he has done.  His graduation rate is double what his predecessor was.  He was the only college coach who actually taught a class.  Plus he beat Michigan 9 out of 10 times.  But all that was thrown away.  I don’t think we have heard the last from him, but it can never be the same. 

Watson and Knowledge vs. Wisdom

Debsue and I are big Jeopardy fans.  Debsue is particularly adept at getting the obscure answers right.  I have encouraged her many times to try out for Jeopardy, but she won’t do it.  On the other hand, I am only good at the sports and the bible categories.  The other week they had a category on stock symbols and I did pretty good at that as well.  Tells you where my priorities are.

A few months, ago, Jeopardy put a series of IBM computers named Watson in competition against two of the all-time human champions, Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter.  Watson cleaned their clock.  Watson could source through thousands and thousands of gigabytes of data effortlessly to piece together the answer.  There has been all sorts of speculation about how Watson can be used practically.  Technology is a marvelous thing.  I remember often my dad would see me working on my computer and challenge me to a math contest pitting his brain against my Excel program.  Finally, my dad succumbed and at now is a computer user.  Now he doesn’t use the computer for a whole lot, but he does use it. 

Computers assemble data and turn the data into information.  Thus, computers become a vast source of knowledge to us.  I can’t imagine being without my iPhone.  It is such a versatile device and I am always only a few touches from some piece of information.  Need to find something on the web?  Am I lost and need to get somewhere?  Want to play a song?  Want to access my e-mail?  It is all there in one device.  It is an amazing piece of technology and I love it.

But where computers can never go is how God has wired us.  God says to seek wisdom and the kind of wisdom God tells us to seek is only available from him (Proverbs 2:6).  Knowledge tells us that a man is 6 feet tall, wisdom tells us he is a man to be trusted.  Knowledge tells us factually about the wonder of the human body.  Wisdom tells is it is a living breathing organism that represents the church.  Knowledge tells us about four distinct seasons.  Wisdom tells us it is a representation of living, dying, and rebirth. 

Solomon has told us the true wisdom starts with a fear of the Lord.  We cannot get wisdom from knowledge.   We can only get it through asking for it, seeking it, living for it.  We can’t ask for wisdom flippantly.  It must drive us and be our all consuming desire.  It does not come naturally, it can only come supernaturally.  Wisdom takes the facts and data that our brain processes and turns it into meaning. 

Proverbs 2:10 says “For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul”.  Watson spits out knowledge into answers.  But this proverb flips it.  It is wisdom that must come first.  Wisdom is internalized and it results in knowledge that is trustworthy.  Head knowledge can never result in heart knowledge.   

Memorial Day 2011

“Thank you for your service”.  I have heard that line uttered by my wife every time we see a serviceman.  She will do it whether we are in an airport, on the street, or in a store.  Usually the reaction is one of shock.  Why would this lady who they had never met thank them?  I have to admit that the first few times that she did this, I kind of looked down or tried to distance myself from this situation.  It was kind of embarrassing.  But she was right and it is true. 

Our armed forces put their lives on the line to preserve our liberty every single day.  Many have died over the years as the ultimate sacrifice.  Dying to serve others reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice paid by Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins.  He paid the sacrifice so that we can be free just like our men and women paid the price so that we can be free.   Whether you agree with wars or not, you cannot argue that freedom comes with a price. 

As we celebrate this Memorial Day among friends and families, let’s remember these brave men and women who do serve us.  They are our heroes. 

We Don’t Know Squat–Be Ready

“No one knows about that day or hour", not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father”  Matthew 24:26

I am blogging this on Sunday, May 22.  Obviously Harold Camping’s prophecies did not happen that the world as we really know it would end on May 21.  This is the latest of many predictions of the end of time.  It has happened countless times before, it will happen many more times to come. I am not about to mock Mr. Camping as a “quack”.  This article provides a balanced view. 

The prediction of doom apparently has led to some little cottage businesses.  According to the Wall Street Journal, the heightened interest in this event has spawned several cottage businesses.  One by a professed atheist promises to take care of pets of those that are raptured.  Another one captures e-mail messages that can be forwarded to loved ones in the event of the rapture. 

I absolutely believe that believers in Christ will be raptured out of this world in the “moment in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor 15:52): Those that are in Christ Jesus will be “saved from the hour of wrath” (1 Thess 5:9).  “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:1).  However, it is a waste of time to try to determine when that is.  My words above I will repeat “We Don’t Know Squat”.  Think about it for a second if God gave certain people the “clues” to figure out the end of time, we would change our whole behavior in a negative way.  We wouldn’t be living, we would be forever preparing.  It is about living for Jesus and anticipating his imminent return.  These attitudes should mark the Christian living for Christ’s return.

Be ready – the parables of Jesus all talk about readiness.  Are we ready or will Christ come when we are not ready.  If Jesus were to come back tomorrow, what would he find you or me doing?

Be diligent – the end time should enlighten us to the depravity of our world and the limited opportunity to see others come to the kingdom.  Is there a sense of urgency?  

Be concerned – Do we have a love for the lost?  Do we have a passion to serve people?  Does your heart break knowing some have not made a decision for Christ. 

Be aware – End time events cast a shadow before the end times.  Jesus does tell us we will hear and see of increased natural disasters, wars, attitudes, that will come upon the earth.  These signs are listed in Matthew 24. 

I find myself calloused sometimes, lacking the urgency of someone who knows that times are limited.  One Christ may come again in my lifetime.  Two, I may not live another day.  I could get taken home tomorrow.  I want to live my life with that sense of urgency.  I can at least thank Mr. Camping for raising that awareness in all of us. 

An Imperfect King and a Loving Servant–Mephibosheth Part II

In my post from May 15, I talked about the grace Mephibosheth (or Fib as I called him) received from King David when at worst Fib should have been executed on the spot or at best spared.  Instead the king grants Fib not only life but the effective equivalent of an adopted son.  Fib is like us, deserving of nothing except judgment and wrath.  Instead, like Fib, we are granted the right to eat at the King’s table and to be part of His adopted family. 

We see Fib again in 2nd Samuel 16 and this time it is to expose an imperfect king.  As David is fleeing Absalom, he encounters Fib’s servant Ziba who tells this story of Fib’s betrayal of the king.  Problem was it wasn’t true.  The king does not make any attempt to find out if it is true (he assumes it is), and grants all of Fib’s land to Ziba.  In 2nd Samuel 19 David is restored as king of Israel after Absalom’s death, he encounters Fib who is disheveled and unkempt.  Fib completely denies any truth to the Ziba fabricated story.  In fact, Ziba had pulled a ruse by telling Fib he should stay home because he would slow the king down.  David tells Fib that he can split the land with Ziba.  Is that right?  Where is the justice in that decision? When our kids were young, they would fight over something and each would make her argument.  We had no way of knowing (and we really didn’t care) so we would just penalize both.  Far easier than trying to administer true justice.  The king didn’t want to deal with it.  He had bigger fish to fry. Like us, David was an imperfect king. 

On the other hand, Fib’s response is amazing.  He responds with complete resignation to what the king’s position is.  All Fib cared about was his relationship with the king.  He wasn’t in it for the money.  He was completely defrauded, yet he didn’t care.  All he cared about was his relationship to the king.   Our King is perfect and can administer perfect justice.  He can’t be defrauded or misled.  Further, He cares about what happens to us.  Fib represents the character of a devoted servant.  King David had given life and possessions.  So when possessions go bye-bye, should we care?  No, because we have life.  Think about that again – the servant is defrauded, but all he cares about is that the king is back.  He even goes on and says “Let him even take it all, since my lord the king has come safely to his own house.” (2 Sam 19:30). 

We have life and as a devoted servant,that is all that matters.  We love the perfect King, one who gives us life.  Instead of loving the King wholeheartedly and unashamedly, we put so much stock in our possessions.  Are we prepared to be defrauded out of everything like Fib?  How would we respond?  

Portrait of Grace–Mephibosheth

In reading through the Old Testament, it is easy to get hung up and miss the forest for the trees.  There are so many pictures, so many lessons that are easy to miss.  I am making my way through 1st Chronicles and in the list after list, it is easy to miss for example that “God had indeed blessed Peullethai” (25:5) or that Zechariah was a “counselor with insight” (25:14).  There are so many portraits of grace hidden in the midst of strife, sin, and war.  You have to be attuned to these portraits.  Mephibosheth is one of them (my spell checker seems to really dislike that name).  I am going to call him Fib for short because I am getting tired of typing his name.

We are introduced to Fib in 2 Samuel 4 when we learn that he is King Saul’s son Jonathan’s son and he was crippled in both feet in a tragic accident while his nurse was trying to flee the threat of war.  Five chapters later in 2 Samuel 9, now King David learns of Fib when asking about King Saul’s family.  Now Fib would have every reason to expect a death warrant.  It was the norm that the new king would execute any remaining relatives of the predecessor king’s family.  So when Fib was summoned, his mind probably was resigned to his fate of death.  Further, Fib had absolutely nothing to offer the king.  As a servant, he had minimal value to David.  The very name Mephibosheth means “a shameful thing,” and he had lived for a number of years in Lo-debar, which means “the barren land” (lit., “no pasture”).  He prostrated himself before the king totally dependent on the king’s favor. 

The king amazingly not only let’s Fib live, but grants him the favor of eating at the king’s table and restoring to him all of the land of his grandfather Saul.  Fib’s reaction is one of being stunned; “What is your servant that you would regard a dead dog like me”.  It is nothing but grace.  It is grace and grace alone.  David brought this outcast to dine at his table as his own son and graciously granted him a magnificent inheritance to which he was no longer legally entitled.  God adopted us as His children giving us a right standing that we don’t deserve by birthright (Rom 8:15).

You know God doesn’t get much out of me without His favor.  Without the presence of Christ, I am as lame as Fib.  I have nothing, nothing to offer Him.  He elevates me to family solely based on His favor.  My motivation – out of complete love and gratitude for him, I desire to serve Him.  

There is more to this story than what we see here.  There is the sequel for the next post.