It was just the other day...

I remember not so long ago listening to folks tell of events in the past like it was just yesterday. I would be sucked into the thought that this had happened last week or recently only to later discover the event happened 10 or 20 years ago. I thought “how crazy” because I never thought that way. Oh how things have changed.

I find myself thinking of an event or moment only to realize it was more than one decade ago when it happened. But it seemed so real and recent? It was just the other day that I walked from the operating room in Candler hospital down the hall the length of the building carrying Carolyn my second daughter just moments after she was born. I shielded her eyes form the harsh light as we moved from one cone of brilliance to the next all the while talking to her introducing myself and the new surrounding scenery. It was just the other day...

On Friday, this same girl I walked down the hall into the nursery walked across the platform graduating from high school out into the opportunities as yet to be discovered. Oh, there is a plan for the future but often those plans change for temporary or permanent reasons. I am certain I am not the only parent who is considering that just the other day their child started walking, driving, dressing themselves, looking at colleges, playing in the backyard or singing in the bathtub. Oh, those memories are so sweet and warm to pull out but they are just that memories and oh how time has moved.

A friend spoke recently of an event “just the other day” when a young person in his life suffered a sudden and unexpected illness and consequently in a few hours died. As he spoke it was just the other day when it happened as he recalled the minutes and hours of that day.  He said he treats life differently now than before that event. Funny how those moments of  “just the other day” can redefine us.

On Thursday my brother, Father and I went on charter fishing expedition in the Wasaba Sound. It was a beautiful day with a light breeze, bright sunshine and good company. The fishing was slow followed by moments of excitement and then boredom. When the trip was concluded and we were back on shore our Captain was cleaning the 5 small whiting we caught he said, “Expensive fish.” I replied, “No it was not about the fish but rather the experience.” One day I will say “just the other day we went fishing and encountered those two loggerhead turtles!” Once again I will be amazed how time has passed and how precious that memory has become.

Martin Luther said regarding the future, “There was today and THAT day.” He was speaking of today and the day when Jesus returns. There really are just those two days for today is filled with enough grace for what will happen and then THAT day will be filled with the grace of Jesus. Time passes so slowly on a daily basis and yet so fast that it was “just the other day”…

Jesus spoke to us to live each day like there was no tomorrow leaving nothing undone or unsaid. I want to encourage you to pay attention to the former leave nothing unsaid. We don’t know about tomorrow. On this Memorial Day 2012 weekend thank a vet for serving, tell your family you love them, speak to the culture you find yourself with a word of the Gospel, make a memory so that “it was just the other day we…” will bring back memories of life and living filled with love of the Savior and his children in your life. It’s good to remember but better to make memories today filled with those you love.

Memorial Day we remember and we make memories. Do it!

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

I have grown tired of...tired

²⁸ My soul is weary with sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word. Psalm 119:28 NIV

God’s word is never without application. The first four words are me. Honestly, I am still in the weary waiting for the strength. Of course this is a bad time as the end of the school year with a graduating Senior and all of those activities. Being weary is not a good thing and yet I have no real choice. I just am.

²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV 1984

I am soaring like a led zeppelin (not the band) or at least it feels like that. However the words of David are the key to my dilemma.

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 NIV 1984

I am not thirsting for God. I am thirsting for rest. I know rest will only be found in him but…and Jesus says…   

^28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." Matthew 11:28-30 The Message

I have said this to others more than I can remember, “when you can’t see the hand of God trust his heart.” It is true even for me.

Sometimes it is just so hard.    

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

This past Monday while waiting for the Dr's office to open

 7:30am…I scanned RELEVANT magazine that came in the mail. I scanned some of the articles, passed over others and read one or two. Most were light reading at best but then came a title that caught my attention.

Titled Focusing on Sin Never Works Tullian Tchividjian, Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church and grandson of Dr. Billy Graham, these words grabbed my attention and my heart.

“Christianity is not first about our getting better, our obedience, our behavior and our daily victory over remaining sin-as important as all these are. It is first about Jesus! It’s about His person and substitutionary work-His incarnation, life, death, resurrection, ascension, His seat at the right hand of God and his promised return…” Tichividjian continues, “My greatest need (and yours) is to look at Christ more than we look at ourselves, because the Gospel is not my work for Jesus, but Jesus’ work for me. Because we’re so naturally prone to look at ourselves and our performance more than we look to Christ and His performance, we need constant reminders of the Gospel.”

For a number of weeks I have been captured by an Idea I have regarding worship. Stated like this, true worship leaves me feeling better about my Savior. Unfortunately I approach worship as needing to feel better about myself. I think the former is truer of what I really need. I know and feel where I am and have tried and tried and tried to be better, do better, think better and have failed like a led zeppelin. You know crashed and burned every time. Honestly, there is not much to feel better about in that. Nor is there much hope or promise for the future there either. That’s just the point. There is no hope or promise within me. Hope and promise are found in Jesus alone. Tichividjian went on to say,

“We’re justified-and sanctified-by grace alone through faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone.”

Easter is the evidence we need to see the complete work of God in my Savior Jesus. My natural tendency is to focus on me and my situation but Christ has paid my tax for sin and risen from the grave so that while death and taxes are laws of the universe they are not final because of Jesus.

Now He is someone to feel good about! Would you agree?

I need to be reminded of that fact everyday each moment of the day because I don’t live like that is true. It’s my nature to live in the here and now TODAY and not THAT DAY. Because what is me now and my situation now and my failure now in not the way it will be “when the fat lady sings.” I mention that because God is the FAT LADY. He alone has the final say and “it’s not over ‘til it’s over” and only God says that. Oh, don’t forget Jesus is at the center in the end.

Now he is something to feel good about!      

I hope I don’t get over this anytime soon.

He makes me feel good about so many things.

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev

I'm not feeling very smart today...

I can hear your thoughts (Today????). I’ve got this article to write and a message to complete and both are to be thoughtful and witty and meaningful (yes that is what they are supposed to be (I really can hear your thoughts)). But I’m not feeling very smart or witty or insightful. So, I read from one who is all those things (I am pretty sure he is not that way everyday at least I hope not.)  His name is Max Lucado.

 For May 4 the scripture passage is Revelation 2: 8-11 NIV. Thank God for his word that is smart when I am NOT!

To the Church in Smyrna

⁸ “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. ⁹ I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.
¹¹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

Max (we are close you know NOT) had a couple of thoughts and I will put them in my way.

·         Look who is writing (v.8) “the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.” Think he knows trouble and coming out on the other side? Better believe it! 

·         I Get It (v.9) I know your; afflictions, poverty, the slander of those!

·         Fear NOT suffering (v.10), it’s going to happen so don’t worry or be afraid.

·         Who (v.10) , the devil

·         What (v.10)  will put some of you in prison

·          Why (v.10) to test you

·         How long (v.10) you will suffer persecution for ten days.”

·         Be Faithful (v.10) it will be bad you might die

·         I got Your Back (v.10) “I will give you a crown of Life.” (v.11) “He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

In all honesty who but Jesus could say these words and be believed? Only him, he lived it. He has authority in this area of suffering. He has authenticity. He has the t-shirt and the scars.

It’s going to be hard and full of suffering to walk behind Christ. No easy road but for the faithful a Crown of Life by the living one.

So as not to prolong your agony, I will end. I don’t have to be smart today (or any day for that matter).

I know Jesus!

Do you?

In HIS Service and Yours,

The Rev