Remember

            We celebrated Memorial Day earlier this week.  Originally known as Decorations Day, Memorial Day is a time when we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 

            Unfortunately, there are times when we forget the true meaning of this holiday. Memorial Day often stands for the beginning of Summer.  We open our pools (if we have them), go to the lake, and take advantage of this year’s “Memorial Day Mattress Madness Sale.”  We forget what we are supposed to remember.

            The thing is, forgetting is normal for humans. And yes, I am fully aware that it only gets worse with age. Not long ago I was looking directly at two of my church members, folks I’ve known for more than a decade, neighbors and good friends, and I could not think of their first names to save my neck. It’s aggravating, frustrating and embarrassing.

            But worse than that is when I forget the things that matter even more. What Christ did for me. The goodness and grace of God.  All of the blessings that have been given me, even though I do not deserve them.

            God gave us a supper to help us to remember. “Remember me,” Jesus said to His disciples. “Whenever you eat this bread, or drink this cup, remember me.”  In Revelation 2:5 Jesus said to the church at Ephesus, “Remember…”  Over and over we are told in the Bible to remember.

            Let me remind you that to remember means more than merely to call to mind. It means to do something. Seven times in his little book Nehemiah prayed to the Lord to ask the Lord to remember him.  It is not that God is prone to forget as we are. Rather, Nehemiah was asking the Lord to do something for him…to help him…to remember him. 

            I hope that you stopped for a moment on Monday to remember, and to give thanks for, those who died so that we might live in freedom. Even more, I pray that you will remember to give thanks to the One who gave His life that you might live forever. 

“Time is a Gift”

            Last week I mentioned that my personal calendar is not as attached to the school calendar as it used to be.  Since the boys graduated and moved out, and Tina retired from teaching, we have a bit more freedom to plan our time…sometimes.

            But the truth is, my summer is already filled with activities that are going to take my time.  My sister has invited all of our family to come to Lake Lanier for several days together. Our church will host Vacation Bible School from June 9-13.  I will be traveling to two different camps this summer, one with middle school students, and the other with elementary students.  And Tina and I have plans for a trip out west.  We already have a full schedule that will keep us busy until August.

            How does that happen? How do we lose control over our own calendars? Well, the truth is that one could say no to some of these events. But some of them are so important that I want to be a part of them. I wouldn’t miss VBS for anything.  It matters too much. And as exhausting as a week of camp can be, I look forward to that special time, too.

            And then there is vacation.  Tina and I are going on more of an adventure than a vacation this summer.  We may need several days to recover. We are going to fly to Albuquerque, New Mexico, rent a car, and take eleven days to come back home.  We plan to take in a baseball game, see caverns and canyons, and visit five states we have never visited before. We think it’s going to be a lot of fun.

            The older I get the more I realize this statement to be true.  “Time is a gift.”  The truth is that none of us knows how much time we have on this earth.  We need to make the most of every minute that God gives us.  He has not promised us tomorrow. But He has promised to be with us in ever how many tomorrows we experience. 

            I pray that you will trust the Lord with every minute of your life. Give your days to Him.  Trust Him and follow Him. He will not lead you astray. 

Calendars and Time

The school year is coming to an end. Soon the boys and girls will be enjoying their summer vacation. Teachers, too, by the way.  For years the school calendar played a decisive role in my own schedule.  My wife was a teacher, and of course our boys were in school. All of our plans revolved around the school calendar.

            Well, my boys are now grown men, and my wife has retired from teaching.  I try to be aware of the school calendar. I keep up with the activities of my granddaughters (one will be graduating from elementary school later this month). But the school calendar no longer dominates my days.  In fact, Tina and I are trying to plan a trip to the mountains sometime in the fall.

            Of course, the church calendar still plays a role in when I can go out of town. For instance, I will never take a vacation the week of Easter.  No self-respecting pastor would ever skip out on that week. And in our case, we can’t really take an anniversary trip. We got married on December 22.  Young and in love, it never occurred to us that an anniversary this close to Christmas would make it impossible to get away at that time.

The truth is, even if you are fully retired, you don’t operate on your own time frame all the time. There are doctor’s appointments, birthdays and graduations of grandchildren, and other events that call for your attendance. There is never a time when you are fully in charge of your own calendar.

            In fact, in James 4:15 we are reminded not to make any plans completely on our own. Rather we are to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”  The preacher, in Ecclesiastes 9:12, went even farther. “For man does not know his time.” And because we don’t know our time, we need to commit to live for the Lord every day.  Go ahead. Plan a vacation. But always be aware. Your time is in God’s hand.

Happy Mother’s Day

This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day.  It is a day set aside to honor, and to remember the ones who brought us into this world. Last month was the twentieth anniversary of the passing of my Mom.  It’s hard to believe she’s been gone that long. 

            My mom was quite the lady. She grew up in a very poor home with a father who had a tendency to drink too much. When he was sober he was a hard-working farmer and blacksmith.  But when he started drinking, he could not stop. He died before she entered high school.

            Mom was the ninth of ten children, and the only one of that group to graduate high school.  She was state champion in basketball.  She played guard back when the girls did not run the full court. That means she only played defense. But she played it ferociously. 

            Growing up my family played basketball together in the front yard. It was always Dad and my sister against Mom and me.  Sometimes (actually every time we played) it got rough.  Mom and Dad were competitive, and they did not give in to our whining.  It was either get tough, or get beat. 

            I inherited character traits from both of my parents. I look like Dad. I have his sense of humor. I’m afraid I have a bit of Mom’s temper. I have always been extremely competitive.  For both good and bad, I am Junior and Shelby’s son.

            I also have a heavenly Father.  And it is important that I display His character traits.  Goodness, kindness, love and compassion. These are just some of the things that should be on display in my life. Jesus once said, “Be ye perfect as your father in heaven is perfect.” He knew that was an impossible task. And yet, it is something for which to strive every day. 

            I know I resemble my earthly parents. My wife reminds me of that from time to time. I pray that I will be more like my heavenly father every day. And I pray the same for you.

            Happy Mother’s Day. 

Guilty

I recently renewed my fishing license. I also renewed my annual “SIP” permit. I’m good to go. You know, the fact is that you can fish without a license. You may even catch more fish than I do. And you may never get caught. But I have to tell you this. I just feel better when I’m out in a boat knowing that I meet all of the legal regulations. If a game warden approaches me I have no reason to get nervous. I will pull out my license and keep on fishing.

I’m sure you’ve noticed this on the highway. Your traveling along, perhaps going 74 mph on the interstate, and all of a sudden brake lights are shining everywhere. You have to brake yourself. And before you know it you’re going 60 mph. You wonder if there is an accident. But then you see it. The state patrol car, or the sheriff deputy truck is stopped on the side of the road, lights flashing, with someone pulled over.

I get it if you are in the far-right lane. The law requires that you either move over, or that you slow down significantly. And there is a reason for the law. It is the safety of the law enforcement officer. It’s the right thing to do.

But if you are going 70 mph in a 70-mph zone, and you are in the far-left lane, why are you slowing down? You are obeying the law. You have no reason to slow down. There is no need for you to be afraid. And yet, everyone slams on the brakes, and we travel 10 miles under the speed limit until we are 100 yards past the patrol car. And then look out. The race is back underway.

I think it is a guilty conscience that causes this. Even though I may be obeying the speed limit at the moment, I am aware that there are other times that I have not. And so, out of guilt I slow down. I look around. I glance in my rearview mirror to make sure I am not being followed. I have a guilty conscience.

The fact is that we all ought to have a guilty conscience at times. We are all sinners. We all need God’s forgiveness. And we are blessed that He offers it when we confess our sin and repent from it. I am so grateful for the grace of God. It is the only reason I have hope. I pray that you will have this hope, too.

Fruit

My garden is growing beautifully at the moment. I have potatoes, tomatoes, squash, peppers, and cucumbers in the ground. The combination of the warm nights, sunlit days, and water (either rain or from my well) are making them grow exactly the way I would wish. The plants look absolutely amazing. They look healthy. I am very pleased.

But here’s the thing. I am not growing these plants for their looks. I am growing them for the food. I want to eat my first tomato sandwich of the year. I want to put cucumbers on my salad. I want to make homemade pico de gallo with the peppers to put on shrimp tacos. And I want to eat the first batch of fried squash for supper. I enjoy watching the plants grow. But the measure of whether or not a garden is good is whether or not it produces food to eat.

Jesus once said that the same thing is true about humans, and especially about those who claim to be His followers. “You will know them by their fruit,” He declared in the midst of His Sermon on the Mount. Yes, you may call yourself a Christian. You may go to church every Sunday. You may wear a cross around your neck, and speak fluent “Christianese,” but if you do not produce fruit you are not doing what Jesus has called you to do.

And what is meant by this idea of fruit? Paul said, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” These are the traits that set us apart as the children of God. I pray that your life will display the fruit of the Spirit and that others will know that you belong to God by the fruit you produce in your life.

He Lives!

This is the week. Holy Week. Passion Week. It is the week that we remember all that Jesus did in the final week of His life that makes it possible for us to enjoy eternal life. It is the week that we celebrate the greatest event in all of human history.

On Monday of the week of His death, we believe that Jesus cleared the Temple of those selling and trading animals for sacrifices. On Tuesday and Wednesday Jesus spent much time teaching His closest followers. On Thursday the Lord ate dinner with those same disciples, instituted the Lord’s’ Supper, went to the garden to pray, and was arrested.

And thus began the whirlwind of events that would lead to this day of celebration for us. He was tried, convicted, and put to death on the cross. His body was placed in a borrowed tomb, and His followers slinked away in despair. Jesus had talked to them about what was going to happen. But they simply did not believe. Their hope was gone.

But on Sunday morning, some of the women went to the gravesite to more properly prepare Jesus’ body for burial. And that’s when the fun began. His body was gone. Angels encountered the women and told them to go and tell the disciples what they had seen.

Then Peter and John went to the tomb and discovered the same thing. The body of Jesus was gone.

Soon Jesus would appear to them. Over the next 50 days He appeared to more than 500 different people (1 Corinthians 15:5). It was clear. The Lord and Savior who had died on the cross on Calvary’s hill was alive again.

There are those for whom this story seems far-fetched. I get it. It’s not every day a dead person wakes up. But I will say this as boldly and as carefully as I can. Jesus is alive, and if that is not true, then all of Christianity is a lie. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, and if He is not alive today, then our entire faith is a hoax. Again, Paul said so much in 1 Corinthians 15. But then he said, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead.”

And that is why we sing. That is why we celebrate. That is why we believe. “I serve a risen Savior. He’s in the world today.” And for that we give thanks and celebrate.

“She went to be with Jesus”

This week marks the twentieth year since my mom passed away. Her 67th birthday was on April 4. She died on April 7. I was the only one in the room with her when she took her last breath. I was living in metro Detroit, and I flew down in the early hours of Tuesday morning. On Wednesday evening I sat in the living room with her as my dad went to his own bed for the first time in a week.

I slept a bit in the chair beside her bed, and I woke up around 7 Thursday morning. I realized we were near the end. About 7:30 that morning she went to be with Jesus.

There are a multitude of things about that day (and that year) that are etched in my mind for the rest of my life. In the first place, Mom was just a little more than a year older than I am when she died. To say that is sobering is an understatement. Especially when you realize that on her 66th birthday we had no idea what was just around the corner. The brain tumor was discovered in July. She was gone the following April.

But I suppose the one thing that stands out the most is the final sentence that I wrote in the second paragraph. “She went to be with Jesus.” What I’m saying is that my Mom did not cease to exist on April 7, 2005. In fact, at her funeral later that week I declared to those present, “Shelby Butler is more alive than she has ever been.” And I still believe that with my whole heart.

In eleven days we will celebrate Easter, Resurrection Sunday. It is a day for dressing up and going to church, for gathering with family, and for reflection and worship. But more than anything it is a day to celebrate God’s ultimate victory over Satan. Jesus is alive, and because He is alive, we can live forever. I hope you believe it. I’ve staked my entire life on it.

April Fool’s Day

Did anyone pull any tricks on you yesterday? It was April Fool’s Day, you know. It is traditional to try and play a prank or a joke on your family and friends. April 1 is the birthday of one of my childhood friends. We used to joke that he was an April fool.

We are not certain about the origins of April Fool’s Day. Some have attributed it to Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Several other options have been put forth as well. The fact is that we simply do not know how the whole thing got started. But it can be a lot of fun, trying to get something over on a friend or family member. Of course, you can take it too far.

We recognize that on April 1 each year we have to be careful with what we hear or see. Someone might be trying to prank us. What they say has to be taken with a grain of salt.

But here’s a question for you. What about the person whose word you can never trust? Is there someone in your life like that? It could be a family member, a coworker, or a neighbor. But you simply cannot trust what they say. It could be true. But it might not be.

The Bible has much to say about that. One of the Ten Commandments deals with lying. Jesus said, “Let your yes be yes.” And the Bible tells us that God is always faithful. In fact, the Bible speaks of God as unchanging and unchangeable. He is always right, therefore He never needs to change.

Yeah, I know men who think the same thing of themselves, but that’s for another column at another time.

The point of all I am saying today is simple. You can trust God. He will not lie to you. He will not even try to trick you on April 1. And then, you need to be trustworthy yourself. Oh, it’s okay if you try and pull a trick on someone one day a year. But you need to be someone whose word is true. You need to tell the truth. As Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Pests

Just like many homeowners, I have a contract with a “pest control service.” Once a quarter they come to my home, inspect it for pests (read bugs), and spray around the outside of the house. If we have a problem inside the house I simply let them know, and they will treat the interior as well. In addition, they inspect annually for termites to be sure that my house will not be damaged.

Have you ever wondered why God created bugs? I don’t mean bees. We need those to pollinate our plants. But what about ants and cockroaches? I mean, is it disrespectful to ask if there will be cockroaches in heaven? I mean, they seem to thrive every other place in the world…

Of course, I believe that God had good reasons for everything that He created. But we certainly consider some of those things to be pests. The sand gnats that buzz around your face when you are in your garden or at a picnic. The fire ants that seem to wait until some of them have reached your knee before the command to bite is given to all ten thousand that are on your leg.

What other pests exist in your life? Could it be a family member? A co-worker? That dreaded telemarketer?

Indeed, we have to deal with pests from time to time. Can I offer a couple of words of advice? The first one may seem funny, but it really isn’t meant to be. Try hard not to be the one whom others consider to be the pest. It is remarkable that most pests don’t think of themselves in that manner. But we all can be “pesty” from time-to-time. Don’t be that person!

Second, try to be more patient and kinder to the pests in your life. I’m not talking about roaches here. Go ahead and set that trap. But to the people in your life who get on your nerves? Try to show more grace. You don’t know what is happening in his/her life. Jesus told us to love our enemies. That’s one of the hardest commands He ever gave. But you never know what impact you might have in another’s life if you actually do that.

“Love one another.” It sounds simple. But it’s not. Still, it is our calling. “Love one another.”

“The God Who Is There”

I was recently scrolling through social media (yes, I have one account), and I saw this question posed as a headline. “Something that proves low intelligence.” Directly below there was only one answer showing. “Religious belief.” My instinct was to dig deeper, to see what else was said, to view the personal information of the person who posted, and then to respond. My second instinct was to put down my phone. Fortunately, I followed my second instinct.

But I’ve thought about that post several times since then. Could this be true? Have religious people (and specifically Christians) set aside their brains in order to follow a fairy in the sky that does not exist? First of all, from a historical perspective it is not true at all. Yes, there are those who have sought to pit science against religion, and who have referred to any and all who believe in God as ignorant. But the truth is that the first scientists were, for the most part, committed Christians. The same is true about some of the finest mathematicians and writers and thinkers of all time. No, it cannot be said that all religious people are lacking in intelligence.

But I will tell you this. Even some Christians wonder about this. And in their practices they actually seem to confirm it. Have you ever had a worship leader say to you, “Now empty your mind of everything and simply focus on God at this time.”? I have wanted to scream, “NO!” at the top of my lungs.

It is true that we are called to worship with our hearts and emotions. But we are also to worship with our brains. You cannot understand the Bible unless you engage it intellectually. The Bible calls for us to, “Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.”

I believe that God created us, heart, soul, mind and strength. I believe that He has given us the capacity, not only to love Him, but to think. And I believe that when we truly think about our world as it exists, that the only logical conclusion is to declare that He not only exists, but that He loves us, is interested in our lives, and wants us to love and follow Him. I am committed to that belief, and intend to share it with others to the best of my ability for the rest of my life.

When you go to church, don’t check your brain at the door. Trust the Lord. Believe in His Word. He really is, as Francis Shaeffer once wrote, “The God Who Is There.”

Resurrection

We are in the middle of the Lenten season. It might surprise you that a Baptist pastor knows about that. The truth is that we do not practice Lent in the same manner as other Christian traditions. But I am aware of it.

Lent is a time that leads up to Easter. Resurrection Sunday. I am certainly aware of that day. Easter will be celebrated world-wide next month. It is a time when we will be reminded of the central truth of the Christian faith. Jesus is alive!

Here’s the thing. I am fully aware that there are those who question the validity and the veracity of the resurrection. After all, we live in a scientific age when we no longer believe in such superstitions and fantasies.

I am always amazed, and even amused, by such declarations. We no longer believe in superstitions, right? Do you know any baseball players? Okay, then you know that superstitions are real. And then there are those who believe in crystals and the like. Yeah, we are living in a truly sophisticated era where everyone is rational and reasonable all the time. Just get on Facebook and you will see that, right?

Again, here’s the thing. We are more scientifically advanced than they were in the first century. We have more knowledge in many areas of life. But they knew something that we all know, too. Dead bodies don’t walk out of graves. Resurrections simply did not happen. And yet…

The claim was made that Jesus was alive. And there is more evidence for that than many will acknowledge. The truth is simple. If Jesus is not truly alive, then the entirety of Christianity is a farce and a lie. If His body were ever to be found, every church building should be sold (or given away), and we should cease to exist.

But we believe He is alive. The resurrection is true and real. We serve a risen Savior! Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!

Team Player

I am writing this on Wednesday morning, a week in advance, and they play tonight. So, I do not know the outcome of the game. But the MCA Buccaneers boys’ basketball team is playing in the Georgia High School State Tournament. They have already won two games. They are ranked in the top five in the state, and have been ranked number one for a couple of weeks. They are having an outstanding season.

The bottom line is this. By the time you read this they will have been eliminated from the tournament, or they will be preparing for the championship game in Macon later this week. There will be ecstasy, or agony.

How do I know this? Forty-eight years ago, about this time of year, I was playing in the state tournament. My Dacula Falcons won one game, but lost in the quarterfinal round. We finished the season with 26 wins and 3 losses. I remember peeling off that number 22 jersey in the locker room at Macon Coliseum for the last time. I cried like a baby.

Playing team sports was a powerful teaching tool in my life. I learned how to work with others. I learned to listen to, and learn from, a coach. And during my high school basketball playing days I learned a lot about race relationships. During my senior year the miniseries “Roots” debuted. My coach made practice accommodations for us to be home in time to watch it. Both watching the show, and listening to my teammates was quite the experience for me. It helped me to grow.

We live in a world that is deeply divided today. Race is simply one of the issues that divide us. I wonder. What would happen if we actually listened to one another? How would life change if we stopped screaming, and really heard what others were saying.

Your momma told you what I’m about to say. But you may need to hear it again. God gave you two ears and one mouth. There might be a reason for that. Paul wrote in Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.” I pray that we will do just that.

Shepherd Stealers

My wife and I will be traveling this weekend. It won’t be a long trip. Going back and forth to Jacksonville. Our son will be playing basketball, and it will be the first time this season we will get to watch him. His team is ranked in the top five in the nation.

I know, it sounds like a typical dad’s pride completely out of control, but this is a rather unique situation. Corey was in a catastrophic accident more than a decade ago. He suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down.

He plays basketball for the Shepherd Stealers, a team based out of the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, one of the most reputable rehabilitation centers in the nation for spinal cord injuries, head trauma, and stroke care. Corey was flown there from Charleston, South Carolina a couple of weeks after his accident, and has lived just a few miles from the Center since his discharge.

When I watch the Stealers play, I admit that I do so with mixed emotions. There is a measure of sadness, because I watched that same boy running and jumping up the court when he played high school basketball. I also watched him play soccer, the sport in which he excelled. I sometimes wonder why. And I wonder what if.

But I also get into the games, cheering for Corey and his team, griping about the referees, and hoping that they will come away with the win. I am just a bit competitive.

The fact is that life throws us curveballs. It does not go the way we would always like. God does not answer every prayer in the manner we wish He would. But don’t be fooled. He does answer prayer. And He never forgets us. I need to be reminded, and you probably do, too, that God’s love is never in doubt. He settled it on the cross. We trust Him because we know He loves us.

Sliding Toward a Collision

Our recent snow got me to thinking. I grew up in north Georgia, so I saw snow a few times. But it would snow, everything was cancelled for two days, it melted, and we went back to life as normal.

But in 1991 my family moved to Indiana, and we lived “up north” until 2005. So, I spent my fair share of time driving in bad weather, shoveling snow, and trying to get around in the wintertime. For the most part we did okay.

I will never forget the first time I felt completely out of control. I had been to the grocery store, and was still in the parking lot. I was going 5 mph as I approached the main road. I applied my brakes, and realized I was simply sliding toward the road. No matter how hard I pushed on the pedal, I was not stopping. The brakes were doing their job. The tires were not turning. But I was sliding and gliding toward an inevitable encounter with the car stopped in front of me. Not going fast. Just not stopping. Completely out of control.

How often does your life feel like that? Perhaps you have recently lost a loved one. Or you may have been given that diagnosis no one wants to receive. You may have too much month left at the end of the money. A child is rebelling. A spouse has decided to call it quits. And there is nothing you can do about it. It’s out of your control

What do you do? Well, the only thing I know to do is to ask God for help. In Psalm 18 David wrote, “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.” David trusted the Lord. That’s all he had, but that was enough.

And the Lord is enough for us, too. Again, life may not go as we desire. But God has not forgotten. He has not forsaken. He will help you. You can trust Him. On that day in Indiana I was fortunate that my car somehow stopped before colliding with the one in front of me. But I am certain of this. Even had it not, the Lord was with me. He always is.

Puzzles and Life

Forrest Gump famously said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” And he was right. We don’t know the future. We simply take things as they come our way.

I would also say that life is sometimes like a puzzle. My wife is really into putting puzzles together. Two Christmases ago I gave her a puzzle table that is currently set up in our upstairs room with a partially assembled 1000-piece puzzle. How she has the patience for that is beyond me.

I know how she goes about the process. First you find all of the edge pieces, and you build the border. Then you fill in the middle. To seek to do a puzzle any other way would probably lead to frustration and failure.

Sometimes life feels like putting together a puzzle from the middle out. That is especially true if you are not seeking to follow the Lord. His Word, His commands, His direction, is the border around life. Once that is intact we are better able to fill in the rest of the pieces. But if that border is missing, life can get off the rails quickly.

So many people are convinced that following the Lord is a chore. They believe that He wants to take away our fun. He wants to make us subservient and remove joy from our lives. But in Psalm 119:35 we read, “Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.” The psalmist claims to “delight” in obeying the Lord.

I’ve heard it said that the center of God’s will is the safest place to be. I’m not sure that is correct. It is not always safe to obey the Lord. But I am sure of this. The center of God’s will is the best place to be. I pray that you will find that place, and that you will delight in obeying the Lord, no matter where He leads.

Snow Storm ENZO

Well, that was fun, wasn’t it? I’m talking about winter storm Enzo. Ice and snow everywhere. Power outages. Five consecutive nights of temperatures in the twenties. And barely above freezing in the daytime. I’ve talked to a lot of people down here, and I have yet to hear one say, “I hope that happens again next week.” Rather, what I have heard more often has been, “I didn’t move here for this.”

Having lived where winter is a thing (Indiana and Michigan from 1991-2005), I have to tell you this. I would have been perfectly happy never to see another snowflake in my life. I have no intention to take a vacation where snow is likely. And I certainly do not want to live where shoveling snow is a regular requirement. No, I’m just not a fan.

And yet…My son and his family lost power for more than a day. They spent one night, and the better part of two days with us. And I watched the girls romp and play in the winter wonderland that surrounded my house and property. We built a snowman. And before it was over they had Papa pulling them around on a TV tray using the golf cart. And lo, and behold, Papa ended up on the tray behind the cart and had a good time after all.

The truth is that there is beauty and goodness all around us, even in the midst of the storms of life. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “In everything give thanks.” Notice he did not say to give thanks for everything. He said in everything. In the midst of our storms and trials we can give thanks, because we know that God is good. He has our best interest in mind. He loves us.

I’ll be completely honest with you. I will be quite satisfied if it never snows again. But if it does, I’ll probably find myself pulling those girls around, making memories, and laughing until my stomach hurts. And I will give thanks to God for the blessings He gives to us all.

“I Know Who Holds Tomorrow”

I’ve heard it said that life is like a toilet paper roll. The closer you get to the end, the faster it seems to go. I can attest to that. I remember impatiently awaiting my sixteenth birthday, already owning my first car, but unable to drive it alone until I passed that milestone and got my driver’s license.

But thirty came soon after that, and fifty, sixty, and sixty-five have zoomed by like traffic around I-285 in Atlanta. And if you are not familiar with I-285, simply give thanks to God and don’t worry about it.

It’s funny. When I turned fifty someone said something to me about being middle-aged. I’m not trying to be morbid, but fifty is not middle-aged for most folks. In fact, we make a big deal about someone living to 100. No, 35-40 is more in the middle-age category. Sorry if that bursts your bubble.

So, what is my point. It’s actually quite simple. Psalm 90:12 says, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” The psalmist’s point seems to be to make the most of each day. Each day is a gift, and we are not promised tomorrow.

Last year I preached the funeral of two close friends. One was a 45-year-old pastor who died suddenly of a heart attack. We had been friends and prayer partners for more than a decade. Being twenty years older, I had thought he would preach my funeral. The other was a deacon, golf partner, and close friend from a previous church. Just a little older than I am, he suffered several years from a rare form of cancer. The last time I saw him he weighed less than a hundred pounds. In both cases I grieved deeply. And I was forced to consider my own mortality.

“Man knows not his time,” the preacher wrote in Ecclesiastes. And more and more I realize that is true. As has often been said, “I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know who holds tomorrow.” And He is true and faithful. He can be trusted. He is good. I pray that you will learn to trust Him more.

The Book

Another year is underway, and I have again undertaken the task of reading through the Bible in this time. I did this the first time in 1976. My pastor challenged our entire church to read through the entire Bible, and gave us a reading plan that would allow us to accomplish that feat. I was a sixteen-year-old junior in high school when I started, and was a senior, seventeen years old when I completed it. It was a life changing experience for me.

I had read “Bible stories” my entire life. I could recite the books of the Bible in order. I had memorized several verses. But I had never read the entire book. I didn’t really understand how the story flowed. It was hard at times (Leviticus and Chronicles are a slow read for a teenage boy). But I persevered. And again, it changed my life.

Only four months after completing my reading through the Bible I answered the call into ministry. God used my time in His word to make clear that He was calling me to be a pastor, something I have now been doing for more than 42 years. And He gave me a desire to learn more about the Bible so that I could teach it to others.

I went on to college, and to seminary (two times) after that. And I have bought book after book with the intent to help me have a better understanding of what the Bible truly says. I hate to say it, but there is an appalling ignorance of the Bible, even in the church. And it’s not just that some people believe that the epistles were the wives of the apostles.

I’ve heard people quote John Wesley (cleanliness is next to godliness) and claim it is in the Bible. I’ve even heard someone quote Jiminy Crickets (Let your conscience be your guide) and say it is in the Bible. Not so. I’ve also heard people say, “The Bible contains the Word of God,” when it is actually true that, “The Bible is the Word of God.”

The Bible itself says that God’s Word is rich and powerful, often acting like a sword that cuts deeply in order to bring healing. The Bible contains the answers to our most significant questions. Are you as familiar with your Bible as you should be? Let me encourage you to read it alone, study it with others, and to, “Hide its word in your heart.” You’ll be glad you did.

“God is Great, God is Good”

“God is great. God is good…” So begins the little blessing prayer that I was taught as a little boy. It continues, “Let us thank Him for our food. By His hand we all are fed. Thank you, God, for daily bread. Amen.”

There was a time, when as a young boy and I was hungry, that I could say that little prayer so fast you would have great difficulty understanding one word of it. I’m not proud of that, but it was the case. Like so many other things, this prayer was a good thing for me when I was young. It taught me some basics in prayer. But it is not enough. I needed to grow and mature in my prayer life, and I certainly needed not simply to repeat words without thinking about them.

The fact is, even as an adult, I did not realize the full significance of this prayer until I took the time to study it with care. “God is great. God is good.” At first, these two phrases seem to say the same thing. They are merely repetition in order to emphasize the fact. But, as the football commentator sometimes says, “Not so fast, my friend.”

“God is great, God is good,” actually points out two separate things. That God is great means that He is magnificent and powerful and strong. He is the creator and sustainer of all that is. That God is good means that He is loving and kind and wants the best for us. Yes, God is both great and good, and that is good news for us all.

The greatness of God means that He is able to help us. The goodness of God means that He is willing to help us. And I am without words to contemplate the reality of both of these statements. I pray that you will celebrate with me the greatness and the goodness of our God.