The title of this blog may sound strange. No, I know for a fact it does sound strange. But then we know that God works in strange and mysterious ways. Recently a former employer of our grandson became angry and called him an idiot. Then this individual went on to say, "You can tell your grandparents too. Then they can shoot me dirty looks since they are such upstanding Christians."
Being a human being and a grandparent, my initial response was "pay backs are hell." I wanted to strick back, get even, take revenge or get someone in trouble. That proves the humanity in all of us, because most parents and grandparents have had those "pay back" moments. I remember years ago, seeing a man stand between a greyhound dog and a coyote. The hound was so intent on catching and destroying the wolfe that the man didn't slow it down and the man was seriously injured. I have sometimes, in my human moments, said, "You can say what you want about me, but don't you dare attack my kids." Thankfully, my wife is much wiser than I and usually tells me it's like Exlax. Wait until the next day and see if I still need it and often I find that I don't. The anger has somewhat subsided even if the hurt hasn't.
So what does a fortune cookie have to do with this? Today I had lunch in an oriental restaurant and after I finished eating I opened my fortune cookie. I wish I had actually kept it, but it started out by saying, "You are not bitter....." I said yea, I am too. But then I thought, "How did God give me that exact fortune cookie?" I almost always wonder how God did whatever. It is beyond my understanding, but then He does work in strange and mysterious ways in case you hadn't noticed. I then remembered part of Jesus' sermon on the mount in the section from Matthew 5 known as "The Beatitudes," where he said "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me." The world "blessed" actually translates "happy." That's why Dr. Robert Schuller calls them the "Be Happy Attitudes." Imagine that.....be happy when people say hurtful things because they know you are a Christian. Still, if we are honest with ourselves, the human side kicks in and says, "I'll be a lot happier when I get even." But the truth is we are not happier. The only way to be happy is to say, "Thank you Jesus that they recognize You in me." Jesus says, "Pray for your enemies." Strange thing......when you begin to pray for your enemies you wake up one day and realize they are no longer an enemy. How does that happen? It's a change of heart that can even start in a fortune cookie.
That forgiveness is not instant oatmeal. Sometimes it takes a while, but it happens when we pray for those who insult us, hate us, try to hurt us, tell lies about us. So, I invite you into a little experiment. Think of those who have treated you unfairly and pray for them everyday. Think of someone you may have judged for something they did and pray for God to forgive you and show you how you can help heal them. I grew up in the 60's generation and I remember one of my favorite songs was "What the world needs now is love, sweet love." What we need the most is the sweet love of Christ, healing, forgiving, strengthening, granting peace and restoring relationships. Love as Christ loves us......and think we killed him.
God bless you and God bless America. Next blog goes back to the political side of me.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Saturday, September 13, 2008
The Eye of the Storm
Hurricane Ike came ashore late Friday night on the Texas coast completely covering much of Gavelston Island. Saturday it remained a category 1 hurricane bringing destructive wind and flooding into parts of interior Texas. In Plaquemines Parish, near New Orleans, a sheriff's spokesman said levees were overtopped and floodwaters were higher than either hurricane Katrina or Rita. Unfortunately many people, either by choice or circumstance, rode out the storm. It was surely a terrifying experience.
This weekend we have also heard of a horrible head-on accident between a passenger train and a Union Pacific frieght train. There were many souls lost and many others with critical injuries. Those are just two of the disasters we read about or heard through the media. And, to top it off, last Thursday we remembered the tragic events of September 11, 2001. I think we all remember where we were on that fateful morning and what we were doing. As for me, I was at a men's prayer breafast at Hoke's Cafe in Ogallala, Nebraska. One of the men received a call from his wife when the first plane hit. We all prayed believing it was just a freak accident. Almost before the Amen was out of our mouths we learned of the second plane and then a third and then a fourth and we knew that America was under attack. I still get tears and chills when I think of that. People were jumping from the towers, people were stunned.
And then there are those personal and family disasters we face without any media coverage. It sometimes feels like we are trapped on a barrier island with a raging hurricane bearing down on us. But have you ever noticed that when the eye of the storm is upon us it is calm and clear. There are no winds, no rain, no panic, no fear, "no more mourning, no more crying, no more pain..." That's how the Bible describes the eye of the storm. Scripture says, "behold the old is gone and the new has come." Again Jesus says, "Behold I make all things new." In this world, my friends, there will be many storms. Some of life's storms my only be a cat. 1 but others will reach cat. 5 and the devastation will be significant. Christ promises to keep us safe in the eye where it is peaceful, although the storms are raging around us. This is not to say that there will be no storms in life, because we know there certainly will be. What Jesus does say is, "My peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." You see, in the eyes of the world we may be getting pounded. We may be facing catestrophic illness, financial loss, the loss of someone close to us but there is a "peace that passes all understanding." The world does not understand that, but we understand it because we know that our Lord keeps us in the "eye of the storm." Jesus tells us that "those who believe in me will never perish." Our body, or our "earthly tent" as scripture says, will certainly be destroyed. We all know that this life is only temporary whether we live a few years or more than a hundred. From dust we came and to dust we will return. But our life is not in the physical body. Our life is in Christ and the Holy Spirit that indwells us and "we will fly away." Our citizenship is in heaven. From God we came and to Him we will return. Jesus asked a man, "do you believe this." To that the man replied, "Yes Lord, I believe. But help me with my unbelief." That is our cry to him. Help me Lord where my faith is weak. Increase my trust in you. My grandmother used to say, "If you have to see it to believe, then you really don't believe." I now know that she spoke the words of Christ. She also used to sing to me, "It is no secret what God can do. What He's done for others He'll do for you." And no truer words have ever been spoken. God will take care of you. He didn't bring us this far to let us drown in the "Red Sea."
Let God through Christ keep you safe in the "eye of the storm." Remember, He died just for you. Read John 3:16 and in place of world insert your name. If the storm is beating you up and you can't quite feel the calm in the eye, talk to your pastor or priest or Rabbi. Ask a friend to pray for you. Just get on your knees....lift up your eyes and your hands and simply say, "Lord I need to feel the calm in the eye of this storm I am in." See what a wonderful peace he has to offer you.
God Bless each of you and God bless America. And please remember this is "one nation under God." Finally, if you have been blessed and have a few extra bucks please share them with those who are suffering today. You can do so by going to:
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