Weeds of Worry

God wasn't just kidding when He told Adam that, as the result of sin, mankind would henceforth earn his livelihood by great effort. ”The ground will sprout thorns and weeds, you'll get your food the hard way, planting and tilling and harvesting, sweating in the fields from dawn to dusk." (Genesis 3:18, 19). Farmers and gardeners still wage unending warfare with weeds. A field crop may produce 100 to 1,000 seeds per plant, but weeds outdo beneficial plants. The Colorado State Extension service reports, for example, that dandelions typically produce fifteen thousand seeds per plant. The common pigweed plant produces one hundred seventeen thousand seeds per plant. If just nine pigweed plants go to seed, they can scatter over one million seeds! And these seeds are viable for forty years! Not only do many other weeds excel in the quantity of seeds produced, their seeds too can remain viable in the soil for an exceptionally long time. And that, Adam, is why we have such a hard time getting rid of some of the things that grow where they're not wanted!

Jesus told a parable about thorns. A farmer went out in the planting season, broadcasting seed throughout his field. Some of the seed fell in a weedy patch, and when the tender plants came up, the thorns choked them out. Explaining His teaching, Jesus said that the seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of riches, so that no fruit is produced. (Matthew 13: 3-8, 18-23)

Your "worries of this life" are not identical to mine, but we all have them. Wealth may not be our problem, but those who have riches find it cannot purchase some of the things they most desire: health, love, a good name. The lack of riches is equally deceitful, often causing us to think that if we just had "more," our troubles would go away! We would do well to deal with these "weeds of worry" as quickly as possible, lest they reproduce a hundredfold—or a hundred seventeen thousandfold!

MaryMartha

Other posts about worry:
Too Many Irons in the Fire
Be Like a Flower
Worrying

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Info: how many seeds? http://www.ext.colostate.edu/ptlk/2113.html

Tolerance ≠ Compromise

Tolerance does not necessarily equal compromise. Obviously, lots of people in our society are not too concerned about pleasing God in their lifestyle. Many Christians, I think, are afraid of being considerate of them lest they should themselves face an accusation of being easy on sin. And that simply would not do!

In 1998, after Bill Clinton had made a very public personal failure and a public plea for forgiveness, Tony Campolo was called to act as Clinton's spiritual guide and counselor. In an ABC interview, he says he was asked by the President "to deal with his relationship with Jesus, and the sin in his life. That is not something I've made up, that's what he asked me to do. He called me about two weeks ago and said, 'I need for you to come and spend time with me each week to talk about Jesus, and to talk about my relationship with Jesus and to deal with the sin in my life.' "

The interviewer reminds him that people are apt to put a bad spin on this, that he is just being brought in to put a gloss of contrition on a circumstance that is very damaging for the President. And Tony replies, "Let me just tell you what Jesus is all about. It's about unconditional love and being willing to be crucified. . . . If I have to worry about the spin that other people give to my life instead of being responsible to answering to God for my motivation, I'll go crazy. I mean I don't know what the options are. Am I supposed to stand back here and play a game politically and say, 'How could the Democrats use this? How can the Republicans use this?' I'm only interested in one question: How can God use this? . . . I'm willing to be betrayed, if it gives me an opportunity to share Jesus and his love with a man who needs it very much." Was the Rev. Campolo afraid that "tolerance" will harm his image as a Baptist pastor and evangelist? No. He knows that to love as Jesus loved is not compromise.

The late Jerry Falwell, ultra-conservative televangelist and harsh critic of "pagans," abortionists, feminists and gays/lesbians had this to say in an MSNBC appearance in August of 2005, "I may not agree with the lifestyle," [quite obviously he did not], "but that has nothing to do with the civil rights of that part of our constituency." Equal access to housing and employment are basic rights, not special rights, he declared. "Civil rights for all Americans, black, white, red, yellow, the rich, poor, young, old, gay, straight, et cetera, is not a liberal or conservative value. It's an American value . . ." Did Dr. Falwell fear that giving equality to all citizens might be seen as weakness? No. He knew that to treat people fairly is not compromise.

It isn't necessary for us to approve sinful behavior in order to acknowledge another's right to their own choices, even if that is to keep on sinning. After all, it was God Himself who gave that person the freedom to choose. It is only a parable that Jesus told, but the prodigal son's father let him go. He did not force the son to stay under his father's jurisdiction. He was free to sin, just as we all are until we come under "new management."

"What happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely. Legalism is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified." (Galatians 5:22-24)

MaryMartha

My earlier post related to tolerance/political correctness [here]

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

The interview with Tony Campolo is located at http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/relrpt/trr9839.htm

Jerry Falwell's comments are at http://www.answers.com/topic/jerry-falwell#cite_note-15
under the heading, "Social and Political Views: Civil Rights."

Don't Be Too Happy!

A young man ecstatically declared to me recently, "I'm in love!" And sure enough, he glowed. (Do men glow? I'm not sure. But he was quite obviously enraptured by something out of the ordinary!) He went on, "What can I say? I want to sing something from Rodgers and Hammerstein! I'm so happy!" And then he added, sort of apologetically, "I know it won't last, but . . ."

I was reading, at the time, a memoir written by a woman who also was afraid of being too happy. She declared to her fiancé one day that she was truly happy for the first time in years, but then quickly sensed a dread of "the Evil Eye" reversing her good fortune, now that she had spoken aloud of it. This notion of denying our happiness in order to preserve it is a persistent idea in many cultures, and a caution sometimes observed by even the most sensible and careful thinkers.

Happiness sometimes is indeed an elusive thing, especially if we think of it as the giddy, "blissed-out" state that we so relish but could not possibly maintain over a long period of time. Regardless of what the Declaration of Independence says about having the right to pursue happiness, it usually doesn't work that way. Happiness as a goal falls short of attainment for most of us. In fact, many wise speakers and writers have said that happiness is found as a by-product along the way as we search for something more noble than our own shallow excitement.

In Scripture, the word that is translated as "happy" would be clearer if we understood it to mean "blessed" (blest) or even supremely blessed and fortunate. Read the Beatitudes again (the "Blesseds") in Matthew 5 and you will see that those whom Jesus declared "happy" were not the blissful. They were the poor, the sad, the humble, those who were hungry for justice but willing to be merciful, the pure of heart, and those who sought peace but were persecuted for doing right. Jesus told His disciples, “These things I have spoken to you [about abiding in His love], that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." (John 15:11)

The gospel chorus is true,

This joy that I have, the world didn't give it to me
. . . The world didn't give it; the world can't take it away.

This love that I have, the world didn't give it to me
. . . The world didn't give it; the world can't take it away.

This peace that I have, the world didn’t give it to me
. . . The world didn't give it; the world can't take it away.

MaryMartha

Another entry related to happiness is "Things Mama Taught Me: Life Isn't Always Fair," located [here].

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Pomp and Circumstance

A few mornings ago, I heard on a radio station which plays classical music the stirring "Pomp and Circumstance." It's stirring because it usually reminds us of processioning down the aisle of an auditorium for a graduation ceremony, although in my case, it was across a football field in the blazing sun. I cried tears of sheer relief after the commencement exercises were over and I had my degree in hand. The four years of commuting to another city for graduate studies was over, work that I had done while holding a full-time job and being a single parent. I was not awarded any special honors, but I didn't care. It was enough to have "finished the course and kept the faith"!

I am reminded of an often-repeated story, told with varying details, but this is how I remember having heard it when I was very young. An elderly preacher, now in ill health, was returning to the States after many years of service in Africa. As the ship approached the harbor, he saw a huge crowd gathered. He was nearly overwhelmed by the thought of so many honoring him for his almost-unnoticed work for the Kingdom of God. "Oh my, what a welcome!" he thought.

As the ship docked, however, he saw that the signs being held up said, "Welcome home, Mr. President!" Theodore Roosevelt was returning from an African safari, and the missionary happened to be on the same ship. With sinking heart, he realized that the crowd was not for himself; in fact, he was to discover that not one single person was there to greet and honor him. The veteran missionary turned to God in his bitter disappointment. "Lord, I have served you faithfully all these years. No one seems to care that I have given everything—even my health—for the sake of the Gospel. Couldn't there have been even one person here to welcome me home?" And he heard the comforting voice of the Spirit of God, "But just wait. You're not Home yet!"

What a day that will be! Graduation! Commencement! Homecoming! "Welcome home!" Perhaps even, "Congratulations!" All of those rolled into one. And most of all, the words of our Savior, "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord." (Matthew 25:23 KJV)

MaryMartha

"It Doesn't Mean Me"

One of my friends was walking with her granddaughter in a local park recently. The twelve-year-old was eager to practice her skill at some of the exercise stations along the path, but Grandma cautioned her, "No, the sign says not to be used by children under age 13."

"But it's okay for me," the child insisted. "I can do it. It doesn't mean me."

And then I read an article by a former "top doctor," Physician to the President, in an earlier administration. She said most of these patients are difficult. "They are not compliant." Stay in bed today, exercise more, whatever. "They don't think the rules apply." It doesn't mean me.

A young Kansas girl and the man in the highest office in the land, and a host of people in between are thinking—"It doesn't mean me."

• Is that why a young man orders sunny-side-up eggs, even though the printed menu says that the restaurant recommends they be thoroughly cooked?
  
• Is that why a driver gets stopped for speeding through a highway work zone that seems deserted?
• Is that why high government officials are caught in nasty affairs?
• Is that why so many of the rich and famous have ended in financial disaster?
• Is that why Christians ignore the plain teaching of the Scripture to "love one another with a pure heart, fervently"?
  

Yes, it does too mean me.

MaryMartha

Not How It Used to Be

Nearly four hundred years after King Solomon completed the construction of the glorious Temple of God, it was destroyed by the Babylonians (586 BC). The invading army carried most of the citizens away, leaving only the poorest to care for the land. Eventually, some of the exiled were permitted to return, and with the support of the Persian ruler Cyrus and later Darius, the Temple was rebuilt (515 BC). The dimensions of the Second Temple were likely the same as that of the first, perhaps even on the repaired foundations of the first, but there was no way to reproduce the splendor. Both David and Solomon had opened their vast treasuries for the building and extravagant furnishing of God's house. Even with the aid of sympathetic foreigners, the present means of people in this desolate country were small compared to the immense resources of the former kings during prosperous circumstances.

"When the builders completed the foundation of the Lord’s Temple, the priests put on their robes and took their places to blow their trumpets. And the Levites, descendants of Asaph, clashed their cymbals to praise the Lord, just as King David had prescribed. With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the Lord: 'He is so good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!' Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s Temple had been laid. But many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple’s foundation. The others, however, were shouting for joy." (Ezra 3:10-12 NLT)

Those who knew the sadness of having no temple at all were overjoyed when they saw the foundation of the new one laid. To them, this was like food to a starving person. But for those who could remember the grandeur of the first temple, this new one would surely be far inferior. There was no likelihood at all of its being so richly decorated with precious materials. They wept aloud, their cries mingling with the cheers around them. Some translations say these were "ancient men," seventy or eight years old (uh oh!) They lamented, "This is not how it used to be."

I cannot help but think of this story when I hear some of my fellow church-goers speak slightingly of contemporary worship forms and church direction. Rather than bewail the loss of how things used to be, we must accept that many of those around us do not share the same memories. They, like the spiritually starved younger generation of Israelites, are overjoyed at the prospect and reality of worshipping in the presence of God together. We "ancient" folks are grown-ups now; we can feed ourselves, if need be. If you miss the old hymns, find a hymn book and sing yourself into grace! If you miss old-fashioned "cottage" prayer meetings, get some folks together! If you miss lively revival services, look around; they may not be in tents any more, but they still do exist in many places!

This is not how it used to be? Of course not. Nothing is. I'm with the Apostle Paul who declared, "So how am I to respond? I've decided that I really don't care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. Every time one of them opens his mouth, Christ is proclaimed, so I just cheer them on!" (Philippians 1:17 MSG)

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

What You're Worth

When I was growing up, the value of an average human body when broken down into its basic elements and minerals was, if I remember correctly, something like sixty-seven cents. Of course, prices have gone up! Now one of us is worth about $4.50!

But that was before organ transplants and implants of various kinds. Because of newer medical technologies, the body is worth much more than its chemical components. A survey published in "Wired" magazine several years ago gave hospital and insurance company estimates: a lung is worth $116,400, a kidney $91,400, a heart $57,000. (Keep in mind that selling organs in illegal, unethical, and also in many cases impossible!) Furthermore, these vital organs are no longer the most valuable of our body parts. Bone marrow heads the list with a thousand grams priced at $23,000 per gram, totaling $23 million. DNA can fetch $9.7 million and extricated antibodies, another $7.3 million. Ladies, ovum could bring in $224,000 over eight years. When broken down into fluids, tissues, and other components, our bodies are worth more than $45 million.

Now with the earth's population at nearly 6.8 billion along with all our acquisitions, plus the earth's natural resources, there is astronomical value residing in the world. And yet—there is something even more valuable. "What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?" (Matthew 16:26) When God looks at our world, He doesn't see just canyons and trees, oil reserves, puppies and whales, and little people running everywhere. He sees His eternal Kingdom temporarily inhabiting those "little people." Whether you feel like a million dollars or not on any given day, you are of inestimable worth to Him!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

The statistics on body parts are taken from a cache of http//:soundmedicine.iu.edu/archive/2003/quiz/humanWorth.html The website itself has changed.

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

Many children go through a stage of being afraid of the dark. Before about two years of age, their imagination is not developed enough to envision what scary things might be waiting for them. But two- to four-year-olds are able to recreate in their minds the things they have been exposed to in real life. Even if these things were only imaginary, such as those created in storybooks or TV or older children's tales, small children do not always know the difference between pretend and real. The imagined dangers grow even scarier in the dark. Without the ability to understand their alarm and reason it away, little people sometimes have very big fears.

Usually, by the time we are adults, we have been able to put aside imagined perils in the dark and have learned only the prudent cautions that wisdom dictates. But there is one area of life that we may continue to be overwhelmed by the darkness: when we cannot see our way spiritually. There are some famous examples:

* Job in the Bible, suffering intensely both physically and emotionally, desperately pleaded with God for deliverance. His misery was intensified by what seemed to be God's disregard for his plight.

* Saint John of the Cross, a Carmelite priest in the 16th century, was imprisoned by the brothers of his Order who opposed his reforms. He wrote extensively about "the dark night of the soul."

* Mother Teresa experienced an extended period of spiritual night from 1948 until shortly before her death in 1997, but never wavered in her determination to save the thrown-away children of Calcutta even when she experienced no rapturous spiritual rewards.

* Many Christians, even those who are strongly devoted to God and have a consistent prayer life, go through periods of "dryness" and difficulty for a time. They may feel their faith has collapsed or even that God has abandoned them.

If you experience a spiritual night, remember that, like the fearful child, what you imagine is scarier than the reality. God has not forsaken you! Yes, it is dark, but that simply means He is very near. "How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings." "He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection." (Psalm 36:7; 91:4)

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. (Matthew 23:37)

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by." (Psalm 57:1)

Francis Thompson, English poet who wrote "Hound of Heaven," asks, "Is my gloom, after all, shade of His hand, outstretched caressingly?" Is this darkness, after all, the covering of His wings, holding me with unfailing love?

We cannot expect to see much when we're under His wings! It is dark under there. And completely safe.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Unauthorized Biographies

Many celebrities, past and present, are the subjects of "unauthorized biographies," which simply means the book was written without the permission or perhaps even the knowledge of the person whose life is depicted. Of course, if the author wants to avoid lawsuits, there are certain rules to be kept: the material cannot be libelous or an invasion of privacy, and must not infringe on a copyright or constitute a breach of contract.

So the Bible is clear full of unauthorized biographies! Did God ever ask any of the men or women whose stories we read, "Do you mind if I publish this?" He just had His inspired writers tell it like it is! People with admirable qualities are held up as examples; sometimes, like Rahab the harlot, they have only one stellar quality and are remembered for that. (See Hebrews 11) Many of the stories very honestly show both the strengths and the weaknesses—even the sin—of the individuals they present. A few of them:

* Abraham--great in faith, but impatient and not always truthful.
* David--a man with a God-heart, yet he committed adultery and murder.
* Saul--anointed Israel's first king, then fell to greed and pride.
* Peter--eager follower of Jesus, but also denied Him.
* Martha--loved and served the Lord, although hurried and worried.

Others less well-known who might be commended on some counts, but not on others:

* Demas--joined Paul on a missionary journey, then abandoned it for the world's attractions.
* The Ephesian church--patient and hard-working, but left their first love of Christ.
* Diotrephes--a church member, but inhospitable and wanted first place
* Euodia and Syntyche in the Philippian church—and could not get along with each other.

How much richer the Bible record is for including flaws and failures! What if God had approached each individual to ask, "Do I have your permission to publish this?" Great portions of the Scripture would never have been written. After all, you wouldn't want every detail of your whole life displayed for posterity, would you? (Nor would I!) Without the whole truth, we would have only the accounts of success, wealth and popularity. We would have perfect saints, exclusively, with whom to compare ourselves as we seek to serve God. How discouraging! God was so wise just to go ahead and include in the Bible story a lot of unauthorized biographies!

MaryMartha

Things Mama Taught Me: Don't Force Your Opinion on Others

My siblings and I are not shy about having our own opinions; we have them on almost everything! Thankfully, we don't find it necessary to persuade everyone around us to follow our lead, a mostly useless endeavor anyway. Our mother said clearly and often, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." This old proverb has been used in different forms by a number of modern authors, Dale Carnegie for one, but I doubt that she had ever read "How to Win Friends and Influence People." It's been around for a very long time, perhaps two or three hundred years. Mary Wollstonecraft, a famous British writer and feminist, used a variation of the quote in her 1792 treatise, "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman." Its placement in quotation marks there indicates that it was not original with her; she either did not know origin of the saying or assumed that it was so popularly known that citing the source was unnecessary. She may have been misquoting lines from Samuel Butler's 17th century poem, "Hudibras":

He that complies against his will
Is of his own opinion still
Which he may adhere to, yet disown,
For reasons to himself best known.

Whether that thought was Butler's own or borrowed from an even older saying, we'll probably never know, but regardless of the source, Mama was right. It's pretty hard to force someone to think as you do. They may seem to acquiesce, but like the little boy who was sent to sit in the corner, they are "still standing up on the inside."

It is proper and right to have an opinion on things, but I don't have to weigh in with my opinion on everything! I even have to examine regularly my need to write: "Will I do so even when I do not know who out there in the cyber world is reading?" (Yes.) It is indeed important to stand up for what is right—but one could spend all their waking hours trying to correct the multitude of errors and wrongs to be found around us. And speaking frankly, most of those attempts would be only verbal—a blast of hot, but empty, opinion about this person or that situation—with there being very little that we could actually do about it.

Still, even if some people are argumentative, having opinions is a good thing and being free to express them is . . . priceless! "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." I thank God for freedom of speech.

And for Mama who taught us some lessons about how to use it.

MaryMartha

You may want to read related entries in this blog:
Don't Confuse Me with the Facts
Of Peanut Butter, Critical Reviews, and Tuning In
In All Things Charity

Info on the quotes:
(1) http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-305408,articleId-41563.html.
(2) Attributed to Voltaire, French philosopher and author, 1694-1778. The Columbia World of Quotations. 1996.

A Huge Crowd

This year, 2009, is the fortieth anniversary of the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, "3 Days of Peace & Music," familiar as simply Woodstock. It was a spectacular example of a Sixties event known as a "be-in," (in contrast with "sit-in" and the like) and remains culturally significant to this day. Over a three day period, August 15-18, a crowd of mostly young people listened to the top performers of rock, folk, and progressive popular music of that era. The site in the Catskill Mountains of New York had been selected because it had a natural bowl-shaped performance area, plus plenty of space for camping. The Festival organizers had anticipated a crowd of twenty or thirty thousand, possibly fifty thousand. As ticket sales advanced, they revised their estimate to 75,000, or maybe even 100,000. Wrong! Roughly half a million young people from all over the country descended on the area for what of necessity turned into a free event, creating critical shortages of food, drinking water and toilet facilities. Plus it rained off and on, making a tough situation even worse. Afterwards, the organizers and fans spent five days and $100,000 cleaning up the tons of trash.

When I was reminded of Woodstock this month, I began to compare it with other huge crowds. African American men conducted the Million Man March on Washington, D.C. in 1995, to draw attention to urban and minority issues. The number of attendees became a matter of bitter controversy, with estimates ranging from considerably under a million to just over that figure. Multiple sources conclude that the crowd for President Obama's inauguration this past January was the largest ever in Washington; the official estimate—contested, of course—being 1.8 million. (The trash was historic too.)

With no sound system like that at Woodstock or Jumbotrons such as were used at the inauguration, I can't imagine how all the people of Israel participated in the dedication ceremony for the magnificent temple Solomon had constructed! (I Kings 8) Some years earlier, King David had conducted a census of the kingdom, counting all the men eligible for military service, aged twenty and up. His captain, Joab, reported the figure as 1,570,000 but had excluded the Levites and the tribe of Benjamin. Subsequently, however, 70,000 men died in a plague, leaving a million and half (I Chronicles 21:5-6, 14), although the two uncounted tribes could add more hundreds of thousands to the total. Did they all come to the dedication? Or was it only the elders, heads of tribes, chief fathers, and priests? Did those younger than twenty come too? Or perhaps the women and children came as well, since the Scripture says "all the congregation of Israel." From the various descriptions, we just can't tell, but it was a huge crowd!

I think God doesn't need loudspeakers and enormous screens to make His people recognize His presence. When the Ark of the Covenant was brought into the temple, the singers and instrument players began praising the Lord—a good-sized worship team with 120 trumpeters alone! "He is good! His mercy endures forever!" Then a cloud of glory filled God's house, so heavy that the priests could not continue their service. Wouldn't the crowed, however large it was or how far away those on the edge were, see and feel that Presence? No disrespect to Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin or to President Obama, but they can't compare to God Himself showing up on the scene!

The dedication ceremony with sacrifices and worship went on for seven days, and the feasting and celebration continued for another seven. When the festivities ended, the king dismissed everyone to go back to their homes, they blessed him in return, and went on their way with gladness in their hearts for the goodness of God to His people. (No mention is made in Scripture of the trash, but certainly there were no sleeping bags or Styrofoam cups!)

Whether you think of Woodstock as something in your lifetime or know it only as a historical event, remember that for centuries, millions of God's people too have had peace and music on their minds.

MaryMartha

Desperate to Be Heard

A couple of weeks ago, a cyber attack caused Twitter, the social network with more than forty-four million users to shut down for a couple of hours. Facebook and the blogging site LiveJournal were also affected to a lesser degree. What surprised me when this incident was reported was not that it had happened, since even U.S. government sites have proved to be not 100% secure. What caught my attention was user reaction to the loss of their communication link.

For some, the blackout created near-panic. "I can't update! I can't update!" Online communication, in their lives, is not just a hobby or an amusement but a crucial part of social interaction. Suddenly having that cut off was upsetting, even frightening; it is a veritable lifeline. One user said she felt naked without Twitter. I am from the pre-Internet generation and that seems strange to me, because she also said that "pretty much everyone knows almost every detail of my life" by her postings on Twitter. Now that would make me feel "naked"!

Years ago, in an information technology class, the instructor told us how important personal interaction was going to be in the coming years. "A high-tech society is going to demand high-touch too," he said, emphasizing that those of us who went into service careers would have to be people-oriented as well as computer-savvy. I think we see that happening. The young people who were brought up on television and electronic games are desperate to be heard. And not just the kids, because the more automated and hurried and impersonal our personal environments become, the more a lot of us wish we could just talk to someone. We too want to be heard.

We might like to think this would be solved if everyone sat down and ate dinner together. It would help, we may suppose, if teachers could have class discussions instead of spending so much time trying to maintain order. Or we just need to "unplug."

That's not likely to happen! What people want is not just to talk; they want to be heard. Nielson Online, a research firm that measures Internet traffic, reported in April that Twitter's audience retention rate is about 40% after one month of membership. It is hard to build and keep an audience, and when what a person is saying is not "heard," they are probably going to quit talking.

What I can do in my small world, and you can do in yours, is to listen, really listen. Whether you use letters and e-mails, phone calls and text messages, or actually engage in face-to-face conversation, give your friends or family members the evidence that they are being heard.

MaryMartha

Another post on listening: http://findingthefaithway.blogspot.com/2008/12/simple-gift-listening.html

Information on Twitter:
www.crn.com (Search terms: nielson report twitter)
www.money.cnn.com (Search: twitter denial of service)

Learning the Rules

"Come and play this game with us. You'll learn the rules as you go along."

Don't you just hate that? I can think of few endeavors where we are expected to follow the rules but are not given an opportunity to learn what those are. We don't do that with our jobs, our group memberships, our business dealings, certainly not with driving a car or getting married! Only with activities that are supposed to be fun!

I am not implying that life is merely a game, especially not the life of faith in Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, there are some rules, if you want to call them that. Perhaps "principles" is a better word, or "life applications." These are things that we learn as we go along that enable us to live in joy and peace. The difference is that God doesn't leave us alone to stumble around until we happen to discover what works, but He comes alongside to ensure that we are successful. Jesus told His followers, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth . . . [You] know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:16-18 NASB)

I have hidden some Easter eggs for the grandkids to find. (This was a long time ago!) They have easily located the green ones that are in the grass and the yellow ones that are among the pansies. But they haven't found the eggs stuck in the drainpipe or wedged into the gatepost. Do I say, "Too bad!" and end the hunt? Of course not! I begin offering hints until they make the connection or I give "warmer/cooler" instructions until they cannot miss the treasure!

Would God be harsher about my finding the truth than I am about the children finding eggs? He encourages us and "gives hints," until we make the connection. He guides and instructs us, and even when we make mistakes, He is still there, persistently correcting our search until we can't miss the Kingdom treasure!

What a wonderful Father and Friend!

MaryMartha

But If Not

These are troubled times, economically and socially, and some of the voices I hear around me express fear or anger. How anxious we become if any of the comforts and conveniences to which we've become addicted are threatened! Compared to much of the rest of the world, we live very privileged lives. Some of the things which we consider our "rights," are totally unknown in other places, but ease is not an essential part of the Gospel. We would like to think that it is, but the experience of Christians elsewhere does not attest to that. If the "American" gospel of peace and prosperity does not work in slums and refugee camps and political prisons, then it is not really the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As Jesus' followers, we cannot be harmed! But, one could argue, ineffective leadership and questionable legislation and illogical court decisions harm believers too, just the same as people who don't love God. Yes, of course. That is the point: "just the same." Christians are not excluded from the difficulties that a broken world full of searching people causes. But surely God delivers His people, doesn't He? Yes, but not always from the calamity or out of the distress. Hear what the Apostle Paul has to say: "Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? . . . No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us." (Romans 8:35, 37 NLT) We cannot ultimately be harmed!

"God wouldn't let it happen," we fondly hope: all-out war, religious persecution, a broken home, desperate poverty, wasting disease, violent death. "We have to live." No, the experience of Christians in many other parts of the world does not bear that out, and neither does the experience of Paul and thousands of people since his time. Death may be the last enemy of Jesus Christ, but it is not the worst. Jesus taught His followers not to fear those who could destroy the body, because "there's nothing they can do to your soul, your core being. Save your fear for God, who holds your entire life—body and soul—in his hands." (Matthew 10:28 MSG)

I love the attitude of the young Hebrew men in the Old Testament who were threatened with death if they did not worship the image set up by the king. I hope Christians in these uncertain days can develop the same stand. "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17, 18 NKJV) It is almost incidental that God did spare them; the fire burned only the ropes that bound them. When they came out, there was not even the smell of smoke on them. God did not have to do that, because they were already free! The king had no power over them when they set their hearts on God and declared, "We won't bow down." The fire could not destroy their determination to trust and honor Him with their lives—or their deaths.

While we desperately look for a way to escape distress or to avoid it altogether, the Enemy of our souls has us at his mercy. He can bind us with fear, self-pity, bitterness, and doubt. "God can and will deliver" is an important stand of faith, and when we can say, "But if He doesn't . . ." nothing can ultimately harm us. We are already delivered.

MaryMartha

Perhaps of interest to you:
http://findingthefaithway.blogspot.com/2008/07/god-sees-sparrows-fall.html
http://findingthefaithway.blogspot.com/2009/05/does-god-always-provide-bread.html

Scripture quotation marked NLT is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture marked NKJV taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Back to School

Local area schools start next week or the week after. So although it is a very old story with many variations, I am going to risk telling you my favorite school joke.

Mary: I don't want to go back to school!

Mother: Aren't you excited about wearing all your pretty new clothes?

Mary: No! I don't want to go to school

Mother: Don't you want to see all the boys and girls that are your friends?

Mary: No! I don't want to go to school!

Mother: But surely you want to see all the nice teachers again!

Mary: I told you! I don't want to go to school!

Mother: How about the janitor and the cooks who are so helpful?

Mary: No! No! I don't want to go to school!

Mother: Well, Mary, you are the principal and you have to go.

(So if you are a school employee or student, off you go.
And if you are a parent—whee!)

MaryMartha

Problems

Problems—everybody has them. I am not thinking of devastating crises like job loss or terminal illness or a house fire, but just ordinary day-to-day problems. They can be as large as hail doing a job on your car or as small as fleas on the dog. If you have none of these problems, then you have probably already died and gone to heaven!

Some problems come because we need to learn something. I bought a smaller car because I had the problem of not seeing very well out of a long, wide one. (I kept backing into things!) A friend started taking a water exercise class because her aching knees were a problem. A co-worker found that eating nuts created a dental problem, and she learned to decline. Many problems are quite simple once we address them, and there's no need to search for some deep, existential meaning in them.

Some problems come to help us find a different direction. A specific financial need propelled me into a job which I have found well-suited and rewarding. The refusal of a loan officer helped someone discern a truer calling than the proposed business venture. Being bumped off an airline flight enabled my friends to meet a lovely traveling companion. We have not necessarily erred in judgment or made poor choices, but the problem can be signaling, "Wait! Maybe there's a better way of doing this."

And some problems just are. They come to us as part of the human experience. A case of the sniffles or a traffic tie-up or a leak in the kitchen sink is not necessarily trying to teach you something or help you find the right direction—that is, unless you have been sleeping less than four hours a night or you were already late when you left for work or you've ignored the damp spot under the sink for a week. Then maybe there is indeed something significant about the problem you have!

So many problems! Some quipster said, "Mama told me there'd be days like this. She said there would be some even worse. She just didn't tell me there would be so many!" It's good to know that we have an "everyday" Jesus, not just for huge crises. Here is my personal paraphrase of Psalm 139:1-6: "O Lord, you know everything about me. You know when I sit down to leftovers for the third night in a row. You know when I stand up and my knees hurt. You know my thoughts even when I'm having anxious dreams. You see me when I travel into the traffic jam, and when I rest at home with the TV that isn't working right. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!"

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

My Thermometer

I have, in a prominent place in my living room, a beautiful and interesting object—a Galileo (or Galilean) thermometer, so named for its inventor, Galileo Galilei, the Italian physicist, mathematician and astronomer. It consists of sealed glass cylinder containing a clear liquid (not water) with a "stacked" series of glass bulbs filled with different colored liquids for the attractive effect. Attached to the bulbs are metal disks, each varying in weight by an extremely small amount—less than a milligram, about like a grain of salt. As the liquid in the tube is warmed or cooled by the variation in room temperature, it decreases or increases in density, and the bulbs and their weights rise or sink accordingly. The approximate temperature is read from the engraved tag attached to the bulb which is floating in the gap between the top bulbs and the bottom ones, or is judged to be between the two stacks. Is that not ingenious?

I've heard many times that Christians must be like thermostats, not thermometers—setting the "temperature" of their surroundings rather than responding to them. But I propose that we are indeed to respond to our environment, not in some wishy-washy way, but as quietly and effectively as my thermometer. It's nice to think that could change the whole atmosphere of the place where we work or go to school or shop. While we certainly contribute to the total effect, most of us cannot greatly alter the circumstances. What we can do, however, is to be stable, dependable, trustworthy. We can be useful, helpful, and purposeful.

And maybe even beautiful and interesting.

MaryMartha

Prairie Oasis

The lake is perfectly still, except for tiny silver streaks where water creatures break the mirrored surface. Now and then, something that had been sun-bathing leaps back into the water for a swim. Circles ripple outward until they reach the shore, where the reflected beams of light dance into the canopy of leaves above. Across from me, the grassy bank and the hill beyond are so heavily covered with dew that in the early morning sunshine, they glisten almost like snow.

Birds call: a mourning dove, a cardinal, quail, a faraway crow. A beetle scurries across the patio, headed home to the dark, cool mulch between the stones in the adjacent planted area. The hosts' deep-toned wind chime sounds like distant church bells, calling me to worship.

Later, in the "Lost Boys' Hideout," I sit on one of stumps encircling that shady spot and let the breeze dry my damp face. A huge buzzing insect of some kind comes to investigate but decides that I'm not good to eat. (Too much Off ® !) A few tall stems of grass, backlit by the sun, glow a translucent green, and seedling evergreens, only an inch high, reach for the life-giving light. The tall trees around me raise their leafy arms in the breeze, breathing in so gently, then lowering their boughs, breathing out. They breathe in, they breathe out. After awhile, since no one is watching, I breathe too: up and in very gently, down and outward just as gently—inhaling stillness as well as air.

Such beauty and peace! I am grateful.

MaryMartha

--Especially for R and R, http://www.prairieoasis.com/
and for M who loves the beautiful P.O. as much as I do.

Floaters

My eyes are aging. Well, to be honest, the rest of me is also, but I am noticing the eyes. In the past, I've occasionally had "floaters," those fiber-like things that floated in my vision; after awhile, they always went away. But recently, I had a sudden accumulation of clumps and strings along with flashes of light. Naturally, I consulted my optometrist. He examined my eye with great care and found there was no imminent danger of a retinal tear. These symptoms are very common as the result of age-related changes in the eyes, he explained, and told me I could expect improvement in a few days or weeks. The floaters would wash down out of my direct line of sight or I would get used to seeing past them.

If I focus on what is right up in my face, I see spots and strings and a hazy net-like obstruction. A little further out, I see lines in the lenses of my glasses, and also the frames. I can see the end of my nose too. But when I focus on these, I can't see anything else very well. I know there is a computer screen out there but I cannot read it, and there is a lamp lighting the desk but I would not be able to describe it. Why? Because I have chosen to focus on something very near to me, excluding other things. If I want to see clearly something that is past my own nose, I will have to look past the tiny things that would interfere.

What a parable of spiritual vision! I don't even need to explain it.

MaryMartha

Never Late

In a world of fast food, high-speed travel, and almost-instant communication, we rather expect God too to act quickly on our behalf! The Creator of days and nights, months and years, views time somewhat differently than we earth creatures do, so that our expectation of His timely help may be skewed. Oh yes, we believe He is going to take care of the situation, but when? "On time" for us often translates to "now," and that may not be how God sees the situation at all.

The prophet Jeremiah sent a long letter to the captive Israelites, assuring them of God's continued care and His eventual deliverance for them. One verse from that passage is a favorite of many people: " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' " (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) Well then, let's see those plans unfolding now, the prosperity now, the hopeful future now!

That was not God's way. Before the wonderful promise we often quote, this caution is written, "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." (Jeremiah 29:10, 11 MSG) Not a day before God's time was right would there be the answer the people longed for. Not a day before God has completed His wise preparation will we see Him show up to take care of us as He promised.

As I was growing up, I often heard ministers and evangelists expound on God's faithfulness by saying, "God is never late, although He's seldom early." It often takes awhile—most of a lifetime, perhaps—for us to learn that is how He works. The Psalmist said, "My times are in Your hand." Indeed, the entire great expanse we call "time" is held by God, so we can absolutely trust Him with the tiny piece of it that concerns you and me.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation marked NIV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.