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I suppose you have noticed….the nature of life…life is full of problems.
We returned home earlier this week to find the air conditioning unit not functioning. Fortunately, the fix was an easy one–new fan motor and relatively inexpensive (as AC repairs go!).
Jan’s car stopped last month–then it started up again. After driving the car several hundred miles, the repair shop did not identify any problem. We picked it up and have driven it another hundred miles. But Jan is not very comfortable with the idea of driving it very far–especially since the trip to her mother’s involves some areas of southeast Oklahoma where cell phone service is not available. Time to look for a different car.
The house insurance bill came. The annual premium did not go down. It went up quite significantly. At least the due date is still a month away.
Basic, routine medical checkups this year have bumped up our medical costs–Jan says we are only $500 from meeting our high deductible. That sounds like a “good news, bad news” statement to me. Good news is that future costs (few anticipated) will not involve so much out-of-pocket. Bad news is that we have spent a lot out-of-pocket in this calendar year.

I suppose you have noticed….the nature of life…life is full of blessings.
We were warmly received last evening at church after a four-week absence. We are blessed with a wonderful church family–in fact, we are blessed with multiple church families who love us and care for us.
We arrived home safely on Monday after about 1000 miles and 16+ hours of driving.
The evening and early morning temperatures have moderated–the attic fan is pulling in fresh, cool air this morning, and the morning walk was invigorating.
We are able to pay the house insurance premium.
God blesses us with opportunities to make a difference through ministry and missions.

Life is not perfect. Life is what you make of it. The most meaningful life is focused on something beyond life here on planet Earth.

It is no easy thing to celebrate each day. Days are filled with challenges, difficulties, and so many little things that they sometimes all run together. It is not easy to take time and relish the full moon illuminating the early morning sky today, the puffy clouds sailing past, the refreshing breeze that says fall will come again this year despite the promise of 100 degree temperatures this week.

Today we will attend the funeral of one of my first cousins in Arkansas. We shared time with most of the cousins and many of the second and third generation cousins at a family reunion earlier this month. There were 21 of us first cousins all together–Sharon was only the second to decease. A reminder that we are growing older should give even more reason to celebrate the day.

I will look today for the little things of life and I will celebrate and rejoice in them–above all because God is the giver of life and the giver of days.

Are you lucky? Whether your answer is “yes” or “no”, why did you respond as you did? Since I do not particularly like the concept of “luck”, let me rephrase the question. Where do we see the unique blessings of God in our lives?

Our grandchildren were with us over the past weekend. One of them said, “You are lucky. You have a dishwasher. My other grandparents don’t have a dishwasher.”

It has been a long time since I considered having a dishwasher a blessing from God. How many other blessings are there which I have overlooked? We take a lot for granted. God forgive us!

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ first recorded discourse, Matthew’s Gospel records these words of Jesus, “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:11-16). Although Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), we are the light of the world as we imitate him. We seek light so we will not walk in darkness, and we shine to make it easy for others to find the pathway and walk in the light. Light has come into the world but the world does not comprehend it, and in fact has rejected it. Paul writes of those who reject the light because their deeds are evil. Evil doers are active at night, not in the daytime. Light is to be shared—when my candle lights my own path, it also lights the path of those around me.

Christians cannot escape the responsibility to let our lights shine. We will never escape the obligation to walk in the servant footsteps of Jesus. The words of Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), will never go out of style for genuine Christians.

One church Jan and I attended gives unique names to its classes and ministries (one way to escape the worn terminology of Young Adult 1, Young Adult 2, Auditorium, etc.). I remember teaching or attending the Encouragers, Builders, Sowers, Upwards, and VIP. The latter class (Voices in Praise) spent more time than normal at the beginning of class in singing. One of the ministries of that church is called Pathfinders. The name says it all!  That name reminds me of the need to let my light shine and help others find the way.

In Matt. 5:16, Jesus called his disciples to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven.” Let us shine brightly in the world.

Rob Long suggested an acronym. To be a light in the world means that we Share Jesus, Honor Jesus, Imitate Jesus, recognize our Need for Jesus, and Exalt Jesus. Let’s SHINE!.

The Old Testament prophet, Haggai, urged the people to get about the task of rebuilding the temple with these words: “Give careful thought to your ways! You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but you never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it” (1:5-7).

In the New Testament, God’s building is not a physical structure, but a spiritual one. Paul describes Christians as “fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him, the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Eph. 2:19-22). Peter’s description is similar: “…you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood….” (1 Pet. 2:5a).

What plans do you have for building your spiritual house in 2009? Haggai reminds us that it is easy to let physical concerns outweigh spiritual realities. It is easy to become weary concerning our spiritual lives. Malachi’s words are as modern as today’s headlines: “And you say, ‘What a burden!’ and you sniff at it (the Lord’s table) contemptuously” (1:13). When people, even the people of God, become too busy with their own lives and their own success and their own standard of living, it is hard to find time for the things of God. We build nice houses for ourselves while ignoring the need to become a fitting house for the Lord. To the common phrase, “the tyranny of the urgent,” I add another: “the tyranny of the obvious.” That which confronts us daily, that which we see regularly, that which demands our attention frequently becomes of paramount importance.

The struggle is not new. What is the solution? Christians must diligently make time for the things of God. Otherwise, less important things take the place of God. Anytime is a good time to reflect on one’s commitment to God, but the beginning of a New Year provides a special opportunity to reflect on the past and to plan the future.
• Where are you spiritually, compared to a year ago?
• What kind of spiritual construction projects have you completed in the last year?
• What should you do in the coming year to build a stronger relationship with God?
• How can you help build a stronger house for the Lord with your church family?
• What spiritual construction project could you begin this year that would still matter ten years from now?
• What part of your spiritual house is weakest and in greatest need of repair?

God continually calls us to build the house of the Lord. We are collectively the building or temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16) and we are individually the temple of God (1 Cor. 6:19-20). Let us resolve with David to build a house fitting for the Lord!

I just came from the hospital and a brief visit in the Grimes’ home.  Ray passed away this afternoon, about 45 minutes after Jan and I arrived at the hospital.  We were blessed to be there with a faithful family able to rejoice that Ray was getting his wish to escape the hurt he was experiencing here on earth.

We shared a special time of remembering and celebrating, concluding with prayer.  We thanked God for the victory he promises and had given to Ray.  A few minutes later a nurse came in to tell us that the monitor was not showing any activity and that Ray was gone.  I couldn’t help but think of the impossibility of her statement:  “You can’t pronounce him dead; God has already pronounced him victorious.”

Some things are so obvious that we overlook them.  I have a new phrase.  Pronounced victorious.  That is my goal; that is the goal of every Christian. Those are fitting words when death knocks.

I came back from Honduras with a sore throat and cough which worsened through the week. Slowed me down considerably, even though I found enough office time to do what absolutely had to be done (obviously, not blogging!). My visit to the doctor yesterday yielded antibiotics and cough suppressants which should do the trick and get me back on track.

I emailed my elders Wednesday afternoon to tell them I was going to stay in Wednesday evening, both to avoid the bitter cold that had invaded Oklahoma and to see if I could fight off the sore throat and cough. I soon got several emails telling me to get out of the office and go home. I wrote back saying that I would go home as soon as possible, but observing that there is always one more project or little task to be done. I received a return email from one of my elders with only two words: Project Heaven.

I like that description. It is a description of life. It is a description of all we do and are. Our daily lives may not be as spectacular as other “projects” that get fancy titles–covert military operations, drug raids, eavesdropping efforts, anti-terrorism operations.

But as I considered the potential of those two words–Project Heaven, I thought, “Perhaps our daily lives deserve such a moniker despite the same of daily living and the absence of the specatular.” What better description could one write? As Christians, we are involved in “Project Heaven.” Every aspect of our lives, every fiber of our being, every action and every interaction–all are part of the heavenly project. An interesting part of this project is that it is not designed only to help us Christians “win”–its goal is to help everybody “win.” Every person whose life is touched by a Christian involved in “Project Heaven” should be invited to join the endeavor. Gives a different perspective, doesn’t it? What I am doing is about more than church and missions and ministry and life. What I am doing is part of “Project Heaven”.

My conclusion may seem a bold statement. “Genuine ‘kingdom people’ are always grateful people.”

The Gospel of Luke contains a significant amount of material not found in the other two Synoptic Gospels (Matthew and Mark). Much of the material unique to Luke appears after the second prediction of Jesus’ death (Matt. 17:22; Mark 9:31; Luke 9:44) and before the third passion prediction (Matt. 20:17, Mark 10:33; Luke 18:31). A quick look at these references shows that three chapters of Matthew are condensed to one chapter in Mark, but fill 9 chapters in Luke.

Many of the themes of Luke’s gospel (inclusion of Gentiles, prayer, joy, women, riches, sin and sinners, Holy Spirit) surface in special ways in this section (Luke 9-18). This article focuses on healing of the 10 lepers (Luke 17:11-19). Two concepts essential to understanding Luke 17 in context are Jesus’ confrontation with the Pharisees and his teaching concerning the nature of the kingdom. One might call these “what the kingdom is not” and “what the kingdom is.”

The section is framed with the question of Luke 13:18: “What is the kingdom of God like?” What becomes apparent immediately is the unexpected answer: “Not like you think!” Traditional answers will not satisfactorily define the kingdom which is already bursting forth in the ministry of Jesus. Kingdom cannot be defined by the question, “few or many?” when people come from all over (north, south, east and west) to take their place at the feast. In Luke 14, Jesus eats in the home of a Pharisee. From that event comes confrontation with the Pharisees concerning Sabbath activities, and questions of pride and table-seating patterns. Jesus continues by teaching about who may be invited to participate in the kingdom, the cost of discipleship, and the “lost” parables of chapter 15 (spoken to encourage tax collectors and sinners, but a source of strife and muttering among the Pharisees). The “money” parables and teachings of chapter 16 also appear directed to the Pharisees, for they loved money (16:14). The kingdom is not what the Pharisees think. Kingdom does not result in power, prestige, prominence, possessions, and human accolades. The Kingdom is open to those the Pharisees would exclude. The Kingdom is defined by forgiveness, faith, and willing service as one does one’s duty (17:1-10).

In Luke 17:20, Jesus answers the Pharisee’s question about when the kingdom would come. His answer is “it is among you” (v. 21). The kingdom is sudden and unexpected; it is characterized by just judgments, humble worship, childlikeness, and self-sacrifice which results in true treasures (chap. 17-18).

Between these two sections of “what the kingdom is not” and “what the kingdom is” lies an interesting text. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem, where he will ultimately define kingdom by demonstrating genuine kingdom service and sacrifice. On the outskirts of a village he meets 10 lepers who were required to announce their uncleanness and maintain a distance. Leprosy made friends of enemies, for one of the ten was a Samaritan, one who would otherwise have been excluded from Jewish social groups. That they ask Jesus for pity does not require that they know who he is. They would have asked for pity (money) from any they met. Jesus tells them to present themselves to the priest. That they went (on) may or may not suggest that they were obeying him. The text simply says that as they went, they were cleansed. The Samaritan connected his healing with the contact with Jesus. He returned, praising God and thanking Jesus profusely. It is only at this point that the text reveals that this grateful man has been an outcast twice—as a leper, and as a Samaritan.

Jesus’ question focuses the point. Where are the others? Weren’t there ten? Is it really true that only this foreigner gives praise to God? Indeed, faith is not found only among “kingdom folks.” Gratitude is always found among “kingdom folks.” The kingdom is not always where we think it is. We may be mistaken as were the Pharisees. We may fail to see the kingdom when it is among us.

During this traditional week of thanksgiving, let us recognize that one characteristic of kingdom people is gratitude. Will you praise God for his bounty? Will you be thankful to Him? Do we really know what the kingdom is like?

“But Rehoboam rejected the advice the elders gave him and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him” (2 Chr. 10:8).

Age and wisdom do not always go together. One may become old and not wise, one may be wiser than his years. In our text, Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, rejects the wisdom of older men in favor of the advice of his peers. Because Solomon had been a heavy-handed and demanding king, a problem existed with the northern tribes. In fact, Jeroboam had fled to Egypt. After Solomon’s death, Jeroboam returned from Egypt and the people rallied around him as one who would present their request that Rehoboam lighten the burden. “Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.” Rehoboam answered, ‘Come back to me in three days.’ So the people went away” (2 Chr. 10:4-5).

Rehoboam first asked for advice from the older men who had been a part of Solomon’s reign and then he asked for advice from his younger contemporaries. The elders advised Rehoboam to give the people a favorable answer, knowing that if he did so, the people would be loyal all of their lives. Rehoboam chose not to take this advice. The younger advisors told him to respond with even harsher demands. He chose to take this advice, but it turned out to be bad advice. The northern tribes rebelled and the kingdom was divided.

I am amazed at getting older. When I was younger, old folks (50 or 60 years old) died. When I was a little boy, no one thought about healthy, productive living into a seventh or eighth or ninth decade of life. Today I begin my seventh decade (fancy way of saying I turn 60). I am amazed that anyone cares what I think. I am a little surprised that people contact me and ask my advice and ask me to help.

In our society today, there is a tendency to devalue the contributions and wisdom of older people. May such never be among the people of God! God has placed wisdom in older people that the young can learn. I read today’s text differently than I did 40 years ago. I want to know what others think–especially those older than I am.

My question is not for you, it is for me. Aging carries responsibility. Am I wise?