Over the past two weeks, I have had many emotions fill my body. I have had the question “why?” cross my mind many times. However, through all of the sadness and confusion, the passing of V and Susan have helped me to do some thinking and exploration. As I sat in a funeral today for a former member of the church, this question popped in to my mind, “Is this death or just an exit ramp?”
According to medterms.com, death is defined as “The end of life. The cessation of life.” I have been pondering this thought and have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as death. Flowers die, humans do not. Rather than dying, when we breathe our last breath, we are taking an exit off the highway of physical life. Throughout scripture, we are given many warnings of what to expect when our physical life comes to the end of the road. God provides a vivid picture of both His exit and the exit for Hell. In Matthew 13:42,43, Jesus describes, in terms of weeds, what will happen at our exit. He says, “They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. “ So, according to this scripture, we spend our eternity either in great pain or great pleasure. Regardless of where we are, we receive new life.
The scary thing about these exits, we cannot turn around once we leave. The way we “drive” determines what exit we get off at. Through our recent situation, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Susan and V both got off the exit of great pleasure. ..and I want to join them! I want you to join them! God has given us the map that tells us how to reach His exit; it is just a matter of me doing what I need to do. Our physical life is too short to say we will get on track tomorrow. When God closes my road, and I am facing my exit, I pray that the path I laid behind will be paved by God so many more can follow. There’s no such thing as death…just exit ramps.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Friday, August 20, 2010
Celebration or Funeral?
The scene set for us. Jesus is lounging around the table with His chosen followers. This is not a typical meal; Jesus is preparing them for life without His physical presence. As they are reclining, Jesus takes some bread, tears it, and illustrates that as the bread was broken and torn so will His body. Then Jesus takes the wine, pours it, and uses that to represent the blood that He will pour out for mankind. What a way to tell your most faithful followers to remember you. Jesus states as he presents the two emblems “Do this in remembrance of me.” Oh the emotions the others must have felt, fear, sadness, confusion. So, what did they do? Did they sit around the table in silence? Did they share stories of Jesus? I cannot help but think they reclined and shared stories and memories of Jesus. There were probably tears shed, and laughter probably resounded from them all. They knew that Jesus came and fulfilled his Father’s work. They knew the power of the events that were to take place in the coming days, the trials, the crucifixion and the resurrection.
Are we any different than they were? Do we not know the power of those events that took place? Are we not able to share in the stories of Jesus? When we gather on the first day of the week, are we celebrating or are we mourning? Are we sharing in the legacy left behind by our Savior? There are times we make the Lord’s Supper a selfish act, we keep it to ourselves! That is not what it is about. It is more about us coming together as a group of Jesus’ followers, sharing in the celebration. This is not a time to be somber and mourn, rather it is a time to rejoice and celebrate! Jesus Christ lived a life that was sinless, He endured scorn, shame, and pain that we deserved, not Him. However, He wanted us to have a chance to be reconciled, to be clean, so He did it. He did it for us! As we share in the meal, let us do so in remembrance, let us share of the love, grace, and mercy, let us share as a community!
“He joins us here; He breaks the bread, The Lord who pours the cup is risen from the dead! The one we love the most, Is now our gracious host. Come take the bread, Come drink the cup, Come share the Lord.”
Are we any different than they were? Do we not know the power of those events that took place? Are we not able to share in the stories of Jesus? When we gather on the first day of the week, are we celebrating or are we mourning? Are we sharing in the legacy left behind by our Savior? There are times we make the Lord’s Supper a selfish act, we keep it to ourselves! That is not what it is about. It is more about us coming together as a group of Jesus’ followers, sharing in the celebration. This is not a time to be somber and mourn, rather it is a time to rejoice and celebrate! Jesus Christ lived a life that was sinless, He endured scorn, shame, and pain that we deserved, not Him. However, He wanted us to have a chance to be reconciled, to be clean, so He did it. He did it for us! As we share in the meal, let us do so in remembrance, let us share of the love, grace, and mercy, let us share as a community!
“He joins us here; He breaks the bread, The Lord who pours the cup is risen from the dead! The one we love the most, Is now our gracious host. Come take the bread, Come drink the cup, Come share the Lord.”
Friday, July 16, 2010
Mold in the Water
Have you ever noticed, if a container of water sits outside long enough, it begins to develop mold? I had the privilege of dealing with this when our family returned home from Uplift. We have an inflatable pool for the kids that I thought I secured against the wall. Well, the rains came and the winds blew, and the pool filled with water. I had NEVER seen so much growth in one small body of water. It looked like a science experiment in the late stages. It was nasty, but with a little bit of bleach and pressured water, it became like new!
Have you ever noticed, if a group of people sit long enough? Nothing grows. There is no movement, great conditions for “mold” to grow. Churches will not grow if the body is not doing their part. When there is little activity or involvement, the church will become a body that comes and goes and is unable to show signs of health and growth. There is a serious epidemic plaguing churches, it is called “stagnititis”. It is taking over lives that were once active and involved. It can be contracted when one thinks they are not needed or that other people will take care of things. The thought, “I will just show up and leave. Everything else will be done by others” is one of the easiest ways to contract this harmful disease. This is not a new disease. It has been around for centuries. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul explains to the church in Corinth how each person plays a vital role in the body. In verse 27, he writes, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” In this passage, I cannot help but see a group of people aware of things needing to be accomplished but not feeling they were needed. If we call ourselves Christians, we are part of the body of Christ. We all play a role. He wants to use us!
I cannot help but wonder if we all lived by the words in Ephesians 6:7 “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men…” It does not matter if the way the leadership does things, or the songs that are sung, or the sermons that are taught! It is about reaching the lost and making a difference for the Kingdom! What is the cure for stagnititis? We have to move, be active, and function as part of the body.
I believe that God can do great things in our communities and churches if we will allow Him to! However, it is going to require an active response from those who claim to be His children. We cannot expect everyone else to do it all. Can God do it all? Sure He can, however, He created us to play an active role in the process. Get active and watch what God can do!
Have you ever noticed, if a group of people sit long enough? Nothing grows. There is no movement, great conditions for “mold” to grow. Churches will not grow if the body is not doing their part. When there is little activity or involvement, the church will become a body that comes and goes and is unable to show signs of health and growth. There is a serious epidemic plaguing churches, it is called “stagnititis”. It is taking over lives that were once active and involved. It can be contracted when one thinks they are not needed or that other people will take care of things. The thought, “I will just show up and leave. Everything else will be done by others” is one of the easiest ways to contract this harmful disease. This is not a new disease. It has been around for centuries. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul explains to the church in Corinth how each person plays a vital role in the body. In verse 27, he writes, “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” In this passage, I cannot help but see a group of people aware of things needing to be accomplished but not feeling they were needed. If we call ourselves Christians, we are part of the body of Christ. We all play a role. He wants to use us!
I cannot help but wonder if we all lived by the words in Ephesians 6:7 “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men…” It does not matter if the way the leadership does things, or the songs that are sung, or the sermons that are taught! It is about reaching the lost and making a difference for the Kingdom! What is the cure for stagnititis? We have to move, be active, and function as part of the body.
I believe that God can do great things in our communities and churches if we will allow Him to! However, it is going to require an active response from those who claim to be His children. We cannot expect everyone else to do it all. Can God do it all? Sure He can, however, He created us to play an active role in the process. Get active and watch what God can do!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Life
What is life? Some say it is just a magazine or a game. Others say it is when the heart is beating and the brain is functioning. But as I sit and reflect, I cannot help but wonder if, for people, there is really more to life than just breathing and thinking. As we go about each day that we are blessed with, what do we do with it? Do we get stuck in such routine that it drives us insane if it gets a little off track? We are humans, objects that are able to enjoy freedom of choice, not robots who when manufactured are programmed to do a particular task or tasks.
It is interesting when people of various ages are asked what life is. If you ask a preschooler what is life, they will be more likely to respond with playing, friends, dolls, toys, etc. If you ask an adolescent what life is they usually respond with things like friends, parties, weekends, etc. As people mature and age, the thoughts of life change. A person in early adulthood may think life is career, money, possessions, and things of that sort. Moving in to mid-life and late life, it changes even more. Things like family, faith, love, service, things that involve more emotional attachments and long term benefits. But why wait until life is almost half over before realizing what life is? Are you 15, 20, 45, 70? We are all given one day at a time. It is how we use it that matters.
Jesus says in John 10:10 that He has come to give us life to the maximum. He can allow our cups to overflow! Have you ever wondered what it would be like living every day to the max? This is why Jesus came, to show us what it looks like. Then at the end of His time here, He tells us to do the same! In a sense, Jesus says, get up, love others not yourself, follow me, and make a difference in the world. That friend is life to the full!
James was on to something when he wrote James 4:14: “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” It can vanish before we know it. We do not have to be diagnosed with an incurable disease. We are not guaranteed to live until a certain age. God delivers but He also takes away. Our physical life only happens once, live it. Live like you are dying. Love like you are dying. Serve like you are dying.
It is interesting when people of various ages are asked what life is. If you ask a preschooler what is life, they will be more likely to respond with playing, friends, dolls, toys, etc. If you ask an adolescent what life is they usually respond with things like friends, parties, weekends, etc. As people mature and age, the thoughts of life change. A person in early adulthood may think life is career, money, possessions, and things of that sort. Moving in to mid-life and late life, it changes even more. Things like family, faith, love, service, things that involve more emotional attachments and long term benefits. But why wait until life is almost half over before realizing what life is? Are you 15, 20, 45, 70? We are all given one day at a time. It is how we use it that matters.
Jesus says in John 10:10 that He has come to give us life to the maximum. He can allow our cups to overflow! Have you ever wondered what it would be like living every day to the max? This is why Jesus came, to show us what it looks like. Then at the end of His time here, He tells us to do the same! In a sense, Jesus says, get up, love others not yourself, follow me, and make a difference in the world. That friend is life to the full!
James was on to something when he wrote James 4:14: “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” It can vanish before we know it. We do not have to be diagnosed with an incurable disease. We are not guaranteed to live until a certain age. God delivers but He also takes away. Our physical life only happens once, live it. Live like you are dying. Love like you are dying. Serve like you are dying.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Faith Like a Child
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."Matthew 19:14 (NIV)
When I first heard this verse as a child I had no clue what it meant. I just thought it was special that Jesus loved the kids too. To be able to see the pictures in the children's Bible of all the little children sitting in the lap of Jesus and all around him on the ground was pretty cool. As the years have passed and I have had a few birthdays since I first heard that verse, it is interesting what Jesus is telling His disciples at this moment.
What is so special about children that we need to be like them? Whenever I acted younger than my age I was always told to stop acting like a child and grow up. But here Jesus is saying to become like a child. I have a feeling that Jesus isn't talking about maturity or in the way we behave. I think He is referring more to our faith. Children have such a solid faith, granted it may not be solid just in Christ. There is the Easter Bunny, the Tooth-fairy, Santa, and who knows what else is out there, but one thing I know is if you try and convince them these things don't exist, there will be a battle! I find myself wondering though, if our children, at such a young age, are able to develop such a hard-core faith, why can I as an adult who's brain, scientifically speaking, is fully developed not have complete and constant faith in God? Jesus knew the type of faith children have. He also knew what type of faith the adults had too. The past couple of days, I have really had to rely on my faith and know that God is in control of all things. But it's hard! At that very moment, it is so much easier to do what we want and what WE feel is best rather than stopping and letting God take over.
The only reason children believe in those things listed above is because they see the results of what they leave behind, the eggs, the money, and the presents. As Christian adults all we see are the results of answered prayers and the way we are constantly blessed, and yet we still struggle with it. Oh, to have the faith of a child!
God Bless you!
When I first heard this verse as a child I had no clue what it meant. I just thought it was special that Jesus loved the kids too. To be able to see the pictures in the children's Bible of all the little children sitting in the lap of Jesus and all around him on the ground was pretty cool. As the years have passed and I have had a few birthdays since I first heard that verse, it is interesting what Jesus is telling His disciples at this moment.
What is so special about children that we need to be like them? Whenever I acted younger than my age I was always told to stop acting like a child and grow up. But here Jesus is saying to become like a child. I have a feeling that Jesus isn't talking about maturity or in the way we behave. I think He is referring more to our faith. Children have such a solid faith, granted it may not be solid just in Christ. There is the Easter Bunny, the Tooth-fairy, Santa, and who knows what else is out there, but one thing I know is if you try and convince them these things don't exist, there will be a battle! I find myself wondering though, if our children, at such a young age, are able to develop such a hard-core faith, why can I as an adult who's brain, scientifically speaking, is fully developed not have complete and constant faith in God? Jesus knew the type of faith children have. He also knew what type of faith the adults had too. The past couple of days, I have really had to rely on my faith and know that God is in control of all things. But it's hard! At that very moment, it is so much easier to do what we want and what WE feel is best rather than stopping and letting God take over.
The only reason children believe in those things listed above is because they see the results of what they leave behind, the eggs, the money, and the presents. As Christian adults all we see are the results of answered prayers and the way we are constantly blessed, and yet we still struggle with it. Oh, to have the faith of a child!
God Bless you!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Is Today a Gift?
This past weekend we celebrated Caiden's 4th birthday and it was a blast! Two of his grandparents came in to town and on Friday we took him to Disney on Ice in Dallas. It was fun to see his and Hannah's facial reactions when different characters would come out on the ice and the different things they did. Then on Saturday evening, we had a little "party" for him and two of his friends came over. We did the whole pizza, cake, pinata, and present ordeal that most kids have at their parties. While Caiden was opening his presents, I realized something...he didn't spend a whole lot of time with just one present. He would pull one out put it to the side and go for the next. I found that very interesting, but yet not surprising. When you place several gifts in front of a child, it's like putting a hungry person in front of a buffet...they delve right in until there is nothing left.
I begin to think if that is how we are as adults with life. We cram our schedules so full that we do not even have time to realize the sun is shining. We move from day to day, just like a child moves from present to present. I have a hard time believing that is how it should be. God did not create us just to run around and not appreciate the things He has given us. I have struggled with this. I get so wrapped up in my "world" that I do not always appreciate the things around me. But if we knew that today was the last present, how would we treat it? What would we do different? I have had to remind myself that there is no guarantee for another gift. Jesus says in John 10:10, that He came so we might have life to the full! Savor the flavor of the gift of life. Live everyday like it is the last gift!
God Bless you all!
I begin to think if that is how we are as adults with life. We cram our schedules so full that we do not even have time to realize the sun is shining. We move from day to day, just like a child moves from present to present. I have a hard time believing that is how it should be. God did not create us just to run around and not appreciate the things He has given us. I have struggled with this. I get so wrapped up in my "world" that I do not always appreciate the things around me. But if we knew that today was the last present, how would we treat it? What would we do different? I have had to remind myself that there is no guarantee for another gift. Jesus says in John 10:10, that He came so we might have life to the full! Savor the flavor of the gift of life. Live everyday like it is the last gift!
God Bless you all!
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