September 14, 2018

Reshape Your Priorities

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. – Proverbs 27:1

The sound of chopper blades filled the silent night. The helicopter landed on the football field as fans, players, coaches, medics, all looked on. There’s something about it that puts a high school football game in its proper perspective.

We don’t know what tomorrow might bring. We tell ourselves that. But do we really believe it? And, more importantly, do we live like we believe it?

I wasn’t at that high school game tonight. The game was between two teams nearby. Small schools. You know the kind. Everyone knows everyone else. Nothing truly bad is supposed to happen.

A friend posted photos and, then, videos of the helicopter landing and taking off. We’ve had no news yet about the player. We can only imagine his family’s anguish. We hurt for the other players and coaches. We pray fervently for a young man to please be alright.

I know about sudden changes. I understand how one minute everything is right in your world and in the next life has changed forever. I have felt that earth-shattering moment that you come to think of as a dividing line between before and after.

We are so focused on being in charge of our own lives. We make plans like we really know what’s going to happen. We act as though our life events are more important than, well, almost anything. Until something happens and we refocus on what’s really important.

Jesus. He’s what matters. Do you know Him? Do you serve Him? Or do you serve yourself and your own agenda?

Don’t make excuses. I’m not calling you out but I do want you to squirm. I want you to think about your days, your priorities, your values. How many times do you put off doing things for Jesus because you’ve got something “better” to do? How many times do you make excuses such as time, energy, money?

I pray that young man will be okay. I pray he will heal quickly and completely, with no lasting impact from tonight. And I pray that this opened the eyes and hearts of those who witnessed it. We don’t always have the time we think we have.

So, make your plans with loose fingers. Leave room for Jesus. He has a way of showing up when you least expect Him.

Update: The player has a sprained spine. No breaks. He should be okay. Thank you for your prayers.

June 19, 2018

Life Isn’t Guaranteed

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

– Proverbs 27:1

Three people died yesterday morning. Three others are hospitalized, one in critical condition. They were just living their lives, traveling down a highway. Two vehicles hit head on and, in that instant, lives were forever changed.

We make plans as though tomorrow is a sure thing. We collect stuff and maneuver our lives to gain power and prestige and money. We get so busy living the lives of our choosing that we lose sight of the most important thing: This world isn’t our home. We won’t be here forever.

The highway was closed for a while. People were scrambling to find alternate routes. It is a well-traveled road. The closure was a major inconvenience. No one wanted to mention that. It seemed too ugly to think about self when people had died.

I wonder how many people who said they would pray for those involved, for the families and friends, for all the emergency responders, actually did pray? Do we fully realize the impact of what happened? Do we even care? It wasn’t someone we knew so we move on with our lives while theirs lay shattered where dreams and plans once lived.

Priorities shift when your life implodes. You either draw closer to Jesus or you slide down a steep slope with the devil. It’s impossible to go through trauma without it changing the core of who you are.

Some people become furious at God. We expect His protection over our own lives and the lives of those we care about. We believe somewhere deep inside that we are immune from such happenings. We’re good people, good Christians. It’s not supposed to happen to us. Until it does.

None of us are immune to tragedy. We live in a fallen world where people make bad choices. We live in a darkness that clouds the vision of people who believe they can see when they can’t. Sometimes God protects us. Most of the time He stays clear, allowing us and others to make choices that sometimes bring great heartache.

Illness, disease, unhealthy lifestyles were never part of God’s plan. Adam and Eve sent us all on a path of destruction. For those of us who believe in the resurrected Christ, there is hope. There is eternal life with Him. There is a place with no more tears. But we aren’t there yet. We’re still traveling through a broken world.

God is with us. He promised to never leave us or forsake us. He promised to bring good from every bad thing if we will just turn it over to Him. We can lean on His strength or we can face the struggle alone. One way leads to healing and the other to destruction. It’s our choice.

I don’t know if those involved in that wreck knew Jesus. I hope so. Life is short and uncertain. Don’t wait to dedicate your life to Him. Don’t wait to look toward home and live accordingly. We make lots of plans but the truth is we don’t know how long we’ll be here. Live your life fully, placing Christ at the center of it all. Be ready when He calls you home.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Time On Earth Is Fragile

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." -- Proverbs 27:1

I certainly know about this one. It's experiences have left me leery of the future, almost afraid each day for what could happen. I know. I shouldn't be this way. I should trust God more. I should let His strength surround me. But in the back of my mind I am always aware of what could happen. I don't know that it will ever change.

My Mother commented recently that she hopes one day to simply fall asleep and wake up in heaven. No suffering. No guilt from watching loved ones look after her physical needs as her body deteriorates. No pain. Just bliss. Part of me wants that for her as well. The other part of me screams "NO!"

I don't ever want to go there again. Ever. I don't want to get the phone call announcing her death. I don't want to find her body cold in her bed or recliner. I don't want the agony of life going along fine one moment and then, with no warning, destruction is everywhere. Been there. Done that. Don't ever, ever want to go back.

I know. Life is about change. Last week I had a cute little dog with a big attitude. He's gone now. Would it have been better to have him just die rather than to pray and hope and agonize for nine days? Not for me. As hard as it was, as difficult as it still is, I wouldn't have traded one hug for anything. I love him and I'm glad we had the chance to try.

I didn't have that with Jack. He was fine. And then he was gone. Blood clots do that. I had no idea. Now I do. So do his mother, sisters, other family members and all his friends. We learned something about instant death and the value of today.

Because this moment is all we have. It's the only certainty in our lives. That and Jesus and the eternity waiting somewhere down the line. I am grateful for that promise, for the sacrifice Jesus made so that I could live in Hope.

Now, there's a word. Hope. So I, like Paul, have fixed my eyes on what I cannot see so that I can move forward in the days that I have. My priorities have realigned as I have become increasingly aware of the fragility of the time we have on this earth. I cling to that Hope that lies within the empty tomb.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Open Your Minds

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." -- Proverbs 27:17

One thing I love about my Sunday School Class are the discussions. People come from all different points of view and backgrounds. It makes things lively, in a good way. Everyone's opinion matters. And, frankly, I've learned a great deal.

It was the same in small-group Bible studies I once attended. Pastor Susannah asked thoughtful questions that led us beyond the surface topics we were reading. I'm hopeful that Pastor Meghan will soon start the same sort of group. I know I'm richer for the topics discussed and, most importantly, for the people I met and came to value.

We weren't meant to be alone. We weren't meant to always try and figure out life and God's purpose for us by ourselves. We're supposed to discuss things. We're supposed to pray together and for each other. We're supposed to surround ourselves with smart people who love God and want to learn and serve Him. Then we can learn too.

And it doesn't always have to be at church. Some of the best discussions I ever had were at a sidewalk cafe in West Hollywood with an odd group of people. I learned tolerance. And I learned about hurt that comes when some folks are rejected by people who claim to know Jesus. It solidified my own faith because I know my Jesus loves every sinner, including me and you.

Sometimes listening to others is difficult. We don't want to believe they know anything. We want to cling to our own views, our own interpretations, our own way of doing things. We just know God prefers traditional music to contemporary, for example. Imagine what wonderful things we might experience by worshipping God in a new, different way.

Being around other Believers, discussing our faith and the Bible, sharpens our minds. It helps focus us on what matters. It helps us see Jesus so much better. Take the time today to seek out a small discussion group or start one yourselves. The experience may mold your life in ways you never imagined.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Nurture Friendships

"Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you -- better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away."

-- Proverbs 27:10

Life is so busy. With work, kids, parents, and all the other things we have to fit into each day, it's no wonder that friendships sometimes get put on the backburner. We plan to call tomorrow. We say we'll do lunch next week. And we mean it. Really. We just never get around to it.

We tell ourselves it's okay. We're friends with our co-workers. Sort of. We're friends with people at church. Sort of. We're friends with the parents of our kids. Sort of. We know our parents' friends. Sort of. We've got lots of family. Sort of.

But what about those friends you hold close to your heart? The ones you've known forever and who've seen you when you laugh and when you cry? Friendships are like marriages. Neglect destroys them. It also destroys families but that's a whole other topic.

In years past, families were close. You knew who to call if something happened -- whether it was a car accident, a sudden illness or a blown fuse. Families aren't necessarily close anymore. We're spread all over the country and, sometimes, the world. And we're not close to the family who do live nearby. Think about it carefully before you deny what I'm saying. Think of who would drop everything -- and I do mean everything -- and come to your aid in an emergency. That's a good way to tell the depth of your relationship with that person.

We want to believe we can always count on our church. Sometimes we can. Church members are awesome at bringing food and praying for us. But they can't always be counted on for the smaller events that shake our world -- a job loss, a lingering illness that isn't life threatening, a troubled teen, a need to sob for an hour over a broken heart or a celebration for that longed-for promotion. Those things call for more.

That's one reason why there's nothing quite like a good neighbor. They're close. They know your comings and goings. And they can help you quickly just as you can help them quickly. Don't know your neighbors well? That's sad. You might want to make time to reach out to them before something happens in the neighborhood that forces the issue. Who knows? You could end up with some really good friends.

Which brings me back to my first point. Nurture your friendships. Don't ever neglect the people who have walked with you through your life. Children grow up. Spouses have other interests and divorces happen. Families splinter. But friends -- true friends -- can carry you through good times and bad times. Make that call today. Laugh. Go out to eat. Take a walk. Make time to be a friend.