Archive

A lighthouseLooking for an earlier Watchword?

  • Thursday, November 5 - Setting aside the obvious setup of bald jokes, these words of Jesus make the point that even the tiniest details of our lives matter to God. Even the sparrows that were worth only 0.4 cents each were not forgotten by the One who made them. While it can be comforting to know that God cares about the big things in our lives and the little things in our lives, it can also be frustrating when things don’t seem to be going well. It makes it seem like God is picking on you or else ignoring you when the little things go wrong in addition to the big things. Suddenly, minor inconveniences take on outsized importance. Continue reading
  • Tuesday, November 3 - “This redefines my understanding of what large is!” my grandson said as he stood, for the first time, on the south rim, gazing at the Grand Canyon. It is an overwhelming view. You might have anticipated what you are now taking in, based on pictures, but there is no substituting for the real thing, and the real thing far exceeds what we were prepared to see.  It redefines the base thought. Redefining your meaning or understanding of ‘large’ based on seeing the Grand Canyon, illustrates the difficulty we are faced with when seeking to understand God and God’s word.   The difficulty goes far beyond the manner in which the scripture is handed down to us. Continue reading
  • Not My Way - This is a hard one. First, the Lord tells us that he loves us very much and calls us His children. We would all accept that, because that’s what we are. We are little children. We have our tantrums, we have our disappointments, we fret when things don’t go our way. We’ve all seen that as we’ve raised children, but now here we are one!  Then the Lord goes on to tell us that if we love our mommies and our daddies more than Him we are not worthy to be His.  Maybe we understand that, to a degree, but, maybe we don’t. Life goes on, and it’s not always fair. Maybe you are sitting alone in your assisted living apartment, and it doesn’t feel all that good. Maybe you have been alienated from parts of your family and you feel that kind of loneliness.  Perhaps, you have lost your spouse and you feel that separation from all that you knew, and now it’s different. Continue reading
  • Saturday, October 31 - Seen a Ghost? OOOOOhhh.  Ghosties, everywhere. Beware, they come, unannounced, so prepare yourselves.  OOOOOhhh... There is a castle by the name of Leap, that is said to be haunted by more than 150 souls who apparently were murdered within its walls over the 400 years that it has been in existence. One of the ghosts as a woman, beautifully dressed in a red dress, holding a bloody dagger. It is best that tourists not visit Leap Castle. Ballygally Castle is another haunted site in Ireland. Lady Isobel Shaw, in a dispute with her husband, was locked her in the tower and was starved to death. She now wanders the castle at night, and knocks on the doors of guests and there is a strange green fog that settles over the castle when she is out and about. Continue reading
  • Friday, October 30 - Today, A Life for Barabbas is released and will find its way into bookstores everywhere, through Amazon, and other on-line outlets. Here is an introduction to the story, in Barabbas’ own words: It was late when they finally arrested me.  At my trial, I was charged with treason against Rome and a murder that was committed during the insurrection.  I was found guilty on both charges and was sentenced to death by crucifixion, a sentence that would be carried out in just a few days! Now it is Friday.  My Execution Day. I sit in prison, my wrists and ankles chaffed by these chains.  I’m scared!   I always boasted that I feared nothing! But now, my mouth is dry, my heart is beating wildly and there are times when I can hardly breath.  Over the years, I thought many times about this day, the day of my death, and dismissed it.  But, this is different, and I’m not ready for this. Continue reading
  • Thursday, October 29 - Gloom, Despair, and Agony: Do you remember this by Buck Owens and Roy Clark from Hee Haw? Gloom, despair, and agony on me / Deep, dark depression, excessive misery / If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all / Gloom, despair, and agony on me ... Some of the shows were just hilarious, often bordering on just a little censor-able. There are a lot of verses that do not belong in Watchwords, but you get the point. There is a very important role that humor plays in our lives. Without humor and our faith in Christ, we can sink to the depths of ‘gloom, despair and agony’.  Continue reading
  • Tuesday, October 27 - John 14, Part #2 – Embracing Trouble: I go to prepare a place for you: Love prepares a welcome. With love, expectant parents prepare a room for the baby. With love, the hostess prepares for her guests. Jesus prepares a place for His people because He loves them and is confident of their arrival. Sir James Barrie was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered as the man who wrote Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, and many other works. One of his books was about his mother, Margaret Ogilvy, and his growing up in Scotland. His mother endured a lot of misery in her life, including the tragic death of one of her sons. Barrie wrote that his mother’s favorite Bible chapter was John 14. She read it so much that when her Bible was opened and set down, the pages naturally fell open to this place. Barrie said that when she was old and could no longer read, she would lean down to her Bible and kiss the page where the words were printed. Continue reading
  • Monday, October 26 - Part #1 -- Not My Fault! How do I do that? Or should I say, why do I do that?  But, it’s not always me, it’s all these things that are happening all around me, Lord. It’s these stupid politicians, or the dog, or the kids, or the weather.  I can find any number of things that cause my heart to be troubled. I am not to blame.  I am a sea of tranquility, amid all this chaos.  Then I read your word again and I see that little word ‘let’, I had somehow missed the first time or the third time through. You tell me not to let my heart be troubled. How do I do that?  Letting my heart not be troubled... Continue reading
  • Saturday, October 24 - A Philosophical Saturday: François Fénelon was born in the mid-1600s into a strong Roman Catholic family who held high office in the church hierarchy. When Francois completed his education, he was rewarded with a lesser office, but one that provided a platform for is writings. Overtime he became known for his philosophical writings on faith.     Fénelon wrote these words about prayer: “Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one’s heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them. Talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them: show Him the wounds of your sheart, that He may heal them …”  Continue reading
  • Friday, October 23 - The Great Commission: Capernaum lies on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It is surrounded by hills, often referred to in the scripture as mountains.  It was on one of these mountainsides, just north of the city, where Jesus often brought his followers to share the Word of God and to pray. It had been three days since the crucifixion when the two Mary’s approached the tomb, now no longer sealed. Matthew 28: 5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as He said would happen. Come, see where His body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and He is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there. Remember what I have told you.” The question of where the disciples would meet Jesus was never an issue.  Continue reading
  • Tuesday, October 20 - Heaven: Do you remember Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing across the silver screen to songs like “Puttin’ on the Ritz”, “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails”, or perhaps “Let’s Face the Music and Dance”?  I’ll bet that many of you have a mental movie playing in your mind of those lovely moments. How about “Cheek to Cheek”? That’s another one: Heaven, I'm in heaven, And my heart beats so that I can hardly speak... Continue reading
  • Monday, October 19 - Do You Trust God? The grandparents were driving back home with their granddaughter. The parents remained at children’s hospital with their 11-year-old son, the brother, the grandson. The diagnosis had shaken all of them, left them with a dark cloud of the unknown. During the drive home, the grandparents spoke to their young granddaughter about faith and trust, reassurances that things would turn out, yet even for them there was a sense of uncertainty. Yet, the mantra coming from that conversation was “God is in charge and God loves us.” Now, 20 years later, that boy is a man, healthy and strong. The spoken belief, written on a little blackboard in the garage that sad night, was still there. The God of Love is in charge. Continue reading
  • Saturday, October 17 - Pride: Hey, did you know that my book, you know the one I wrote…I wrote that. It is so good and so Biblical, and so well written. You have to get a copy. October 30… Mark your calendars! You are going to be impressed!  What’s that you say, Lord? What? Oh, yes, I will, I’ll write that meditation in just a little bit. What? Okaaay, I’ll write it now. What do you want me to write on? Really? That’s the topic, huh? Pride Continue reading
  • Friday, October 16 - Whatever is Untrue: I wrote the following on Friday, February 28, 2014, almost seven years ago. Some might read into this something political, but they would be wrong. When I posted this in 2014, I got some feedback, including one that claimed I had “misquoted Paul”, to which I replied that I wasn’t quoting Paul, I was speaking to disciples of Christ. In today’s hurting world, it seems appropriate to, once again, speak to disciples of Christ. Continue reading
  • Thursday, October 15 - Jesus and the Church: Churches throughout country seem to be failing when viewed through the perspective of numbers, memberships, attendance. We look for reasons everywhere. My own church has changed drastically over the years. From two services, nearly at full seating capacity, to our current attendance of 30 or less. And we wonder. In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Cassius says to Brutus, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.” Ourselves? No, no, no, we aren’t the cause of churches struggling. Not us, we are in the pews. Must be something else, right? Continue reading
  • Tuesday, October 13 - Heaven: What do you really know about Heaven? Not much, huh? Well, then, why do you want to be there? Not now, of course, but later. How do you even know that there is a place called Heaven? Maybe it is not even a place, maybe just a spirit thing. Let’s us assume that we are both right. There is a place, more than a spirit, but a real destination. How do you and I know that we would even qualify? Well, there’s another assumption, what are the standards we have to meet and where did they come from? Continue reading
  • Monday, October 12 - Let Your Gentleness be Evident: How are we to read this statement? One way is to let your moderation be known to all – don’t keep it a secret, let it be such that others may see it. This does not mean to make an obvious display of it, but that it should be such a characteristic of our life that it would be visible to others. We all have the power to minimize anger or stir it up in response to someone or something said. I came across another translation that puts it this way: “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare”. A gentle person doesn't stir up drama, point out the mistakes of others, or compete with neighbors. Continue reading
  • Saturday, October 10 - The Zax Encounter: A recent Our Daily Bread devotional began with this: “In one of Dr. Seuss’ whimsical stories, he tells of a “North-Going Zax and a South-Going Zax” crossing the Prairie of Prax. Upon meeting nose to nose, neither Zax will step aside. The first Zax angrily vows to stay put—even if it makes “the whole world stand still.” (Unfazed, the world moves on and builds a highway around them.)” Continue reading
  • Friday, October 9 - What’s Next? We are in a period of time when things seem to be so uncertain. We might be asking ourselves the question, how can we be sure of anything? We may wonder what’s next? How do we plan?  Is anything certain in our lives? What can we count on? What do we anchor our future on? The stock market? Our comfort? Pleasure? What? During my times of volunteering at Heifer International Learning Center, I was part of a team that hosted the “Welcome Center” at the Ranch. While our role was to welcome visitors and give tours, we also were a draw for other volunteers who would drop in for coffee and conversation, and to work on the large jig-saw puzzle that was often under construction for entertainment. Do you remember how you start such a puzzle? The key? Corner pieces. Continue reading
  • Thursday, October 8 - What If…? I said, I’ll read the book you recommended. It may appeal to you but I’m not so sure. So, as promised, I began to read, and I got caught up in the plot. My hero was almost constantly at risk. So, as I’ve done before, I turned to the final chapter to see if my hero is still among the living. “What are you doing,” she asked? “You’re going to ruin the story.” Continue reading