November 23, 2018 Available

Yesterday I started a list of the multitude of reasons I had to be thankful to God for.  Salvation.  Forgiveness.  Solace.  Wisdom.  One word on my list that dominated my thoughts for a good part of the day was "available".  God is available to us all the time.  24/7.  Day and night.  Not matter our geographic location or spiritual state.  He is available.

There may be times in our lives when we do not connect with God.  Perhaps we have allowed our quiet times to become infrequent.  Maybe we have a sin problem.  Distance between Abba and his children is an "us" problem, not a God problem.

When we feel alone, secluded, forgotten, call to mind the words of Jesus' younger half-brother, James, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."  God is available.

King David, a man after God's own heart, wrote centuries before James, "I have set the Lord always before me;  because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken."  God is available.

God is available.  "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth."

In their 2004 song, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" the punk rock band Green Day sang,

"I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's only me, and I walk alone."

 

When a child of God feels as if they are living Green Day's song, remember that God is available.  Alone is a choice we make, not what God wants for us.  God is available.

 
 
*(James 4:8 ESV)
**(Psalm 16:8 ESV) 
***(Psalm 145:18 ESV)
  

November 8, 2018 Why

Eleven murdered in a Pennsylvania synagogue.  Seventeen die in hurricane Michael.  Newly weds die in a helicopter crash while leaving their wedding reception.  So much tragedy.  So many "whys?" asked.  There are no easy answers, much less comforting ones.  While we search the heavens for the reasons to seemingly senseless tragedy, just as unfathomable is why does God allow so many to prosper.

This morning I was struck with the countless blessings in my life.  Career, family, health, financial security.  Why?

Why did God allow my to be raised in a Christian home with two loving parents when other children were raised in alcoholic homes with abusive parents?  Why was I allowed to drive home safely from bars after too many drinks when others ended up in traffic fatalities?  Why has God allowed my mistakes to always work themselves out when the same choices by others have ended in ruin?

I have read some about survivors guilt.  It is a feeling of guilt many people feel when they have survived a life-threatening situation and others have not.  Irritability, insomnia, flashbacks are just some of the symptoms people suffer who are experiencing survivors.  Survivor guilt was first documented and discussed after the Holocaust and today is recognized as a symptom of PTSD.

I am in no way equating my experience to those of people who have survived war, terrorists, plane crashes, and mass shootings.  I cannot imagine what it would be like to live through the horrors that are a part of so many people's lives.

But when I examine my life of undeserved blessings, I am left wondering why did God allow me to survive my bad choices and horrendous decisions.  That is a question that may not have an answer this side of heaven, but what I do know is that my God is not random.  Nothing is out of his control and he must have had good reasons.

While the "why" may remain hidden, I know that since God has blessed and protected my life, I owe him my time and talents.  He has saved me for a reason(s).  Everything I have is a gift from him.  My responsibility is to spend every day in service to him and the furtherance of his kingdom here on earth.

Novembe 5, 2018 Baal or SPS

There are many references in the Old Testament to the ancient god Baal.  According to GotAnswers.org, Baal was, "the name of the supreme god worshiped in ancient Canaan and Phoenicia."  Its followers practiced human sacrifice and believed Baal enabled the earth to produce crops and people to produce children.  As with many ancient gods and idols, Christians wonder how people could have been so fooled into following false gods, but we must be careful to throw stones.

This morning, God revealed to me that for 32 years I worshiped not the god Baal, but the institution of SPS.  I was not involved in human sacrifice, but sacrificed countless hours with my family.  I never laid offerings to SPS on an altar, but I did spend hundreds of hours outside of my contract in order to please and appease.  Time that would have been better spend in quiet reflection was given to medicore school newsletters.  Bible study given over to data dives.  

Do I regret the time I gave SPS? No, not at all.  I had a good run.  SPS is a quality organization, and I made make good friends.  But today I realized SPS had become my Baal.

SPS directed my time.  SPS received my energy.  SPS consumed my thoughts.  As I move deeper into my retirement, I have come to realize I am free from those requirements and expectations.  I no longer have an excuse not to allow God to directs my hours, days, and weeks.  Baal is dead.

Starting today, my first prayer each morning, will be, "God, please reveal to me what you would have me do today.  How do you wish for my to spend my hours, my energies?  Please, Father, help me to design my day to please you."

Rather than pleasing a Director of Education, I will try to please the Director of the Universe.  Talk about a retirement plan!