Personal responsibility is dead in America.
One clear sign of this truth: Hit and run accidents. Nearly every day I hear or read in the news that someone has either died or has been severely injured in an auto accident where the others involved have fled the scene.
Just this morning I read of a motorcyclist here in Hollywood that was hit by an Explorer Sport-Trac. The driver, described as a woman, got out and inspected, and then fled. The report stated that the man driving the motorcycle was graciously killed upon impact, because what happened next is gross — the bike and the man were on fire.
The woman, whose lone passenger was a child, got back into her vehicle and fled the scene. Furthermore, witnesses describe other vehicles simply driving by the entire scene as if that were normal — because no one wants to be involved.
I hope they catch this person. Who knows, it may have been the motorcyclist's fault, but now that doesn't really matter. [In Miami a woman who cannot show she even has a drivers' license, hit and severely injured an Ontario man. She's been caught and arrested.]
And I hope that every single one of us would have the courage, courtesy, and love to stop and remain on the scene.
"The roads of Zion are in mourning …" (Lamentations 1:4).
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Monday, March 30, 2015
His Indescribable Gift
In the familiar passage concerning monetary contributions — i.e., "giving" — the apostle Paul concludes with the exultant cry: "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15).
I realize the term "grace" seems to be overused, and maybe even abused. Reading that statement again, I must admit that one cannot really over-use such a wonderful term, but it is abused by many to cover everything. And grace does not cover everything: grace covers everything sought in the Lord:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you. (Titus 2:11-15)
Grace instructs us to deny and look. We are instructed by God's grace to deny — ungodliness and worldly desires. Of course the world will not understand nor appreciate this, but those who are striving to think on things above (Colossians 3:2) will.
The world seems to dwell on the sinister, and sometimes even applauds evil things. For example, how many popular shows are about "the dark side" of life? We are often entertained by these things. The contrast set before us in God's word is that we're to dwell on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good reputation (Philippians 4:8). These "things" don't come easy to our restless minds: It requires effort, and often it is also requires quiet.
The desire may well be there, but finding the requisite "peace and quiet" may not be so easy. But if we will make the time to find a peaceful moment, and if we will use that quiet time for dwelling on God's immeasurable grace, we will find ourselves overwhelmed.
I don't believe we will ever understand or appreciate God's grace (Romans 5:6-8). We are all undesirable, and would be forsaken forever, if it weren't for God's grace.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. … He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:16, 36).
For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:32-36)
Friday, March 27, 2015
Papa's 90th Birthday
Mom and I reminisced last night for a few moments about her Dad, my Papa. Yesterday would have been his 90th birthday. He passed eight years ago.
We laughed about how we think he would have been now—if you knew him, you would have figured as we did that he would be saying all kinds of crazy things. He didn't have much of a filter to begin with, age would have released his inner machinations into the big blue world with lightning speed.
We laughed about how we think he would have been now—if you knew him, you would have figured as we did that he would be saying all kinds of crazy things. He didn't have much of a filter to begin with, age would have released his inner machinations into the big blue world with lightning speed.
Storms-a-coming
Anticipation. The word can point to good or bad.
Earlier today the weather radar was showing a cold front moving across the southeast. As the day has progressed, so has the storm—it's now pretty close!
This is how life goes: there are all kinds of important dates and events that seem so far away, but then they finally arrive … and we may feel surprised, as if we had no real idea it was coming.
The biggest appointment of all is the day we pass from this temporal stage of life and slip into eternity. The Scriptures teach us, that "just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him" (Hebrews 9:27-28).
There will be a day of reckoning for everyone. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others" (2 Corinthians 5:10-11).
"For it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' So then each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:11-12).
Honestly, what causes fear in my own self-examination is what Jesus taught in Matthew 25:31-46. His commendation and condemnation of the sheep and goats, respectively, was not about things that we sometimes concern ourselves with, but with the simple and yet challenging activity of helping others. In this context of Matthew 25:31-46 it's not about teaching, but about practice.
There is so much to do—"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:9-10). We may prefer the emphasis of the last phrase, but God's reality is that we are to do good to everyone. And He is the best example of all: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:17-18).
Earlier today the weather radar was showing a cold front moving across the southeast. As the day has progressed, so has the storm—it's now pretty close!
This is how life goes: there are all kinds of important dates and events that seem so far away, but then they finally arrive … and we may feel surprised, as if we had no real idea it was coming.
The biggest appointment of all is the day we pass from this temporal stage of life and slip into eternity. The Scriptures teach us, that "just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him" (Hebrews 9:27-28).
There will be a day of reckoning for everyone. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others" (2 Corinthians 5:10-11).
"For it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' So then each of us will give an account of himself to God" (Romans 14:11-12).
Honestly, what causes fear in my own self-examination is what Jesus taught in Matthew 25:31-46. His commendation and condemnation of the sheep and goats, respectively, was not about things that we sometimes concern ourselves with, but with the simple and yet challenging activity of helping others. In this context of Matthew 25:31-46 it's not about teaching, but about practice.
There is so much to do—"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:9-10). We may prefer the emphasis of the last phrase, but God's reality is that we are to do good to everyone. And He is the best example of all: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:17-18).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)