Saturday, September 14, 2013

Children Asking Questions


Nine year old Johnny was watching his mother as she sat praying! He watched her intently but he knew better than to disturb her till she finished. When he heard "AMEN," the questions began to flow.

MOM, Why do you close your eyes when you pray?

His mother got down to his level, looked at him for a moment and said: "Well, Johnny, it helps me shut out things which I might see, things which would side tract me from prayer."

Silence

MOM, Can you pray with your eyes open?  

"Sure, honey, but closing my eyes helps me concentrate.  What's this all about? "O I see you praying every day."

Silence -

MOM, Why do you bow your head when you pray?

Pleased that her son had been so observant she responded, "This is my way of showing respect to God. I bow my head  to show that I am willing to humble myself and do what God wants me to do."  

Silence

MOM, Does folding your hands in your lap while you pray get your prayers to God faster?

  "No, Johnny it only helps me keep them in place so their movements won't disturb me."   

Silence

MOM, How do I make up my own prayers?

 "That's easy! Just think of your prayer as a letter to God, like a letter to a very special friend."

MOM, Do you mean I just start out `Dear God?'


  "Honey, knowing what I do about God, that would please God just fine. God wants to talk to you just like we are doing right now.

Friday, September 13, 2013

Understanding God's Time and Our Time


Kronos is the Greek word for the divisions that define the movement of time. The sense of timing--the right moment or progression—is expressed by the word kairos. While we often feel captive to kronos, we may be more anxious about kairos.  Is this the right decision or opportunity? How can I be sure?  

“It’s time, “ she said,  “He has struggled long enough, and deserves to be at peace.”

“It’s time,” he said,  “I am lonely in this big old house. Since I can’t drive anymore, I can’t get out like I used to.”

We are astonished at how quickly the years of adulthood pass. How recently we were busy with marriage, children, hobbies and the responsibilities of work, household, and community groups. The realization that these things are no longer a part of our lives, changes our thinking. ??? Now we know that our interests, energy, and abilities have changed—we are shocked, maybe saddened.

  The marking of time now dominates our living:  clocks, calendars, deadlines, schedules, anniversaries, and milestone events. And our perception of time changes over the years. Time flows quickly for the young, filled with the new and exciting. There is never enough in the middle years to meet all the demands.  As we get older, the days seem slower, yet the changes in body, mind, and circumstances come too soon.

In a nursing home or even home alone time passes so slowly that it feels like no one visits anymore. It is not that the passage of seconds and hours has change but only our perception has changed. At each age we are caught in our own understanding of time and here is where we can reflect on the meaning of life. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ was a kronos moment with a kairos meaning. This event that changed human history breaks the tyranny of time and reveals God’s timing for human living. 


It is only when we break the bonds of physical existence that we come to know God’s time and the meaning of Second Peter 3:8, “But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like one day.” 

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Remembering Twin Towers

Twelve years ago I remember clearly watching the TV in utter shock as the twin towers were struck and then fell. I still feel the pain. Who would believe that we are still fighting a war because of that?


How could anyone do that? How could young men go against their own religion and kill themselves and so many innocent people?  It was beyond belief and understanding and we are still striving to comprehend the enormity of it all. Since then it got us into two wars with many thousands more dead. The memory still carries a lot of pain and will for decades to come. Like the news of Pearl Harbor for my parents I will always remember that moment when the world changed.


So much has happened since then and because of those attacks. We were right to go after those who did the deed in Afghanistan but it was stupid to divert funds and troops from that effort to attack Iraq.  We need to find ways to quell the anger and seek peace. I Pray for peace in our world every day. 

Today there is a new taller and better World Trade Center tower. Tonight twin lights will shiner up from the top of it and remind the world of who we are.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Religious Diversity in Louisville


Louisville Kentucky like most of America has a great diversity of religions. This was evident when recently a major Hindu temple was dedicated in Louisville and over four hundred people attended. This will now be a focal point for Hindu’s from Kentucky, southern Indiana and Tennessee to come and worship. In a nod to American culture they hold their worship services on Sunday.

An interesting note to his event is that they purchased a former Presbyterian church building and converted it into a Hindu Temple. They were happy with the fact that the building had been built for religious uses and consider holy ground. Some years ago two small Presbyterian congregations merged and sold one building to a developer who in turn sold it to the Hindu sect.


Louisville has almost all the world’s religions represented here. 

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Past Present Future


Past, present and future: this is not about grammar but more about where we are. We always live in this state of being and how we view it is important to our success in life.

PAST: The past is history and we can not change it but how we view the past can change us. Many of us ignore the past and are doomed to repeat the mistakes made there. Some of us are stymied by our remembrances’ of the “Good Old Days”  and live there rather than the present. The successful person will learn from both the mistakes and successes of the past and use that knowledge to press on to greater success in our present.

PRESENT:  Here we are in the present. This is where we live all the time so what are we going to do with it? Is our present filled with thoughts of what could have been or day dreams about what might be if only?  Living in the reality of the moment can be a key stone for living successfully. What you do with your now determines everything else, make it count.

FUTURE: One way or another, this is where we are all going. Each one of us has a place in the future and the possibilities are wide open. What goals do we set for ourselves and what is our step by step plan for reaching our goals? Our day dreams can be important for success if the dream becomes a goal and a path is laid out for reaching it. Planning early and taking action is the key to success.


Remember your past, live in your present and plan for your future. Success is all up to you. 

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Hobson’s Choice


We often believe that we Americans have a great freedom of choice but truth be told we are not always free to make the choices we might like, because there are often restrictions that are out of our control. Success is usually a case of knowing when you can make a choice and when you can not.

I am reminded of a figure of speech that is called “Hobson’s Choice” that describes any situation for which there are no alternatives. T his comes from an eccentric livery stable owner named Hobson who lived in seventeenth-century England. Hobson insisted, as and unbreakable rule, that his customers seeking to rent a saddle horse from him must either take the animal who happened to be tethered nearest the door or take none at all. There is your choice take what is offered or walk. Sometimes it is better to walk than to take a runaway horse.


As Christians we will face many choices. Some of them will be wonderful and some will be difficult but the virtue of the Christian life is to find the goodness of God in whatever choice we are called on to make. What do we choose to let dominate our lives? We are ready to face our choices only when we are ready to look for the will of God in each decision. To pray over each choice to discover the goodness of God in all we do in His name. 

Monday, September 2, 2013

The WWW Questions


When I traveled to Jordan I was stopped by customs agents coming and going. Both the Jordanian and American customs agents asked me three questions before letting me pass. 
Who are you?
Where are you going?
What do you have to declare?

These are good questions for Christians to ask of ourselves as we look to the future. These are good focus questions to help us with the challenge of being Christians in our fast changing world. We can restate them as:
Who are we?,
Where are we going?,
What do we have to declare?

Who are we? As Christians, what is our role in our community and the world? How do we define our relationships with God, the Christian Church, other Christians and most importantly non-Christians?

Where are we going? More to the point what is God calling us to do and be as a part of God’s mission? Are we just sitting here doing nothing? Are we going in the right direction? Are we going fast enough?

What do we have to declare? What is our witness to a world in need of God’s love about the Gospel of Jesus the Christ? In deed do we bother to declare the Gospel to non-Christians? 


The answers to these questions are significant for marking the difference between a healthy growing church and a social club that has religious overtones. My goal is that my answers will reflect a life dedicated and faithful to Jesus Christ and his mission.