A Bag of Marbles

"A sweet lesson of this kind happened to her in the case of one of her children. She was making a bag for her to hold marbles, and she wanted a string in it, and she went to put the string in with a bodkin; but when the child saw the bodkin disappear, she said, 'Mother, I want the string,' but no string appeared; and she said, with an anxious sort of brow, 'Oh, mother, do put the string'; and she said, 'Darling, trust mother.' Presently the string came out, and she tied it, and gave it to her, and the little girl looked at it thoughtfully for a moment, and then said,  'Oh, that is just like Jesus. We give Him things to do, and He don't seem to be doing the right way, but we know that Jesus knows, and we wait and don't worry, and it come out all right,' Now, that is rest. they should trust Jesus, and although they may not understand at the time His way of working, yet they leave it with Him, and he brings it out all right, and they have rest." ~ Mrs. Pearsall Smith quoted in The Baptist June 11, 1813

I'm not sure I can top the simplicity of this story. However, it seems quite relevant to my wife and I. We did not receive a student placement in the Western North Carolin Conference this year. The conference is full. I have a promise to keep to my wife so I find myself and my family in the familiar situation of looking for a job with the added responsibility of a wife and son to provide for, while I still have another year of seminary to complete. It is helpful to be able to look back on that time of unemployment and remember all of the ways God looked after me; especially as I work to continue putting my trust in God. Isn't that the definition of holiness? Instead of a laundry list of do this, and don't do that shouldn't holiness be about daily practices which help us to better trust in God? During this season of Lent when people often give up something isn't the point to learn to trust in God more? Giving up something in Lent is like "Basic Training" in the military. We give up something while we have the option not to, so when we are caught between a rock and a hard place we have practiced trusting God. What is that old phrase; first we try then we trust? Lent is about learning to trust God when life is easy so when we face trials of various kinds we have a firm foundation of trust in God and the reassurance God will see us through.

Every Ordinary Thing Can Be Sacramental

"Earth's Cramed with Heaven
And every common bush a fire with God:
But only he who sees takes off his shoes,
The rest sit around and pick black berries."
~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Tweak in Direction

My wife pointed out the reason she never reads my blog is because it is always something Biblical or religious or both. I am forced to concede she has a point. Then again I am in seminary. I do have projects and deadlines, and John Wesley sermons all running through my head so I guess some of that is to be expected. I could go on a Monday morning rant about all of the things I am struggling with in seminary. Sadly, I'd probably have more people reading this blog if I did. Suddenly there would be the drama of misery. This blog would follow the newspaper's example of "if it bleeds it leads." Okay. I took that quote from a movie, but it applies. Just look at the evening news. So what would it take to make this blog a bit more interesting? I think I need to do a better job of addressing my everyday life in seminary, as a husband, father, child of God. Wow just listing those out I think I got them out of order in terms of the priorities I hold to. I'll give it a try and see how things go.

The Line

In the life of a person of faith there is a line between what a person wills to do, and what the All Mighty empowers them to do. There is a clear distinction between the will of distruction, and the empowering force which enables us to truly live life. For those who follow the commands to Love God, love neighbor as ourselves; holiness becomes trusting God, and discovering there is power and peace, when the will of man becomes trust in God.

Psalm 4

“Answer me when I call, O God of my right!
You gave me room when I was in distress.
Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.”
                                        (Psalm 4:1 NRSV)
Under the current economic conditions there have been a lot of people over the last three or four years who have prayed this prayer; although, perhaps not in so many words. God you have provided for me in the past. Please watch over me and my family now. My company has downsized, and I am now unemployed. My family is hungry. We have bills to pay. I would gladly work, if I could only find a job. Be gracious to me O Lord and hear my call.
For the unemployed there are many aspersions, dispersions, negative connotations, and misconceptions about what it means to be unemployed. Is every person living on the street homeless because they are a drug addict, or an alcoholic? No. Is every family on unemployment just a bunch of lazy free loaders who do not want to work? No. It was not always the job of the Federal Government in this country to help those in need. How long will the children of God love vain words instead of helping their brothers and sisters in Christ when they are in need? How long will we deny Christ a drink of water at the well?
According to a February article on Bloomberg.com unemployment in the United States of America is up to 9% – Nine Percent. For those struggling to get buy it is easy to feel angry, and to let that anger lead to despair. The Psalmist urges us not to let our despair cause us to sin. Now is not the time to allow depression to cloud your mind. Now is not the time to let anger or pride misdirect your judgment. In your time of trial it is time to put your whole trust in the Lord, and to bring your plight before the altar of God. I am not promising a sign from God, or a financial wind fall. However, I have been down this road. I know what peace God can put in your heart to help you endure when the storms of life are raging. Now is the time to strengthen the foundations of your faith and your home. Put your faith in the Lord. Trust in God’s power and peace that you might lay down in safety with a roof over your head, food in your belly and the knowledge God will see you safely through the storms if you will but trust in God’s grace.

Amen.

Pandora's Box

Greek mythology explains the evils of the world with the story of Pandora's box. Pandora opened the box and all of the evils of the world were let loose so all that was left in the box was hope.

I do not place my hope for today and for the world in a metaphor from the ancient world, but in a king who lives and reigns every bit as much today as he did 2000 years ago. He came into a world already filled with the darkness and decay of our own making which had only been further complicated by the lies of the tempter. No. My King came into the darkness, and wild destructive decay of a thoroughly broken world as a pale ray of light in the form baby born to a destitute itinerant family. As He grew into adulthood he listened, and witnessed, and loved humanity because His Father loves humanity. Then in the fullness of time, while we were still willfully defiant, He gave his life that light would dawn in the darkness of the world and we would all see something so good, so wonderful, we would be both in awe of it and convicted by its grace and goodness.

All give honor and praise through the Holy Spirit to Christ for God's love that Christ has entered the world. Let the darkness hear and tremble at these words, "SUNDAY'S COMING!"

Night Owl

Wikipedia describes a night owl this way.
Night owl is a term used to describe a person who tends to stay up until late at night. Another name for a night owl is evening person 
I do not typically function this way. Usually I am one of those early to bed early to rise folks who try not to annoy the night owls first thing in the morning. However, lately I am becoming a night owl. This week it's up until midnight every night and up at five in the morning to feed Evan. Then I stay up and try to get reading done or to finish the sermon due for class on Wednesday. This is turning out to be a very busy semester which is why I'm starting to look like my fine feathered friend here. Please don't stare if you see me walking across campus with this look on my face.