It’s Thursday, so you might be looking for a leader for your weekend. You know the type: someone who is fun, upbeat, will go with you to lots of fun or thrilling events, still leaving time for completion of papers and studies so you’re all prepared for Monday. You’re looking for someone who will fill you life.
Yesterday, we read about the ordeal in Plattsmouth with the beating of a man with baseball bats. Not much in the area of positive leadership there! Today’s less than stellar report concerns an OPS teacher and girls softball coach who single handedly destroyed her career by driving the wrong way on a one way in downtown Omaha (right in front of the Police Station!) and was ticketed for a Federal DUI!
We’re tempted stick out proverbial noses in the air and think: “How tawdry!” when the reality is most of us are lucky we’ve not gotten caught. We certainly are looking for leaders for the weekend.
Here’s a thought:
When Jesus called his few disciples, he went out immediately and began to heal people. He could have read the news reports and gotten what the British call a “toffee nose.” In those days, chronic illness was thought to be tied to bad behavior—by you, your relatives, people in your tribe, or your leaders. It was logical to believe healing could come only by wiping the slate clean through a sacrifice to God. Jesus, the leader, had another plan:
Matthew 4:
Jesus Ministers to Crowds of People
23Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. 24So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, and paralytics, and he cured them. 25And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
Jesus led by healing, not by calling peoples’ misdeeds to attention. Later in his life as Son of God and Savior, he adopted additional means of calling attention to God in peoples’ lives, but his first actions were healing ones.
This weekend, we might want to look for a healing presence; or for that matter, be one.
Thursday, September 13
Wednesday, September 12
Meditation: focusing on the Big Picture:#3
When You Come to Yourself
This morning’s news had a disturbing article about a beat down in Plattsmouth. The reporter tried to make sense out of the “love lost and my ex is bigger than you are” theme. Seems as though the second fight between the Weeping Water group and the jilted boy in the Plattsmouth group came to the house of the father of the jilted. He woke up with the racket and went to the front porch to be met with a hale of aluminum baseball bats. He’s in intensive care. Read it here: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10130064
The article reads like it was a pretty stupid and immature activity. Both boys and girls on both sides ended up looking a lot like the Sharks and Jets in “Westside Story”—Teens trying to vie for territory and the honor of a woman. It didn’t work out that way. They all lost.
I’m reminded of the story of a youngster in Luke 15:
The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother
11Then Jesus _ said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ 20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
The story goes on to reconciliation. But first the son had to do some self reflection and take ownership for his actions.
This story looks like everyone was going to live happily ever after. But they didn’t—the family continued in gracious love and unpretentious dysfunction. (read more in your bible—I know you’ve got one; also they’re available online for free). But the son and father do reconcile.
A problem with living with people is this: we don’t get it right all that often. But when we don’t, the biblical way of doing this is to fess up, take stock, make reparations and move on. That’s what’s meant by “he came to himself.” Are you ready to come to yourself?
This morning’s news had a disturbing article about a beat down in Plattsmouth. The reporter tried to make sense out of the “love lost and my ex is bigger than you are” theme. Seems as though the second fight between the Weeping Water group and the jilted boy in the Plattsmouth group came to the house of the father of the jilted. He woke up with the racket and went to the front porch to be met with a hale of aluminum baseball bats. He’s in intensive care. Read it here: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10130064
The article reads like it was a pretty stupid and immature activity. Both boys and girls on both sides ended up looking a lot like the Sharks and Jets in “Westside Story”—Teens trying to vie for territory and the honor of a woman. It didn’t work out that way. They all lost.
I’m reminded of the story of a youngster in Luke 15:
The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother
11Then Jesus _ said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. 13A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.” ’ 20So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
The story goes on to reconciliation. But first the son had to do some self reflection and take ownership for his actions.
- What he’d done (run away and used up his share of the estate
- What he stood for (his values)
- Who he was related to (father and brother)
- Where his home really was (with his father and brother—with all its warts)
- What he needed to do to reconcile
This story looks like everyone was going to live happily ever after. But they didn’t—the family continued in gracious love and unpretentious dysfunction. (read more in your bible—I know you’ve got one; also they’re available online for free). But the son and father do reconcile.
A problem with living with people is this: we don’t get it right all that often. But when we don’t, the biblical way of doing this is to fess up, take stock, make reparations and move on. That’s what’s meant by “he came to himself.” Are you ready to come to yourself?
Tuesday, September 11
Meditation: focusing on the Big Picture:#2
What’s in Front of You?
In the movie, “Dead Poet’s Society”, a teacher at a prestigious school for boys has taken his charges to a flat plaza like space where they are walking in procession. Of their own accord, they fall into step with each other and begin marching to a common rhythm. Left righ left. Around and around they go in a large circle, left right left. Finally, everyone is in step with everyone else, left right left, in military precision. The teacher, played by Robin Williams, has the boys stop and review: “Why did you all get in step with everyone else?”
They had no answer except that it seemed natural to get in step with each other. But in the movie, the boys weren’t going anywhere in particular. Instead, they were just going around in a circle. The question then becomes not only, “why did you get in step with everyone else”, but “where were you going?”
The book of Exodus describes how the Hebrews escaped slavery of Egypt and how they ran for the wilderness. Now that they were safe from the clutches of Pharaoh, they needed a new set of skills to live in this land. After instructions, the end of Exodus 40 gives specifics on when the camp was to move, where the people were to go.
Exodus 40
34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey; 37but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day that it was taken up. 38For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel at each stage of their journey.
As long as the pillar of flame or the pillar of cloud were in front of the people, they knew whether to go and where to go. If the pillar was still, the message is “don’t go on” If the pillar moved to a new location, the people were to decamp and follow. The people knew where to go by following what was in front of them. The story goes on to report how the people never lacked for food or water or direction during the whole 40 year saga.
If you’re feeling lost, it’s good to know what’s in front of you. Perhaps you don’t know the fire and cloud. If you’re not feeling lost, it’s good to acknowledge what’s in front of you and what you’re following. You might be following a dream or a destiny or a hope. Whatever you’re following, it will take you somewhere or nowhere.
What’s in front of you?
In the movie, “Dead Poet’s Society”, a teacher at a prestigious school for boys has taken his charges to a flat plaza like space where they are walking in procession. Of their own accord, they fall into step with each other and begin marching to a common rhythm. Left righ left. Around and around they go in a large circle, left right left. Finally, everyone is in step with everyone else, left right left, in military precision. The teacher, played by Robin Williams, has the boys stop and review: “Why did you all get in step with everyone else?”
They had no answer except that it seemed natural to get in step with each other. But in the movie, the boys weren’t going anywhere in particular. Instead, they were just going around in a circle. The question then becomes not only, “why did you get in step with everyone else”, but “where were you going?”
The book of Exodus describes how the Hebrews escaped slavery of Egypt and how they ran for the wilderness. Now that they were safe from the clutches of Pharaoh, they needed a new set of skills to live in this land. After instructions, the end of Exodus 40 gives specifics on when the camp was to move, where the people were to go.
Exodus 40
34Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 36Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey; 37but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day that it was taken up. 38For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel at each stage of their journey.
As long as the pillar of flame or the pillar of cloud were in front of the people, they knew whether to go and where to go. If the pillar was still, the message is “don’t go on” If the pillar moved to a new location, the people were to decamp and follow. The people knew where to go by following what was in front of them. The story goes on to report how the people never lacked for food or water or direction during the whole 40 year saga.
If you’re feeling lost, it’s good to know what’s in front of you. Perhaps you don’t know the fire and cloud. If you’re not feeling lost, it’s good to acknowledge what’s in front of you and what you’re following. You might be following a dream or a destiny or a hope. Whatever you’re following, it will take you somewhere or nowhere.
What’s in front of you?
Meditation: focusing on the Big Picture:#1
Staying Tuned to the Big Picture
Picture this: a desk with computer paraphernalia & speakers, remnants of food and drink, photos, tv zapper, a few books, note paper, and other stuff. A set of papers is due this week and they need to be outlined. How to get focused and get the work done?
When as years go by, people start accumulating stuff—more sets of games, more books, more clothes, more TVs, more cars, more more, more. In many homes, garages used to be places where people put their automobiles. Back in the day, the average family felt good about having one car. Today, there’s often at least one for every person of driving age. The result of all this stuff fallout is that the cars no longer fit in the garage, (unless you have a house with three or four garages) because the garage is already full of stuff. So some bright person started building storage facilities. More places for more stuff!
Distractions abound in the study area. They abound in other parts of our lives, too. So much to do and so much stuff to wade through. We wonder: “Will I ever have enough time?” How do I prioritize? A simple lifestyle is hard to implement. Steven Covey, a prolific writer on putting values into motion, puts it this way: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” One of the Psalms says this, “I keep the Lord always before me (16.8).
Daily routines to keep the God as our focus is not a distraction from the main thing. And for where you are in life, God many not be the main thing for you. Maybe getting degree is the main thing. Maybe a healthy relationship with a significant other is the main thing. Maybe your sexuality, relationships to parents, your job, loneliness or stress is the main thing. Maybe figuring out your main thing is the main thing.
If you’re struggling, why not try something daring: Try God as your focus for a few days. Think about God being with you while traveling. Is the Lord in your car? Is the Lord in your attitude? Is the Lord in your relationships? Is the Lord with you in your degree search? Is God with you in your questioning? Is God around in your search for tickets to the perfect concert? (or event a better day at work?)
Imagine God is somewhere on your desk in that mess, maybe even under the pile, next to the used video and pin number. Who knows what you’ll find if you move that stack!
Psalm 16
Song of Trust and Security in God
A Miktam of David.
1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.” _
3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.
4 Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; _
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names upon my lips.
5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.
7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I keep the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Picture this: a desk with computer paraphernalia & speakers, remnants of food and drink, photos, tv zapper, a few books, note paper, and other stuff. A set of papers is due this week and they need to be outlined. How to get focused and get the work done?
When as years go by, people start accumulating stuff—more sets of games, more books, more clothes, more TVs, more cars, more more, more. In many homes, garages used to be places where people put their automobiles. Back in the day, the average family felt good about having one car. Today, there’s often at least one for every person of driving age. The result of all this stuff fallout is that the cars no longer fit in the garage, (unless you have a house with three or four garages) because the garage is already full of stuff. So some bright person started building storage facilities. More places for more stuff!
Distractions abound in the study area. They abound in other parts of our lives, too. So much to do and so much stuff to wade through. We wonder: “Will I ever have enough time?” How do I prioritize? A simple lifestyle is hard to implement. Steven Covey, a prolific writer on putting values into motion, puts it this way: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” One of the Psalms says this, “I keep the Lord always before me (16.8).
Daily routines to keep the God as our focus is not a distraction from the main thing. And for where you are in life, God many not be the main thing for you. Maybe getting degree is the main thing. Maybe a healthy relationship with a significant other is the main thing. Maybe your sexuality, relationships to parents, your job, loneliness or stress is the main thing. Maybe figuring out your main thing is the main thing.
If you’re struggling, why not try something daring: Try God as your focus for a few days. Think about God being with you while traveling. Is the Lord in your car? Is the Lord in your attitude? Is the Lord in your relationships? Is the Lord with you in your degree search? Is God with you in your questioning? Is God around in your search for tickets to the perfect concert? (or event a better day at work?)
Imagine God is somewhere on your desk in that mess, maybe even under the pile, next to the used video and pin number. Who knows what you’ll find if you move that stack!
Psalm 16
Song of Trust and Security in God
A Miktam of David.
1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.” _
3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my delight.
4 Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; _
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names upon my lips.
5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly heritage.
7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I keep the LORD always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
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