Month: January 2010

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Colt’s Standing on the Rock

Well, much to my chagrin, Alabama has won the National Championship, and promptly took the trophy to Walmart for all the citizens of the state to see.  That is good stuff, but not near as good as what went down on the other side of the field. Most of you know Colt McCoy was knocked out of the game in the first quarter.   What you may not have heard after the game, were his post game comments.

I always give God the glory, I’d never question why things happen the way they do.  God is in control of my life and if nothing else I know I’m standing on The Rock.

Thats incredible.

This young man is a great example for us.  It takes a lot of guts to talk like that just being in college, and here he make that statement for all to here.  Also, you should check out his video, along with the others at iamsecond.com.  I noticed Sunday night while watching the Mountaineers lose one to the Irish, that this video was also on ESPNU.  Hopefully, today you can draw some encouragement from Colt’s statement, and you can proclaim that you are standing on the Rock as well.

Matthew 7:24-25 (New International Version)
The Wise and Foolish Builders

24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

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Crazy Cats

Usually our cats are outside cats.  They may come in for the occasional walk through the house with the special treat being a drink from the toilet, but for the most part they start outside exercising their dominion over the yard, the grass, and the small rodents and rabbits.  However, during these extremely cold nights the past few weeks they have been coming in side more often.

One of these guys – “Bruce” as we call him, seems to not be very appreciative of this.  He comes in, eats, drinks, runs to the basement door, meows and runs down stairs.  If you pet him, or pick him up, he is noticeable tense and always ready to be placed back down on the ground.    We had another kitty, “Dennis”, a few years ago that was exactly like that.  When we brought him home as a kitten, he immediately started hissing at us.  I think in the time we “owned” Dennis, I can count all the times I held him on both hands.  And most of those were carefully crafted sneak up attacks while he was asleep, so that I could check him over for ticks, scratches, etc.  Dennis, always come around for food and shelter, but immediately high tailed it when it came to social activities – until he was sick, well, even then he tried to run, but he was so sick he could not.  Despite Dennis’ apparent usage of us, it was still a sad day when we had to put him down.  Little Bruce is not as extreme as Dennis, but he is still not one who really cares for much time with his owner.

The shame about this is that in contrast to our other cats over time – esp “Stanley” and our other current cat “Todd”.  Both of these cats would meet me at the end of the driveway when I returned from a run.  They beg for attention, they jump up in your lap, they sneak around and although they are outside kitties, they still find ways to end up in your bed at night.  The contrast is really amazing.

So, with these cold nights, and watching the interacts of Todd and Dennis around the house, I can’t help but make a comparative analysis to how we our with God.    We find ourselves like Dennis, always around for food and shelter, sometimes begrudgingly around in times of trouble, but for the most part independent.  However, when we are that way, we miss out of the best parts.  We miss out on sleeping in the bed with the Master.  We miss out on the closeness and comfort and peace that He provides.

Don’t do it all alone, reach out for God.  Meet him at the driveway, find ways to draw close to him, and then watch what happens…

8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded (James 4:8 (New International Version)

 7-10So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. (James 4:8, The Message)

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Making Preparations

I was preparing to write about an entirely different topic, when I was checking to see if schools were closing hours before the first snow flake even was forming and I saw this classic poll on the front of my local news station:

You can't have snow with a cupboard full of bread and milk
You can't have snow with a cupboard full of bread and milk

Preparations and plans. Sometimes it’s important to make them.  Apparently, when winter weather strikes its even more important.   It’s always the running joke about hitting the grocery when winter weather approaches, and it always makes good news stories.  That and a story about the road crews loading up the salt and sand.  Winter in the South is fun stuff.  However I noticed yesterday on weather.com, more evidence of my government weather conspiracy plot.  Notice the green circle around Chattanooga!!!

Weather Channel Forcast
Anyway, since snow is once again the talk of the town, and yesterday’s post dealt remotely with the creation, I almost think this is an incredible image to try to conjure up in your mind.  The storehouses of snow.  I think it shows the mightiness and the greatness of the Lord.

20 “Have you ever traveled to where snow is made,
seen the vault where hail is stockpiled,
The arsenals of hail and snow that I keep in readiness
for times of trouble and battle and war?
Can you find your way to where lightning is launched,
or to the place from which the wind blows?
Who do you suppose carves canyons
for the downpours of rain, and charts
the route of thunderstorms
That bring water to unvisited fields,
deserts no one ever lays eyes on,
Drenching the useless wastelands
so they’re carpeted with wildflowers and grass?
And who do you think is the father of rain and dew,
the mother of ice and frost?
You don’t for a minute imagine
these marvels of weather just happen, do you? (Job 38:21-23, The Message)

and since we started with a little bit of planning, how about this verse to consider today:

3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

Enjoy the snow – if we get it!

( oh, by the way, the conspiracy theory is a joke -just a joke)

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Going Green for God

Over the last 12 years or so, I have really begun to hate politics.  There’s too much judging, criticism and hate going on, and so I have unfortunately turned away from that spectrum for a little while – or at least turned away from engaging in much rhetoric about it.  (Outside of a little fun on FaceBook provoking of my favorite political college student, who shall stay unnamed.)  Anyway, this is a bit of walking on the edge for me, a slight advance into a topic that could turn very political.

Last week, the man we refer to as Pope Benedict XVI gave his usual and customary New Years Mass speech.  During this talk, the head of the Catholic Church stated:

“Nevertheless, in this moment, I would like to underline the importance of the choices of individuals, families and local administrations in preserving the environment,”

and

“An objective shared by all, an indispensable condition for peace, is that of overseeing the earth’s natural resources with justice and wisdom.”

Well, this has troubled me a little bit over the past few days because the headlines and the new bits say “Pope Urges Lifestyle Changes to Save Planet”.  Hm.  I have always been a conservationist.  I agree with the Pope.  I have thought for years that Christians should be leading the charge to take care of the planet.  You see, its our charge and responsibility.  God created the Earth and gave “dominion” to man –

26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image and likeness. And let them rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the tame animals, over all the earth, and over all the small crawling animals on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26, New Century Version)

God has asked us, no charged us with taking care of the world he has created.  So we should be going green for God.  Taking care of the planet, wisely using its resources, recycling, watching our consumption – these are Godly principles – all in the same vein as the message we are given to take care of our bodies, the temple of God.

18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (New International Version)

The beef I have here, however, is the apparent lack of trust or faith in God, when we as men think we can change our behavior and “save the planet”.  Its God’s planet.  The whole notion that we can destroy it or save it seems a little off base for me.  ( Now, I think we can make it a terrible place to live, or we can make it a great place to live, by our actions)  It sort of reminds me of the Tower of Babel.

So consider this.  I think we should jump in the bandwagon and Go Green for God, because He (not via the Pope) asked us to, not in a last ditch effort to save the planet.

Go Green!  Thoughts?

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An Idea for Prayer

As we start the new year, many of us lay out a plan for a “better prayer life”.  It is a good change to make to spend time taking advantage of the gift of prayer.  Its a real life changer when you are in those times in life when prayer is a big part of your day.  So I thought I would share an idea a found a few months again at the Not a Fan site.  (if you have not check this site out your should – there is lots of encouragement there.)  Anyway, the idea shared there is a modern take on the prayer journal – give God an email address and send him an email everyday.  I have not tried this yet, but I think its a pretty good idea – especially for you writers out there.  Check out the idea here, and however you do it, make it a priority in 2010 to spend time in prayer.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (New International Version)

16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.