Good Soil, Good Crops and Good Lives

The story below is an excerpt from my recently published book, Where's God? Finding Him in the Small Stuff.  For more information about the book, please visit my website:  www.gregmccollam.com


The month of May is the month of over-turned soil. 

Driving down the road during the month of May, you can't help but notice how the land around you has changed. 

Gone are the old, crumpled, broken stalks of last year's corn crop.  Gone are the early-Spring weeds which had begun to poke their heads above ground only a month ago.  Gone, even, are the leftover leaves and scattered branches which had fallen during February's snow storms.

In their place is over-turned soil.

In May, farmers prepare their fields for planting.  New seed won't grow among the old remains of last year's crop.  New seed needs new, clean soil for healthy growth.  So farmers turn the soil, exposing the fresh earth while burying the old, worn-out ground underneath.

Also in May, home gardeners spend hours pulling and yanking weeds from their flower beds to keep those weeds from choking out the tender growth of their new plants.  Those gardeners turn the soil, making room for the flowering of new life to come.

And in May, homeowners are outside picking up the leaves and branches from their lawns which left scars behind during the long winter months when it was just too cold to do anything about them.  Homeowners turn the soil, planting fresh grass seed to heal the wounds of winter. 

The month of May reminds me that good seed needs good soil.  And only "over-turned" soil is "good soil" for seed.

In many ways, the same is true in the life of a Christian.  If God is going to plant some "good seed" in the field or flower bed of your life, He needs to over-turn some soil.  He needs to prepare you for the growth that is to come.

Like the farmer, God will not throw His "good seed" over the "old crop" of your life. It will not grow there.  He needs to over-turn some soil.

Like the gardener, God will not throw His good seed into a flower bed full of weeds.  First, He needs to over-turn some soil.

Like the homeowner, God will not throw His good seed among the fallen leaves and branches of your life.  It cannot grow there among that kind of dead debris.  He needs to over-turn some soil.

How does He do it?  What are the signs of "over-turned soil" in your life?     

In many ways, "over-turned soil" looks a lot like "change." 

Sometimes, God overturns the soil of your life by changing something.  Maybe He adds something new to your life...a new job, a new baby, a new friend, a new church, or a new house.

Sometimes, God may overturn the soil of your life through loss...the loss of a loved one, the loss of your health for a while, the loss of a financial nest egg, or the loss of a home.

There are times when over-turned soil looks like a reason to celebrate.  At other times, it looks like a reason for grief and worry.  But, in the midst of both happy and sad circumstances, God is preparing you for His new, good seed.  He is over-turning some soil.

Jesus told a story about good seed and soil in Matthew, chapter 13....

 "A farmer planted seed.  As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and the birds ate it.  Some fell in the gravel, it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly.  Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds.  Some fell on good soil, and produced a harvest beyond the farmer's wildest dreams."

The thing is, if God were to ask me, I would say that I really don't want Him to over-turn that soil in my life. 

Do you know why?

Because I do not like change.

If it were up to me, I would prefer to keep things just like they are.

But God can't just leave "well enough alone"...because "well enough" is not "good enough" for Him.

He knows if He does not over-turn some soil in your life, if He does not bring both happy and sad changes your way, then your faith and your  relationship with Him will not grow.

It would be like spreading perfectly good seed on "unprepared" soil.  It would just lie there until it was either washed away by rain or swept away by wind.

It would never take root.

It would never bear fruit.

And that's just it.  God wants His Spirit to take root in your life.  He wants you to bear fruit for Him.

So, God plants "good seed" in your life which allows you to grow into the wonderful crop He wants you to be.   

Just remember...before He can do it, He needs to prepare you.  That means He will need to over-turn some soil in your life.

That means, changes are coming.  Don't be surprised.

Be ready.

No One Noticed?

Besides the obvious, there is one thing that keeps nagging at me about what happened in the house of  Ariel Castro, the man who kidnapped, abused, and held captive three girls/women for the last ten years.

How is it that NO ONE NOTICED?

I mean, it didn't happen out in the middle of nowhere, where he had the benefit of space between his house and the houses of his neighbors.  No, it happened in the middle of a suburb where the closest neighbors' houses were VERY close.

It didn't happen in the house of a recluse who never showed his face in public.  Castro was a school bus driver...he was a well-known local musician in the Latin music community...his neighbors saw him out-and-about on regular occasions.  In other words, he interacted with lots of people.

How is it that NO ONE NOTICED?

It didn't happen in the house of a man who had no family.  He obviously had two brothers who may, or may not, have been involved in Castro's fiendish deeds.  But the latest news reports make it seem that they were probably not a part of what went on there.

He had two grown children, a daughter and a son...one of whom was a "good friend" of one of the
girls who was abducted, and the other wrote an "investigative paper" on the case as a student in college.

I suspect he had other, extended family members as well, nieces, nephews, cousins, and the like, some of whom probably lived nearby.

How is it that NO ONE NOTICED?

It didn't happen recently, either.  These women had been held against their wills for years...and years...and years.  Ten years or more. 

In all that time, there wasn't the slightest hint that something bad was going on?  Not one muffled scream heard?  Not one weird-looking activity in the backyard.  Not one suspicion when Castro never allowed anyone through the front door? 

How is it that, in all of those years, NO ONE NOTICED?

For now, we have to give them all the benefit of the doubt...the neighbors, the co-workers, the musicians who shared a stage with him, the family...

...maybe Castro was just that diabolical, just that good at covering his tracks.  Maybe there really was no hint of what was going on in that house at any time for anyone to pick up on.

Until one neighbor happened to be outside at just the right time, eating his McDonald's, and not only heard and saw something wrong, but ACTED in response to it.  And, in the process, finally brought an end to the nightmare in the house on Seymour Street in Cleveland.

We celebrate their rescue, and their rescuer.

We condemn the criminal.

But I think we also have to ask ourselves...

...would I have noticed?

I have a new prayer for today:

"Lord, give me eyes and ears to hear and see evil when it is close to me,
and courage to confront it.  Amen."

In Defense of ESPN's Chris Broussard

If you want to know how to "defend your faith" as a Christian against the slings and arrows of an unbelieving world, take notes from Chris Broussard.

Broussard is an ESPN reporter who covers the NBA, and he made a public statement in response to player Jason Collins' "reveal" about being gay, in which Broussard said Collins is living in "open rebellion to God."

Since making that statement, Broussard has been attacked by celebrities and media alike, including the online blog Deadspin.com that carried the headline "Why ESPN's Chris Broussard Came Out as a Bigot" for its story.

In spite of such attacks, Broussard has been articulate and eloquent in defending his faith and his belief in God, and in God's Word, the Bible.

As Christians, we need to rally in support of Chris Broussard and applaud him for his courage in taking on a culture that has moved so far away from Biblical principles and beliefs.  What he said, we all may need to say some day...and probably sooner rather than later.

If you would like to listen to an interview of Broussard by a team of radio DJ's who did not agree with his Christian point of view, click on the link below.

Warning!  Some of the language used at the end of the interview is R-rated.  Please don't be offended...this is the way the world talks today without the Holy Spirit to direct them.

Also, notice how the DJ's keep attacking Broussard, even after the interview is over.  This is a spiritual battle and Satan clearly has his legions...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KS-8YtijSi0#action=share

A Thanksgiving Story for Mother's Day

The story below is an excerpt from my new book, Where's God? Finding Him in the Small Stuff, which tells about the time I thought I would miss my first Thanksgiving with my Mom...until I decided I just couldn't stay away, and found a way back home.  I dedicate it to Ann Lawrence (my Mom's maiden name) and to everyone who has wonderful memories of their own moms as Mother's Day approaches.


It was a cold and stormy night.

A Wednesday night, to be exact...the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, in 1980.

It was my first BIG HOLIDAY away from home after graduating from college and I had BIG PLANS. 

Secret plans.

I would drive all the way to West Virginia from Indianapolis after I finished working at the Indiana Pacers game that night.  I had rented a car because I didn't trust my 1976 Vega station wagon to make the trip without breaking down. 

I would drive all night, overnight, so I could be home for Thanksgiving.

No one knew I was coming.  It would be a surprise for everyone, especially for my Mom.

You see, I had never missed a Thanksgiving with her.  Not once.  In all of my 22 years, Mom and I had always been together for Thanksgiving.

At first, I had told myself how silly it was to make the trip at all.  I was, after all, a grown man.  I had a fulltime job.  It was just Thanksgiving.  What difference would it make if I didn't get home that year?  So what if I wouldn't see my Mom, just this once.

There would be other holidays.  There would be other Thanksgivings.

It was too far to drive so late at night anyway.  I would be too tired.  It might even be dangerous.

I would be fine staying at my apartment, by myself. 

But, the more I thought about it, the more homesick I got.  Not that my Mom was a great cook, exactly.  I mean, she could cook a good meal, don't get me wrong.  But, for my Mom, cooking was more of a "hit and miss" proposition.

There were times when the Thanksgiving turkey just melted in your mouth.  But there were other times when the bottoms of the rolls were burned, or the mashed potatoes were a little stiff, or the pumpkin pie was still a bit frozen because she hadn't taken the box out of the freezer early enough to thaw. 

You never knew, from one year to the next, which food would hit the table.

Of course, it didn't matter.  I wasn't going home for the food.  I was going home to be with my family.  I was going home to be with my Mom.

So, sometime around midnight on that Wednesday night in 1980, I headed home.  It really was a cold and stormy night.

I was fine for an hour or two.  But eventually, there was no way I could keep my eyes open.  I had to pull over and take a nap.

I slept as well possible while sitting up behind the steering wheel.  That is, until the car got too cold.  Freezing, I started the car, turned on the heat and let it run until the air warmed up again.  Then, I turned off the engine and fell back to sleep.

That pattern repeated itself more than once that night.  Drive.  Stop.  Sleep.  Freeze.  Run the car.  Sleep.  Repeat.

Finally, sometime around the middle of the morning on Thanksgiving day, I pulled into the driveway at Mom's house.

She was in the kitchen when I got there.

She saw me drive up.  It was then that the most unusual thing happened.  Something that I had not expected.

For some reason, she did not seem surprised to see me.  She was happy that I made it home, of course, but she did not seem surprised at all.

It was almost as if she had expected me to be there.

As I look back on it now, I think I know why.  This was my home.  This was my family.  This was where I belonged.  This was the only place in the whole world where I could find a special kind of love...the love of my Mom.  Unconditional love.

The kind of love that says, "I love you just because you are my child."

I think Mom knew that I could not stay away, because that kind of love is too precious to miss.

Someday, there is going to be a great Thanksgiving meal in the presence of Jesus.  Actually, in the Bible, it is called a "wedding supper," but it is basically the same thing.

"Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder shouting:  'Hallelujah!  For our Lord God Almighty reigns.  Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!  For the wedding of the Lamb has come and his bride has made herself ready.  Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear'...Then the angel said to me, 'Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.'"  (Revelation 19:6-9)

Do you want to be invited?  You have been already.  You were invited the very day that Jesus died on the cross for you.

If you want to be there, you do not have to drive for hours and hours on a cold and stormy night.  All you have to do is accept Jesus as your Savior. 

What waits for you is a wonderful time of precious, unconditional love, because you have "come home" through faith in Jesus Christ.  What waits for you is a love from God that says, "I love you just because you are my child."

Where else would you rather be?

For more information about my book, or to hear an audio excerpt from a different story, visit the following website: www.gregmccollam.com  Books are available from amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com, or at local bookstores (if the book is out of stock, they can order it for you) in hardback or paperback versions.

Don't Insult My Intelligence!

I just hate it when someone insults my intelligence.

When they try to "pull the wool over my eyes," it just infuriates me.

I mean, I can see with my own two eyes, and I can hear with my own two ears...and I like to think I have a brain in my head.

But, apparently, not everyone agrees.

Take this year's collection of judges on the once-popular TV show, "American Idol."  They have insulted my intelligence so often this season that I can no longer watch.

They did it by swooning over singers who were clearly not that good.  I think the judges wanted to convince me that these barely-better-than-karaoke-singers were the best talent since Carrie Underwood...or Scotty McCreary...or Barbra...or Frank...because, by doing so, they were defending their decisions to put these singers on the show in the first place.

But they insulted my intelligence.

After all, I have ears.

Or, consider a recent broadcast of "Morning Edition" on the NPR radio network.  They aired a "news" story that basically boiled down to this:  Many scientific researchers are switching from lab rats to lab mice for their experiments.

That's it.

Seriously.

It insulted my intelligence.

How in the world is a story like that "newsworthy?"

After all, I have a brain.

My children seem to specialize in insulting my intelligence.  This was especially so when they were younger.  Chores left undone.  Curfews not met.  Secret comings and goings.

When I would confront them about such issues, they would deny and deflect.

And in the process they were insulting my intelligence.

Because, I have eyes.

My reactions to these insults varied...from avoidance of "American Idol," to disappointment with NPR, to anger with my children.

In each case, however, my response was a negative one.

Which is also a warning to me as a Christian today.

Because, if I'm not careful, I can insult the intelligence of the people around me...especially unbelievers.

As a representative of Christ, they see Him in me.

They hear Him in me.

So if they see me looking at a woman in a lustful way, they see Him doing it.  If they see me at a movie I should not be attending, they see Him there.  If they see me cheating or stealing, they see Him cheating and stealing.

In the process, I insult their intelligence.

If they hear me gossip behind someone's back, they hear Jesus do it.  It they hear me lie, they hear Him do it.  If they hear me use God's Name in vain, they hear Him do it.

And I further insult their intelligence.

Because they have eyes, and ears, and brains...and they are basing their image of Jesus on me.

And on you.

When we insult their intelligence, their image of Christ is tarnished...and their response to Him can range from avoidance, to disappointment, to anger.

All negative.

As Christians, we must live in such a way that we stop insulting the intelligence of the people around us...

...and start inviting them instead.

Inviting them to come to Him and know Him as we know Him...

...which will change their lives forever by giving them new life!

From My Devotional Reading

Wanted to share with you an exerpt from my personal devotional readings today...

"This week with its failures and successes has taught me one new lesson.  It is this:  'I must give Him away in order to have Him.'   That is the law of the spirit world.  What one gives one has, what one keeps to oneself one loses.

Do you suppose that through all eternity the price we will need to pay for keeping God will be that we must endlessly be giving Him away?"

-- Frank C. Laubach, June 1, 1930

The Christian Life Marathon

I have been thinking a lot about the Boston Marathon this week, for obvious reasons.

And it struck me how it is so much like our Christian life in the world today.

Life is never a short sprint, it is a long-distance grind, with hills that must be climbed and curves that must be negotiated...

...and, every now and then, a bomb blast explodes abruptly in our midst and throws everything into chaos around us.

Our Christian Life Marathon also has a starting line, a finish line, and a Fellow Runner who matches our pace, step-by-step through the whole course.

Interestingly, the writer of Hebrews chose the analogy of a race to illustrate these similarities in his own way...

"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us...Let us fix our eyes on Jesus...Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."  (Hebrews 12:1-3 excerpts, NIV)

The runners in the Boston Marathon didn't carry anything with them that would "hinder" them in any way...

...they dressed lightly
...they ate lightly
...they wore lightweight shoes

They wanted to run as far and as fast as they could so they could run well.

In our Christian Life Marathon, we need to strip away everything that "hinders" us too, so we can run well.

That means we must get rid of all of those things that weigh us down during our Christian run...

...guilt (God not only forgives, He forgets)

...perfectionism (you don't have to be perfect for God to accept and love you, Jesus was perfect for you already)

...anger (which hardens your heart not only towards the object of your anger, but towards God as well)

...worry (which crowds out God from your life)

The passage from Hebrews also says we must throw off the "sin that entagles."  Failing to do so is like trying to run the Boston Maraton as a "three-legged race" or a "sack race," which, of course, is quite impossible. 

If you tried it you would be constantly getting entangled, losing your balance, and falling.

No one ran the Boston Marthon that way, and neither should you run your Christian Marathon like that either.

You need to throw off sin that entangles you by taking it to God in confession...seeking His forgiveness...and working to "sin no more."

Hebrews also reminds us that the Christian Marathon, like the Boston Marathon, takes perseverance. 

Hard work.  Determination to succeed.  Dedication to the cause.  An ability to overcome hardships and setbacks victoriously.

The kind of "perseverance" talked about in Hebrews is the kind that keeps you moving forward with hope...with expectation...that you WILL MAKE IT to the finish line.  That you will, eventually, be able to raise your arms above your head and say, "I made it!"

At this year's Boston Marathon, runners and spectators were forced to endure the "opposition of sinful men."  The result was harm, and hurt, and death.

Jesus had to endure the same when He ran His own Christian Marathon here on earth.

And there may be times when you will need to endure it too.  Times when the crises and serious problems in your life are like bombs blasting away at your faith and knocking you off course.

But you CAN do it.  You can overcome.  You can get back on course.

Because, as a Christian, you have a power that is greater than your own.  Someone who has run the same race you are running, and did it perfectly.  He is your Example, and He can help you.

The secret is to keep your eyes on Jesus.

When you do, you can persevere without growing weary or losing heart.

Those runners and spectators in Boston have not grown weary or lost heart.  As a matter of fact, they have come up with a new slogan:  "Boston Strong"

As a Christian, you need to be "Jesus Strong."

For you, Jesus is the "starting line" of your Christian Life Marathon...He runs with you step-for-step all along the course of your life...and He stands at the "finish line," where He will celebrate with you as you raise your arms over your head someday...

...because you have run well.

And you have run into His outstretched arms.

National Anthem as a Hymn

In a time such as this, our National Anthem sounds more like a hymn to me.

See what I mean by clicking on the link below...from the first sporting event in Boston after the bombing, a Bruins game.

http://youtu.be/lbHMRpdk3_4

Boston strong is USA strong!

Boston, 4/15

I feel like I have been punched in the gut.

Punched by a bad guy who was hiding around a corner in a dark alley.

Punched when I least expected it.  I never saw it coming.  And it put me down for the count...

...all because of what happened in Boston yesterday at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. 

I find myself wishing it was all just a bad dream...bombs going off in the midst of a happy throng of people who were there to cheer on friends and family members running in the race.

Innocent bystanders.

Hurt, maimed, killed.  On a beautiful day.  A day that held such promise for so many. 

That is, until the awful explosion rocked the ground in Boston, and shattered windows for miles around, shattering lives at the same time.

Immediately my mind flashed back to another beautiful day in another major U.S. city...that city and date were New York, 9/11.

Now, we add another city and date to that infamous list...Boston, 4/15.

Right now, we ask the same questions we asked back then...

Who?
Why?
How?

And...What kind of person could do such a thing?

I don't have an answer for that one.

What happened is so beyond the pale of reason that, even if law enforement officials eventually identify a perpetrator and can offer some type of motivation, however mislead and off-the-wall, it will still stretch our ability to understand even a particle of it.

In the end, it goes beyond human explanation and understanding.

It is better dealt with on a spritual level, I think.

On a spiritual level, in view of this tragedy, and linked in our minds with 9/11, Sandy Hook, Aurora, Colorado, Columbine, and even going all the way back to Oklahoma City, we have to admit that evil exists in this world simply for evil's sake.

We must admit that Satan works in and among people to leave a trail of destruction in his wake, and in the process, creates a path to doubt about God's role in these tragedies.

Doubt about His ability to stop or change these attacks before they happen.

Doubt about Who is really in control, and how much control He really has.

As Christians, we cannot allow Satan to win this battle for our minds and spirits.  We cannot allow even these most horrible events to shake our faith in a good God who wants only good for His children.

Instead, we need to stay strong in Him.

We need to have confidence that, even what Satan means for evil, God can turn into good.

It happened on the cross.

And it will happen again as the smoke clears in Boston.

There will be stories of life-saving miracles that took place yesterday, even as the ground still shook.

There will be stories of amazing recoveries from devastating injuries.

There will be stories of support and strength given to those who lost a loved one in these blasts.

There will be heroes identified who ran into the face of danger and death to help others.

And for those of us who are believers, there will be a day when nothing like this can ever happen again...

...a day when Jesus reigns during an eternal Kingdom, when there will be no more tears, no more sickness or hurt, no more evil, no more Satan.

Only love and kindness and goodness and joy and peace.

In that assurance, we can always find our victory.

As I wrote on a facebook post yesterday...

Time to grieve again.
Time to be angry, again.
Time to seek answers, again.
Time to pray for the victims, again.
Time to hope that it just won't happen again, again.

When Christ comes again, it will never happen again.

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Amen.

I Wish I Had Said That!

I am so inspired sometimes when I read well-known Christian authors' books or iconic Christian preachers' sermons.  The thoughts they had!  The words they used!  The concepts they communicated!

When that happens, I usually say to myself, "I wish I had said that!"

One example is the excerpt below from preacher and author Oswald Chambers (My Utmost for His Highest) which has such wonderful insights about prayer...

I wish I had said that:

"The reason many of us stop praying and become hard toward God is that we only have an emotional interest in prayer.  It sounds good to say that we pray, and we read books on prayer which tell us that prayer is beneficial -- that our minds are quieted and our souls are uplifted when we pray.  But Isaiah implied...that God is amazed at such thoughts about prayer.

Worship and intercession must go together; one is impossible without the other.  Intercession means raising ourselves up to the point of getting the mind of Christ regarding the person for whom we are praying.  Instead of worshiping God, we recite speeches to God about how prayer is supposed to work.  Are we worshiping God or disputing with Him when we say, 'But God, I just don't see how you are going to do this?'  This is a sure sign we are not worshiping.

When we lose sight of God, we become hard and dogmatic.  We throw our petitions at His throne and dictate to Him what we want Him to do.  We don't worship God, nor do we seek to conform our minds to the mind of Christ.  And if we are hard toward God, we become hard toward other people.

Are we worshiping God in a way that will raise us up to where we can take hold of Him, having such intimate contact with Him that we know His mind about the ones for whom we pray?  Are we living in a holy relationship with God, or have we become hard and dogmatic?

...Be a person who worships God and lives in a holy relationship with Him.  Get involved in the real work of intercession, remembering that it truly is work -- work that demands all your energy, but work which has no hidden pitfalls.  Preaching the gospel has its share of pitfalls, but intercessory prayer has none whatsoever."

So, prayer is not just giving God our list of needs each day.  Instead, it should be an act of worship, where we remember how amazing He is, give Him the glory for everything, praise Him for answered prayer, and SEEK HIS WILL for everything else.

Amen to that!

Pain, Thirst, and Lazarus

I had to go to the hospital emergency room yesterday because of an awful pain in my lower back, side and abodomen.

It was the kind of pain that takes over your whole body and mind.

In other words, it was the kind of pain that made it impossible to think about anything else other than how much pain I was in...

...and made me act in ways that were uncharacteristic.

Like beg my wife to make the doctors give me something for the pain.

Like beg the nurse to make the doctors give me something for the pain.

Like beg the doctors to PLEASE give me something for the pain.

You know you are not yourself when two different nurses in the emergency room ask you to "please be quiet."

Later, I tried to explain to them that, as a preacher, I am a verbal person and so I verbalize everything, even my pain!

The other problem I had to deal with was a thirst unlike any thirst I had ever known before.  Maybe it was the stress...maybe it was the pain...maybe it was the physical problem I was experiencing.  Maybe it was a combination of "all of the above."

I don't know.

I only know that I was in excruciating pain, and I was excruciatingly thirsty.

Here's the rub...the doctors and nurses would not allow me anything to drink...at all.  They needed to run certain tests on me that required I not drink.  There was also the possibility that I might have needed surgery, and I couldn't drink beforehand.

So, what does a person do when they feel like they are dying of thirst, but no one will allow them to have a drink?

They try to make a deal.

At least, that is what I did.

I knew my wife had a bottle of water in her purse.  I tried every trick I knew to convince her to give me a drink.

I told her my tongue was sticking to the roof of my mouth.

I told her I would do anything she wanted me to do around the house.

I told her I would love her more than ever.

I told her I couldn't swallow.

I told her I was dying.

It all fell on a deaf ear.

She was having nothing to do with it.  And I was getting no water from her.

Basically, I was desperate.  I just wanted some relief...any kind of relief...from my pain and my thirst.

And it made me think about a story in the Bible.  The story of a rich man, and a poor man named Lazarus.

Lazarus was a beggar who "longed to eat what fell from the rich man's table."  The rich man "was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day."

One day, both of them died.

The rich man went to hell and Lazarus went to heaven.

Here is how the scene is described in Luke, chapter 16...

"In hell, where he was in torment, (the rich man) looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side.  So (the rich man) called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in the water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'"

Let me tell you, after my experience in the ER last night, I can definitely relate to the rich man in hell.

His unrelenting agony and thirst perfectly describe the way I felt.

But, in reality, what I experienced was only a trifle compared to what people in hell actually go through there.  Their pain is much greater than mine.  Their thirst is much greater than mine.

After last night, I can hardly get my head around that thought.  To think that anyone's pain and thirst could be worse than I knew...

...not just for a few hours like me, but for eternity.  It is just too much for me to handle.

In my case, I had compassionate doctors and nurses trying to help me, and a loving wife.

People in hell have Satan.

Enough said.

It boggles my mind.

And it convinces me that I want NOTHING TO DO WITH HELL!

Praise the Lord that I get to go where Lazarus went when I die.  I get to be with Abraham too.  All  because I have been forgiven by Jesus, my Savior, who died for me.

Will you be there too?

By the way, I did finally get some ice chips to help me with my thirst.  I did finally get some pain medication to relieve my pain.

The diagnosis was a kidney stone.

Not sure about that...but I feel much better today.  Back to normal, if there is such a thing.

I hope none of you ever has a pain like mine, a thirst like mine, or a kidney stone of your own!

Scars

I played football for about ten years in my younger days...and I have the scars to prove it!

I also have a scar on my left knee from an accident I had when taking out the trash. 

I have several scars on my face (go figure), from flag football in college and getting hit by the door of an industrial dishwasher during a summer job in high school.

If I were bald, you could even see a scar on the top of my head from the time I hit myself with the sharp side of an axe when I was a kid.

Basically, you can tell my life's story from tracking my scars, because they all say something about me.

Something that is unique to me.

Something that identifies me as me.

Maybe that is why Jesus used His scars to identify Himself to His disciples after His resurrection.

When they wondered who He was, He showed them His scars.

He said, "I am who I am, and I have the scars to prove it!"

On the evening of that first Easter day, the disciples were huddled together in a locked room, hiding from the Jewish religious leaders and the Roman guards and fearing for their lives.

Suddenly Jesus appeared to them out of nowhere...

"They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.  He said to them...'Look at my hands and my feet.  It is I myself!'...When He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet..."  (Luke 24:37-40, excerpts, NIV)

How did Jesus finally prove to them who He was?  He showed them His hands and feet.  In other words, He showed them His scars.

How did He finally prove to "doubting Thomas" who He was?  He showed him His scars.

There, in the palm of His hands, they saw scars from the nails that had held Him on the cross.

There, on His feet, they saw scars from the nails that had caused Him so much pain.

The scars of a sinner, even though He had never sinned.

So, why was He scarred?

He was scarred because His scars were really their scars...and our scars.

When you look at the palms of your hands, are there nail scars there?  There should be.

When you take off your Easter shoes and socks, will you see nail scars on your feet?  You should.

But you don't see them because Jesus is scarred with your scars instead of you.

What if Jesus received a new scar every time you sinned?

What if He felt the same pain, all over again, in His hands and His feet every time you sinned?

If that were the case, when you get to heaven, would you recognize Him because you recognize YOUR scars on Him?

Would you recognize Him because you recognize the pain which YOUR sins caused Him?

The good news is that He has forgiven you if you have accepted Him as your Savior.  Through His love for you, He has forgotten your transgressions.

So, there are no more scars because of you.  No more pain because you fall short.

When you do see His scars some day, they won't condemn you...they will comfort you.

The One whose hands holds those scars will hold you like He held the disciples, and give you what He gave them...joy and amazement.

20/20

I wish I could see better.

Over the years, things have gone from 20/20…to slightly out of focus…to more noticeably out of focus…to blurry…to “I have no idea what it says!”

I started with over-the-counter reading glasses which had a magnification of 100.  Then I upped it to a magnification of 150…and up…and up.

Right now, I’m at magnification 250…and still going.

At one time, I wore glasses only when reading small print.  Then, only when reading all print.

Now, I find myself squinting at other times too, which sends me scurrying for my glasses again…like when I watch TV…or when I sit down to eat.

There is one thing I can see plainly, though…the day is fast approaching when I will need a “real” pair of glasses from a “real” eye doctor.

Which is a real shame, because there is nothing I like about wearing glasses.

I don’t like shopping for them.

I don’t like paying for them.

I don’t like trying to keep them clean.

I don’t like trying to find them when I need them.

I don’t like the way they fit on my crooked head.

I don’t like the way they look on my crooked head.

I don’t like carrying them around wherever I go.

I don’t like it when they break.

And do not talk to me about contacts…I try to avoid sticking things in my eyes, like my fingers, or a little round piece of whatever contacts are made out of.  To me, it seems like putting in contacts would be about the same as putting rocks in my eyes!

Laser surgery?  There’s another whole list of things I don’t like about that idea, so don’t get me started.

I get frustrated because I just can’t see things anymore without glasses.

My eyes can’t do the job on their own.

Thankfully, there are still some things that I don’t need glasses to “see” at all.

Because I don’t see them with my eyes…I see them with my heart.

I don’t need glasses to see a beautiful day.  I can feel it.

I don’t need glasses to see the seasons change from winter to spring.  I can smell it.

I don’t need glasses to see a concert that uplifts my soul.  I can hear it.

I don’t need glasses to see a delicious dessert.  I can taste it.

I don’t need glasses to see my love for my children.  I can express it.

And I don’t need glasses to see how much God loves me.  I know it.

The problem is, we are not very good about seeing with our hearts.  We have learned to see with our eyes only.

We can only believe what we see with “our own two eyes.”

And as a result, we miss so much.

That was the problem Jesus’ disciples had when they saw, with their own two eyes, what happened to Jesus on the cross.

They saw, with their own two eyes, the end of all their hopes and dreams about Jesus being the Messiah, who would establish an eternal kingdom during their lifetimes.

They saw, with their own two eyes, the power of the religious leaders, political leaders, and military soldiers overcome the power of their belief in Jesus.

They saw, with their own two eyes, a man who was bleeding, suffering, and dying.

And they did not know how to handle it.

If only they could have seen with their hearts instead of their eyes that day.

Then they would have seen the Son of God who was not defeated on the cross, but who was victorious there.

They would have seen the sacred Lamb of God who shed His blood on their behalf and accepted their sins so He could also forgive them and offer them eternal salvation.

They would have seen the fulfillment of every Old Testament prophecy about the coming Messiah and the culmination of everything Jesus had come to earth to do…all completed perfectly according to God’s plan.

They would have seen an empty tomb on the horizon.

And they would have seen hope for the world.

As it was, it took them from Good Friday until Easter Sunday before they could see the cross with their hearts instead of their eyes…

…it would take His resurrection.

Here is how two of Jesus’ followers were changed when they realized with their hearts that their eyes had deceived them…

…they were walking along a road from Jerusalem to Emmaus after the crucifixion when a man came up to them and started a conversation about what had happened.

Although they did not recognize Him at the time, the stranger was actually Jesus…

“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.  Then their EYES were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

They asked each other, ‘Were not our HEARTS burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’

They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem.  There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, ‘It is true!  The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’

Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was RECOGNIZED by them when he broke the bread.”  (Luke 24:30-35, NIV)

When you look at Jesus, what do you see?

Is He just a character in the Bible to you?

Is He a crutch that weak people lean on to prop them up in the world today?

Is He a convenient charm that gives people more confidence?

Or, is He the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega, the Prince of Peace, the Bread of Life, the Living Water, and the Savior of your soul?

It all depends on how you see Him…

…whether you see Him with your eyes only

…or with your heart.

One may require glasses.

The other requires your life.

 

Curious Commercials

My local Time Warner station has made some curious decisions regarding the kinds of commercials they have allowed to run during the History Channel's broadcast of The Bible.

Of course, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised when, even for a bibilically-based show like this, the Almight Dollar takes precedence over the Almighty God.

For example, there is the sixty-second commercial from a local gun shop touting all the life-saving reasons everyone in the country should own an assault rifle.  I'm not sure how Jesus feels about the pros and cons of owning such a gun, but I don't think The Bible telecast is the place or time for that discussion.

Then there are the every-commercial-break, ad nauseam spots for the other History channel top show, The Vikings.  I suppose the braintrust at the History Channel figures that if you like The Bible because of its historical context, then you will also like The Vikings.

Of course, I would guess that most people tuning in to watch The Bible are not doing so because it is history.  Besides, I'm not sure how much actual history is being reflected in The Vikings anyway, but my guess is, not much.

As a matter of fact, my guess is that most Christian viewers would not consider the content of The Vikings appropriate for them to watch, and certainly not a family-friendly show they would sit and watch with the kids.

But my biggest surprise is the commercial which has aired every single week on my local broadcast of The Bible from an area exotic dance establishment.  It actually shows scantily-clad women dancing and discussing why gentlemen should frequent their place of business.

Now, I suppose in the spirit of Christian freedom, believers may be interested in purchasing an assault weapon, and they may decide that they like to watch The Vikings.  But there are no circumstances under which a Christian should darken the door of an exotic dance bar.

Despite what some people may claim, no one goes into that kind of place because they like the food.   They go there for one reason and one reason only, and it has nothing to do with the food.  However, it has everything to do with lust.

And lust is sin.

And sin is wrong in the eyes of the Lord.

And the people who pay for this particular commercial know this.  They just don't care.  As a matter of fact, by running their commercial during The Bible, they are thumbing their noses at Christians and the God we serve.

They are laughing at us.

Mocking us.

It is not unlike what unbelievers did at the cross of Christ when He was crucified.

They thumbed their noses at Him.  They laughed at Him.  They mocked Him.

Some things never change.

Until they do.

They did when Jesus came off the cross and out of the tomb three days later.

They will when He comes off His throne in heaven and returns again, as the Scriptures say He will.

We'll see who has the last laugh then.

It's just a matter of time.

When God Weeps

Today in Washington, DC, the Supreme Court will hear people argue that our nation should allow same-sex marriage. 

Today in North Dakota, people are protesting, asking their state government to curtail limits on abortion.

Today in Christianity, we are only a few days away from Good Friday.

The paradox of that is striking to me.

In the midst of our most sacred week of Christian observances, commencing with Palm Sunday and concluding on Easter Sunday, we seem intent on making God weep as a nation.

As Jesus approached Jerusalem with His disciples, He stopped and wept.  He was saddened that His own people did not recognize Him as Messiah, and did not realize what a momentous loss this would be for them.

Today in heaven, God weeps again because so many people in this country do not realize the loss we suffer by ignoring His Word...

...which specifically says that He placed a man and a woman in the Garden of Eden.  He did so for a reason, because He ordains marriage to be between two people of the opposite sex.

...which proclaims that He "knits together" in mothers' wombs every baby, because He loves the unborn as much as He loves those who are born.

Today God weeps again because, just like the Jews of Jerusalem back then, many people in our country prefer to shape Him into their image of what they would like Him to be, rather than follow obediently the image of Himself He has already given us.

Their answer was to hang Jesus on a cross.

Interestingly, that is our answer also.  

My publisher, Westbow Press, called today to tell me that my book, "Where's God?  Finding Him in the Small Stuff" went "live."  I think that is publisher-speak for "It went to the printer."

Next step is the "author's copy," which is supposed to be in my hands in about two weeks.

Once I sign-off on that, the book will be available on the Westbow Press on-line bookstore, through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Of course, I will probably have a few copies in my car at all times too.  So, if you see me on the street and want a copy, just flag me down!

How many copies will be sold?  I wonder.

I hope it will be enough so that I don't die of embarrassment.

About 12 copies should do it!