Mother's Day

Tomorrow is Mother’s Day, but Gloria and I will observe this special day today in Denver. Our son, daughters, sons-in-law, and granddaughters will make today special. Tomorrow, Gloria and I will observe Mother’s Day at church in Penrose. In addition to preaching, I will dedicate a baby to the Lord—an appropriate Mother’s Day event.

Before today’s Mother’s Day “festivities” begin in Denver, a photographer will take a few photos of Gloria and me so we can send a photo to the Colorado Springs Gazette. We will celebrate our 50th Anniversary June 7. It should be an interesting photo, because Gloria is very photogenic and I am a photographer’s worst nightmare. I have a photo of my mother and me that was taken outside our wee stone hoos in Scotland. I was only three then, but my scowl was very mature. Apparently, my dislike of having my picture taken is a lifelong idiosyncrasy.

Fortunately, today’s photo shoot precedes lunch. Good food soothes an injured psyche.

Happy Mother’s Day tomorrow!

Smarter Than God

I checked an atheist’s blog site yesterday, and found he had posted several indictments against the God of the Bible. Isn’t it strange he would spend so much time and energy attacking the God he claims doesn’t exist? It seems to me he rejects God because he believes God doesn’t measure up to his standards of intelligence, justice and mercy. I hope he amends his thinking soon. He should be concerned about how he measures up to God’s standards. Perhaps he should read Job 40—42 and Romans 3 and 4.

Allegedly, one weekend in the fall a young man returned from college to the family farm. While walking in a field with his dad, he announced, “Dad, I no longer believe in God.” Pointing to a pumpkin vine and then a huge oak tree, he explained, “If an intelligent God really existed, He would not have created pumpkins to grow on a scrawny vine and acorns to grow on a sturdy tree.”

Suddenly, a heavy gust of wind swept through the field. It shook the oak tree’s branches and sent an acorn catapulting down on the college student’s head. After a quiet, contemplative moment, the student spoke again. “Dad, maybe God knew what He was doing after all.”

I don’t know what it will take to instill an awareness of God’s existence in the mind of the atheist who maintains his blog site to promote atheism. But when the awareness hits the mark, I hope it resembles an acorn and not a pumpkin.

“The fool has said in his heart. “There is no God” (Psalm 14:1)

That Little Tongue!

This evening our church’s midweek study will focus on James 3:1-12. This passage discusses the power of the spoken word. Although the tongue is a small body part, it has enormous potential for good or evil. We can choose to speak words that build others up or words that tear others down.

Strange, isn’t it, how harmful words can destroy a life and even a church? Gossip, negative criticism, and lies can wreck a person’s reputation or a church’s reputation. As a matter of fact, unwholesome, vindictive words can tarnish even God’s reputation. A verbal brawl at a congregational business meeting can reverberate through the community and cause residents to question what kind of God so-called Christians worship.

It seems to me we Christians enhance God’s reputation in the eyes of non-Christians if we speak well of one another and of God too. In Ephesians 1:3 Paul wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Our word “blessed” in this verse combines two Greek words, one meaning good and the other meaning to speak. Therefore, the act of blessing God is that of speaking a good word for God.

Perhaps we can speak a good word for God today to a neighbor or to a coworker or to a family member or to a fellow church member. What you say may be just what that person needs to hear.

I learned recently that a fellow classmate at Moody, who graduated with me in 1957, is an avowed atheist. He uses a blogsite to deny God’s existence and to vilify the God of the Bible. Please pray for him.

Moses Left Egypt Twice

Moses left Egypt twice. At age 40, he left in fear. At age 80, he left by faith. The first time, he left as a fugitive. The second time, he left as a deliverer. He was alone the first time. A nation of freed Hebrew slaves accompanied him when he left the second time. The first time, he was marked by Pharaoh as a condemned criminal. At the second departure, he was marked by God as a courageous champion. He left the first time hurriedly because he had taken matters into his own hands. He left heroically the second time because he had placed matters into God’s hands.

We may never face a threat as serious as the one Moses faced in Egypt, but a serious illness, a job loss, or financial setback, or the loss of a loved one can threaten to turn our world upside down. Nevertheless, like Moses, we can endure “as seeing Him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27).

We have a choice: we can look around at alarming circumstances and be discouraged or look above, see God’s love and power, and be encouraged.

Now, That's Creativity

I am always impressed with the ability of crafters to make something beautiful and/or useful out of almost nothing. A couple of women in the church I am serving as interim pastor do amazing things with gourds. But I have yet to meet anyone who can make something beautiful and useful out of nothing. Only God can do that!

He created everything out of nothing (ex nihilo). He commanded, “Let there be . . . .” and all nature sprang to life. If the most creative person on earth wants to see how his creativity compares with God’s creativity, let him try to speak something into existence.

God’s creativity is astounding and extremely diverse. We see His creative intelligence and artistry all around us. He created both the humpback whale and the hummingbird, the stars ands the starfish, the mountains and the moose, the peacock and the pheasant—and yes, you and me!

How should we respond to our Creator? Revelation 4:11 answers this question. “You are worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”