Worth a Second Look

Reviewing this year's thoughts I, personally, find some worth a second look:

God's Powerful Pinkie - Wed, Dec. 15th
At Some Point Trust Must Begin - Tue, Nov. 23rd
Giving and Receiving Advice - Sat, Oct. 23rd
The Right Course of Action - Fri, Sept. 3rd
Example of Hope - Tue, Aug. 26th
The Church Clock - Fri, July 30th
What's My Calling - Sun, June 27th
Why Men Don't Talk - Wed, May 5th
The "Aroma" of His Name - Wed, Apr. 7th
Taking Divine Opportunities - Tue, March 9th
Lesson from a Plasterer's Patch... - Thu, Feb. 4th
The Winston Churchill Philosophy... - Tue, Jan. 26th

The Great Equalizer

People in suits and others in blue jeans, black people, white people, some rich, some poor, some well groomed and others not - all moving forward in line, together, kneeling at the altar, taking communion, arising to sing, pray, praise, and receive the benediction.

The formal service over, it's out to the foyer to visit, have a hug, enjoy over a cup of coffee (maybe a donut), but eye-to-eye contact, interaction, caring.

Jesus is the great equalizer.

This must have been part of what the apostle, Paul, meant when he pinned the words,

"Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ ... " - Colossians 3:9-11 (MESSAGE)

Sound bite - For Christ

Anything for Christ;
Anywhere for Christ;
Anytime for Christ!

- fritz

Forever is a Really Long Time!

"The Lord is my shepherd ... and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." - Psalm 23:1a, 6b

I want to link this to a dreary little Psalm, 88. That psalm has nothing positive to say and ends on the sad note of rejection and darkness.

Why link these psalms? Because there are times where there, simply, is nothing positive to say; and pretending there is doesn't help.

So, again, why link these psalms? Because, regardless of what we have or don't have in this life, how we feel or are treated, those in Christ's flock have a good home and a great future. "Forever" is a really long time.

Romans 8:18
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

- fritz

No Luck At All!

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life" - Psalm 23:6a

Some have said "If I didn't have bad luck I would have no luck at all!" but in Christ we are delivered from Luck.

The Bible says

The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he blesseth the habitation of the just. - Proverbs 3:33

Christ payed for our sins and makes us right with God.

God's goodness and mercy chase after me, what would I ever again need luck for?!

- fritz

Imagery Shift.

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." - Psalm 23:5

The imagry shifts in Psalm 23 from a Shepherd and sheep to a banquet, with God as Host.

Life in Jesus is a banquet! He's not talking about heaven where there will be no enemies, he means here and now!

Sure there are enemies, and difficulties, tragedies, and hurts but there is God's grace and abundance also available to more than make up for it!

It's like a bumper sticker I saw,

"The worse day fishing is better than the best day working".

I like work, but the worst day in Christ is better than the best days without him.

- fritz

Paradigm Shift

"Thou preparest a table before me" - Psalm 23:5a

The focus of Psalm 23 shifted, becoming no longer "He", but "Thou". It happened when speaking of God's protection - "Thy rod, Thy staff..." No longer is the speaker telling someone about God but is speaking directly to God.

Life in Christ is one-on-one, a "Thou and Me", which can't be explained to others.

As the refrain of C. Austin Miles' 1913 hymn, In the Garden,¹ says

And he walks with me, and he talks with me,
and he tells me I am his own;
and the joy we share as we tary there,
none other has ever known.

- fritz

^{1 - http://www.hymnsite.com/lyrics/umh314.sht}