…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

I Peter 5:7

So, do you worry? Especially about those we love? Of course you do. Some worry a little, some worry a lot, all worry some. That is why, I think, that so many promises are made in the Bible about how God provides for us, and that ultimately, he will take care of us.

Agreed, God is good and he will ultimately take care of us. God takes care of the sparrows, why would he not take care of us? Yet, we worry. Why? Well, lots of reasons. We worry because we care about others. We do not have control of those situations, but we worry, somehow in the back of our mind telling ourselves that our thoughts and prayers and concerns can give us some way to look at things differently. Maybe if we do this thing, or say that thing, we can make it better for those whom we care about.  

Well, bless our hearts, we usually cannot do much to change the minds and hearts of other people. The Holy Spirit can do the things we cannot do. So yes, we can and should pray about situations, but we must understand that there are things we can control, and things that we cannot control. The hard part is recognizing that difference, and allowing the Holy Spirit to do the things we simply cannot. In such case, we can have more peace about our situation.

My conclusion? Don’t beat yourself up because you worry. You worry because you care. Give yourself the assurance that your worry is stronger the more you care. Remind yourself- your worry will not change anything. Give yourself the grace of knowing that your care indicates your heart concerns for others.

 Let God do the caring for you also.

Prayer: Lord, bless all who carry a burden for others, Amen

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, …                Ecclesiastes 3

I was listening to a podcast this morning on my walk, and I got thinking about how we spend our time. “Spend” is an interesting verb when we think about time, because time is a resource- a precious one- and how we spend it, or perhaps waste it, is an extremely important consideration.

I then began to think about how we actually do keep track of how we spend time. My belief is that if we actually logged each day how we spent our time, we might be a bit embarrassed, maybe guilty. Who knows, we may even feel really good about it. I hope so.

You see, this whole consideration was based upon listening to a discussion about social media and its role in our life. How much time do we truly spend on social media? If we had to keep track of it, would it actually change the amount of time we spend on social media?

My guess is that if we had to actually write down the amount of time we spend on our activities of each day, it would change our behavior. It is one of those instances when, if we are actually mindful of something, it literally changes the way we behave. Do we really want to accept that we spend that much time looking at Twitter or Tik Tok, or whatever? Do we really want to become aware that we spent so little time in meaningful interaction with those we love?

These are just a few examples, but I think you get the idea. If we really become aware that we are giving much of our limited precious time to activities that do not give richer meaning to our life, don’t you think that might produce a behavior change?

Prayer: Lord, help us to be mindful of the amount of time we spend with others, and with you, Amen     

Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.                                                                                    Philippians 2:1-4

Monday was Martin Luther King Day, and my wife and I spent the day honoring his memory in various ways. The obvious one was our participation in a service at a community event held at a primarily African-American church. The event was properly honoring and uplifting. The theme was about trying to bring about the dream of Dr. King – the creation of a “Beloved Community”. We acknowledged that we as a society have not often been very successful in doing that, but it remains an aspirational goal nonetheless.   

The other way that we inadvertently honored Dr. King was one that caught me by surprise- one that we had not expected. In the afternoon, we decided to go to a movie. We seldom attend movies at the Cinema, but I had wanted to see A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks. I really like his work and I have seen most of his movies.

If you have not seen the movie and do not want it spoiled, stop reading here- I won’t be offended.

However, if you have seen the movie, you know that the theme of the movie is all about a beloved community rallying around a difficult man whose life was torn by grief and anger. It was a wonderful movie. Yes, it was hard to see much of it through the tears, but it was worth the effort!

Making a “Beloved Community” is within our reach in our own little spaces. We do not expect that our entire nation or world will be transformed into a loving community- we are too broken for that. However, within our own spaces, we can create little “Beloved Communities”. Neighborhoods, small groups, churches, support groups, book clubs, indeed any contained group in which we participate can become such a community.

If we are intentional about transforming small spaces, maybe such spaces can get larger. Being on the path to a “Beloved Community” is the point. The goal may not be reached this side of heaven, but it is our job to try.

Prayer: Lord, give us a vision for communities who can love one another, Amen

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’                                                           John 14:9 (NIV)

I have always found that people tend to have strong reactions to the name of Jesus. Some take his name in vain. Others revere and worship him. It seems that almost everyone who takes the time to study Jesus comes away with a definite opinion of him. He is, perhaps, the leading character of history, the most influential person who ever lived, and certainly the one who can and does change lives.  

In the novels that I have written- Joseph Shepherd (A Story of Travelers) and Joseph Shepherd (The Adventure Continues), my main character is a man who resembles Jesus. As such, he becomes a “lightning rod” for dissent. His treatment of other people, especially those people on the margins, is often misinterpreted. People tend to have strong reactions to him, both positive and negative.

The entire Bible was written with the arrival and mission of Jesus on earth as the ultimate topic. So, we have the opportunity to make our decisions about Jesus. I trust that my readers are getting to know him and his mission a little better. There is no better example of how to love other people, and how to pattern a life pleasing to God.

When one has seen Jesus, he/she has seen the Father. That is the point.

Prayer: Lord you have graciously given your son as a guide and Savior for us! Amen

Oasis (def.)

1: a fertile or green area in an arid region (such as a desert)

2: something that provides refuge, relief, or pleasant contrast

Merriam-Webster

God, when you took the lead with your people, when you marched out into the wild, Earth shook, sky broke out in a sweat; God was on the march. Even Sinai trembled at the sight of God on the move, at the sight of Israel’s God. You pour out rain in buckets, O God; thorn and cactus become an oasis for your people to camp in and enjoy. You set them up in business; they went from rags to riches.                       Psalm 68:7-10

Please enjoy this visit from a previous blog…

What can be more refreshing than a cool drink of water on a sweltering hot day? I remember as a kid playing baseball in the back yard with my brother, and we would be too preoccupied with playing ball to get a drink from inside the house. So, finally, we would turn on the garden hose, let it run for a while until the water was cool, then we would drink right from the hose. The cool water splashing onto our face made the experience even better. I can still remember the refreshment of that water!

It reminds me that when we face the heat of a busy day, whether or not it is literally hot outside, we need a break, an oasis. I tell my clients that there can be larger oases and smaller oases, but we must build them into our day.

For example, for me, a small oasis might be a fresh cup of tea in the afternoon to refresh me between seeing clients. A larger oasis might be looking forward to a nice long walk at the end of the day, or a show that I can watch with my wife in the evening. An even larger oasis might be that trip that we plan for a few months in advance when we can take a week or two off.

The point is, we need to make room for regular oases to refresh us daily, weekly, monthly. For me, it is the reward for having accomplished what I said I was going to do. Sometimes we lose sight of the need for the oasis because we think of it as a “big thing”. I believe that small and regular rewards keep us going better than looking for the “big thing”. But that’s just me. Whatever your preference, be aware of what your oasis might be. Build them in regularly.

It is that cold water out of the hose on a hot summer day.

Prayer: Father, you give us oases all around us, help us to see then, then use them to refresh us for our mission, Amen.

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.                                                                  Luke 11:2 (KJV)

I have shared before in this space my general philosophy about good motivation. Essentially, I sum it up as “It is better to reach toward the good than avoid the bad”. I see so often people motivated by fear (avoiding the bad) in their life, and it is often not even a conscious thing. We become used to a life of trying to avoid bad consequences, and in so doing, we become tired. It is like running away from a dog who is chasing you. Eventually, you become tired, and may even give up. There is no goal other than to avoid that chasing dog.

However, if our motivation is a positive one, reaching for a goal, doing meaningful work, caring for others, etc. we focus on that, even though there are daily pitfalls that may come up.  We are not focused on the negative things that could happen; we are focused on the positive things that we can help make happen.

In our spiritual life, our job on earth is not to try to avoid going to hell. Rather, our job is to help make, as much as possible, the kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. We are motivated by love of others to make this world a distant mirror of heaven so that others may see God in his creation.

So, we act out our faith from a positive perspective. Others may better be drawn to a gospel that looks inviting, not “fear avoiding”.

Prayer: “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, Amen”

So, let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.

Galatians 6:9-10 (The Message)

There was an experiment years ago conducted with people who were in a diet study. The trait in question was the ability to move past failure and to maintain sight on the goal. In the study, participants were given highly monitored daily diets. The calorie content was regulated, and participants were to eat exactly what was put before them.

One morning, the participants were given a high calorie milkshake. I’m sure that many questioned the wisdom of drinking all of those calories first thing in the morning. It was likely the vast majority of the allowance for the whole day, however, they complied.

Here is where the study got interesting. The researchers wanted to see how the participants reacted to the experiment. They broke the group down into two cohorts, based upon this experiment. After being given the milkshakes, the participants were given more ice cream and asked to respond about their favorite flavors. They were then allowed to consume as much ice cream as they desired.

Some members, feeling that they had already “blown the diet”, went ahead and ate more ice cream, conceding that they had “already blown it anyway” Other members, believing that they needed to cut down calories as much as possible after the morning milkshake, ate only what was necessary to go along with the trial of ice cream they had been asked to do.

The point became clear about the effect of “failing once”. Some members recognized that failing once was a problem, but with determination to reach their goal, they would try to overcome the morning’s indulgence. The other members, the “hell with it” group, gave themselves permission to fail again, convincing themselves that they had already lost that day.

Further study indicated that the group who gave in to “second failures” (the “hell with it” group) did poorer in achieving the goal of weight loss. Those who were able to keep their eye on the prize, recognized their first failure, but did not allow it to get in the way of success.

We all fail. The question is, what do we do when we fail? Do we shake it off and start anew, or do we give in to shame and failure and say, “the hell with it”?

God is the God of second chances, and many more…

Prayer: Lord, thank you for never giving up on us! Amen

Disclaimer: For this blog entry, I have taken the results of several such studies and, for illustration purposes, blended them together. What I described here are the tendencies found in the mindset of how some people see failure, and how they respond.  

And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth                                                                                                                                                                                  Acts 17:11

We Americans are highly opinionated. Maybe not more so than people in other countries, but I kinda think so. At least, that’s my opinion! That is not backed by any scientific fact of which I am aware, but I think I will stand by that opinion.

I am on this topic because I read a blog some time ago which challenged the readers to consider the value of their opinions. We all have a right to believe whatever we want, and truly, people have some beliefs that are, to put it kindly, “out there”. That’s OK, because, we have this beautiful right to hold opinions and freely express them. People in some other countries do not have that right – that wonderful luxury that we have as Americans.

However, just because we have an opinion does not make it right. Some opinions are backed by research, study, and diligent thought. Some are backed by nothing more than our own hunches, gut feelings, and affirmations of like-minded thinkers.

Luke, the likely writer of the book of Acts, applauded the Bereans, saying that they were, “more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.”

The Bereans evidently did not just take Paul’s teaching whole cloth without checking out the facts for themselves. Luke gave them credit for being open-minded, and willing to search for the truth. The Bereans were searching for truth, not just something that validated their own worldview. They heard a new message from Paul and Silas, and they wanted to check into it for themselves. They searched the scriptures to see if Paul’s message was lining up with the best validation they could find.

Social media is filled with opinions. Some are reposted opinions that have long been debunked as untrue. Some are rants from people who feel disaffected and invisible. Some of them are well thought out and backed by research.

 We all have the right to post whatever we feel is important information to be shared. I also believe that we have the responsibility to check into the supporting facts or research of those opinions before we spread them around.

I trust that we can be more like the Bereans who were diligent in searching for the truth, checking the facts as best they could, and being open-minded in that search.          

Prayer: Father, thank you for your truth, which sets us free, Amen

Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love,
and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord,
until he comes

Hosea 10:12

“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
 But the more they were called, the more they went away from me.
They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.
 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize it was I who healed them.
 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts
    a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.

Hosea 11:1-4

        I read this interesting passage about God’s love for his people in the book of Hosea. It was written to the Israelite nation, but it also speaks about God’s love for his people- all people. We have all strayed in our own way, and we need guidance like children.         

        In these passages, Hosea uses metaphors which were well known to the people of the time. He used agricultural analogies to relay to them what they needed to do, and to demonstrate God’s love for them. Hosea pointed out that it was time to go deeper into their relationship with God. He encouraged them to break up the ground, to plow deeper to break up the hard ground which does not sustain plants. If one does not plow a field deep enough, the hardened crust of the top soil will not allow moisture to penetrate to the deeper soil.

        Further, the young plants, if they do germinate, cannot break through the hard crust of the unplowed top soil. Hosea is encouraging them to break their hardness of heart, and be receptive to the tender hands of the planter who loves them. They are to “sow in righteousness”.

        Hosea also uses the analogy of God as the parent who is helping them to learn how to walk (drew them with cords of compassion – a method of tying cords to toddlers so that they would feel confident when first learning to walk). Hosea also uses the agricultural analogy of taking the yoke off the oxen to give them refreshment after they have been plowing the fields. The promise is that, when we do the hard work of plowing the ground deeper, there is the reward of reaping in righteousness, and being fed by the God who loves us.

            We can never outdo God in love. For whatever small efforts we are capable of doing in loving others, God richly rewards, not according to our efforts, but according to His treasures.

Prayer: Father, thank you for your everlasting love. You call us to love you by loving others. Help us to show that love freely and willingly. Amen.   

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.                                                                         Psalm 46:1

 Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.”                                                       John 6:68-69 (The Message)

Last night, millions of people in the United States watched the Monday Night Football game. What they witnessed was a horrific injury of Buffalo Bills player Damar Hamlin. As of this writing, Hamlin is in critical condition in a Cincinnati hospital, possibly fighting for his life. The tragedy was a shared experience, and whenever that happens, it galvanizes people.

Immediately, the teams gathered and prayed with one another. The crowd was hushed in shock and bewilderment about what they had just witnessed. Thousands in the stands certainly were praying also. It was touching, sad, and frightening all at the same time.

People turned to God in this moment of fear and uncertainty. Indeed, where else could they turn? I was reminded of Peter in responding to Jesus when Jesus asked the disciples if they wanted to leave him.

Where do we turn when we have nowhere else to turn? We turn to God. We recognize our helplessness, our dependence upon him for our very life. So, people began to pray, and they still are. They pray for Damar Hamlin and his family. We pray for a young man now who many of us simply did not know until last night. Yet now we pray for his life and his recovery. We are joined in our desire to have him restored. Prayer is a reminder of our position under God, and events such as last night are just a very public reminder of that.

 So, we join in prayer, and that is good.

Prayer: Lord we do come to you for this young man, Damar Hamlin, and we submit him to your care, Amen