Headlines, Old and New

Headlines are teasers, bits of news to hook our attention. I always read headlines but move right along unless I'm really curious.

In our day we have endless resources for news. Take your pick . . . TV, radio, cell phones, newspapers, magazines, and even social media. No one ever has time to connect with all these, so headlines work hard to grab our attention.

Here's a piece of news: I have seen violence in the city. Day and night they go around it on its walls; iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it. Destruction is in its midst; oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets.

It sounds like a description of our 2020 city riots: violence, iniquity, trouble, destruction, oppression, and deceit.

In truth, it's really old news, written between 1005 and 965 B.C., by the famous King David. After I read those lines the other day (Psalm 55:9-11, NKJV), I thought people sure haven't changed much over time.

We do have some good news, however. We can follow David's example.

In Psalm 42 David was doing a little self-talk. Times were tough and he expressed his frustration to God.

We can be honest with God, too. He's big enough to handle whatever we tell Him.

Despite what headlines may say, let's appropriate David's words of encouragement: Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God (Psalm 42:11b, NKJV).

Little Blessings

Children, whether your own or those of others, can be little blessings. In my case, it turned out to be those of others.

When my husband and I married, we planned for a family. It's a long story, but it turned out to be an empty dream. In fact, neither of our families was very prolific in the baby department. But children were still important to us.

In my teens, I volunteered as a Sunday School teacher. My class of preschoolers was so much fun. Then after college, I taught in primary grades.

As Ministry Associate in a growing church, one assignment was to organize Sunday School and Children's Church. At that point, I was a teacher of teachers. But it was a pleasure to work with volunteers who truly cared about children.

My personal passion was the children's choir. Two moms were great assistants. One was always ready to play the musical tracks, and the other prepared the snacks.

Our thirty children presented a mini-concert one Sunday morning each month. The impact of these little blessings was obvious. Adult attendance became noticeably larger.

Little blessings, however, did not always come in big groups. My husband and I were blessed by the friendship of a young family with three children. Two little boys and their younger sister helped us create many happy memories.

We were also blessed with a Goddaughter. A family we had known for four generations honored us with this addition to their family. That little baby grew into a lovely young adult and we're still in touch.

One year, during a sabbatical, we lived with best friends for six months. The little blessing there was their three-year-old granddaughter. We enjoyed our daily interaction with her.

People have different reactions to Psalm 127:3,5. It speaks of children being a blessing from the Lord. My advice is, "Be open to little blessings, no matter how they come to you." 

 

Run With Patience

It's funny how you can read a well-known passage, only to have a new thought pop up. I love it when that happens.

Today's reading was Hebrews, Chapter 11, sometimes called The Hall of Faith. It lists people who, against all odds, "kept the faith" to gain an eternal crown of righteousness.

In the next chapter, Paul wrote of a race to be run with endurance. It was a marathon, not a sprint.

If you say, "Runners," I think speed. That's why "run with patience" caught my attention. People usually say, "Slow down!" when they mean stop rushing around and messing things up. It's another way of saying, "Be patient."

Each of us is running our own marathon. Paul wrote to Timothy that he had "finished his race, kept the faith, and was looking forward to receiving a crown of righteousness" (2 Timothy 4:7-8, NKJV).

He was slowed down plenty of times. His short list included shipwrecks, beatings, imprisonment, hunger, sleeplessness, and more (2 Corinthians 11:24-28, NKJV).

In our day, we have been slowed down by a different challenge: COVID-19. Instead of dashing off to work, school or church, we've had to slow down. For some that meant working at home, for others loss of a job, or lack of childcare. 

As we shelter in place and listen to endless reminders for social distancing and healthcare, there's no doubt about it---we are slowed down!

Are you setting an example of running with patience? Are you enduring your challenges without complaint? Are you creatively using your abilities to endure this race with calmness and self-control?

Consider the example of wagon-train pioneers plodding slowly westward. They had no control over the weather or speed of their journey. Their only control, day after day, was self-control . . . their heart set on perseverance to the end. 

Our worldwide pandemic has no end in sight. Like the pioneers, our only control is self-control. It's a daily challenge, but let's run with patience and stay the course.

Are You Prepared for the Storms of LIfe?

Forest Fires Hurt Animals and People

There's one dependable thing about storms: They are indiscriminate. No one is spared by their economic status, color, culture, or level of education.

For example, firestorms not only destroy forests and animal habitats but also the homes of people who may have tried to prepare for such a disaster.

Tropical storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes also produce damage. Picture roof-high flood waters, or houses blown to pieces by outrageous winds. Beyond the destruction of buildings, gone are food and water, important documents, and things that sustained everyday life.

In the mid-sixties, we went to San Diego, CA for our honeymoon. Consistently heavy rain waylaid our plans, so we headed home early.

Mud Can Be Very Destructive

On our way back to the Los Angeles area, we took a side trip through a rainstorm-damaged mountain community. I'll never forget my sadness at seeing mud oozing out of open doors and broken windows.

Preparation for the storms of life cannot be overestimated. Spiritual preparation is as important as any other. It requires a certain amount of personal concern, followed by time and effort.

Jesus told a story about a major storm. Heavy winds and rains caused flooding. The storm hit indiscriminately, but some people were more prepared than others (Matthew 7:24-27).

The point was that Jesus' teachings are rock solid. Wise people, once they have heard or read them, prepare to put them into practice.

I like the explanation in The Message Bible: "These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on."

On What Do You Build Your Life?

Unwise, or foolish people, hear His teachings but ignore them. They go about life doing their own thing. Jesus compared it to building on sand. The Message says, "When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."

If you'd like to know some of Jesus' teachings, open the book of Matthew. If you want a shortcut, get a red-letter edition of the Bible. Jesus' words will stand out easily.

To be prepared for the storms of life, start now. Don't wait.

Put That in Writing

When people ask us to "put that in writing," they're interested in the documentation for future reference. Documents like marriage and birth certificates, deeds, and titles have carried legal weight for centuries.

I used to be interested in ephemera, or paper goods. I collected old calendars, valentines, greeting cards, photographs, postcards, and advertising items. It was fun to read old messages and analyze artistic styles.

Old cards and postcards showed the receiver valued the message enough to save it. I doubt they thought about a finder like me enjoying a peek into their past years later.

Now I'm more into collecting books. In fact, while going through my files this week, I found a well-worn storybook from my childhood.

Books Can Give Long-term Satisfaction 

I also had a favorite childhood Bible storybook. But as I got older, I chose to read the Bible itself. Even in King James English, I found it full of adventure, love, mysteries, and promise.

Now I enjoy the Bible in modern English, but the bottom line, for me, is still the same. It's the wonder of God wanting us to know Him so well that He put things in writing.

Most anyone can tell you the danger of written messages these days. Even a casual Email or Facebook posting can be used against you forever.

Rest assured God's written communication was not casual. In fact, He was so purposeful about it that He declared it would not return to Him empty. Instead, it would accomplish what He desired, achieving the purpose for which He sent it (Isaiah 55:11).

Theologians and historians have plenty of documentation about how the Bible was written, but its real value is in how it helps us connect with God.

There's nothing top-secret about the Bible. God wants us to know Him and He put it in writing.

All we have to do is read it. Then when something speaks to our heart we can talk to Him about it. 

Two-way communication can be very satisfying.