Ecclesiastes 12:10

  The prophet Elijah is at the low point. His victory at Mt Carmel turned into his being on the run for his life. He is despondent depressed and ready to give up. When God asks him what he is doing his response is telling. “I tried,” He exclaims, “but no one is listening they all are after me, I Am Alone.”  There is nothing worse than being alone and sad.   Yet Elijah wasn’t. God would proclaim to him, " Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him ." He points him to Elisha, the man that would walk beside him for the rest of his journey. He tells him how he has other in place that will right the wrongs that have been done. As dire as his situation seems, God assures him he is not alone.  If a great man like Elijah can struggle when he feels alone and abandoned, do we not think it can happen to us and those around us as well? There will be sad times in our lives but that does not mean w...

  There are things that Jesus does that amaze me. Not the miracles, though they are amazing, not his teaching, though it is wonderful. It is the way Jesus can treat people even when they are their worst.   After a night in the garden praying like no man has ever prayed before, knowing what is about to happen and what is about to happen to him, he looks up and sees one of his own leading a mob to arrest him. Judas keeps up the innocent facade by kissing him, even though it is clear to Jesus and all those around what has just happened.  And then Jesus says this, " Friend, do what you have come for ."(Matthew 26:50)  I can think of a lot of things I’d want to call Judas at that moment but friend isn’t one of them. Jesus knows what Judas has done, knows why he has done it, and even why it had to happen like this yet he still does not want to lose Judas.  Judas would not be the only friend of Jesus to turn on him that night.  He would not be the only pe...

   I am always amused by the oxymoronic phrase ‘known secret’. You will hear it about an actor’s bad behavior or a politician’s indiscrimination. It is as if the truth is out there but the collective all agrees to keep it under wraps. Maybe people are scared to tell or think it does no good, but it seems eventually the story breaks and the ‘known secret’ becomes truly known.   It is not just in the papers it happens, we do it in our lives as well. There are things we do but we just pretend we don’t. We figure it is just better to ignore than to deal. A problem buried is a problem solved.   However, the Bible tells us something different: “ For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil .” Ecclesiastes 12:14   " But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known . Luke 12:2   “ on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of ...

   Sometimes I have a problem letting things go. I am not talking about throwing away an old blender or the kids' art project from 1 st grade but letting go of the feeling when someone did you wrong. Maybe I am not alone in that.   Let’s consider what we read in Hebrews 12:15;  “ See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;”. Here is a warning to us about a dangerous under-the-surface growth that can bring trouble and ruin, bitterness.  Bitterness is the lingering resentment that comes when are angered or disappointed. At first, it seems natural but the longer it stays the more it overtakes.   However, notice why this happens, it is when we come short of the grace of God. Grace is the forgiveness we get that we do not deserve. When we do not fully grasp that we have been forgiven, it keeps us from forgiving. We cannot let go of what another did to us ...