The Vastness of Creation

Posted on August 23, 2012 by richrockwood

“Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
          your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
          your judgments are like the great deep;
          you save humans and animals alike, O LORD.”  Psalm 36: 5-6 NRSV)

My wife and I are on vacation in the Northern Cascades of Washington State.  We have seen views that are both breathtaking and inspirational.  It is easy to think about our Creator in such places.  A few days ago we were on top of Constitution Mountain on Orcas Island where we could view Mt. Baker to our left.  If the day would have been clearer we could have also seen Mt. Rainier and on into Vancouver across the water.

It is good to get up to a high place once in a while to get a better perspective on what goes on down here.  Usually we’re like everyone else busily running from place to place under the push of our daily planner.   This time, vacation brought us all the way here to visit my wife’s son and his girl friend and see where they work and go to school.  The reunion and new insights have been pure food for the soul.

It is my hope and prayer that in the remaining days before the start of school and other programs, you get an escape where you can see creation as an expression of an imaginative, artistic, intelligent Genius.

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A Lengthening Shadow

Posted on August 14, 2012 by richrockwood

As my mouth was speaking these words to my wife in our devotions, my heart scanned memory for a time this was true for me:

“After they called in the apostles and had them flogged, they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them. Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to be dishonored on behalf of the name.” (Acts 5:40-41 Holman Christian Study Bible)

The scan yielded nothing.  If the video of my life was re-wound and played back, I would not observe a single incident like the one written there on the sacred page.

On the walls of my heart, a mist began to form.  I have never put my life on the line for Jesus.  Look at ALL He did for me!   I glanced at my will to see if there were any evidences my honor and life would be willing to be abused for His sake.  It seemed only filled with  selfish thoughts.

Then my ears heard my wife read these words:

“My days are like a lengthening shadow, and I wither away like grass.”  (Psalm 102:11 Holman Christian Study Bible)

And I heard my years tell me “you’re getting old.”  My intellect reminded me that old happens to everyone.  My bank book shouted out the number of checks  I’ve written to doctors in the last twenty years.

Then a tiny thought popped up and took center stage.  It was this: “staying faithful to the Lord as you age takes courage.  It is not easy getting old and surrendering everything you have and are back to the Creator.”

My eyes focused on the heading to Psalm 102 and saw the Big Picture.  It’s heading promised to show me “Eternity in Light of Affliction.”

With fresh determination I decided again to follow Jesus willing to be used as a witness of His love even through the last stages of my life.

Posted in Aging, Courage, Creation, Eternity, Faith, Faithfulness, Fear, Guidance, Heaven, Meditation, mercy, Peace, Perseverance, relationships, Religion, Repentance, Salvation, Service, Trust, Uncategorized, Wisdom, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Peer Pressure Made Me Do It

Posted on August 9, 2012 by richrockwood

As soon as Gideon died, the Israelites relapsed and prostituted themselves with the Baals, making Baal-berith their god. The Israelites did not remember the LORD their God, who had rescued them from the hand of all their enemies on every side; (Judges 8:33-34 NRSV)

Did you ever wonder what the big deal was about idolatry in the Old Testament?  The Israelites fell into it time and time again.  Why did they and why did it bring on so many problems for them?

Idolatry is defined as “extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone” (British Dictionary).  God’s people were warned not to worship the Baals and other gods of the Cananites who inhabited the land before they did.  Baal (“Lord”) was the chief god of the Phoenicians and the sun was the object of worship.  Baal had a colorless wife who was his shadow.   Each city had its own Baal.    In the revelation to Moses, God warned the people about idols like Baal much like a woman or man might warn their spouse about old flames or gorgeous members of the opposite gender.  Yet, the Israelites kept falling into the same patterns as the people living around them.  Many of us followers of Jesus accept the trends and practices of popular culture.   The ancient Isralites said like we say “Everyone’s doing it.   Hey, what’s the harm?”  And Israel experienced many difficulties because they let go of the One who delivered them, the One whose heart desired a quality relationship based on mutual trust and affection.

In the New Testament, covetousness (“having or showing a great desire to possess something belonging to someone else” British Dictionary) is compared to idolatry.  Unfortunately, our blessings sometimes work against us.  The more we have, the more we want.   So much pressure is being put on Christians these days to water down our standards (eg. make money your top priority, lie when it helps your cause, have sexual relations with anyone who captivates your heart, make things more important than God).   And we suffer because of our mixed priorities and devotion to our Baals.

God is qualitatively and infinitely greater than the objects or people we place before Him.  Why not take a quick inner check and see if there are any idols in the place where God wants to be.

Posted in Bondage, Country, Courage, Creation, Eternity, Faithfulness, Fear, Guidance, Heaven, Love of Money, Materialism, Meditation, Nature, Patriotism, Perseverance, Perspective, Politics, Prayer, Quiet Time, relationships, Repentance, Stress, Trust, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Lord’s Compassion is Over All He Has Made

Posted on July 30, 2012 by richrockwood

“The Lord is good to all,  and his compassion is over all that he has made.”  (Psalm 145:9 NRSV)

What a tender picture these words convey.   The Creator extends his arms of  compassion over all: men, women, children, pets, nature.  No one is outside that umbrella of compassion (“sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others”).  The Hebrew word is רחום, rachûm which means merciful.

I was reminded of my mother by this.  When I was little, my mother used to sing to me at bedtime.  We would snuggle together and then she’d sing.  At the end of the singing, she would say “go to sleep little man, you’ve had a busy day.”  I could relax and fall to sleep because I was safe.

Anyone who is going through a hard time aches to find someone who cares for him or her.   Loneliness is not fun and being down in the dumps is no picnic.  If anyone is feeling isolated, may I suggest you consider the truth of this one simple verse.  The Lord is good to all, and his compassion (mercy) is over all that he has made…including you.

Just thinking about it can help, like the warm feeling that comes when we realize someone loves us.  The awareness probably won’t solve things, but it seems to make a big difference to each of us.

Posted in Aging, Creation, Eternity, Faith, Faithfulness, Fear, Forgiveness, Grief, Guidance, Heaven, Laughter, Meditation, mercy, Night, Peace, Perseverance, Quiet Time, relationships, Suffering, Trust, Uncategorized, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

God is Praised to the Ends of the Earth

Posted on July 25, 2012 by richrockwood

As I read the verse below I was struck by the idea that God is known and praised all over the earth.

“Your name, O God, like your praise, reaches to the ends of the earth.”  (Psalm 48:10 NRSV)

That thought led me to consider all the churches and missionaries who have been faithful to the Great Commission going into all the world with the Gospel.  How grateful we can be for the hard work and sweat they put in to getting the word out.

Then I thought of all the means being used today like radio, TV, and the Internet.  I have been a supporter of Words of Hope Radio Ministry which has this mission statement:  “Our primary focus is gospel by radio in over 30 languages worldwide including Arabic, Albanian, Turkish and Farsi. We reach around the world with radio as our tool from Uganda to Turkey, and Indonesia to the Sudan.”  With a giant network of radio antennae and programs  this mission is reaching countless thousands with good news about God’s love (He loves the world so much, he sent His son).

For today it seemed a good idea to consider, give thanks and pray for all those who have been and are now involved in spreading the good words about God’s love to all the world.  And the second notion to pop up was for each reader to take a few moments and join in this grand chorus of praise for the Creator of this wonderful world we inhabit.

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God’s Plan Will Carry On After Us

Posted on July 24, 2012 by richrockwood

As I read the words which follow, I had an interesting thought:

Then the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed; take all the fighting men with you, and go up now to Ai.  (Joshua 8:1a NRSV)

The thought was simply “Joshua came after Moses.”  While Moses did the “heavy lifting” of getting the Chosen People out of Egypt and to the Promised Land, it was Joshua who brought them in.  He continued God’s plan for His people.

You and I can easily begin to think we are responsible for this, that or the other thing.  We have only so many years in which to get things done and so we try to keep focused on those things.  I remember hearing a minister once say that the frustrating thing for him was that he realized he only had so many years to get certain things accomplished and God was acting like He had all the time in the world.   Of course He does and He has all the time He needs to get His plan accomplished.

The Lord is in control and is working to bring things to completion according to His perfect will.  While this blog is not about kicking back and doing nothing, it is about taking some time to live and enjoy oneself.

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Deeply Grieved…Even Unto Death

Posted on July 23, 2012 by richrockwood

According to the account, the man told his companions exactly what he was feeling:  “Then he said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death”  (Matt 26:38 NRSV)

It is hard to imagine that Jesus of Nazareth, whom we believe was the Son of God, could have felt such deep anguish.  How could he have felt what many of us have felt in the anxious stillness of loss.  As I write this I am thinking of those who lost precious family and friends in another senseless mass killing in Colorado.   Having gone through a sudden loss of my spouse, I know too well the stifling closeness that comes when the reality of loss comes crashing through demanding all one’s attention.

In my case, I found there were no shortcuts to grief recovery.  I attended a support group for months and was able to share my feelings in a protected setting with people who cared.

Jesus owned his feelings too when he spoke to his men that night.  It was not a support group of course, and his men kept falling asleep, not what I would want when I share my feelings with someone.

Even though those men were not any kind of a support group, it is a wonderful support to be able to realize that even in the empty void, there is a breath of life available from the Source of Life.  It is my prayer that if you are in the depth of loss that you will feel soon the life-giving support of the Lord.  It is at the same time shocking and comforting to realize that He went through the valley of death too.

Posted in Courage, Faith, Faithfulness, Grief, Guidance, Heaven, Perseverance, Perspective, Prayer, Sleeplessness, Stress, Suffering, Trust, Uncategorized, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Surrounded By Faithfulness

Posted on July 18, 2012 by richrockwood

“O LORD God of hosts,
who is as mighty as you, O LORD?
Your faithfulness surrounds you.”  (Psalm 89:8 NRSV)

Think of it.  God is surrounded by His faithfulness.  What is faithfulness?  Faithfulness is the quality of loyalty or steadfastness.  A true friend is always around when you need him/her.  The Hebrew word means firmness or figuratively speaking security;

According to Bible commentator Adam Clarke’s Commentary on this verse:  “God’s truth leads him to fulfill his promises: they stand round his throne as the faithful servants of an eastern monarch stand round their master, waiting for the moment of their dismission to perform his will.”

The psalmist is objectifying some of God’s character.  He seems to be saying that God’s faithfulness stands ready for anyone especially those who feel abandoned.  It might have been through a death of a loved one, the break-up of a marriage or an engagement, or the splitting of old friends.  The feeling of security and steadfast companionship is not only inherent in God, it surrounds him like a bubble.

We are told we are made in the image of God, yet many of us do not show or know faithfulness.  How can we access some of this faithfulness which surrounds God?

The psalmist became aware of that faithfulness through his life experiences.  He saw patterns and experiences that helped him believe that God was good, that God was caring, that God was faithful.  And in this psalm he wrote words to go along with music that praised God for who God is and what God is like.    One way we can access this faithfulness is by looking for examples of faithfulness like the little church that decided to begin a bus outreach ministry.   They undertook visiting, inviting and then busing minority and underprivileged children to their church for Sunday School.  When they began they vowed to do it for at least 25 years.   They kept that unusual vow with the help of dedicated workers and the sustaining hand of the Lord.

When we see examples of faithfulness, we can spread them through imitation.   It doesn’t have to be so big it is written up in the news, but it sure helps.  Mother Theresa is one recent example of faithfulness to the poor which inspired many others plus a whole community of like-minded individuals.

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Everyone’s Got Talent

Posted on July 17, 2012 by richrockwood

NBC has a provided a show for gifted people.  It’s called “America’s Got Talent.”  According to Wikipedia this show is part of the British “Got Talent” Franchise.  “It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of one million dollars.”  I have to admit I have only seen snippets of the show.  It seemed to be a way for picking and rewarding the most skilled, dexterous, daring and clever people in the country.  This is one way to encourage people to use their talents.

Another way shows up in Jesus’ parable recorded in the Gospel according to Matthew chapter twenty five, verses fourteen thr0ugh thirty.  In the parable, two of the three servants take their talents and invest them.  A third buries his.  The two who invest their talents and double their value are rewarded.  The one who buries his has it taken away from him.

In the Bible, a talent is a sum of money, a talent of silver in Israel weighed about 100 pounds (45 kg),  a talent of gold in Israel weighed about 200 pounds (91 kg).  In the parable each man’s talent was a gift which had great value but which (we learn at the very end) he was supposed to risk so it would increase in value.   Keeping the gift buried completely missed the intention of the giver.

In his first letter to the Church, the Apostle Peter wrote:  “Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received. Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies,” (1 Peter 4:10-11 NRSV)

Each person has been entrusted with a gift of great value.  With some it is the ability to draw.  Others have the ability to sing in ways that bring tears to your eyes.  Others can experiment with recipes and come up with mouth watering dishes.  Others can revive plants that someone has over watered or neglected.   Some persons, like my wife, have mechanical abilities that seem instinctive.  Some people can write a scene in a book which is poetic and descriptive.  These gifts were given so they too might increase in value.  We risk losing them when we selfishly or fearfully hoard them.

Even if most of us never hear the applause or get the top prize from “Got Talent,” we will still feel an inner warmth that puts a smile on our face as we risk using our talents to enrich the world.  We’ve each got talent.  The question is “are we using it?”

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Lead Me Lord

Posted on July 16, 2012 by richrockwood

As I get older, I have noticed it is harder to hear what people are saying.  Sometimes it takes me longer to understand what is happening around me.

This is not unlike the feeling I have experienced when walking around my house or apartment in the dark.  I have to depend on memory to feel my way around.

This feeling of being in the dark or not quite understanding is not something only older people experience.  Any0ne can feel lost or confused at times.

When I was quite young, I remember the first time I saw a flashlight.  I was fascinated by its power to light up the dark.  The first time I received one as a gift, I couldn’t wait for night so I could use it to penetrate the dark.

The Bible is like a flashlight in that it gives us guidance and shows us the best way through life.  It reassures us that there is someone who hears desperate calls like the psalmist who wrote:

“Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me.” (Psalm 5:8 NRSV)

Many years ago, while in the service, I was worried that I might be ordered to Vietnam where I would likely find myself in a combat situation.  I became so overwhelmed with worry that I went AWOL for a few days.  When I came back, I was given strong discipline from the Army (eg. extra duty, reduction in rank, forfeiture of pay).   While stumbling around in that self-imposed darkness, I was ordered to another company where I encountered a First Sergeant who gave me a second chance.  The new company was only one hundred yards away from the old, but the difference in atmosphere was like night and day.  I recovered by the grace of God and that First Sergeant.   From the depths of darkness it was a simple walk into the light again.

This personal testimony is only one of countless others like the psalmist who have experienced a Guiding Hand when they needed it most.   It makes a huge difference to believe this.

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