31 Days of Questions: Day 3

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“I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or evil, to save life or to destroy it?  Luke 6:9

This sounds like a rhetorical question.

(Rhetorical question — def: a question asked in order to make a point with no answer expected.)

It’s like saying, “Is it right to help a little old lady cross a busy street, or is it better to throw her out in front of a Mac truck?”

Or even, “Is it right to help a little old lady cross a busy street on your way to church on Sunday morning, or is it better to throw her out in front of a Mac truck in your hurry to get your favorite pew?”

Most of these dilemmas come to me with a bit more subtlety.

“Is it right to give my neighbor lady a ride to the airport on Sunday afternoon during my naptime, or is it better to make up an excuse and draw my curtains so she can’t see me curled up on my couch?

Or change that to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday…..

Is there ever a bad day to do something good?

Is there ever a good day to do something bad?

Don’t answer that — it’s rhetorical.

31 Days of Questions: Day 2

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Why are you thinking these things in your heart?  Luke 5:22

There are some super-hero powers that I would love to have.  The ability to grow some extra arms would have been nice when I was juggling babies and toddlers.  Being able to duplicate myself would have come in handy when I was running four kids to basketball practices and piano lessons.  The power to make myself invisible might have been convenient when my teenagers were out on dates.  Maybe not.

One superhuman gift I would definitely not want is the ability to read minds.  No sirree.  No way.  I’m sure I would be appalled if I could perceive the thoughts of those around me.  I know that’s true because I am regularly appalled by my own thoughts.

Jesus makes it clear that thinking is a heart matter.  The brain can only process what the heart produces.

Maybe the key to right thinking is to splay my heart wide open and invite the All-Powerful One to do some supernatural maintenance.

It’s something to think about.

 31 Questions

31 Days of Questions: Day 1

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“Why were you searching for me?”  Luke 2:4

We’ve never lost a kid. Once we got on a train ride at a park and right before taking off, we saw a familiar blonde haired, blue eyed child standing on the platform.  She was ours.  Thankfully, the train didn’t leave the station before we realized we were missing our three year old.

Twelve year old Jesus, separated from his parents for three days, had been in the temple discussing theology with the priests.  When his anxious parents found him, the boy answered their question (“Why have you treated us like this?”) with a question.  It seemed Jesus was the calm one, surprised that Joseph and Mary had been worrying about him.

Why do I search for Jesus?

When I search for Jesus, it’s not because I fear He’s lost.

It’s because I’m lost and need to be found.

I search for Jesus because He knows where I hide and what I hide from.

I search because all that I have doesn’t fill the emptiness like He does.

The first recorded words of Jesus in the Scriptures is a question:  “Why were you searching for me?”

Let’s start right there.

31 Questions

31 Days of Questions

There’s this THING in the blogging world called “The 31 Day Challenge”.  Hundreds of bloggers write on a topic of their choice every day for the whole month of October. It’s a real challenge for somebody like me, who squeezes out a couple of posts a week — sometimes. What the heck? I’ll give it a go and see if I survive!

My topic is “31 Days of Questions” — specifically, questions Jesus asked people in the gospels. When Jesus asked questions, He wasn’t looking for answers — He has all the answers. His questions were intended to make people think. Please note that I’m not offering any answers, but probably raising more questions and hopefully gaining some insight along the way.  I’d love to hear what you think!

31 Questions

Day 1: “Why were you searching for me?”

Day 2: “Why are you thinking these things in your heart?”

Day 3: “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or evil?”

Day 4: “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?”

Day 5: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”

Day 6: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?”

Day 7: “Do you see this woman?”

Day 8: “Where is your faith?”

Day 9: “Who do the crowds say I am?”

Day 10: “What about you?  Who do you say I am?”

Day 11: “Which of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life?”

Day 12: “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?”

Day 13: “If salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?”

Day 14:  “Do you want to get well?”

Day 15: “Are you not in error because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God?”

Day 16: “Do you understand what I have done for you?”

Day 17: “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?”

Day 18: “Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?”

Day 19: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul?”

Day 20: “What are you arguing with them about?”

Day 21: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they both not fall into a pit?”

Day 22: “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?”

Day 23: “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

Day 24: “When the Son of Man comes will he find faith on the earth?”

Day 25: “What do you want me to do for you?”

Day 26: “Why are you sleeping?”

Day 27: “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”

Day 28: “But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”

Day 29: “Judas, are you betraying me with a kiss?”

Day 30: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Day 31: “Do you love me?”

Bread Crumbs

breadHe gives thanks for the seven loaves, hands the bread to his disciples, and 4,000 people eat dinner.

The disciples pick up the scraps, but somehow forget to bring any along for the boat ride home.

Well, there is one little loaf….but that’s not enough to feed 12 hungry men…..right?

There is a discussion.  “Why didn’t you bring some of that leftover bread?”  “Nobody told me to.”  “I thought he was getting some.”  “I thought you were.”

The Master asks the next question: “Why are you talking about having no bread?”  The embarrassed silence is followed by seven more rapid-fire questions.  The men manage to answer two of the eight questions.

The easy ones.

“How many basketfuls did you pick up when I fed 5,000 with 5 loaves?”

“Twelve.”

“How many basketfuls did you pick up when I fed 4,000 with 7 loaves?”

“Seven.”

Now the hard ones:

“Do you have eyes but fail to see?  Do you have ears but fail to hear?  Are your hearts hard?  Do you still not understand?  Don’t you remember?”

I think I’m starting to understand.

Followers of Jesus are called to give and serve and feed and clean up after people.  The task can appear overwhelming and some days it seems impossible to satisfy the needs of so many.  And then Jesus speaks blessing over the paltry offering and a miracle takes place.  It’s amazing, but it’s also exhausting.  Servants go home tired and realize they didn’t get to eat the miracle meal.

Jesus says, “What do you mean, there’s nothing left for you?  What’s in your hand?”

I say, “A few bread crumbs.”

And He says, “Don’t you remember?  Don’t you understand?”

Jesus, the great multiplier, is in my boat, where crumbs become a feast.

I’m beginning to understand.

(You can read the Biblical account in Mark 8:14-21)

Jesus Loves Me

red chairI remember sitting on a little red chair in a Sunday school classroom with Carol and Sharon and Duane and Tom.  We were in the basement of the Methodist church in a town with a population of 679.

Mrs. Bickford played the big upright piano.  We sang “Deep and Wide”, “Zacchaeus”, and “The B-I-B-L-E”.  But we always ended with “Jesus Loves Me”.

There’s something about those three words — they never get old.

That’s why I’ve been singing this new recording by Chris Tomlin all week.

I still need to hear this truth.

Jesus Loves Me.

Pure gospel.

This week, this is my song:

“Jesus Loves Me” by Chris Tomlin

Curly

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This is Charlie.

He has a beautiful head of curly hair.

I will not take him to Fantastic Sam’s for a haircut.

I repeat:

I will not take him anywhere for a haircut.

Ever.

Once upon a time, this Nonnie took it upon herself to take Charlie’s big brother to get a big boy haircut.

Alas, the baby curls were gone, never to return.

Not doing that again.  No siree.

So we are reveling in Charlie’s curls.

There are curls on this side:

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And this side:

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And all over the back side:

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I heard that Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s mother dressed him in dresses and didn’t cut his long curly hair until he was six years old.  I might cave in if Charlie has long curly hair when he’s six.  (That’s a warning five years in advance, parents.)

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Right now, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Here’s My Heart

heart

It’s a dangerous prayer.

“Here’s my heart, Lord.  Speak what is true.”

That kind of prayer is an open invitation to the God who knows all, sees all, hears all.

Here’s my heart, Lord.

It’s opening the deepest part of me for His examination.

Speak what is true.

It’s listening to His diagnosis and the prognosis for my neurosis.

While it’s true that I am loved and I am redeemed and I am hidden with Christ in God,

it’s also true that I am controlling and I am selfish and I am anxious.

Thankfully, God speaks the Truth about Himself as well:

“I, the Lord, am strong.

I am sure.

I am good.

I am true.”

This week, David Crowder and I are singing this song:

Last Words

quotationI hope my last words spoken on this earth are poignant and heart-warming, perhaps even quotable.  I don’t want my last utterance to be something like, “Don’t forget — the garbage goes out on Wednesdays” or “Did we get pre-authorization from the insurance company for this?”

You can tell a lot about a person by their parting remarks.

When Lady Nancy Astor saw all her children standing by her bedside, she said, “Is it my birthday or am I dying?”  I wonder how they answered that question.

Groucho Marx quipped to his tearful wife, “Die, my dear?  Why, that’s the last thing I’ll do.”  Are you kidding?

Trailblazer Kit Carson was quoted as saying, “I just wish I had time for one more bowl of chili.”  That must have been some crazy good chili.

Conrad Hilton left a bit of advice with his last words: “Leave the shower curtain on the inside of the tub.”  No comment.

Mother Theresa spoke from her heart, “Jesus, I love you.  Jesus, I love you.”  Just what I’d expect.

And then there was Steve Jobs — “Oh wow.  Oh wow.  Oh wow.”  Indeed.

After four months of preaching on David, PB wrapped things up on Sunday with the King handing over the reins and the reign of Israel to his son Solomon.  True to form, David prayed, “…You test the heart and are pleased with integrity….keep this desire in the hearts of Your people forever…..give Solomon wholehearted devotion….”  David was all heart — a man after God’s own heart.

David’s last recorded words in the Bible were spoken to the great assembly:

“Praise the Lord your God.” (1 Chronicles 29:20)

Now those are good words to go out on.

Christ Be All Around Me

Christ beside me

When the alarm on my phone goes off in the wee hours of the morning, a song starts playing next to my pillow:

“As I rise, strength of God, go before, lift me up.

As I wake, eyes of God, look upon, be my sight.”

Before I’m fully awake, I need this prayer.  Negative thoughts, worries, and bad attitudes can attack me before my feet even hit the floor.

Then I stumble into my office, light a candle and open up my Bible.

“As I wait, heart of God, satisfy and sustain.

As I hear, voice of God, lead me on, be my guide.”

Some days, as my blurry eyes focus on the Word, it jumps out and grabs me by the neck.  Other days, I just look at God and He just looks at me. Both satisfy and sustain.

Then I move into the day with all the lists and obligations and duties.

“As I go, hand of God, my defense, by my side.”

By evening, I am happy to rejoin my pillow and whisper a vesper prayer.

“As I rest, breath of God, fall upon, bring me peace.”

This song has carried me through many, many days.  Many, many moments.

“Your life, Your death, Your blood was shed for every moment.”

I started listening to the music of “All Sons and Daughters” three years ago.  When I needed a reason to sing, I put “Reason to Sing” on repeat.  When I felt poor and powerless, I kept “All the Poor and Powerless” on top of my playlist.  I love their music.  I love their lyrics.

This duo doesn’t know it, but they need me.  I add a third harmony part to their songs every morning in the shower.  Duets are great, but in my opinion, three part harmony is glorious.

I guess I’ll leave well enough alone and keep them by my pillow for now.

This week, this is my song:

Written by Leeland and Michael W. Smith.  Recorded by Leslie Jordan and David Leonard.