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Hope Springs Eternal

Hope Springs Eternal

I am almost giddy with joy. 

Baseball is beginning!  Major league players are reporting to their spring training facilities, and practices are under way.  Games will follow soon.  Along with the amount of daylight increasing daily and the daffodils stretching from the ground, baseball is one of the wonderful harbingers of Spring. 

When “the boys of Summer” report for duty, it’s a sure sign Summer isn’t far away!

And after the last year, who of us isn’t ready for some fun in the sun?  Some enjoyable distractions on the ballfield; the sounds, sights and smells of a ballgame; some social gatherings at the ballpark?  (Well, hopefully anyway!)

On top of just the exaltation that baseball is back – and it seems it’s back for a full season this go-round – there is the added excitement that this is the year my favorite team, the Seattle Mariners, are going to win our American League West division!

At which any of you who are even a little informed about the Seattle Mariners are probably rolling your eyes, shaking your heads, and possibly even guffawing out loud.  The Mariners have the distinct dishonor of being the only MLB team that has never even played in the World Series.  The only one!  In addition, they currently own the longest playoff drought of any major professional team.  Not just the longest drought in baseball, but the longest drought of any team in MLB, the NFL, the NBA, or the NHL!

Consequently some (most? all?) will take exception to my prediction of the Mariners winning their division and breaking their playoff absence.  To which I reply with the aged and sage proverb, “Hope springs eternal!” 

And nowhere is that expression more true than in regard to one’s favorite baseball team!  (Especially if one’s favorite team happens to be the Mariners!)

“Hope springs eternal” is actually an abbreviation of a line written by Alexander Pope in “An Essay on Man” in 1732.  The entire phrase was originally “Hope springs eternal in the human breast.”

The concept, of course, is that humans long for, search for and even manufacture hope.  We need it, want it, and have to have it.  Our tendency is always to somehow, somewhere, in some way uncover some kind of hope.  We will cling tenaciously to hope against all odds because existence without hope is a shallow existence.

Unfortunately, this sin-shattered world excels at undermining hope.  Perhaps that’s why we are so desperately and constantly seeking a semblance of hope?  We recognize that hope tends to be frail, finicky and fleeting.

Which is why, I’m convinced, the Bible speaks so adamantly and repeatedly about hope.  Not about the uncertain hope this world offers, but rather about the certain, immovable, unchangeable, persevering, everlasting, rock-solid, count-on-it-no-matter-what hope that God gives.

If God says it, God must do it.  If God makes a promise, God must keep it.  If God offers words of hope, he must stand behind them.  Which makes the hopes that God gives us absolutely reliable.

The list of God’s hope-giving promises is long!  His assurances encompass his love for us, his redemption accomplished for us, his daily care of us, and his eternal reward for us.  And so much more!

 “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).  To which the writer to the Hebrews adds this encouragement, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

Wherever the Bible addresses the hope that God gives us, we should add the word “certain” to it.  Not because it sounds more encouraging that way, but because it’s true! 

Let’s try it and see what that sounds like.

“We wait in (certain!) hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our (certain!) hope in you” (Psalm 33:20-22).

Now that’s a (certain!) hope that truly springs eternal!

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The View from Above

The View from Above

Many of you are aware that last November I had my left kidney removed.  It was shrunken and appeared to have a growth on it which was potentially cancer.  (It didn’t and it wasn’t … thanks be to God.)

Consequently, I will see a kidney specialist to monitor my remaining kidney for the rest of my life.  (A nugget of knowledge for you; the official title of a kidney doctor is a nephrologist – something I never knew until I had to visit one.) 

My nephrologist has a nice office on the seventh floor of a medical building behind Allenmore Hospital in Tacoma.  And if someone happens to have an office on the seventh floor, then it is only proper that the office have large windows to provide a splendid view from above.  It allows the somewhat unsettling experience of looking down on high-flying birds!

I arrived at my appointment a bit early this week.  After getting checked in, I was ushered into one of the waiting rooms.  As I gazed through the windowpane there, I had a splendid view of a golf course a quarter mile away.  A number of golfers were scooting around the fairways on carts; others were practicing their drives at the range or their putts on the green.

But what caught my eye was the huge parking lot for the medical complex immediately below me.  It was packed with vehicles.  Just beyond was a Walmart parking lot, also jam-packed with cars.  I did some quick calculations and estimated that I could cast my eyes on about 400 parked cars.  (There were even more I couldn’t see and additional ones driving by on the adjacent street.)  My doctor laughed when I told him the figure.  I doubt he or any of his nurses or patients ever bothered with such an inane exercise.

But it wasn’t pointless.  It struck me that I only knew the make of one of the vehicles below, and the name of its owner with certainty.   (Dark-green Chevy Silverado; David Birsching).  I even knew most (but admittedly not all) of the contents in that particular vehicle. 

That left approximately 399 other cars and trucks about which I was clueless.  I could even watch a few of the drivers strolling through the parking area and could usually discern their gender.  But beyond that I knew nothing about them. 

Yet it occurred to me that the Lord knew the make and model of every single vehicle below.  He could tell you where it was made and the exact date that vehicle rolled off the assembly line, what repairs had been made, which additional ones would be made, and when the oil was last changed.  The random contents inside were also obvious to the Lord, even down to the coins and stale fries between the seats and the paraphernalia tucked underneath.

He knew every owner, and every driver, if different.  God could even list off every single person who had ever ridden in every single one of those vehicles, and every single person who ever would.  He knew the drivers’ birthdays, their exact ages, and precisely when they would be called out of this world.  Same for all the passengers!  The Lord could also recite their social security numbers, detail their job resumes, summarize their health issues, and provide the full names of their entire families.  Curious about their addresses?  He could provide that too!

The contents of the drivers’ pockets, the bills and cards in their wallets, the miscellaneous necessaries and unnecessaries in their purses, and the jewelry on their body were all known by God.  Tattoos too.  The Lord even had the hairs on their heads numbered (Matthew 10:30).

I didn’t consider all of these details at the moment, but only recognized God’s all-seeing and all-knowing view in a general sort of way.  Still, it was striking.  It wasn’t until I write this that I am able to draw these details out and expand on the concept.  I was in awe that day; my awe deepens the more I work through this.  What an incredible God we have!

Of course, I’m only exploring just one tiny facet of God’s wisdom.  He truly sees all and knows all; it’s a knowledge that encompasses far more than 400 vehicles.  For example, the Lord could easily itemize the lines on the parking lot pavement and the cracks in it, the bushes and weeds and the number of bark chips in the flower beds, the number and kinds of the bugs below the surface, and how many birds flew above.

Furthermore, he sees all and knows all in the all of Tacoma, and all of Washington, and the entire United States and all of the world.  All about the people who are and who were and who will be.  Not to mention all their thoughts, concerns and aspirations.  And all of the hairs on all of their heads as well!

It’s beyond bewildering.  It’s mind numbing!

David wrote about the exquisitely profound knowledge of the Lord: “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. … Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain” (Psalm 139:1-4, 6).

Combine the Lord’s omniscience (ability to know all things) with his omnipotence (almighty power), then stir in his boundless love for us, and we recognize we have a God we can absolutely rely upon.  Nothing is too complicated for the Lord to understand or unravel; nothing is too daunting for him to adjust or overcome.  How incredibly comforting this truth is!

God always knows where our car is, and our car keys too, (and anything else one might need to know!), because he’s got the ultimate view from above. 

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The One Constant

The One Constant

Most people don’t care for change.  At least, not significant change.  A fair number of folks will even fight against change, perceiving significant change as significantly negative.

And while some adventurous souls actually enjoy mixing things up a bit now and then, everyone has their limits.  Radical change might be defined differently by different people, but everyone has adjustment boundaries they absolutely do not want to cross.

Ironically, despite our penchant for clinging to the familiar … everything is always changing!

In fact, the Second Law of Thermodynamics states that all systems, if left to themselves, move from a state of order to disorder.  This natural decline is called entropy.  (Also known as change!)  In other words, natural change isn’t just a happenstance; it’s a scientific necessity. 

Which is lousy news for all the hangers-on-to-how-it’s-always-been folks!  Because, let’s face it, change is everywhere, and it’s never ending.

Just this week we saw the transition of a new president.  He is the 46th person to hold that distinguished office in our nation.  That’s an ongoing stream of leadership change over our nation’s 245-year history!  But the rulers of this land, and the inhabitants of this land, were in flux long before the United States was formed.

Meanwhile the countries and borders on distant continents have been repeatedly altered as migrations and invasions and political upheavals have changed the face of nations.  And it’s not just boundaries that were changed, but style of government, laws of the land, local customs and language.  Over time even climates were transformed, and everything that climate impacts with them.

As the earth orbits the sun, the view of the night sky shifts and seasons are rotated.  The length of daylight and the average temperature changes.  The flora and fauna adjust.  People adjust too in regard to what they wear and what they do.  The seasonal hobbies and the sports seasons also change. 

Landscapes are altered.  Highways are adjusted.  Buildings are torn down and new ones built.  Companies begin and others end.  Restaurants and stores open while other close.  People change occupations and residences, and sometimes even states or countries.

Of course, COVID has brought an unending cascade of changes. 

Our bodies are in a state of unending transformation from conception to birth and all through life.  And the situations in our lives change too!  Even our relationships are being continually refashioned. 

Most significant of all, we experienced a drastic spiritual change when the Holy Spirit brought us to faith, which in turn drastically altered our spiritual destination as well!

Since our conversion, our faith in our Savior is always varying too!  It is never static but always dynamic.  Either our faith is growing, or it is shrinking.  (The results are directly linked to our exposure to God’s Word.)

There is no tiny fringe of our existence that is not impacted by change. 

Except one.  Our God doesn’t change.  Our God never changes.

God’s attributes (characteristics) haven’t changed.  The Lord is still eternal, almighty, and present everywhere.  He is still all-knowing.  He is still good and faithful.  He is still holy and righteous, but also merciful, gracious, loving and forgiving.

God’s promises haven’t changed either.  The unchanging God is still with us, and always will be.  The fact that God works everything for the good of his people won’t change either.  Nor will Jesus redemption of us, or his resurrection; those are unchanging facts.  Furthermore, God still has a special home prepared for us in heaven.  

God’s Word hasn’t changed, and God’s loving plans for us haven’t changed either.

The fact that our God doesn’t change … and isn’t changing … and won’t change is incredibly comforting at a time of incredible change and in a world overflowing with change.

The Bible reminds us that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.  (James 1:17-18)

How extraordinary to have a God who doesn’t change – who is untouched by the Second Law of Thermodynamics (because he created it!).   The way God was … is the way God is … and the way God always will be.

So it turns out there are actually two constants, two changeless truths: change is everywhere … except, that is, in our unchanging God.

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A Mountain of a God!

A Mountain of a God!

In my humble point of view, there is nothing quite as visually impressive as a mountain.  Rising up from the land, jutting high into the sky and dominating the horizon, mountains can take your breath away with their majesty.

And is there anything else in the world that seems as immovable as a mountain?  Is there anything as unchangeable as that monstrous piece of solid stone?  Anything as eternal as that rock-hard, in-your-face, unable-to-be ignored piece of granite?  Anything as invincible as that unbending, unyielding, undeniably solid wall of rock?

In reality the mountains can and do change.  The rock on the mountains is slowly eroding.  Glaciers, ice and snow impact the heights.  Landslides happen.  Volcanic mountains can blow their tops, as we know only too well here in Washington.  Humans can scar and change the mountain face.

Yet, I submit that there is nothing else on earth that seems as reliable as a mountain. There is nothing else in the world that seems as immovable, unchangeable, eternal, or invincible as a mountain

Consequently, the mountains are a magnificent picture of God’s power and protection.  The Lord truly IS immovable, unchangeable, eternal, and invincible … just like a mountain seems to be.

That’s exactly how David describes the Lord.  “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.  Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:5-8).

Fitting words as we close down a tumultuous year and embark upon another potentially challenging one!

I am confident that every one of us will acknowledge that it is God alone who is “my rock, my fortress, my refuge, my salvation, my rest,” and “my hope.”  We agree with those statements verbally and mentally, and yet all too often that’s not how we live our lives.  We are constantly tempted to look elsewhere for our joy and security.

Whenever we are leaning on the things of this world to support us, we have moved our life’s foundation from the mountain that is God to shifting sand that is most definitely not.

As David states so clearly in Psalm 62, it is God alone who can fill all our needs.  He is our “go-to God” for everything!  And indeed, he carries quite a resume’.  Rock!  Fortress!  Refuge!  Plus, he’s our salvation, rest, and hope as well!  Sounds like exactly what we need (Who we need!) as we roll into another year.

The Bible actually contains about 50 references to God as the Rock.  In other words, it’s a picture that the Lord wants his people to remember and embrace.  Clearly, it’s a picture that is intended to bring God’s people comfort.  And indeed it does!

It’s important to note that many of the Bible’s 50 references to God as the Rock imply that believers are grounded in that Rock.  Half a dozen other times the Bible stresses specifically the importance of being on the Rock.  In other words, not only is there no alternate for the Rock that is the Lord, but there is also no substitute for being on that Rock. 

In fact, it’s crucial that we are not only ON the Rock, but IN the Rock!  A person can build a house on top of the largest rock on earth, but if that house has no connection to the rock, it is destined to collapse.  Rather, a house built on a rock has to be anchored in that rock.  And when it is, there is nothing that can shake it.

So it is with us.  The Lord makes it clear that he is our Rock upon which we find our stability, strength, safety, help and hope.  But the only way we will reap the benefits of the Rock is if our spiritual roots are sunk down deep into him.  And when our foundation is the Lord and his Word then, as David writes, we “will not be shaken.”

As we embark on 2021, after enduring 2020, there certainly is no shortage of uncertainty and instability in our world and our lives.  All the more reason to be centered on the unchangeable, eternal, invincible, immovable Rock that is our God!

Is there anything quite like a mountain?  I don’t think so.  It’s a picture of stability and power.  And that is exactly what our God is.  He is the mighty rock, the mountain that cannot be shaken.  What an excellent place to be anchored at the beginning of a new year, and always!

How to Interact on This Blog

To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

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Flying Blind?

Flying Blind?

Most of us probably don’t fret much about jumping on an airline flight.  Note that I wrote “most of us;” I know some fret a great deal if they have to fly somewhere.  The other qualifier that might give some pause about flying these days is COVID. 

Still, the majority of us don’t stress overly much in regard to climbing onto an airplane.  We might not look forward to all the extra hassles that accompany flying, like packing, transportation to the airport and airport parking, checking our bags and being checked personally in security, or the long hours that are typically wrapped into a day of air travel.  The flight itself, however, is generally relaxing – an opportunity to catch one’s breath, read a book, watch a movie, listen to music, or take a nap.

However, have you ever stopped to consider what’s involved in a typical flight?  (Those who are generally squeamish about flying might want to skip the next few paragraphs!)

An average sized commercial plane (a Boeing 737) weighs approximately 45 tons.  When you add in the fuel (20 tons) and passengers, cargo and crew (22.5 tons), the weight climbs to almost 88 tons.  That’s a LOT of poundage to keep aloft!

Now consider that the average cruising height is between 31 and 38 thousand feet (6-7 miles high!), and the planes generally climb to that position in the first 10 minutes of the flight.  Once there, the airline settles into the modest cruising speed of approximately 540 miles per hour. 

And who is handling this monstrously heavy contraption 7 miles above the earth at an astoundingly high rate of speed?  Whose capabilities and actions are you, the passenger, dependent upon? 

The captain!  Though he or she has a copilot who shares some flight duties, the captain is typically the most experienced pilot in the cockpit and the one in command and control. 

And you rarely even see him or her, at least before the flight!  Maybe you hear their voice while in flight; maybe you don’t.  You know nothing about them or their experience or how they are feeling the day of your flight.  Yet you entrust your life to the pilot.

There are many details to attend to on a commercial flight.  The pilot has to constantly monitor other air traffic so there are no collisions.  Weather conditions, both on the ground and in the air, have to be considered.  He or she may have to climb higher to pass over a storm or detour to skirt around it, but everyone expects the captain to keep them safe.  

Furthermore, you expect your pilot to deliver you to the proper destination.  If you booked your flight to Chicago, you don’t even consider the possibility of arriving in Houston instead.  More trust on your part!  And again, you know nothing about the pilot.  (He or she might greatly prefer to set down in Houston rather than Chicago!)

Landing at your destination presents additional challenges.  For example, Seatac Airport in Washington State is one of the 10 busiest airports in America, and one of the 30 busiest in the world.  In 2018, there was an average of 553 flights departing per day, and about the same number arriving.  That’s approximately 23 flights departing per hour, and 23 more arriving, which makes for a congested sky around the airport.  The pilot has to navigate those busy skies.  But you and the other passengers expect that he or she will do so safely.

Some passengers might be a bit tense about the flight.  Most become at least a bit anxious if flying through a storm or experiencing turbulence.  But no one is pacing the aisle or crying out with emotion-packed exclamations.  (At least not usually.)  None are urgently demanding to speak to the pilot and inform them what needs to be done.  They trust the pilot will perform.  (Finally, they have no choice but to trust him!)

Of course, pilots are just people, skilled as they may be.  They simply can’t fly non-stop; they need time off to rest.  The safety of the passengers, and their own, demands it.  Recognizing this, the FAA regulates the number of hours commercial pilots can fly.  Pilots cannot exceed 100 hours of flight time in a month, or 1,000 hours in a year.  During normal circumstances, they average 75 hours per month in the air.

Our Lord is like an airplane captain, except the Lord doesn’t need to rest, he doesn’t need a copilot, and he doesn’t make mistakes.  Ever!  Furthermore, our God isn’t just the pilot of a jetliner with a few hundred people on board, but the captain in control of everything. 

The Lord is the Pilot of the cosmos, the universe, the world, our nation, our state, our city, our neighborhood and our home.  He is also the Pilot of our church, our work, our school, our friends, our family, and ourselves.  He is the unerring, almighty, all-knowing, ever-present, always faithful, constantly loving Pilot of all circumstances and every situation, always.  (Yes, even through pandemics, amongst social angst and rioting, and in elections.  And yes, even through our personal struggles and dilemmas!)

The Captain over all things lifts us off the earth at our spiritual births, carries us aloft across the miles and years with his Word, provides us with some glorious views along the way, guides us over or around (and sometimes through) the storms in his love, and sets us safely down at our destination (heaven!) at the end of our “flight.”  The Lord is a Pilot we can rely upon with absolute confidence, no matter what unsettling events may be currently affecting our “flight” though life.

The Lord is our Pilot.  Or to use another similar picture, he is our Shepherd.

“The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever”  (Psalm 23).

We may feel like we are flying blind through life, but we never are.  Our Lord, our Pilot, and our Shepherd is carrying us and caring for us the entire way.  Though we may not see him on our “flight,” we can still trust him.  And be assured, we will most certainly meet him after we “land.”

Our Certainty

Our Certainty

There certainly is plenty of uncertainty these days.  In fact, one of the certainties in this world is that there is constantly uncertainty.

Uncertainty has always been a given in our existence.  Yet COVID has been the harbinger of even more uncertainty than usual.  I don’t need to list off multiple examples; you are living daily in the midst of the unknown. 

As if we don’t have enough uncertainties already, we are just days away from a major election.  The nation will choose a president; states will select governors; districts will elect various representatives.  The entire political landscape could change dramatically. 

No one can be certain about whom will be elected.  No one knows what will happen in the streets of our nation afterwards.  No one can discern what drastic changes the election results will usher in, whether in government halls, in the stock market, jobs arena or our economy, in our society, or in the general morale.

Uncertainty abounds!  And uncertainty breeds fear and despair, anxiety and drastic measures.

Some seem determined to demonstrate publicly regardless the outcome; some are resolute on rioting.  Others undoubtedly will hunker down in their homes or businesses armed with prayers and loaded weapons.  Still others would consider migrating to Canada – one segment if one man is elected as president, another segment if the other prevails.  (Unfortunately for them, the Canadian borders are currently closed!)  Regardless of the outcome, we can be sure that there will be a significant portion of our country engaged in handwringing and cries of despair.

But that need not be us, no matter whom we want to see elected or how the ballots fall. 

I remember sitting at my desk in my first history class at the Christian high school I attended.   I was struck by the teacher writing “History is His story” on the board.  Of course, this has been true throughout the years, even if we humans don’t understand some chapters of the story.  This is still true, and it always will be true!  History … all of history (even this election!) … is God’s story.

Let me assure you that the Lord knows what he is doing.  He understands all things, he sees the entire picture, he controls everything, and he doesn’t make mistakes.  I know that some are convinced that it will definitely be disastrous if so-and-so is elected.  But they don’t realize, or are forgetting, that our God is the ultimate King, no matter who wins out on Tuesday.  And our Heavenly King doesn’t abdicate his authority to any ruler nor cede his control to anyone.

David, a king himself, was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write, “Dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations” (Psalm 22:28).  Later in the psalms we’re informed that, “The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths” (Psalm 135:6).

David’s son Solomon, also a king, wrote these inspired truths: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps” (Proverbs 16:9).  Regarding chance or fate, Solomon assured us, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33).

Nebuchadnezzar, the king of mighty Babylon, stated these words about the Heavenly King after the Lord humbled him significantly, “Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.  His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.  All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing.  He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth.  No one can hold back his hand or say to him: ‘What have you done?’”  (Daniel 4:34-35).

The Apostle Paul describes the Lord in this way: “God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see.  To him be honor and might forever.  Amen.”  (1 Timothy 6:15-16).

 All of which is to say – be at peace.  Be at peace as you watch the voting results unfold Tuesday evening.  Be at peace – no matter whom you “just know” needs to be elected, and despite the final results.  Regardless of how others react – be at peace.  Even if the Lord is giving Americans the hardships they “demand” by their rejection of Him, like God did when Israel desired a monarchy instead of the theocracy God had established (1 Samuel 8:6-7) … Christian, be at peace.  

It was by design that Jesus repeated the concept of peace to his people over and over again, both before his crucifixion and after his resurrection.  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. … Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).  In this uncertain world, there are few promises more comforting or encouragements more beneficial. 

So no matter what happens in regard to the elections, (or in regard to anything, for that matter!), you and I can relax in the peace God gives.  The Lord over all will still be over all even after the election results are in.

This is our certainty amid the uncertainty: the King of kings and Lord of lords still reigns!  Furthermore, he loves us, has saved us, and is guiding all things around us.  Therefore, we have peace.  Yes, even in regard to the elections! 

Solitaire for Two!

Solitaire for Two!

I often have trouble falling asleep at night.  It’s not that I haven’t typically worked hard that day.  It’s because I have a mind that refuses to shut down.  No matter how exhausted my body may be, my mind keeps churning.  It happens to be one of the more frustrating things in my life.

I’ve often wished I had an on/off switch for my thoughts.  Click on the brain first thing in the morning, and click it off when I crawl into bed each night.  But I suppose if one’s mind isn’t already engaged, a person wouldn’t think to activate it when waking up.  (OK, so that could be an issue.)

Fortunately, one of the things I’ve learned that helps my mind begin to disengage after a long day is Solitaire.  I began playing the card game when I was in elementary school.  But back then, I had to shuffle the cards after each game and lay out the seven rows.  In fact, the entire game was done manually.  It took a fair amount of time to play a game, and then as much or more to reset the deck after each “hand.”

But now my computer does it all!  And much faster than even the best card handlers in the casinos could.  There are even sound effects!  (I’ve often wondered about the psychological feel-good benefits of the “ding” of moving an ace up above, the “clack” of making a connection between cards, and certainly the electronic celebration following a win.)

Yes, I know that sleep experts advise avoiding staring at screens before going to bed.  However, Solitaire somehow soothes me.  I don’t pull up the cards every evening, but several nights a week isn’t uncommon.  In fact, Microsoft informs me that I’ve played over 6,600 games through the years, and I’ve won over 1,100 times.  (That’s a 17% winning percentage, by the way.)

The card game Solitaire can be a great approach to numbing the mind late at night.  (At least for me.)  The foundational concept of Solitaire is solving the card puzzle alone.  This works well in the card version.  However, it happens to be a lousy approach to life.

To some degree I think we all have the tendency to try to conquer life’s puzzles alone.  We want to be smart enough, strong enough, adaptable enough, determined enough, or whatever other characteristics one might toss into the mix to “win” the game of life.  We want to finagle the details so all our “cards” line up in four neat descending rows, and we want to accomplish the challenge ourselves.

Realize that I’m not referring to earthly relationships when I write those words.  Some prefer to associate with many people while others prefer fewer connections.  Some folks are happiest alone.  Some are quick to request assistance from other people; others rarely will.  As humans, we are all over the spectrum in regard to our affinity for earthly relationships.  How we tackle life, with how many and with whom, are separate matters.

However, we ALL need God!  We don’t just need him a little or now and then; we need the Lord completely and constantly … every day in all things.  He is our help and our hope, our strength and salvation, our rock, fortress, protector and provider.  Without the Lord, we are doomed, both now and forever.  With the Lord, we are conquerors and overcomers; people blessed beyond measure with significance and salvation.

Jesus summed up this concept beautifully in John 15:4-5:  “Remain in me, as I also remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Branches must remain attached to the vine to live and produce fruit.  It’s crucial that we stay connected to Jesus through God’s Word!

Solitaire is best known as a game for one.  Life however is best approached as Solitaire for Two.  Each of us individually … along with God.  That is a sure-fire formula to win at life!

Fear Not?

Fear Not?

It doesn’t take a pandemic to create fear, but it most certainly fuels it. 

There seems to be an abundance of fear these days.  One might conclude that it is even more contagious than Covid-19.

Nosophobia is rampant, and thanatophobia is common as well (fear of getting sick and fear of death).  Both of those phobias contribute mightily to agoraphobia and anthropophobia (fear of leaving the house and fear of people), and definitely to enochlophobia (fear of crowds).

Ergophobia is also raising its ugly head (fear of losing a job), and even peniaphobia is making an appearance (fear of poverty) … both of which feed chronophobia (fear of the future.)  This abundance of fear leads to the ultimate fear of all – fear of uncertainty.  (Simply called “anxiety.”)

Fearmongering seems to be the trend … the media feeding out phobias and the people eating them up.  Even some Christians are nibbling on that entrée.

The astute reader will recognize that there is a technical difference between fear and phobia.  Fear is a reaction to an actual danger, while a phobia is an excessive and irrational reaction when no real danger is present.

I am not suggesting that people are reacting irrationally in this pandemic.  (Well, maybe just a little?)  There are certainly very real concerns out there.  Being prudent and careful is the correct approach.  Still, there is no reason for phobias or fear … rational or irrational … in God’s people.

A person could be radically exposed to the virus; someone could be surrounded by the sick and breathe in the bug repeatedly … and they will only become ill if God allows it!  That’s a fact. 

The doctors will tell you that the disease is highly contagious … and I don’t doubt it.  But the Lord isn’t locked into doctors’ dictates.  God our Father will do what he knows is best for his children.  He always does.

Now I am not advocating a fatalistic or cavalier approach to the current situation.  Nor am I promoting carelessness or recklessness.  The Bible makes is clear that we are not to test the Lord.  Rather, I am simply stating that the Lord is bigger than any virus, or layoff, or shortage, or financial challenge.  Or any other difficulty, for that matter! 

We are God’s people, and our God is our Protector and Provider.  He is our Fortress and Shield.  His power encircles us; nothing reaches us unless he allows it.  And if he does allow it, then it’s to bless us in some wonderful way.  That’s his promise!  (Romans 8:28).  Consequently, we have no reason to fear.

The words the Lord spoke to Joshua as he took over for Moses and prepared to lead the Israelites in their conquest of Canaan apply to each of us as well in the midst of the challenges we currently face.   “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). 

Really, when the Lord our God is with us wherever we go, what in the world (literally!) do we have to fear?  To state it more strongly, when the Lord is always with us, we have absolutely no cause to be afflicted by phobias or beset by fear.  Rather, courage is the way we face our days.

So it seems that Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famous words are very apropos to Spring, 2020.  “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”  (That’s phobophobia, by the way: fear of fear.) 

Fine words from F.D.R.  But I prefer the words of Jesus.  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid”  (John 14:27).

Fear not?  Yes, that’s right.  Fear not!  The Lord is carrying us.

God’s Got This!

God’s Got This!

“We got this” seems to be a rallying cry during this pandemic.  It’s a good-enough slogan, I guess.  It’s pithy, personal, and persuasive.

I certainly don’t want to downplay any of the wonderful things that the motto might be bringing about; the teamwork, sacrifice and service to others that it may be encouraging.  People need something to rally around in a pandemic. 

However, it must be said: “We got this” is patently false.  The truth of the matter is that we humans got no control over nothin’!  At least nothing significant.  If ever there was a time that our utter helplessness over circumstances was abundantly clear, it is now.

Yet that is always the fallback plan for most people.  The hope against all hopes. The blind confidence.  (The desperate conviction?)  Science … or medicine … or government … or companies … or SOMEBODY! … will inevitably figure out the solutions and we’ll be fine.

And as for God … well, for many he is a non-factor.  Either God’s existence isn’t acknowledged, or if it is, he is marginalized.  People conclude, especially when difficulties arise, that if there even is a god, he’s either lost control or lost interest.

This concept that God’s impact is negligible and we humans control our own fate leaves one rather empty.  Frankly, it’s depressing and terrifying.  Or at least it should be for anyone with even a lick of sense!  However, if someone insists that God won’t or can’t help us, then there is only one other alternative for hope; we humans must trust in ourselves to figure things out.  And we better get it right!

But can we?  Will we?  What if we mess up and make things worse?  There’s a trainload of pressure packed into a godless worldview – especially when the world is in the middle of a pandemic!

In 1952, Ray Bradbury wrote a short story titled “A Sound of Thunder,” set in the year 2055.  In the story a company took folks back in time.  However, they had stringent rules on how the trips were conducted.  Clients must not deviate from those rules to ensure that the future would remain unaffected.  But on one trip a client forgot the rules, and he crushed a butterfly while in the distant past.  When they returned to 2055, things were different.  And all because one butterfly in the past perished, thereby altering the future.

This concept reappears repeatedly in literature and movies.  Humans messed with the past, (or the present), which messed up the future!  Of course, there’s no consideration of God in these scenarios; everything is dependent upon people.

It’s a common premise, but a faulty one.  We humans do not control our destiny.  And rescuing the world is way more than any person or number of people (or even nation!) could presume to do.  As is providing for the world and guiding the events in the world.  People can’t even control the events in their own lives for one day!  Taking it to a larger spectrum is inconceivable.

Providence (providing and protecting) is God’s job!  And thankfully he’s really good at it!  As David wrote, “You, LORD, preserve both people and animals.  How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!”  (Psalm 36:6-7)

Our Lord is always watching … not only the entire world, but even us!  Every day – all day!  And all night too!  (Psalm 121).  God always has a loving plan (Jeremiah 29:11).  He controls all things, bringing both good times and hard (Isaiah 45:6-7), but always for the blessing of his people (Romans 8:28).  We humans can never hope to fully understand God’s decisions (Isaiah 55:8-9), but we know he is always acting in love (Zephaniah 3:17).  After all, he gave us Jesus, our Savior; he will also provide for all our other needs (Romans 8:32).  Yes, even in a pandemic!

The Lord summarizes our situation beautifully in Isaiah: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.  I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you (46:4).  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (41:10).

Wow!  That’s some awesome stuff!  Comforting, encouraging and uplifting!  Our God who gave us life will guide us lovingly through life.

So back to the slogan.  “We got this?”  Not so much. 

God’s got this?  Much better!  Yes, he does.  Totally, completely and undoubtedly.  Hear it.  Hold it.  Know it.  Treasure it.  God most definitely has got this, so we’re in very good hands.