God and Idols

“Whatever is esteemed or loved; whatever is feared or served; whatever is delighted in or spoken of, or depended upon more than God, whatever it is, that becomes your god.”
Matthew Henry

Gray in Righteous

Gray Hair

Proverb 20:29



I have a picture of Maria and me on the desk I work. It is one of those daily reminders of how blessed I am. In fact, I would sign on the dotted line that she has not changed since we married – beautiful as ever. But the grayer my hair, the more I realize life’s color changes as the years move on. The youth brilliant flashes of blond soften to older warm glows of amber or gray and then to no color… (that is coming, amen).



Besides the physical element, I think that the weight of memories is a partial reason. The continuing addition of life’s “memory color” tends to deepen the beauty of the heart hue. I am deeper in pigment because a friend passing away and it must be this way. It seems like the deeper hue of my heart, the lighter the hue of my head. I am not saying that I live a life of “light-headedness” although some would disagree.



I have always looked forward to the graying of my hair because with it comes some form of wisdom, hopefully. John states that the elder have “known Him from the beginning” which is a huge blessing itself. Of course Moses writes that the young are to “rise before the gray-headed and honor the presence of an old man”. One reason is probably that he can’t rise himself. Nonetheless, there are blessings that come with the gray hair and ones that are not, usually, appreciated by our youth honoring culture.



The wise man states in Proverbs 16, “The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness”. A “crown of glory”, now that is a joy to enjoy. But the center touch is “if it is found”. Ahh, now that is the view. A life of living in righteousness is a true glory before God and man. So gray head - bring it on. But bring it righteous.



Maybe we can think of it this way in the opposite direction. When Christ died and arose, all heaven’s glory exploded across the world in bright and brilliant fire as it changed forever the heart and eternity of luster. All of life is deeper now in color and will always be for the “Painter of the Sky” has brushed His eternal canvas. One of the wonders of heaven is that the God-created colors will not fade, diminish, or discolor. The beauty of Christ will not allow gray but will remain brilliant forever, to our eternal delight. So two things for us, enjoy the wisdom and glory of gray but know that it is for a season. For the seasoned soul is colorful forever.



A righteous gray is an earthly and eternal display of color.





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Vanishing Vapors and Sweet Aromas

Vanishing Vapors and Sweet Aromas

James 4:14, Ephesians 5:2



I just received news that a dear high school buddy of mine died a few days ago. Whenever this happens it is cause for me to push back from the demanding desk and just let the mind sift through all the memories of another life, both personal and time. They marshal, demanding a washing away of the previous thoughts and concerns and make the waters a bit more murky and cold. Part of this habitual reaction knows my vanishing vapor will never be the same.



Providentially a couple of friends of mine had gathered a few weeks ago with the express purpose of keeping the “years ago” friendships alive. We wanted to invite our friend and we had called on several people that knew our friend but we could not get a bead on him - where he was, what he was doing, and how. We must have asked at least 20 people and no one knew the answers to our groping questions. Well we shelved the invitation away. But in another city, our friend was breathing his last even while we were seeking him, wondering about him. Now we know and smile at his heavenly good fortune.



He was a strong man whom I admired. We loved to laugh and play sports together. Our small group of buddies did much together and he was always part. He had such strong determination. If he decided to accomplish something, anything, no one or thing would stop him. At times it could hurt him but isn’t it true we all have faults and plead for grace from others to cover our weaknesses or sins. As we aged we drew apart going different ways and finally had no contact together although I thought of him at times. It was again the persistent reminder of the difference in past and present.



He died of lung cancer. Very few people, even in his family, knew and fewer still were there when he met Jesus. I hurt for him as I just wanted to tell him that I loved him still. I wanted to gently sit and remind his and my heart of God’s precious plan to acquaint us and give us the privilege to know and love each other. Even though the years would separate us, those foggy memories would glisten together in quiet moments of reflections. I miss him.



Life is a gift of vapor. God is the Giver. We hold it for an undisclosed time. Live wise so your vanishing vapor will perfume the closets and rooms of other’s memories. They will bless you and God for it.



Earthly vapors are made to disappear but not forgotten. When someone pushes back their chair for us sometime, what will they smell… hopefully a vapor – a “sweet smelling Aroma”?



Will

Tissues of Future Promises

A Kleenex box sits on my desk unnoticed. It is full with little soft tissues. I bought it a while ago for a specific purpose that I have learned is coming. I see it as assured future heart pain. It states by its presence that sometime in the future a tear down the cheek will demand its help.

I don’t know right now for what it will be pulled and placed on the face in a moment of painful memory, pressured present, or even the future decision or result that will need to be dealt with. People do not notice them until they look for them. The eyes are red and wet over some heart tearing and instinctively they look for help.

In some sense the box is presumptuous and forbearing as its use possesses an assumed pull. There may be several tissues used or just one but the fact that they will be used at all provides a thought for preparation. Who will use it? What will be their need? When will be the crash of emotions? Will I be ready or even willing?

Often times the tissue users are embarrassed and wish that they were not crying but they cannot help it. Here they are in a chair in front of, sometimes, a complete stranger and they are showing their private heart rending and soul wrenching pain. They seem to think that no one else has ever pulled an eye-wiper from the box or that the buyer has not grabbed one and placed it under his wet eye or cheek.

There are several things in our lives that are prepared by God for future needs. He knows what will be necessary for the specific anguished trial or even a shameful repented sin. But God brings those hurts up to the surface with a box of care and compassion waiting. When God unleashes a difficult situation to our lives He has already placed, out of love, a soft comfort of promise tissues. We may not see them before the need arises but God has made sure that they are there when the time comes.

They remind us of our God Who is with us both now and in the loving future that He has planned for us. We will never be alone in the pain. He shows us this by the soft but firm promises given to us before our heart breaks. So be thankful for those boxes of proven and promised love awaiting your need. It shows a God of love and sovereign care.

A box-full of promises used in cleansing pain is better than a box-full of empty hardness in a dirty soul.

Finding God

The discovery of God lies in the daily and the ordinary, not in the spectacular and the heroic. If we cannot find God in the routines of home and shop, then we will not find him at all.
Richard Foster

Quest for life

“Everyone is on one sort of journey or another; failure to recognize this is to fail to be human and to suffer great deprivation. Walker Percy, the late novelist and metaphysician, once said in conversation, ‘I have learned that the most important difference between people is between those for whom life is a quest and those for whom it is not.’

The vision of a quest confers meaning on our lives. It enables us to see all that happens as moving us closer to or further from our goal, and to make distinctions between what helps and hinders us in our journey.”

Diogenes Allen,

The Word Grows a Church

“In every task of the church, the ministry of the Word of God is central.
It is the Word that calls us to worship, addresses us in worship, teaches us how to worship and enables us to praise God and to encourage one another.
By the Word we are given life and nurtured to maturity in Christ: the Word is the sword of the Spirit to correct us and the bread of the Spirit to feed us. In the mission of the church, it is the Word of God that calls the nations to the Lord: in the teaching of the Word we make disciples of the nations. The growth of the church is the growth of the Word.”

Edmund Clowney