Dead End

There is a haunting fear of mankind, an almost universal uncertainty that asks the same question as Job, when he said, “If a man die, will he live again?” (Job 14:14)

In some ways, this fear runs deeper within us, than our love for money, or sex, or power. And Christians have something to share with this fear-ridden world, for we have a significant break-through. We know a man who conquered death, who went into the valley of the shadow…that terrible dead-end of the centuries…and he walked right through!

There is a story called “Labryinth” written by Gian-Carlo Menotti. The action centers around a newly married couple who wander around in the endless corridors of an old hotel, looking for their room. Their search is futile. And even when they finally find the room, the door is locked, and they have lost the key. Menotti says that modern man has also lost the key to the labyrinth of life, and is searching for a way out. All too often, he simply resigns himself to a lifetime of restless wandering. In his story, however, Menotti decides that the solution is death. The groom is nailed up in a coffin, and wakes up in the after-life holding the lost key. And so Menotti says: “Death is not the end of life, but its very happy solution!”

Surely we do not agree that death is the solution to life. It is not the way out of the problems we have, to simply end it all. But in death, there is an answer. And Jesus Christ, our risen Lord, holds the key that makes death not a dead end, but an open highway into something greater beyond.

We think about the long winter with its ice-covered trees. How dead they appear for those several months, but look at them in the Spring…budding forth more completely every day. The grass is barren in those frosty days of the year, but in its time of green-ness, your mower struggles with it week after week!

There is not a farmer around who does not recognize that beneath the seemingly dead soil, are the seeds of that which will nurture the butterflies, and feed the birds, and fill his world with beauty and a good harvest. Why then are we so in sorrow about the thought of death? It is not a dead end. For those who have learned to live with Him who holds the key, it is a thoroughfare to a new type of existence on a higher plateau.

Power To Survive

In the fourth chapter of Philippians in the New Testament, Paul is giving us his prescription for victory. He never said it would be easy, but he did say it was possible. “Stand firm,” he said, ”Have no anxiety about anything”, he went on to say. “Whatsoever things are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and gracious, think about these things”, was his next advice. Finally, he shared his secret on how to be content.

How do we survive life’s sadness, and sufferings, and trials? You think good, think victory, think health, and think peace.

‘The story is told about two men out in a boat on a stormy day when the waves were violent. The one man was swept over-board. The other man grabbed for him, and caught hold of his hair. But the man’s hair-piece came off in his hands. And then he grabbed and caught hold of the man’s arm, but his mechanical arm came off in the struggle. In desperation, the rescuer cried out, “My God, if you don’t stick together, I’ll never be able to save you!”

And so, we who name the name of Christ, must stick together, we must stand firm. More than that, we must face the future without anxiety, believing that “the Lord is at hand” and that He walks with us, and we are not alone. We have an anti-dote for fear. We have a cure for the “butterflies in our stomach”. It is the power of positive thinking. It is faith at work.

But there is no victory if we allow our minds to get cluttered up with hateful and evil thoughts. “If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, we are to think about these things.” Unfortunately, our newspapers, our T.V., and the messengers of the secular world, flood our minds with violence, and immorality. The only way to reduce the garbage, is to increase the positive thrust of that which is good and honorable, and lovely and gracious.

There is a beautiful song that goes: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim. In the light of his glory and grace.”

And how does “contentment” come to us? Katherine Marshall gave the illustration of the great Clydesdale horses moving through their intricate paces, through the diligence of good trainers. These gigantic horses were called “gentle under the reins”. So also, Mrs. Marshall said we too must learn to become “gentle under (His) reins. There are testings and difficult experiences. And we survive life’s sadness, and sufferings, by somehow believing that “God will supply our every need, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)

For Goodness Sake, Come In!

There is a beautiful prayer, often used at funeral services that contains these lines: “And while thou dost prepare a place for us, prepare us for that happy place, that where they are, and thou art, we too may be.”

Although our Christian faith affirms that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us some day, all too often, we are not prepared for that happy place, and some of us are not going to get in!

Some of us will not get in, not because God condemns us, but simply because we have done nothing to get ready…thus we condemn ourselves. How can we get someplace, if we are not ready to go there?

One little boy seemed always to be getting into mischief, and his mother asked him one day, “How do you ever expect to get into heaven?” The boy thought for a moment and then replied: “I’ll just run in and out and keep slamming the door till they say, ‘For goodness sake, come in or stay out!’ And so, then I’ll go in!”

To be prepared for that happy place through the struggles in life is not easy, but apparently is necessary. The story is told about the emperor moth that struggled for hours, to get out of its cocoon, until a kindhearted person snipped the opening. The moth was saved the struggle, but it could never fly! The wings would not unfold…they were shriveled…useless. The struggle, forced strength into the wings.

At times, I don’t want to go through the struggle, but I know that if I keep working at it…keep going in and out, and slamming the screen doors of friendliness and kindness, and make of my life a struggle of faithfulness, that eventually the wings will become strong enough, and finally a loving Heavenly Father will say, “For goodness’ sake, Come on in!”

Good-Bye Now

There is a fable about two brothers who had become sheep thieves. They were caught, and branded with the letters S.T. (Sheep Thief).

The one brother left town, but wherever he went, people asked about the letters, and sooner or later, they found out, and he moved from place to place, finally dying, without peace or friends. The other brother stayed…lived humbly, and supported himself honestly. He helped the needy and gradually, people hardly noticed the brand. One day, a stranger came, and asked one of the residents about the person with the strange brand. “I’ve forgotten the details,” he said, “it happened a long time ago, but I think it stands for ‘saint’!”

Now and then, thank God, sinners do become saints, and they do it by faithfully going on from one level of grace to another. Life is a process of saying “good-bye”. We say “good-bye” to what was, and “hello” to that which is to come. We say “good-bye” to mistakes and sins, and move on to victories and achievements. It is not easy to be good, but it is worth it. And whether we be 30 or 90, life is really the struggle of the soul to be born. If we try to short-cut the process, by going the easy road of compromise, then we end in defeat.

We all remember the “good-byes” of leaving for school, or watching our children getting married, or the agony of separation from those we love when death affirms its claim. But “good-bye now” is always a necessary part of growth. Paul said, “I die daily” (I Cor. 15:31), and there is something that dies within us, when we leave one situation to go into something new or different. There is struggle, but without struggle, without the agony of separation, we have no new frontiers, and the heart cannot fly.

The poet has said, ”Heaven is not reached by a single bound, but we build the ladder by which we rise, from the lowly earth, to the vaulted skies, and we mount to its summit, round upon round.” (Gradatim—Josiah Gilbert Holland)

The phrase “good-bye now” is actually a perversion of the old farewell, “God by you now”. You may find yourself in deep sorrow over the necessity of leaving someone, or something, or some special place in your heart, but if you can believe that God is by you now, you will have taken a significant stride in faith. And the victory is not so far away

What's Your Excuse?

In the 14^th chapter of Luke, Jesus tells the story about a man who held a banquet, and invited his friends to come, but they all made excuses. Said one, “I’ve bought some land, and must go look at it.” Said another, “I’ve just bought several yoke of oxen, and must try them out.” And a third said, “I just got married, and of course, you understand, I cannot come. I pray you, have me excused.”

Do our excuses to God make any sense at all, or are they pure evasion…just plain selfishness? For one reason or another, we simply cannot give as much to the church, nor can we offer our time…because, well simply because we can’t. After all, the Lord must know how tough things are.

In the record found in one old farmer’s diary, were these entries: “Today we buried Jacob’s only son, age three. Fourth death already from summer’s complaint. Pray God this heat breaks soon.” In a later record, we read, “A horde of grasshoppers swarmed onto the farm, methodically and monstrously devouring every green, growing thing.” The effects of this were recorded in his final entry (Dec. 31, 1874) for that year. “I harvested this year: From 8 acres of corn, nothing. From 36 acres of wheat, 350 bushels. From 6 acres of oats, feed only. From 2 acres vegetables and potatoes, seed only, scarce, and poor quality.” Many farmers would quit after that. He didn’t. And later that same night, he turned the page and wrote: Jan. 1, 1875. “A fresh new year. Thanks be to God!”

There are those who argue that the Lord may come again sometime in the future. There are many of us who believe, that in a sense, He has already come…that He is here now! Do we believe that? The Lord of Hosts is here. The King of Kings is among us. The Owner of the Vineyard has returned, and He is calling us to service. Do we live with that kind of Presence upon us? If not, then what is your excuse?

The Player

The other day, I played chess. I had forgotten many of the moves. I didn’t win, but I remembered something that I didn’t want to be.

I thank God, I am not a pawn moved by irresistible forces. I am a person. I have a name. My name is Adam, meaning “mankind”. I am subject to problems of the human family. But I am also inheritor of all the culture, and blessings brought to mankind as part of the human family.

Jesus once said to Peter, “You are Cephas”, (meaning Peter, the Rock) and like Peter, I too have a name. Society may try to make me into a number, a Social Security number, a telephone number, a zip code number, an office number, an extension number, a tax number. But still I have a name. My name is Jo Smith, or Harriet White, or a million other names. And I am important in this world.

I am told, that if I have one child, and that child marries and has children, and these children marry, and have children, etc….that within 5 generations, I will have been responsible for 9,000 living souls. That’s almost unbelievable, but that is certainly a part of what I am. I am family.

But not only this, when I take a breath…just one single breath, I am told that the whole world has to make a re-adjustment…so dependent are we upon one another. This is me. I am a grain of sand upon the sea-shore of the universe, but I count for something. There is importance given to me.

Somehow in the course of history, through His Son upon a cross, God made it clear that he loves us. Since that time, every Christian Church in the world, has been telling us about it, and I believe it.

And because we are loved, we must respond. My life must be lived in worthiness, and in trust so that a deposit (a contribution) can be made. For some, life seems so futile. They live a routine existence with never any thought of a holy relationship, any divine connection. But it is something like being on Candid Camera. I never realize that much of the world is being either shocked, or saddened, or amused, or challenged by my actions.

At times, I think that life is like a wheel. It goes around faster and faster. We are all upon this wheel of life. The faster it goes, the harder it is to stay on. Every day some folks slip off this wheel of sanity. But remember: at the center of the wheel is our Christian faith. All other forces may be trying to throw you off. But here, at the center is God, and like a magnet, He holds you on.

You are the player. You must make the moves, but if you are willing to let Him do so, God will keep you on course!

Are you getting older? Think about it!
Eventually you will reach a point when
you stop lying about your age and start
bragging about it.

Don't let anyone tell you you're getting old.
Squash their toes with your rocker.

Our Holy Guest

There is a beautiful prayer to begin your meal that goes like this:

“Lord Jesus, be our holy guest
Our morning joy
Our evening rest
And with our daily bread impart
Some love and peace to every heart.”

It is a good thing to ask the Holy Son of God to come into our home and be our daily guest…to invite Him to our table, to our conversations, and to our daily business.

Having this special Guest, makes a combination of miracles and exciting fellowship. The ordinary becomes extra-ordinary; the usual becomes unusual; and the common-place becomes special. My friends begin to look different, and I can even put up with my enemies who make life miserable. The Biblical writer says, “casting all your cares upon Him…” and somehow my worries leave me, the tensions are less and the pressures are eased. Peace, like a mighty river, floods my soul.

The prayer says: “and with our daily bread impart, some love and peace to every heart.” I discover that there is something more that I need besides food. I can put the meat and potatoes on the table and I have a collection of food. But if I let Christ be the head of my home, and the unseen guest at every meal, I have a banquet, a sacrament. I have access to the Healer of Souls. And the Healer of Souls has food to eat, of which we know nothing. He has nourishment that has no calories, adds no cholesterol, puts on no fat or blubber, but makes me lean and tough in the things of the spirit.

I need Christ as my Holy Guest. Without Him, I become just an animal in an animal-like world. But with Him, I find myself walking on higher ground. With Him, I can do the impossible. I see the unseeable, climb the unclimbable, and miracles and magic become part of my living room.

When I was a child, my mother used to kiss the bruises and cuts. But now, Jesus, the Healer of my soul, gives me the kiss of peace and takes all the sickness of my heart away.

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Life's A Lonely Journey

There's something lacking in my driving ability. Other people pass me, and they wave. All I seem to be able to see are the holes in the road, and the signs. I'm really not unfriendly, but I just never got the habit of peering through the windshield to see who is in the car coming at me. Lately, I've been trying.

About 32 of my 45 years of ministry were in the big cities. Country boy that I was, I learned quickly about city driving. You don't see people in cars. All you see are fenders, and bumpers. On the Outer Drive in Chicago, you see 2 or 4 or even 6 cars sneaking up behind you. They pass you on the left and they pass you on the right. They breathe down your tailgate. It's like being in the middle of a buffalo stampede. And for some reason, all the vehicles sound angry...tires screeching, mufflers belching out fumes, brakes squealing, horns honking, radiators hissing, and now and then a car comes by, a window rolls down, and what looks almost like a human face yells at you or "gives you the finger!"

Needless to say, I'm glad to be in an area, where there are real people in cars, and folks smile, and wave, and seem to notice you now and then. I've got a lot of re-learning to do with my driving, but it occurred to me...what a wonderful thing that God doesn't overlook me, like I tend to overlook folks. God is not bothered by our mechanical problems. He knows my name. Even every hair of my head is numbered. He is not confused by what I drive, or the bumps on my fenders. He knows me. He cares for me. He loves me.

It's beautiful the way the Psalmist said it:
"O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me.
Thou knowest when I sit down and when I rise up.
Thou discernest my thoughts from afar.
Thou searchest out my path and my lying down,
And art acquainted with all my ways.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
Lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether." (Ps. 139:1-4)

And then he goes on to say: "If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." (Ps. 139:9,10)

Life may be a lonely journey, but it's good to believe that along with the cars that honk, and the problems that hiss, there is also a God who cares and loves, and will never leave or forsake me.

How About "Compact" People?

We live in a day of miniaturization. We have mini-cars, mini-skirts, mini-subs. Our new technology directs us towards smaller things…smaller cameras, smaller computers, tiny motors, so small they can be used for medical research and therapy in the blood stream of our bodies.

A man by the name of Donald Allen suggested that perhaps we ought to develop a race of mini-people, and with tongue in cheek, suggested that with the shortages of food and energy and space, a race of people about 18” tall could help a lot…less food consumption, plenty of housing and living space, and maybe even abolish war. His theory was that we might not be able to hit one another, if we were so small!

There is a fascinating geological phenomenon of small fossils. In an outcropping of rock called the Macquoketa shale that shows up here and there all over the world, fossils are always miniatures…crinoids, trilobites, brachiopods, etc. They are not babies, but full-grown mature adults. No one seems to know for sure why this is the case. It appeared to be a kind of Lilliputian stage in our world’s history.

I don’t know whether “compacting” people is the answer. In many ways, big or little is not the point. God did not make us Mini-People, but we are a “Compact” people. It was not a miniaturizing process, but a covenanting one. God is our Father, and we are to be His children. This is what we are and this is the way we were made, and this makes a world of difference. It is not my size physically that matters, but the size of the man inside.

Counselors tell us that failure to know who we are is one of the primary causes of delinquency. Children and teen-agers who do not really know themselves, who are not grounded in a knowledge of why they are here, and where they are going, are at the center of the crime problem.

Some children are in homes, like balls in a pool table, being knocked about in all directions. They are not loved, nor does anyone really seem to care. They think they must be a nuisance, a problem, so that is what they become.

I am a child of God, I was made in His image, and I belong to Him. Therefore, whether I live in “ticky tacky houses” in the suburbs or in a high-rise apartment “filing cabinet for people”, or whether I live in rural America, as long as I know that I am a child of God, and belong to Him, life can have meaning.

We do not need smaller people, but people who know that they have a God who is larger than any problem that may come. Years ago, God shook up this world to let us know who we are. He took a cross, and wrote a letter saying how much He loved us, and signed it with His blood. That’s how I have the assurance that I am a “compact” person.

When Is A Person Strong?

The Bible tells us about the giant, Goliath. And yet little David felled him with his sling shot. We read about "giants in the earth" in those early days. But were they so very strong?

We read that Claudius Caesar had a 9 foot, strapping fellow, named Baggarus, and yet the details are pretty hazy. Most giants in history have not been especially strong.

One exception, perhaps, was a man named Angus McAskill, born in Scotland in 1825. At the age of 19, he was 7 feet, 9 inches. And he was powerful. When his father's horses gave out, Angus slipped into the harness and matched his strength with the other horse. He was a church-going, peace-loving giant, and he looked for trouble with no-one. When a heavy-weight champion fighter from the docks accused him of being a coward and challenged him to a fight, he accepted. With great excitement the crowds gathered. The two men went to the center of the ring to shake hands before the fight. Suddenly the professional fighter screamed and fell to his knees. The fight was over. Angus had crushed the man's hand with one mighty grip.

P.T. Barnum hired him for awhile, billed with Tom Thumb. At the conclusion of each program, Tom Thumb danced a jig on the giant's palm.

He was challenged to lift a ship's anchor weighing 2,200 lbs. He did so, but as he lowered the unusual shaped weight, one of the points struck his shoulder, and tore the muscles so badly that he soon drifted out of the news.

Ssuch feats of strength thrill us...especially when they come from a good person. Here in America, we seem to worship bigness. We build bigger bombs, and bigger planes, and bigger skyscrapers. But is bigger better? Is bigger, stronger?

Strength is not measured in biceps, or size, or loudness of voice. Strength is a quiet thing, measured in inner integrity, and the power of love. Jesus was the strongest man in the world. He never pulled down pillars in the temple, or lifted giant anchors over his head. But he defeated the devil in the wilderness, he was too strong to stoop to unkindness, and even though his anger burned with scorching heat against the scribes and Pharisees, he forgave them all from the cross. No tomb could hold him, and three days after his death at the hands of evil men, he burst open the bonds of the grave. Twelve disciples couldn't keep him to themselves, and now he lives in the hearts of millions. No darkness has been so great that the light he has given could ever be put out.

The exercise videos are helpful...my walking and running and exercising certainly helps to build up my body, but when it comes to looking for giants, I'll turn to Jesus. The prophet once said, "They that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

The Harvest of Hate

At this very moment, a murder is being committed somewhere in our world. In New York City, there are several murders every day. We are a people of violence, and we live with violence and hate as a part of our daily diet of newspapers and T.V.

"The sign of Cain" is upon us. The old story of Cain and Abel in the Bible is a story of mankind.

"Am I my brother's keeper?" is the taunting question we hurl at God. And in our killing, our hating, and our jealousy is to be found the horrible, haunting symbol of our brokenness. We hurt, we destroy, we kill, because we are out of relationship with both our neighbor and with God.

Most of us have thought that our major issue is, "What do I have to live on?" Really, the issue is, "Who do I have to live with?" This is where the issue gets sticky.

Some have contended that man is by nature a violent person. Dr. Fredric Wertham says, however, "Violence is no more an integral part of human life than T.B., syphilis, or cancer". We study these afflictions to prevent them. Animals kill, by and large, for survival. As far as we know, they do not hate, or have spite, or take revenge, or express sadism, or greed. Animals are generally averse to killing members of their own species or killing systematically large numbers. So when we speak of massacres, extermination camps, etc. we should not refer to the "beastial" in man, because the beasts of the field do not do that.

The story of Cain is a story of anger, hatred, and then vioence and death. God has given us our brothers and sisters, and the only solution to alienation is love. Life calls for it. Jesus affirmed it..."Love one another", he said.

But the harvest of hate continues to take its toll. It is hard for us to think of the Cain story as applying to us, but it does. Cain's problem began with resentment, and jealousy and anger. And that's where many of us are. But Jesus said, that even if we are angry with our brothers, we are liable to judgment. (Matt. 5:22). It would seem that hatred itself is a form of murder, and is anathema to our Savior.

The total goal of the Christian Church is to be able, someday, to harvest the products of good will and love in our world. We may be a long way from that goal, but it must be the focus of every prayer, and the steadfast purpose of every one who has come to know the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

The writer of First John says, "Do not be like Cain, who destroyed his brother". "We know", he says, "that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love remains in death. Any one who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him." (I John 3:14-15)

The "Who" and the "Why"

Robert Raines in his little book “Creative Brooding” has penned this short prayer:

“We struggle in separation,
With silent longing,
Lonely, and alone.
Lord, help us to reach out to each other,
And say, ‘I love you.’”

One of the Jews who had survived four different concentration camps under the German prisoner program, told how people were going insane, and some were committing suicide, and many did not survive the terrible rigors of these inhuman places.

And when asked, ”How did you make it?” he answered, “When you have a “Who” and a “Why” for your living, you can survive any “How”.

I have a mission here and now, and within my reach and grasp. It does not require more education than I can muster. It does not demand more time than I can give. It is the task of simply being human, and Christian, and available to those around me…to my own children, to my neighbors, and to older persons near-by, or a friend.

To love, and be loved in return is a worthy goal. For did not Jesus say, “Love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:10)

Someone once said, that you and I are like violin strings stretched out between heaven and earth. If we are stretched too tight, of course, we will snap. If we are stretched too loosely, then we will wibble-wabble with nothing but a twang and a discord. But if we are stretched out just right, then we make good music.

Here is the meaning of life…to be stretched out before God and before our fellow-men in service, as a living sacrifice, trying to make the good, rich music of peace.

Does Jesus Live Here (1st part)

The story is told about a rural area of our country, where one day a housewife received a call from a gentleman who asked, “Does Jesus live here?”

She replied that they were Christian people, and attended church regularly. But still he asked the question, “Does Jesus live here?” When he saw the puzzled look on her face, he sadly turned and went away.

When her husband returned that evening, he said “That must have been the new minister. Did you tell him that we are the best givers in the church, that we always do our job well, and give a large gift to the church at Christmas, that we are charter members and pillars of the church? Did you…” “But John,” she interrupted, “the man didn’t ask all those things. All he asked was, ‘Does Jesus live here?’”

That’s really the heart of it, isn’t it? All these other things are good, but is Christ in our hearts? Does He really live within us?

It happens only, if we first of all let him in. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” (Rev. 3:20) are the repeated words of the Savior. How can Jesus live in us, if we keep him on the outside?

Does Jesus Live Here (continued)

But he can come in, in the second place, only if we do some house-cleaning. My bad temper, my racial prejudices, my unpleasant habits, my unforgiving spirit are part of the mess that has to go. He’ll help me clean it up, but I have to be willing to get rid of the trash. “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” (Ps. 51:10) must be my prayer. God and sin cannot walk hand in hand. Where one is, the other must go, and we must make the choice.

But a third requirement, is that I must turn over all the keys. There can be no “Fibber McGee closets” left locked and sealed. Christ becomes my Commander in Chief. If He needs my time, I must give it. If He needs my tithe, I must share it. If He needs my talents, I must use them to His glory.

Jesus one time said, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I tell you?” (Lk. 6:46) Christ on my lips may be enough to get me into a church, but Christ in my heart is the only way I can get into heaven. The answer to the riddle of life, and the mystery of the Universe is this: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27)

Howdy!

12. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral:
When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.

Our problem has been that because the amazing Blogger machine
has been out of order for several weeks,
it has most certainly kept our mouths shut!
We would like very much to get back in the business of feeding our BLOG

Reality Check

Someone has said: Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18. I’d go for that!

Test Post

Sorry about the lack of posts recently. There have been some problems with Blogger. Hopefully there will be new posts shortly.

Got That Swiss Cheese Hole-iness?

Note: Blogger has been out for a couple
of days. Missed seeing you!

I’m not much of a country music fan, but now and then I get some interesting ideas from their music and lyrics. The other day, I heard a tune with these words: “I’ve got a whole lot of holes in my life. If you could stack them all together, you could fall in them forever.”

Sounds a bit like me. Sometimes my life is shot through with holes. Holes of inconsistency…holes that remind me of my mistakes and sins…holes that make what should be smooth-sailing into a mighty bumpy life’s ride.

And the “fall” is there. The Bible reminds me of a mighty “fall” that mankind took back in the days of our beginning, and which each of us continues to take. But that is part of our life, and that is part and parcel of our sinfulness, and our humanness. We are not perfect. But my Christian faith tells me that God sent Jesus into the world to take my hole-iness and give me wholeness.

Living with Jesus in your life is a step not only towards holiness, but completeness. Thank God, I don’t have to be perfect, but I do have to be open to receive the wholeness He offers.