I don't consider myself overly patriotic. I am an American and I do pledge my allegience to our flag, honor those who serve for my freedoms, pay my taxes, and consider myself a law-abiding citizen. However, I do not deck out my home and yard with flags on Flag Day or dress the family in red, white and blue every July 4th. I do not think God is American, either. I don't believe we are a Christian nation founded on Christian priniciples. While many of our founders were Christian and that is evident, we are a country founded on religious freedom.
However, we do remember 9/11/01. Only three of our eight children were alive then and they were too little to remember the events of that day. We remember the horror and terror, the utter disbelief as we watched the events unfold. As our children watched clips last night they were struck by the "realness" of the event. Real children missing real parents. So many lives changed forever. So many crying out to God on that day. . .are they still?
It doesn't take long to forget, just a generation or two. My mother was only a few months old when Pearl Harbor was attacked. The tragedy of that day is remembered vividly by only a few now. Exodus begins by telling us "Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph..." How the lives of the Israelites changed because one generation failed to tell the next of this great man.
How much more should we be declaring God's works and Who He Is to the next generation? When we remember Pearl Harbor, 9/11, the earthquakes in Japan. . .we remember it is our Sovereign King at work! All things are ordained by His hand and He can be completely trusted. He did not spare His own son, but sent Him from the glories of Heaven to take on flesh. He became imminent. He is with us. Christ bore the wrath of God for the sins of His bride.
Let us remember all events and tragedies in light of the cross. Let us speak of them to the next generation, so they may tell their children's children of the glories of our King.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Happy Labor Day!
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23-24
From Joe Thorns' Note to Self:
WORK
"Dear Self,
You need to see all of life as spiritual, and your calling or emplyment as work for God regardless of pay, position, or its connection to the church. In other words, stop treating what you spend the bulk of your day engaged in as something divorced from God and His work in and through you.
Your work is one of the primary ways in which you will glorify God. For as you do it in faith, thankfulness, and godliness, you are serving God and reflecting His beauty to everyone around you.
Perhaps you struggle with wondering how your oh-so-ordinary and mundane work could glorify God, and maybe you even believe that translating the Bible into a language that has never read Scripture before is something that brings more glory to God than what you are doing. You think that way because you have not yet grasped that God is glorified by His people when His people are faithful to Him.
Your calling is to be faithful to God where you are, and in doing this all work is sacred, spiritual, and worthy of your full attention and energy. When you get to work, you are not entering a secular environment as much as you are bringing the sacred into the world by following Christ wherever you are."
Here's my note to myself:
Dear Self:
Work today as unto the Lord. For Christ you labor and not for men. Praise Him for all the mundane tasks that fill your waking hours and often, hours that should be spent in sleep. Thank Him for the opportunity to show grace and joy one more hour to those He brings into my home and life today.
I need not the applause or accolades of the world. The noble titles and prestige and honors many earn. Let me hear only from my Father "well done, Faithful One. You have cared well for the souls entrusted to you." Let me serve only Christ, my King.
From Joe Thorns' Note to Self:
WORK
"Dear Self,
You need to see all of life as spiritual, and your calling or emplyment as work for God regardless of pay, position, or its connection to the church. In other words, stop treating what you spend the bulk of your day engaged in as something divorced from God and His work in and through you.
Your work is one of the primary ways in which you will glorify God. For as you do it in faith, thankfulness, and godliness, you are serving God and reflecting His beauty to everyone around you.
Perhaps you struggle with wondering how your oh-so-ordinary and mundane work could glorify God, and maybe you even believe that translating the Bible into a language that has never read Scripture before is something that brings more glory to God than what you are doing. You think that way because you have not yet grasped that God is glorified by His people when His people are faithful to Him.
Your calling is to be faithful to God where you are, and in doing this all work is sacred, spiritual, and worthy of your full attention and energy. When you get to work, you are not entering a secular environment as much as you are bringing the sacred into the world by following Christ wherever you are."
Here's my note to myself:
Dear Self:
Work today as unto the Lord. For Christ you labor and not for men. Praise Him for all the mundane tasks that fill your waking hours and often, hours that should be spent in sleep. Thank Him for the opportunity to show grace and joy one more hour to those He brings into my home and life today.
I need not the applause or accolades of the world. The noble titles and prestige and honors many earn. Let me hear only from my Father "well done, Faithful One. You have cared well for the souls entrusted to you." Let me serve only Christ, my King.
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