“I am happy to be stuck” Sounds crazy right? For many of us “being stuck” conjures up memories of frustration and/or embarrassment.
On the top of my list was the time I was driving a full sized van of youth sponsors home from a youth leaders retreat. It was 29 years ago but it’s still a vivid memory probably because I got a new name that night (you’ll have to ask.) The retreat was back in a wooded area off a dirt road. It had been rainy so the road was very muddy, an important fact. So, a caravan of vehicles are driving down this dark dirt road and I am in the middle. The ruts in the road were big so I was dodging them the best I could. I got over to the edge as much as possible to avoid a rut. What I didn’t realize was that the passing cars had sprayed mud up on the grasses growing in the ditch. Over time the mud weighed down the grasses and then additional layers of mud made the road look wider than it was. Needless to say the van went down to both axles. I was so stuck that only a tow truck could get me out. While we are all standing around the van wondering what we are going to do a bus pulls up and a youth pastor friend jumps out with a bunch of his guys. After a bunch of raving my friend got all the guys around the van and they literally pick it up and put it back on the road. I thought that was impossible but I saw it happen.
Isaiah 52:12 says, For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. I can tell you first hand that though we don’t see Him or feel Him, He is there. God might not always keep us from getting stuck but he will always help us out of whatever mess we are in.
Being stuck in-between Him is a great place to be. Let life happen and bring what it does; ruts, muddy roads and even things not being what they seem like resulting in getting stuck. Look at life and say” bring it, cuz God is in front of me and He has my back”.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Saturday, October 15, 2011
When I was a boy dad had a bobblehead doll on the dash of the car, it was quit entertaining for a little boy in the early sixties. I’m not sure which was my favorite; the classic Detroit Tigers Player held the top spot for a long time, vintage scooby doo was good, my friends catholic nun always got a laugh from me as a teen.
For my young friends here’s the definition of a bobblehead doll: A bobblehead is a type of collectible toy. Its head is often oversized compared to its body. Instead of a solid connection, its head is connected to the body by a spring or hook in such a way that a light tap will cause the head to bobble, hence the name.
I have discovered that bobbleheads are everywhere, especially in the church. Many Christ-followers bob their heads in agreement to the things being said but too often that’s the extent of their acting on the Word they just heard. James warns that this kind of reaction to God’s word will result in a life of instability and want. James 1:9.
Bobbleheads are fun on the dash of a car but not in the Church. James later said, But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned. James 5:12 ( NLT )
Let’s be simple people who say yes or no and mean it!
For my young friends here’s the definition of a bobblehead doll: A bobblehead is a type of collectible toy. Its head is often oversized compared to its body. Instead of a solid connection, its head is connected to the body by a spring or hook in such a way that a light tap will cause the head to bobble, hence the name.
I have discovered that bobbleheads are everywhere, especially in the church. Many Christ-followers bob their heads in agreement to the things being said but too often that’s the extent of their acting on the Word they just heard. James warns that this kind of reaction to God’s word will result in a life of instability and want. James 1:9.
Bobbleheads are fun on the dash of a car but not in the Church. James later said, But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned. James 5:12 ( NLT )
Let’s be simple people who say yes or no and mean it!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Who is the prodigal?
Luke 15 covers the story widely known as, “The Prodigal Son”. I started preaching about this passage a couple weeks ago and I stated that the father is the prodigal not the younger son or the elder son. That goes against conventional thinking, here’s the reason why I stated that.
The definition of Prodigal is:
Prodigal – adjective
1. Recklessly extravagant
2. Having spent everything
The word prodigal is a term that is associated with wastefulness and foolish spending, thus the younger son. We certainly know the father was neither wasteful nor foolish however, in the eyes of the Pharisees he was all that and more.
• It was foolish to them for the father to give the money to the younger son let alone take him back
• It was wasteful to give his money to such a disrespectful and arrogant brat
• It was reckless to trust such a fool of a son
• It was extravagant and way over the top to show so much grace to such and ungrateful son who deserved to be disowned
• The father spent all the respect and honor he once had with the community by giving so much mercy to both his sons
It’s a matter of perspective I suppose. We might be disgusted with the younger son but we can identify with him on some level. We have all taken advantage of God and by our actions shown we thought we were smarter than Him when we disregarded His advice and went our own way. The elder son might seem justified in his response but when we actually give it thought, we know he was out of line and a real disappointment to his father due to his self-righteous attitude of which we unfortunately identify as well.
What we can’t identify with is the father who spent everything he had; his money, his reputation, his pride, his name, his position, his family and his future on his wayward boys. The law, the social norms and his aching heart all told him enough is enough be done with them and yet he defied everything nd everyone with reckless extravagance and covered his younger son and pleaded with his elder to do what was right.
One could argue that the boys didn’t really know what they were doing; they lacked the wisdom years give to someone. That agreement could not be made for the father. He knew very well the risk he was taking and he took it anyway, he knew that it would cost him dearly and he did it anyway and he knew that it was probable that it wouldn’t end well and he did it anyway.
That is why, I call the father the prodigal.
The definition of Prodigal is:
Prodigal – adjective
1. Recklessly extravagant
2. Having spent everything
The word prodigal is a term that is associated with wastefulness and foolish spending, thus the younger son. We certainly know the father was neither wasteful nor foolish however, in the eyes of the Pharisees he was all that and more.
• It was foolish to them for the father to give the money to the younger son let alone take him back
• It was wasteful to give his money to such a disrespectful and arrogant brat
• It was reckless to trust such a fool of a son
• It was extravagant and way over the top to show so much grace to such and ungrateful son who deserved to be disowned
• The father spent all the respect and honor he once had with the community by giving so much mercy to both his sons
It’s a matter of perspective I suppose. We might be disgusted with the younger son but we can identify with him on some level. We have all taken advantage of God and by our actions shown we thought we were smarter than Him when we disregarded His advice and went our own way. The elder son might seem justified in his response but when we actually give it thought, we know he was out of line and a real disappointment to his father due to his self-righteous attitude of which we unfortunately identify as well.
What we can’t identify with is the father who spent everything he had; his money, his reputation, his pride, his name, his position, his family and his future on his wayward boys. The law, the social norms and his aching heart all told him enough is enough be done with them and yet he defied everything nd everyone with reckless extravagance and covered his younger son and pleaded with his elder to do what was right.
One could argue that the boys didn’t really know what they were doing; they lacked the wisdom years give to someone. That agreement could not be made for the father. He knew very well the risk he was taking and he took it anyway, he knew that it would cost him dearly and he did it anyway and he knew that it was probable that it wouldn’t end well and he did it anyway.
That is why, I call the father the prodigal.
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