I have lived in Texas for all of my 39 years and have weathered the summers here for all of them minus one when I spent the summer in northern Germany. I know hot when I see it, feel it, or melt in it. This summer is HOT! Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam says, "It is Africa hot!" Brothers and sisters, Africa has nothing on Texas this summer.
Tuesday evening while 100+ children were gathered at Genesis United Methodist Church a UPS truck pulled into the parking lot. The driver was not there to make a delivery. The man was on the verge of dying in the heat. Literally, he was vomitting and not fully consious. He collasped on the ground and was not able to even get into a wheel chair to be brought inside to the air conditioning. A 911 call brought an ambulance and firetruck to the church. The man was taken to a local hospital and given an IV and treatments for heat exhaustion.
Yep, it is hot. Sunday, a group of Junior High kids and a few of us adults will go on a mission trip in the heat. I have to admit that I am not looking forward to what some forecasts have in the range of 100 to 105 for the highs.
Today, Marvin, a.k.a. the UPS man, came by the church to thank the staff for their help in his time of need. On Tuesday evening he was literally at his last stop, save the fact we were having Vacation Bible School.
Did I mention the theme for Tuesday night was, "God watches over you"? And we were reminded that "Even in darkness I cannot hide from you" (Psalm 139:12). God watches over us in the hot and in the cold, in the light and the dark, in the good and the bad, in our best and our worst. God was watching over Marvin and God is watching over you.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
This Morning
Last Sunday several people gave "updates" on prayer concerns with statements like, "I got a text from them last night" or "I talked with his wife this morning." It is a way of conveying this is the most up to date news availible to the group.
Nicole C. Mullens sings a song My Redeemer Lives. Toward the end of the song she says, "I spoke with him this morning." This line, more than any other in the song, gives me chills every time. It says that her relationship is up to date. It is a way of conveying that she didn't just speak to him a while back, but she has a current and relavant relationship with Jesus. It is for me the true testimony of her faith and her belief that her Redeemer, Christ Jesus, does live.
Most mornings, I speak with my Redeemer while I go for my run. Sometimes it is the brief good morning of old friends. Others it is a powerful moment as sweat runs down my brow and the sun breaks the horizan. Either way it is for me a moment of proof that indeed he lives. It is not something that is just biblical or creedal; it is personal.
Nicole C. Mullens sings a song My Redeemer Lives. Toward the end of the song she says, "I spoke with him this morning." This line, more than any other in the song, gives me chills every time. It says that her relationship is up to date. It is a way of conveying that she didn't just speak to him a while back, but she has a current and relavant relationship with Jesus. It is for me the true testimony of her faith and her belief that her Redeemer, Christ Jesus, does live.
Most mornings, I speak with my Redeemer while I go for my run. Sometimes it is the brief good morning of old friends. Others it is a powerful moment as sweat runs down my brow and the sun breaks the horizan. Either way it is for me a moment of proof that indeed he lives. It is not something that is just biblical or creedal; it is personal.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Resurrection
For the season of Lent, I did not use Facebook or write on my blog. Today is Easter. The time of darkness has past; the computer is turned on. Resurrection has come. Redemption has come home.
Obviously, this is the day that we as Christians remember that "He is not here. He is risen!" These words were spoken by the angel at the tomb when the women went to see the body of Jesus. Today, death is found powerless. Today, darkness has past from us. Today is the day of Resurrection and we are free from sin and the grave!
It is also a day when many of us take back some of the things we "gave up" for Lent. I have already perused though Facebook this morning. Amazingly, it looked pretty much like it did 40 days ago when I signed off for the last time. While, I was slightly disappointed with the posts I read this morning, I am sure within a few days I will be back to checking it several times a day lest I miss something important. Funny isn't it. I don't think I missed anything truly important over the last six weeks.
Today is also a day of redemption. Before Jesus faced his own crucifixion and death, he stopped at the grave of a friend who had been dead four days. Martha, the friend's sister, warned Jesus, "There is already a stench!" Jesus told the people to remove the stone which covered the face of the tomb. When Jesus called, "Lazarus, come out!" the dead man walked out of the tomb. But then Jesus had to tell the people, "unbind him." Many people walk through life bound up by the past. We might not literally be dead, but we cannot be fully alive if we are still tied up by the past
A little over a week ago, I received the call to be unbound. I received word that I was accepted to law school. Suddenly, it felt as if my life had changed. I was not dead, but the past still hung on me like the cloths that held the dead. Today, I am alive, free, and looking forward to a better tomorrow.
May your day of resurrection and redemption come swiftly. May you be blessed as you find yourself unbound from the past.
Obviously, this is the day that we as Christians remember that "He is not here. He is risen!" These words were spoken by the angel at the tomb when the women went to see the body of Jesus. Today, death is found powerless. Today, darkness has past from us. Today is the day of Resurrection and we are free from sin and the grave!
It is also a day when many of us take back some of the things we "gave up" for Lent. I have already perused though Facebook this morning. Amazingly, it looked pretty much like it did 40 days ago when I signed off for the last time. While, I was slightly disappointed with the posts I read this morning, I am sure within a few days I will be back to checking it several times a day lest I miss something important. Funny isn't it. I don't think I missed anything truly important over the last six weeks.
Today is also a day of redemption. Before Jesus faced his own crucifixion and death, he stopped at the grave of a friend who had been dead four days. Martha, the friend's sister, warned Jesus, "There is already a stench!" Jesus told the people to remove the stone which covered the face of the tomb. When Jesus called, "Lazarus, come out!" the dead man walked out of the tomb. But then Jesus had to tell the people, "unbind him." Many people walk through life bound up by the past. We might not literally be dead, but we cannot be fully alive if we are still tied up by the past
A little over a week ago, I received the call to be unbound. I received word that I was accepted to law school. Suddenly, it felt as if my life had changed. I was not dead, but the past still hung on me like the cloths that held the dead. Today, I am alive, free, and looking forward to a better tomorrow.
May your day of resurrection and redemption come swiftly. May you be blessed as you find yourself unbound from the past.
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