There once was a king whose greatest desire was to gain absolute
power over every square inch of his kingdom. He had succeeded in
removing all obstacles to his complete control except one; the people
still put their ancient God above the king. The king summoned his three
wisest advisors to find a way to put an end to such worship. “Where,”
asked the king, “where might the people’s God be hidden and so be
made to vanish from their lives and cease to challenge my rule?”
The first advisor suggested hiding the God at the summit of the
highest mountain. “No,” said the king, “The people would abandon
their homes and climb the highest mountain to search for their God.”
The second advisor proposed hiding the people’s God at the
bottom of the sea. But the king rejected the idea as well; “The people
would probe the ocean’s depth to find their God,” he said.
Finally the third wisest advisor, a wrinkled and bent old man,
spoke his advice in a hoarse whisper. “O mighty king,” he said, “hide
the people’s God somewhere in their everyday lives. They will never
find it!”
This third trusty advisor understood who we are! God is hidden,
but not in some remote, faraway spot. God is right here in our everyday
lives. Yet we rarely see God and rarely recognize God’s presence. All
too often we fear that we are walking alone and we dread that our
journey may have no destination, may be just a long walk to nowhere.
All too often we are deaf and blind to God. So it is for us – doubting
and weary travelers – that Jesus was transfigured and, just for a moment,
shone along like the sun on top of that mountain. And it is to us, the
blind and the deaf, that God is speaking through that stunning event.
And what is God saying? “I am with you always, walking at your
side. And your name is written on the palm of my hand. If you listen
carefully, you’ll see that I am here. So watch and listen!”
It takes time to learn how to listen attentively and respectfully to
everyday life. It takes time to learn how to hear what’s really going on
around us and to see what’s always been right under our nose. It does
take time, but if we persist in paying respectful attention to everyday
life, very slowly we’ll begin to catch a glimpse of God when we look at
a rose; we’ll begin to feel the nearness of God in the cool evening
breeze; we’ll begin to hear God’s voice echoing inside the voice of a
friend. And we’ll begin to know the warmth of God’s presence as we
hold a newborn child.
The road we walk is a long one, often rough, and sometimes
dangerous. But God desires that none of us walk that road alone. God
desires that at every moment of every day we have the comfort, the
strength, and the delight of divine company. A friendship that is ours for
the taking.
I came across a poem by an 11 year old girl who does a very good
job of recognizing God in her everyday life:
“I saw Jesus last week. He was wearing blue
jeans and an old shirt. He was up at the church
building; He was alone and working hard.
For just a minute he looked a little like one of our
members. But it was Jesus…I could tell by his smile.
I saw Jesus last Sunday. He was teaching a Bible class.
he didn’t talk real loud or use long words. But you
could tell he believed what he said. For just a minute,
he looked like my Bible teacher.
But it was Jesus…I could tell by his loving voice.
I saw Jesus yesterday. He was at the hospital visiting a friend
who was sick. They prayed together quietly. For
just a minute he looked like Mr. Jones.
But it was Jesus…I could tell by the tears in his eyes.
I saw Jesus this morning. She was in my kitchen making
my breakfast and fixing me a special lunch. For just a
minute she looked like my Mom.
But it was Jesus…I could feel the love from her heart.
I see Jesus everywhere. Taking food to the sick…
Welcoming others home. Being friendly to a newcomer…
and for just a minute, I think he’s someone I know.
But it’s always Jesus…I can tell by the way Jesus serves.”
Transfiguration of the Lord 8-6-2023
August 3rd, 2023Press Box Time 7-30-2023
July 28th, 2023I always wondered why our high school football coach would
always disappear in the middle of the third quarter. I remember during
my first game on the varsity squad, I looked up from the sidelines
(where I spent most of my time) and noticed that he was gone. (It was a
lot quieter). I couldn’t figure out what had happened. I was afraid the
other team had kidnapped him. Or maybe he had gotten sick on his
chewing tobacco. So I asked a senior “sideliner”. (They know
everything).
“Where’s the coach?” I asked, thinking I was the only one to
notice his absence, which made me feel important.
“In the press box”, he answered.
“Getting coffee”? I asked.
“No, getting perspective”.
Getting perspective – now that makes sense, doesn’t it? There’s no
way a coach can really keep up with the game from the sidelines.
Everyone yelling advice. Parents complaining. Players screaming.
Cheerleaders cheering. Sometimes you’ve got to get away from the
game to see it.
That story reminds me; occasionally we need to try that on
ourselves, too. How vital it is that we keep a finger on the pulse of our
own lives. How critical are those times of self-examination and
evaluation. Yet it’s hard to evaluate ourselves while we’re in the middle
of the game: schedules pressing, phones ringing, children crying, and
bills to be paid.
Max’s story offers us a suggestion. Take some press-box time.
Take some time (at least half a day) and get away from everything and
everyone.
Take your Bible and a notebook and get a press-box view of your
life. Are you as in tune with God as you need to be? How is your
relationship with your mate, your children, a good friend? Our parables
this Sunday ask us a few press-box questions. What do you value as
important in your life? Are you investing your energy in things that will
last? Perhaps some decisions need to be made. Spend much time in
prayer. Meditate on God’s Word. Be quiet. Fast for the day.
Now, I’m not talking about a get-away-from-it-all day where you
shop, play tennis, go to a movie, and relax in the sun (although such
times are needed, too). I’m suggesting an intense, soul-searching day
spent in reverence before God and in candid honesty with yourself.
Write down your life story. Reread God’s story. Recommit your heart
to your Maker.
I might mention that a day like this won’t just happen. It must be
made. You’ll never wake up and just happen to have a free day on your
hands. You’ll have to pull out the calendar, elbow out a time in the
schedule, and take it. Be stubborn with it. You need the time. Your
family needs you to take this time. As our story of the coach reminds us,
getting some press-box perspective could change the whole ball game. I
would like to add, getting some press-box perspective could change our
whole lives!
The Magic Seed? 7-23-2023
July 21st, 2023There was once a woman whose only son died. In her grief, she
went to a holy man and said, “What prayers, what magical incantations
do you have to bring my son back to life?”
Instead of sending her away or reasoning with her, he said to her,
“Fetch me a mustard seed from a home that has never known sorrow.
We will use it to drive the sorrow out of your life.”
The women set off at once in search of the magical mustard seed.
She came first to a splendid mansion, knocked at the door and said, “I
am looking for a home that has never known sorrow. Is this such a
place? It is very important to me.”
They told her, “You’ve certainly come to the wrong place,” and
began to describe all the tragic things that had recently befallen them.
The women said to herself, “Who is better able to help these
unfortunate people than I, who have had misfortune of my own?” She
stayed to comfort them, and then went on in her search for a home that
had never known sorrow.
But wherever she turned, in hovels and in palaces, she found one
tale after another of sadness and misfortune. Ultimately, she became so
involved in ministering to other people’s grief that she forgot about her
quest for the magical mustard seed, never realizing that her small
gestures of care, and concern and compassion, had in fact, driven the
sorrow out of her life.
A grieving woman’s small gesture of outreach gave life and hope
to herself – gave her what she was looking for.
Well traveled, Larry Brown, was once the coach of the San
Antonio Spurs, the local professional basketball team. Coach Brown
recently spent an afternoon at a local men’s store, signing autographs.
He was scheduled to spend two hours, but ended up spending three.
Pencil-and-pad-toting kids besieged the place, asking him questions and
shaking his hand.
When he was finally able to slip out, he climbed into his car, only
to notice a touching sight. A late-arriving youngster pedaled up, jumped
off his bike, and ran to the window to see if the coach was still in the
store. When he saw he wasn’t, he turned slowly and sadly, walked over
to his bike, and began to ride off.
Coach Brown turned off the ignition, climbed out of the car, and
walked over to the boy. They chatted a few minutes, went next door to a
drugstore, sat down at a table, and had a soft drink.
No reporters were near. No cameras were on. As far as these two
knew, no one knew. I’m sure Larry Brown had other things to do that
afternoon. No doubt he had other appointments to keep. But it’s
doubtful that anything he might have done that afternoon was more
important than what he did.
In a world of big-bucked, high-glossed professional sports, it did
me good to hear of one coach who is still a coach at heart.
Larry Brown was the yeast that raised this young boy up, that
added flavor and zest to a little boy’s life.
Lord, we spend so much energy frantically searching
for that magical elixir, that magical cure to take away
our grief, our loneliness, the hurting parts of our life
that need fixing. Help us remember today, this week,
always, that one small gesture on our part, a smile, a
handshake, a hug, a phone call, a short visit, a listening
ear, a few encouraging words….is the best medicine to
bring about real healing for ourselves and for others.
Amen
