The Father’s Touch : A Meditation

I went to a Lay Speaker training course last weekend, and while there, one of the other participants in the course gave a sermon I’ve been mulling all week. Maura, the lady speaking, and her husband adopted a baby girl from overseas 18 years ago. They knew she had some physical and developmental problems when they agreed to adopt her, but didn’t realize the full extent of her disabilities until she actually arrived here. She weighed only 8 lbs. at 6 months old. But one of the hardest things they had to overcome was the fact that she had been in an orphanage her whole life and was rarely touched and never held. When Maura tried to hold her, as she longed to do, the baby would scream and arch her back and fight to get away. She couldn’t stand for anyone to touch her; it overwhelmed her senses. How heartbreaking for a woman who’d wanted to be a mother for 10 years, and who now couldn’t even show love to the baby she’d waited so long for. Maura said she tried to hold the baby night after night, as the little girl screamed; she’d hold her and rock her until neither one of them could take any more.

It was Maura’s husband who watched and waited and learned how to hold the baby in such a way as to communicate with her that she was safe and loved. He would take off his shirt and her clothes, and hold her in the crook of his arm with just her back skin up against his chest skin. He would just sit with her like that for hours, and when she was comfortable, the baby girl would reach her hand up backward and stroke his mustache with her little fingers. Maura said it was a father’s job to learn how to communicate with his children, in they way they needed. This is what God as our Father does with us as His children. He meets us where we are on our journey and speaks to us in the way we each need to hear. He has always tried to make us understand His love- He has sent prophets, leaders, kings, and in a desperate attempt to reach out to us, His Own Son.

God made us unique and individual, so there is no one best way to reach or teach us all. God sends some people others in their lives to show them the way. Some people He speaks to more directly. Some people learn through tears and trials; others find Him in His creation. The best part is that God never gives up trying to break through to us, and He will find the way that we need to hear His voice. And He will hold us in the crook of His arm and not let us go.

Roseanne

 

[Devotionals, blog posts, and commentary by members or friends of City Road Chapel will appear, Lord willing, on this blog on a daily basis. Please visit us here again or subscribe through the RSS feed to be sure you do not miss these devotionals. There are also posts on news and events and opinions and observations. Please comment if led to do so. (We will remove malicious comments, but welcome those that disagree with us if done co without resorting to personal attacks or terminology that is generally considered unacceptable on a church blog.)

Should you wish to come see us, City Road Chapel, UMC is located in Madison, TN, in the northern section of Nashville, within easy distance of Opryland (see map.) Most Sundays we have a small, early church service at 8:00a.m., Sunday School at 8:45, and another, larger worship at 10:00.

We have Sunday bus service to pick up those who cannot make it themselves. (Call 615-868-1673 for inquiries regarding this.)

All are welcome. We will try to post any changes in worship time due to special events here or on the official site.  (Map) If you wish to find out more about us, visit our official Website.]

http://cityroadchapelumc.wordpress.com/2011/09/04/the-fathers-touch-a-meditation/

54: God & Girls - Part II

Surely you, my compassionate compatriot, can understand how easy it was to transfer my affections from one crush to another, given the temporal proximity and whatnot. After all, I bid farewell to Jennifer and found Ginger on the same day. I think the kids these days call it a “rebound.” But, in the moment, I didn’t see it like that. Instead it seemed like the perfect story, and I like stories.

Let’s recap.

It started with a glance across the room, which is impossibly clichéd, but bankably sentimental. Then it turns out we had had this chance encounter years before when she heard me play. Ginger was my first real fan, remember? So there’s this strange symmetry to it as I re-meet her at the same place, doing the same thing. And, in my mind, everything becomes a funny coincidence, some lucky sign, some indicator of divine orchestration. Throw the blog on top of everything else, and we’ve got this world class “How did you two meet?” story.

But, you see, the thing of it is: I’m the one writing this story. I’m writing it in my head, highlighting certain facts and disregarding others. I’m writing it in my head, and then I’m writing it on my computer. All the while, certain things are getting skewed; it’s all deception really. First, I’m deceiving myself, then I’m deceiving others, deceiving you. It’s necessary deception though—necessary to make this (us) work.

You see, friend, I was in this angsty state of disillusionment. I’d been interested in Jennifer and had felt that “okayness” I mentioned. As much as I knew God hadn’t promised me anything, I was still confused. Because either I was not as “in tune” as I thought, or else God was toying with me.

In retrospect, I had something to learn. Things are never so black and white. I think, now, that it might have been exactly because of Jennifer’s inevitable withdrawal that pursuit was acceptable. Firstly, it was safe, but there’s something else too. Not unimportant is the fact that it was the first hand of romantic rejection I’d been dealt in probably 7 years. If you remember correctly, I’m generally on the other side of things. Having my shoe inside the other foot, to disfigure an old expression, is rarely bad. Of course, I didn’t recognize this then.

Let’s fast-forward a little shall we? [Which, disorientingly enough, is still rewinding from our present circumstance. Ah…the chronology of love.]

There I am, in the middle of this “break” thing with Ginger. There’s a lot of turmoil and angst jumbling around inside me, but the break as a concept is really the first thing I’ve felt peaceful about yet. Even so, it’s all a lot of waiting and wanting and doubting.

My mind is a dichotomous mess—divided and warring with itself. All of my journal entries are either wistful flights of fancy or tumultuous arguments with myself. The latter usually end in me rationalizing my feelings into submission. Disturbingly, I find myself not writing some things down. I’m not being completely candid, in my journal or in my conversations. I’m leaving things out because I want this relationship; I’ve already decided that. This means I can’t have any extant evidence to contradict my choice; I don’t want to be able to look back and doubt.

Thus, I carve out a subtly selective story that makes sense. I go so far as to edit Ginger’s post, so that it comes across just how I want it to. If I am going to want this, I want everyone else—even you—to want it too.

Back to “hearing from God.”

In this muddled state, I do some talking with the man upstairs. I tell Him I really don’t trust myself. I say it sure would be a heckuva lot better if He could do some of the talking and sort of clear things up, straighten them out, sift the silt, part the waters, what have you. Oddly enough, He takes me up on the offer.

He, God that is, speaks to me in a variety of ways. And some of these are clearer than others. Sometimes I’ll see a picture in my head, other times it’s just a thought. Occasionally, I’ll get a scripture reference, and that’s what happens here.

“God, I really like this girl and I want to be with her, but if it’s not you, then let me know somehow.”

“Genesis 34:4.”

Despite having spent a great deal of time in these our most hallowed texts, I basically have no friggin’ idea what this says. So I run and grab a bible. I open it and my jaw drops.

“And Shechem said to his father Hamor, ‘Get me this girl as my wife.’”

Sounds cool, right? Like God is giving me the go-ahead or something? Except, as a former bible student and lover of hermeneutics, I know that context is crucial. What’s the context here? Oh right, a dude named Shechem rapes a girl named Dinah and then wants to marry her. And then what happens? Oh right, a bunch of dudes get a piece of their whatzit chopped off, then get slaughtered ruthlessly by Dinah’s brothers. Big. Bloody. Mess.

Oh gee, let’s interpret…

Does this mean that I’m using Ginger like Shechem used Dinah? Not sexually, but simply taking what I want—her heart—even though it’s not mine to take? Does this mean that if I pursue her that things are going to end…badly? Because, I’m not the world’s biggest fan of death and castration, don’t you know?

About now, my head is spinning, and I’m starting to feel guilty. So what do I do at this point? I do what any reasonable person would do: I start making excuses.

“Actually, maybe it was 24. Yeah, I think that was it. What does 24:4 say?”

I flip back a few chapters…

“’…but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac.’”

I look at the context here, and it’s all kosher. This is the story of Isaac and Rebekah, and everything ends up all right. On top of everything, there’s a camel involved in the whole story. And you know how I have a thing about camels. So obviously I just heard it wrong the first time, right?

But I’m still confused. I pray again. I make another request: that God use other people and circumstances to speak to me. I say He should make some things happen and make the whole thing obvious.

Three days later, I get a phone call, the phone call, from Ginger.

Correction: Upon reviewing my journal entries from the period, I realize the verse I heard was Genesis 34:12, which reads “Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I’ll pay whatever you ask me. Only give me the young woman as my wife.” Genesis 24:12 is, incidentally, much less convincing than Genesis 24:4. Many apologies for the mistake.

http://iwaveddatinghello.com/2011/09/01/54-god-girls-part-ii/

The Biggest Lie My Mother Ever Said

This past week, I have often thought of a phrase that I learned from my Mother. We’ve all heard it and I’ll bet that we’ve even repeated it. You ready for it? Here you go:

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.

Why have I been thinking of this phrase this past week? Because I have had people say thoughtless things to me. I’ve heard of the same thing happening to some of my friends. Some of my friends have had mean or hurtful things said about them. All of this got me to thinking of the power of the words we speak.

When we speak sharply, what effect does that have on the other person? What about when we say something about someone else? Or, what happens when you make a promise to someone – and you don’t keep it?

My personal struggle is with those that have a problem and refuse to confront the source. For example, someone doesn’t like something I have said or done. They take their complaint to someone else. What gain is there for any of us? I gain nothing because I don’t know there is a problem. The “someone else” doesn’t gain anything but an earful of how awful I am. The person that has the problem gains nothing because they aren’t doing anything constructive to fix it.

I believe that all too often, we take our problems to resources that don’t help. We vent our frustration without seeking solution. I also believe that this just breaks God’s heart. Think about how you feel when your children aren’t getting along. Doesn’t that just make you want to cry at the hurt they are going through? Now, imagine that multiplied by the highest number you can think of.

If we took a moment to think about the impact our words might have – would we still say the same thing, the same way? Or would we temper our tone? Maybe choose different phrasing? If we were going to talk about someone, would we reconsider?

So what are you going to do the next time that you feel slighted, offended, or hurt by someone? Are you going to bottle that up inside? Are you going to talk about it with someone else? Or are you going to try to let some healing happen and take the issue to the source? That last one is oh-so-hard. Most of us don’t like to confront anyone. But that is how we can grow together and show love for one another.

Blessings,

Barbara Burnes

 

[Devotionals, blog posts, and commentary by members or friends of City Road Chapel will appear, Lord willing, on this blog on a daily basis. Please visit us here again or subscribe through the RSS feed to be sure you do not miss these devotionals. There are also posts on news and events and opinions and observations. Please comment if led to do so. (We will remove malicious comments, but welcome those that disagree with us if done co without resorting to personal attacks or terminology that is generally considered unacceptable on a church blog.)

Should you wish to come see us, City Road Chapel, UMC is located in Madison, TN, in the northern section of Nashville, within easy distance of Opryland (see map.) Most Sundays we have a small, early church service at 8:00a.m., Sunday School at 8:45, and another, larger worship at 10:00.

We have Sunday bus service to pick up those who cannot make it themselves. (Call 615-868-1673 for inquiries regarding this.)

All are welcome. We will try to post any changes in worship time due to special events here or on the official site.  (Map) If you wish to find out more about us, visit our official Website.]

http://cityroadchapelumc.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/the-biggest-lie-my-mother-ever-said/

As the Lord Loves the People of Israel : Devotional Thought for Today

People of my generation know Gomer. He started out on the Andy Griffith Show and eventually became a goofy Marine. Some folks who are younger but still old enough to have watched old TV shows instead of playing computer games remember him as well. But the really old (or maybe wider read) folk know her too. Her? Yes her. Gomer was one of the main characters in one of the odder relationships in the Bible. We’re talking Old Testament here.

Hosea, the other half of the story, was a prophet of God at a time when Israel was involved in one of its many periods of disobedience and corruption. God told him to take a harlot for a wife, so he ended up with Gomer, who apparently did or had fit the bill. Now as one might expect when God tells a preacher to do something and he does, the couple seemed very happy for a time. They had a son. Hosea preached. Life was moving right along.

Then Hosea noticed that Gomer was going out a bit too much. She had two other children who didn’t seem to favor Hosea, at least God chose names of ill-omen for them. It seems that Gomer had returned to her old ways. Hosea forgave her again and again, but it made no difference. She eventually left him for another man. Hosea was desolate. Heartbroken. Didn’t know what to do.

Now eventually Hosea found that Gomer had been abandoned and was living as a slave. Surely what she deserved. Hadn’t she used and abandoned him again and again when he had taken her back after her transgressions? Didn’t she turn her back on him regardless of how generous and forgiving she was? Hadn’t she acted, well, like Israel acted towards God? She deserved what she got. And God, being God, did what was right in his sight and told Hosea to “Go, love a woman who has a lover and is an adulteress, just as the Lord loves the people of Israel, though they turn to other gods …” (Hos 3:1) Goo-ah-ah-leee!

Scripture tells us that Hosea got Gomer back but not a lot more about their relationship afterwards. I may just be a bit of a dreamer, but I can’t help think that if God told Hosea to love Gomer again, things were okay in the end. After all, when God takes us back, again and again- when we surely don’t deserve it- things come out okay. I guess that, in my relationship with God I may have been more a Gomer than a Hosea at times. Still, He loves me and takes me back. And that is what this long devotional was meant to say. God’s history of forgiving us and taking us back into his mercy extends back beyond the time when he made the ultimate sacrifice for the Gomers and Hoseas of the world. He does not forsake me. Ever. Ever. Ever.

I still cringe a bit when I think of being a Gomer if I hear the theme from the Andy Griffith Show, though. Shazaam!

[Devotionals, blog posts, and commentary by members or friends of City Road Chapel will appear, Lord willing, on this blog on a daily basis. Please visit us here again or subscribe through the RSS feed to be sure you do not miss these devotionals. There are also posts on news and events and opinions and observations. Please comment if led to do so. (We will remove malicious comments, but welcome those that disagree with us if done co without resorting to personal attacks or terminology that is generally considered unacceptable on a church blog.)

Should you wish to come see us, City Road Chapel, UMC is located in Madison, TN, in the northern section of Nashville, within easy distance of Opryland (see map.) Most Sundays we have a small, early church service at 8:00a.m., Sunday School at 8:45, and another, larger worship at 10:00.

We have Sunday bus service to pick up those who cannot make it themselves. (Call 615-868-1673 for inquiries regarding this.)

All are welcome. We will try to post any changes in worship time due to special events here or on the official site.  (Map) If you wish to find out more about us, visit our official Website.]

http://cityroadchapelumc.wordpress.com/2011/09/01/as-the-lord-loves-the-people-of-israel-devotional-thought-for-today/

Lighthouse or City : A Meditation Moment

Isaiah 2:2-5

The book, Thy Church Connected, uses a metaphor of a lighthouse vs. a city to illustrate several points. The whole theme of the book revolves around the connection, or linking, of the Kingdom of God as it is found on earth, so there are many chances to compare two totally different sources of light, able to be seen from a distance and draw travelers to them. There are likewise many ways to contrast the lone light standing away from others, shining with a light that draws all eyes towards it saying “I’ll show you a place of safety!”, with a collective body, composed of many individual and anonymous lights, that shines with a glow that draws travelers to it and is itself the place of safety. This last source of light was not designed to be navigational instrument, but just by being what it is, a city of people, it casts a light that may unintentionally attract a traveler in need of safe harbor.

Do I want to be a lighthouse or part of a city? There are pros and cons to both. God has given me gifts and talents. I try to use them as best I can in the way he calls me to use them. I pray on a daily basis for knowledge of that way. But it is often tempting to use the gifts to say, “Look at me! I’ll show you the way!” rather than to be part of the group that attracts people towards Christ just because it is composed of people who neither hide their light nor make an attempt to outshine anyone else. In other words, if I just do as I can to be part of Christ’s church and God’s Kingdom, I do not need to stand out and call attention to my gifts. They will add to a greater light that will do a much better job at guiding someone to safety than I alone can.

As much as I love lighthouses as a symbol of Christ, I think I would rather be part of a shining city. At least, for today.

 

[Devotionals, blog posts, and commentary by members or friends of City Road Chapel will appear, Lord willing, on this blog on a daily basis. Please visit us here again or subscribe through the RSS feed to be sure you do not miss these devotionals. There are also posts on news and events and opinions and observations. Please comment if led to do so. (We will remove malicious comments, but welcome those that disagree with us if done co without resorting to personal attacks or terminology that is generally considered unacceptable on a church blog.)

Should you wish to come see us, City Road Chapel, UMC is located in Madison, TN, in the northern section of Nashville, within easy distance of Opryland (see map.) Most Sundays we have a small, early church service at 8:00a.m., Sunday School at 8:45, and another, larger worship at 10:00.

We have Sunday bus service to pick up those who cannot make it themselves. (Call 615-868-1673 for inquiries regarding this.)

All are welcome. We will try to post any changes in worship time due to special events here or on the official site.  (Map) If you wish to find out more about us, visit our official Website.]

http://cityroadchapelumc.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/lighthouse-or-city-a-meditation-moment/

Poor, Needy, and Abused -An Opinion Piece

Hebrews 13:1-3

If we profess ourselves as Christians (and if you’re reading this you probably do profess this), we say that we love everyone. We say that we are kind to the poor, the needy, the abused.

Now, let’s define “poor”. We normally think that someone is poor if they don’t have money. I think that we should reconsider that. Someone could be loaded with cash but have no friends. Would you not consider them poor? If they become ill, they could have people attend to them – but only if they paid them. They could have someone make meals for them – but only if they paid them. They wouldn’t be able to enjoy the outpouring of love that happens when your friends hear that there is something they can do for you.

Okay, let’s define “needy”. Again, we tend to think that someone is needy if they don’t have food to eat or clothes to wear. We’re willing to go work at a soup kitchen, on occasion. Or we are willing to donate things to a local charity. I ask you to consider the person that is facing adversity and has no one to confide in. Are they not “needy”? Do they not deserve the comfort that comes from sharing heartbreak, loss, or fear with another? Do they not deserve someone taking the time to listen them? Don’t they deserve the opportunity for someone to help them?

Lastly, let’s define “abused”. That one we tend to think of as the easy one. We usually think that someone is abused if we see bruises on them and hear that they have a bad home life. What about the person that lives in the big, fancy house; drives the luxury car, wears the designer clothes, and they get belittled at every turn? Is that not someone that is abused? Do they not also deserve love and compassion? They don’t have bruises on their skin – they have bruises on their heart.

My challenge to you is this – pay attention to the people you encounter. You might find that there are some poor, needy, abused people in your life that need your attention. You might even find that you yourself need attention. Be brave and open yourself up to either give or to receive help. That is when God’s love flows best – from heart to heart.

Blessings,

Barbara Burnes

[Barbara is a Certified Lay Speaker in the United Methodist Church. ]

http://cityroadchapelumc.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/poor-needy-and-abused-an-only-my-opinion-but-piece/

Do You Waver? : A Meditation

Job 42:1-6

I am fortunate to be a part of a Bible study group that is methodically, deliberately, and passionately going through the Bible. We just finished up our study of the book of Job and I had a dramatic realization. Throughout the book, Job has been staying adamant in his claim that he was never unfaithful. Job never wavered.

When I contrast Job’s steadfastness against me and my life, I fall short. I tend to let too many questions get in my way. Or, to be quite honest, I tend to let too much “me” get in my way. I get bent out of shape about something and start to doubt everything. If someone says or does something that is contrary to what I believe should be said or done, I begin to wonder about this whole thing called “church”. Does that ever happen to you?

Let’s say that you’re in a discussion, class, or listening to a sermon, and someone says something that you don’t agree with. Or what if whatever they said is scripturally, morally, or ethically correct – you just don’t agree with how they chose to present it? What do you do? Do you get your feathers ruffled and close yourself off from the point they were making? Or do you start arguing with them? Or, do you decide that you want no part of them or anything they are involved in? I think worst of all would be to decide to turn off from Church altogether.

Job had three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar that were telling him he needed to repent from his evil ways. Job didn’t agree with them because he didn’t have any evilness to repent. But he didn’t completely shut them down – God took care of that. There was a fourth man, Elihu, that also told Job that he needed to repent. Again, Job didn’t agree but he still didn’t waver. Again, God took care of Job.

Job remained steadfast in his commitment to God and his testimony to his friends. He ended up repeating himself over and over. I’m sure Job wasn’t happy that he had to repeat himself. He probably felt the same way we do when we have to keep saying the same thing over and over. He might even have thought “boy, I wish these guys would just listen”. His friends didn’t get it until God answered Job. God was pleased that Job stayed honest and unwilling to give in to the pressure of his friends. Job never turned his back on God and he never turned his back on his friends. When God asked Job to pray for his friends, Job never hesitated.

How many of us would measure up as well as Job? I realize everyday that I need to put “me” aside and truly listen to what it is that I am hearing. Now, I wonder – how many times was it the voice of God that I was trying to shut down?

 

[Devotionals, blog posts, and commentary by members or friends of City Road Chapel will appear, Lord willing, on this blog on a daily basis. Please visit us here again or subscribe through the RSS feed to be sure you do not miss these devotionals. There are also posts on news and events and opinions and observations. Please comment if led to do so. (We will remove malicious comments, but welcome those that disagree with us if done co without resorting to personal attacks or terminology that is generally considered unacceptable on a church blog.)

Should you wish to come see us, City Road Chapel, UMC is located in Madison, TN, in the northern section of Nashville, within easy distance of Opryland (see map.) Most Sundays we have a small, early church service at 8:00a.m., Sunday School at 8:45, and another, larger worship at 10:00.

We have Sunday bus service to pick up those who cannot make it themselves. (Call 615-868-1673 for inquiries regarding this.)

All are welcome. We will try to post any changes in worship time due to special events here or on the official site.  (Map) If you wish to find out more about us, visit our official Website.]

http://cityroadchapelumc.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/do-you-waver-a-meditation/

Show a Little Love : A Devotional

Romans 13:8-10

Last night, I had a dream about someone I go to Church with. They are an older person and they asked me to help them. I am glad to know even in my dreams, I try to help. What I was disappointed with was the fact that I looked at them and told them they would have to wait. All they needed was help and all I was doing was chatting up a buddy.

How many times are we asked to help with a simple task? How many times do we put it off because of its simplicity? I realized when I woke up that all too often, someone will ask for help with something that is easy for me but hard for them.

What if my dream really had happened? What if, by putting my friend off, I prevented them from getting where they needed to go? You see, what my friend asked was if I would tie their shoe for them. Tying their shoe would have taken about two seconds out of my day. My existing conversation could have then included them. Maybe another need could have been discovered that my other friend could fill.

Conversely, what if I asked someone for help? I tend to not do that. I am beginning to realize that my friends seem to enjoy helping me almost as much as I enjoy helping them. What if I was the one that needed help tying my shoe? What if I needed that done so I could, in turn, go help someone else? What if I got put off? Maybe then I wouldn’t be so willing to help.

I fervently believe that we show love to and for one another when we help each other. Please keep in mind that “help” can be defined in a multitude of ways. Maybe you help someone out of a bad mood when you call them; maybe you help someone that is grieving when you send them a card; maybe you help someone that is struggling when you ask them a question. Help takes as many forms as there are people.

My hope is that the next time someone asks me for help (in my dreams or in my realities), that I will be a little more thoughtful and a lot less me-full. My further hope is that we can all try to do this. So, whaddya say – show a little love?

Blessings,

Barbara Burnes

[Devotionals, blog posts, and commentary by members or friends of City Road Chapel will appear, Lord willing, on this blog on a daily basis. Please visit us here again or subscribe through the RSS feed to be sure you do not miss these devotionals. There are also posts on news and events and opinions and observations. Please comment if led to do so. (We will remove malicious comments, but welcome those that disagree with us if done co without resorting to personal attacks or terminology that is generally considered unacceptable on a church blog.)

Should you wish to come see us, City Road Chapel, UMC is located in Madison, TN, in the northern section of Nashville, within easy distance of Opryland (see map.) Most Sundays we have a small, early church service at 8:00a.m., Sunday School at 8:45, and another, larger worship at 10:00.

We have Sunday bus service to pick up those who cannot make it themselves. (Call 615-868-1673 for inquiries regarding this.)

All are welcome. We will try to post any changes in worship time due to special events here or on the official site.  (Map) If you wish to find out more about us, visit our official Website.]

http://cityroadchapelumc.wordpress.com/2011/08/29/show-a-little-love/

Longevity : A "Good" Friday Thought

Enoch, the father of Methuselah, only lived to be 365 years of age!  His father, Jared, lived to be 962 years old and his son, Methuselah, celebrated 969 birthdays and is thus, the oldest man in the Bible.

While I was pondering this information, I did a little figuring and came up with some interesting data.  Jared lived until four years prior to the Flood and Methuselah may have died the very year of the Flood or maybe during the Flood!  Moreover, it could be possible that Adam lived long enough to experience the birth of Methuselah’s son, Lamech.  Do your own math and see what you find out.  Then post a comment on the blog and let me know what you think (Hint: I started by using 1000 as the arbitrary start date for Adam’s creation).   Whatever the math, these fellows lived a long time but I have to wonder what difference they made.

Nothing is mentioned of any significance about Jared and Methuselah.  They just lived a total of 1931 years.  Did they make any contributions to their societies?  What did they invent?  How did they treat their neighbors? What was their relationship with God?  Adam lived to the age of 930 and I would guess most of it was outside the Garden of Eden where the weeds, thorns  and Japanese beetles tried to take over his garden.  He became a husband, a father to three boys, and grieved over the murder of a son, Abel–rather scant biographies for all those years of living.

But Enoch, who does not live so long, is a different story.  The Bible says “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.” (Genesis 5:24).  What makes him significant was not the length of his years but rather; the quality of his relationship with God.  The Psalmist describes such people:  “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.”  (Psalm 91:1).  This same Psalm gives us a focus for living the Godly life, “… with a long life, I will satisfy him and let him behold My salvation.”  (Psalm 91:16).  In other words, God can grant longevity but it becomes meaningful only if we discover the satisfaction and joy of God’s great gift of salvation.

Blessings,

Ron

Ron Lowery is the Senior Pastor of City Road Chapel, UMC, and His Good Friday Thoughts is a weekly feature on this blog.  [Devotionals, blog posts, and commentary by members or friends of City Road Chapel will appear, Lord willing, on this blog on a daily basis. Please visit us here again or subscribe through the RSS feed to be sure you do not miss these devotionals. There are also posts on news and events and opinions and observations. Please comment if led to do so. (We will remove malicious comments, but welcome those that disagree with us if done co without resorting to personal attacks or terminology that is generally considered unacceptable on a church blog.)

Should you wish to come see us, City Road Chapel, UMC is located in Madison, TN, in the northern section of Nashville, within easy distance of Opryland (see map.) Most Sundays we have a small, early church service at 8:00a.m., Sunday School at 8:45, and another, larger worship at 10:00.

We have Sunday bus service to pick up those who cannot make it themselves. (Call 615-868-1673 for inquiries regarding this.)

All are welcome. We will try to post any changes in worship time due to special events here or on the official site.  (Map) If you wish to find out more about us, visit our official Website.]

http://cityroadchapelumc.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/longevity-a-good-friday-thought/

Token Geeks and an Attitude of Service

I enjoy and loathe professional conferences. I get to be with people who share some of my skill sets while at the same time I often find that other people’s opinion of my profession as being composed of extremely boring people sometimes seems to be supported during sessions. Still, there are pleasant surprises, particularly when I get into discussion groups composed of sub-sets of the profession. Such as a discussion I had yesterday with some people who work in religious institutions and are also “tech-savvy.”

I discovered a common theme of complaint among my colleagues. It seems that they found that they were often called upon to answer questions or get someone out of a jam, only to find that when the crises had passed, they were not thanked or given credit. They felt that they were usually consulted as a “last resort” by people who tried to avoid asking their help, and when they were put on committees, it was only to stand by as potential troubleshooters rather than to be active members of the committees. They were the token “geeks.” The general consensus was to laughingly chalk it up to a misunderstanding in the church of “geekiness” and one person even commented that in his church, “geeks” were among the marginalized of society.

Now I am not a true computer nerd in the sense that my knowledge is much more limited than that of my some of my fellows (although some of these fellows dispute that,) but I have been on the receiving end of people, who generally only communicate with me in a civil manner when they want something. I am sure most everybody has. It is a frustrating feeling, as there is no way that the kind words used when the person wants to use your skills or knowledge for their own purposes can hide the total disregard for feelings that are present the rest of the time. It is hard enough at work or in social gatherings, but particularly strikes a dissonant chord in a church setting. What message would this send to new Christians or church members? But what I found refreshing about my colleagues who had also experienced this was their attitude of “so what?”

So what? I am not responsible for my boss’ behavior, that of a church member, an associate at a gathering. These are supposed to be my friends and colleagues. Jesus taught us that if an enemy wanted us to carry a load, carry it the extra mile (Matthew 5:41). How much more should I be willing to freely give to a friend, associate, or church member. If I am working for God’s glory, using gifts and talents bestowed upon me by him, then it is enough that I take care of my own work and leave the attitudes of others to them and to him.

God made his church of people, and for some reason they insist on acting as such. It is my task to be sure that I remain grateful for the gifts of others and try to show this gratitude to them. For surely when they share their gifts, I am blessed by them. I hope that my efforts bestow blessings as well.

Just thinking about it,

Jim

http://cityroadchapelumc.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/token-geeks-and-an-attitude-of-service/

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