Shade Tree Wisdom 3/22/11

Last night the nation stopped to pay tribute to former President George Bush for a lifetime of public service, which started as the youngest navy pilot in WWII. Doing this he was shot down and nearly beheaded by the enemy except an American submarine got there just in time. I read a biography that informed me he kept a desk in the corner of their bedroom where he would sit down nearly every night and write thank you notes to people for any number of things that had happened.

Today’s paper carries an article about a lady in New Braunfels whose goal is to revive the idea of writing personal thank you notes. Her ambition is to write at least one each day this year.

That is a good practice, for it tends to make us focus on things we often overlook, the many things people do for us during each day.

Exactly what we are about doing during the Lenten season, is it not? Taking a look at our lives and what is going on there? St. Peter wrote two letters to his flock, “The Church of God which He did purchase with His own blood.” They were precious to him, and the letters show his concern. In the first he writes about the pressures and testing they will get because of their faith, and in the second he writes about the temptations that will come from “false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you”. 2 Peter 2,1.

So, as the faithful Pastor and Shepherd he is, he says this: “I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think I ought to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon be put aside, as the Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort, that after my departure, you will always be able to remember these things.” 2 Peter 1,12-15.

He then mentions some of the temptations these ’friendly’ teachers will offer. Chief among them was to sneer at the end. “Where is the ‘coming’ He promised, ever since our fathers died, things have gone on since the beginning of creation”. 3,4.
Such stuff sounds so reasonable, and they are our ‘friends’ who tell us this stuff. That is why St. Peter says, “Hang on to the truth you know.”

In these days, look again at the “Truth you know”, use these days to make very sure the Light is still there in all the corners of your life.

May God bless you in His loving care.

GPD 3/22/11