Shade Tree Wisdom 11/12/14

“I Remember the days of old;

I meditate on all You have done;

I ponder the works of Thy hands.”

Psalm l43,5.

          Memory can play an important part of making our life better and more interesting.  The Christian who has a bank filled with memorized verses is often better armed against temptations, and temptations do come daily, unexpectedly, out of the blue, in quiet struggles, because “as a roaring lion walketh about, seeking whom he will devour.  Whom resist steadfast in the faith”.

          In my active ministry, I rarely saw a catechism lying somewhere handy, looking as if it was  being used.  And that puzzled me and I often mentioned it.  The Pastor in my youth always had a catechism on his desk, and he regularly referred to it.  Dr. Luther, who wrote it, said he studied it daily.

          Why such attention to this simple book?  It reviews and recalls things the Christian needs for his daily walk.  We do well to “grow in grace and in knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

          Fortune magazine, 11/17/14, calls that their advice issue, and it quotes a number of bits of advice from all kinds of people, mostly in positions of leadership.  One that strikes me is from the CEO of Pepsi, Indra Nooyi.  She is quoted as saying “Never stop learning.  You don’t know it all. Admitting this is not a sign of weakness.  The strongest leaders are those who are lifelong students.”

          Thus, when the Psalmist says, “I Ponder the works of Thy hands” v.5, he is really talking about thinking and ruminating on God’s work and God’s  world.  When we do that, the Lord very often gives us a renewed understanding and a refreshing zeal for the work of Being His Child.

          And that reminds me, there is a little shelf at the door of each apartment in this village, and on it appeared this sign.  A cross, and under that cross a little sign reading “Gods Child”.

          And so are we all, baptized children of a loving Father who loved us enough to send His Only Son, Jesus Christ, to come, live, and die to rise again, so pay for the sins we have done and do daily. So yes, God’s Child means something comforting.

GPD 11/12/14