Shade Tree Wisdom 7/23/09

Much thunder and lightning, hours of that, and not a drop of rain. Strange indeed are the ways of the Lord. But we are enjoying a little more pleasant day after that just the same. Maybe it cleared the air a bit.

O Lord,
Support us all the day long of this troublous life,
Until the shadows lengthen,
And the evening comes,
And the busy world is hushed, the fever of life is over,
And our work is done.
Then, in Thy mercy, grant us safe lodging,
And holy rest,
And peace at the last,
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, we pray.
Amen.

GPD 7/23/09

Shade Tree Wisdom 7/21/09

That cool breeze felt refreshing this morning. Both for the body, and for the spirit, because it really feels as if the long-promised rain is not too far off now. We pray it comes soon to wash the leave and settle the dust.

Prominent in the news these days is the landing on the moon. 40 year anniversary is celebrated and discussed and applauded again. And these astronauts have their pictures taken and reminisces recalled. Think, men had to figure this thing exactly, enough power to get them there and the power to return to earth safely. When Armstrong and Aldrin stepped on the surface of the moon and glimpsed the earth, did they have some doubt about ever returning?

One thing they could count on is that God’s system was dependable. The forces they dealt with remained the same, never changed, never lessened or increased, just always the same, because God had made them so.

That is what I feel mostly here, the dependability of God’s creation.

That thought must be front and center in religion too. God’s Word is true. It can be trusted, It never changes, never fails. And what it teaches is that GOD finished the work for us, so salvation is free. “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” said the apostle. That alone can really satisfy the sinner.

The thought is so well expressed in a novel by Bo Giertz, A Swedish theologian. When a young pastor struggles with his feeling, an older mentor makes it clear that not our feelings, but God’s promises, are what he needs to rely on. For all they can do is stir up feelings and bring despair, because a sinful person simply cannot ever satisfy the law of God. The law is there to show us our sin, and that’s all it can do. But the message of the Gospel is ‘Christ died for sinners, of whom I am chief.”

That message, the Gospel news of Jesus Christ, is what we need to believe, and need to “Go and tell to all nations" as Jesus commanded. There lies our comfort, and our peace. God grant it for you.

GPD 7/21/09

Shade Tree Wisdom 7/16/09

Psalms 90:1-2 (MSG)
1 “A prayer of Moses, God, it seems you've been our home forever;
2 long before the mountains were born, Long before you brought earth itself to birth, from "once upon a time" to "kingdom come"—you are God.”

The Proverbs adds this thought, “Better a dry crust, with peace and quiet, than a house full of feasting with strife.”

Both have in mind the longing of the human heart for being in a place where one is wanted, needed, and feels secure.

St. Paul, who knew a bit about travel, said “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances”. (Phil 4,11). And Hebrews writes “Be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘never will I leave you, never will I forsake you’.” Heb. 13,5

Americans are great list-makers. Here comes MONEY magazine with a list of America’s 100 best small towns. I checked that with interest and asked: ”what is it they are looking for?” Well, schools, for number one, then safety, convenience, what does it offer for things to do, how are the churches, and the people. And most are within easy reach of large cities which offer an occasional ball game or theater production, concert, etc.

What struck me is that we have lived next door to several in Michigan, and one in Wisconsin is near neighbor to where I grew up. I know them to be pleasant places, but I liked where I was better. And I think that is true for all of us. We get used to a place, it is familiar, we know where to turn for any service, we know where the shops are and where to go to buy our milk and bread. So the list may be all right because it sells magazines but it will not make any of us uproot our lives to move there, will it?

So, St. Paul’s writing to Philippians holds true, ”I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to heave plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who give me strength: Phil. 4,12-13. Let’s end with another word from St. Paul, “but godliness with contentment is great gain.” 1 Tim 6,6.

GPD 7/16/09

Shade Tree Wisdom 7/15/09

Believe me when I tell you it remains hot. Even in the early hour when I walk a bit, there is little air movement except what I generate in progressing from this point to that one. So the walk is short, and you can believe that also.

“Lord God, be with us yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget”.

Any brief reading of the historical books of the Bible shows us they did forget quite quickly. Judges, for instance, tells us again they lost their way and the lord punished them, by sending enemies to take their crops and enslave them, and then “They cried unto the Lord, and He heard them”. And sent relief, a judge who led them to overcome the enemy. One, for example, was Gideon.

What reminded me of that is what is going on in or country today. We forget the harsh times, the work involved in achieving, the effort we needed to reach some goals. So the article in the Sunday Chronicle tells of pranks sweeping the nation. A site, PrankNET, in its bio said, “this was a prankster chat room doing the most epic pranks you have ever heard of in your life.”

The article reports mostly motel and hotel guests who are called to do the most outrageous things, such as breaking the mirror, smashing a window, throwing a mattress out of the window, setting off alarms or fire extinguisher systems, etc. The cost runs into real money, and no takes the blame. Hotels and owners pay the damage, and this is regarded as FUN.

Indeed,
“Lord God of hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget”.

And the commandment tells us “That we do not scheme to get (or destroy) our neighbor’s possession, but help and be of service to him in keeping it.”

May the Lord direct and teach us.
GPD 7/15/09

Shade Tree Wisdom 7/9/09

Ah, blessed rain. Gentle rain, one that washed clean the dust off the leaves, soaked the parched earth, gave fresh life to vegetation. Brought new life to drooping plants, and brightened hope afresh.

It reminds that the God who created it all still works things according to His greater will and knowledge, giving us renewed faith in Him. Indeed, “Great is Thy faithfulness”.

And again, it seems, just in time when we consider the seeming bleak condition of life. The paper reports a cyber attack in South Korea that shut down services and interfered with other services. Our own computer now and then speaks of an attack on our system and warns against it.

The local paper offers a class on cyber bullying and speaks of sending pictures of a sexual nature to friends “just for fun”. But once you press that ‘send’ button it’s out there for all, and it might lead to your being labeled a pervert. That would go on your record for the next 25 years, and do you want that to pop up when a future employer checks your background?

Scary, isn’t it?

But when has life been without risk? The Bible is filled with such words as this: ”We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 24,22). Our lord Jesus Himself taught us, “In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be not dismayed, I have overcome the world”. (John 16,33).

St. Paul, in his letter to the Church at Ephesus, tells them that God “has chosen us before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him”, and all this “According to the good pleasure of His will”. (Eph 1,4,5,)

To this end St. Paul offers the armor that God gives us. An armor we need because “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities. Against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (6,12)

Against all this Paul offers the “Whole armor of God” v.11 which includes weapons of offence, “taking the shield of faith, with which we may quench the fiery darts of the devil, and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” vv. 16.17 St. John writes of this faith, ”and this is the victory that overcomes the world. Even our faith”. (1 John 5,4)

So, Christian, you stand prepared for the vicissitudes and trials facing you.
GPD 7/9/09

Shade Tree Wisdom 7/7/09

There’s just something about Home. It’s nice to travel, to visit relatives, to visit sights and see the Grand Canyon and maybe London, Paris or Rome and Venice, but Home, we just feel some ties there that nothing else can replace.

Here, in this place, we feel comfortable. Here is our favorite chair, and our Bible lies right at hand. Books are scattered about, and there is a clutter we find soothing. This place calms the spirit; we fit in. This is Home.

Oh, it may not look like much to others. It’s not pretentious, not the greatest or best looking, but to us, it simply is Home. It’s our place.

These thoughts came to mind over the Fourth when families often spend time together, enjoying the visiting, travelling miles to get there, fitting schedules to meet this need for it. Simply because of the pull that home exerts.

Then, who hasn’t learned, or read, the poem. Well, here it is again.

Breathes There The Man
(Excerpt from “The Lay of the Last Minstrel”)

by Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832)

Breathes there the man, with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
This is my own, my native land?
Whose heart hath ne’er within him burn’d,
As home his footsteps he hath turn’d,
From wandering on a foreign strand?

If such there breathe, go, mark him well;
For him no Minstrel raptures swell.
High though his titles, proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim;

Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
The wretch, concentred all in self,
Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
And, doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust, from whence he sprung,
Unwept, unhonor’d, and unsung.

We Christians, on the other hand, belong, for we are the Children of God. So our home is here where He is ever with us, and then, eternally, with Him in heaven. God bless our home.

GPD 7/7/09

Shade Tree Wisdom 7/3/09

“Day after day uttered speech,

Night after night showeth forth knowledge” Psalm 19

And so it does. Again this morning, the sun shines brightly, a slight breeze ruffles the grass and leaves tremble now and then, moved by this same breeze. What more can one ask for living.

But there seems to be trouble in the wind. Strange things are going on that seem to be unrelated to anything. Troubling things that never happened before, and the world we live in seems to be filled with unease, even fear. And one of the problems, I believe, is the internet. Existence of this modern marvel makes the sending of news fast, so that we hear of things on the other side of the world almost before they happen, and each disaster adds to our own feeling of both dismay and helplessness: What’s going on? This had never happened before. O yes, it has. God’s people have not been promised an easy life. Indeed, Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation”.

Now look at the Bible, and the history of God’s Chosen. In Habakkuk the prophet is troubled by events and asks God for an explanation. The Lord’s answer is to tell the prophet He plans to send the Babylonians, “that ruthless and impetuous people”, to not only trouble a little, but conquer the land! But Habakkuk trusts God, and his final answer is this:
:17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.” . 3, 17-19

The Lord, our gracious God, has given us this same trust and tool. James said it like this, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much:. 5,16. Alfred, Lord Tennyson, wrote, “More things are wrougth by prayer than this world dreams of. Therefore, let thy voice rise like a fountain for me night and day. Knowing God, Men lift up hands to prayer, both for themselves, and for those who call them friend.”

So Jesus teaches us the prayer we call The Lord’s Prayer, and said, “Ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you”. Matt.7,7. And Paul’s word is “Pray without ceasing”.

Let’s make use of this prayer tool the Lord has so graciously made available for our daily use.

GPD 7/3/09