It's Over.

It’s over.  For all the hype and money and time and energy and planning and, and, the Winter Olympics is over. But is it? It could be they are never over. There is always something going on. What was witnessed these last few weeks began a long time about. And not just in Vancouver. It began years ago. We can even say these games are only a moment in time between back then and what’s ahead. The planning for South Korea began a long time ago as well and by the time we reach them in 2018 the next ones will be well underway in their process of hype, money, time, energy, planning, and, and.

Let me also say, this is not a beginning or an end for those athletes who trained, came, won or lost. With many of those hardworking, dedicated athletes, there was something in their past that moved them to decide what they wanted in their own life. It could have started while sitting cross legged on the cold living room floor one winter night with mom and dad watching those who came before. And so, those who competed this time may be back in 2018. I believe more important are all those young impressionable children sitting in front of televisions today that are moved to become one of their number. Not today, but tomorrow and tomorrows tomorrow.

It reminds me of amazing words spoken by none other than Jesus himself. He was talking to his disciples of those who will come after them, who have not seen Him but will believe. A long time ago, someone came to know Christ and decided to give their life to Him and to feel all the emotion, experience all His love, and make a single decision that won them a crown for eternity. Each and every one of them were our spiritual past athletes we looked up to and desired to emulate. Individuals like Fanny Crosby, D L Moody, John Wesley, Dr. Billy Graham. Those may be big names but you have your own spiritual hero who took the time to introduce you to their Saviour.  Remember? They impacted you and your life, and still do.

And so, it’s not over. It’s your turn to pass on the spiritual torch.

Something to think about.

Rob

Going For Gold

It’s at times like this that we can really understand what Paul meant when he wrote I Corinthians. 9:24-27; “I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave.” For four long years, even longer for some, these Olympic Athletes have train extremely hard. They eat only the right things. Which means no chocolate and means I’m already out of contention to even apply. They have exercised the right way. They have done things over and over again and again just to get it right. It has become more than a routine. It may now be considered a habit they have perfected so well they no longer have to think about what they are doing. Every one of them has only one chance to get it right and get it perfect at just the right moment. They have one focus and one focus only. They don’t just want to do their personal best, they want to be the worlds best, and that means doing it perfectly. Now there is a word few can connect to in relations to anything we do.
A long time ago, when I first approached ministry I desired to be one of the best preachers around. Don’t think I made it but I do the best I can and leave the rest to God. I read the books, I took the courses, I even listened to great preachers. Still do. The truth is, some of it helped but not much and I realized I could only work with what I have.  But back then, when Paul was writing about it, he knew what the prize was, he knew what he had to do and he did it.
Maybe that is what God through Paul is saying to us. If we want to be all that God wants us to be, we need to work at it, to train and get better at being a true follower of Jesus Christ. We need to focus and we definitely need to get the best trainer there is. That trainer is Jesus Christ himself. He will guide us on life’s spiritual journey with the prize of meeting His Father when get home before the dark. And unlike these young athletes, we are getting better the older we get.  Maybe that's why some of us are already cramming for finals. So, how’s your training going?
Something to think about
Rob

Just One Word!

There is a word consisting of four letters that can mean different things to different people.  For most people, it’s the word many of us look forward to hearing from time to time. Women listen to hear it and men wait to say it. Well, at least until the women says it first, but then again, not every time.

In our modern English is can refer to a positive emotion. It’s positive at times in a small sense or enormous when it is connected with strong emotions. In one way, some people will say it with flippancy while others use it so sparingly one might believe the person has never said it. On top of this it can be associated with things as well as people. I guess it’s very difficult for some people to actually mouth the words.

The teenage age boy will say it haltingly.  As he looks at this girl who likes him a lot, he thinks it over for a very long time until he gets up the courage to actually say, - THAT WORD.  “You know, we have known each other for a long time and I have liked you all this time but now, something else has happened and I want you to know that I LLllllll, . . . I Lllllooooooo,  I Lovvvvvvvv,  I Love You? I love you”. Took long enough but he finally got it out. All the time he is thinking to himself, “Seems so easy to say it about the car but not the girlfriend”.

Friday we will be celebrating love. For some, it will be difficult to say those three letter words, for others it will probably be easier to buy something and leave it on the kitchen table when you go off to work. For some, love has been a bit of a struggle for a while. Seems like love has been less evident for some time. Take a minute, close your eyes and relive the love that started it all those many years ago. Got it? Remember? Relive that amazing moment on Friday and say it because you mean it. Go ahead, say it!

After all God said it to us and did in for us in John 3:16. “For God so loved you (the world) He gave you His Son. . .

Something to think about.

Rob

Looking Back to See Forward

Had a few spare hours lately and decided to attack my growing number of unread emails. Seems, like you, I never get back to either read them or just delete.  In the first hour I deleted over two hundred and fifty unread emails and about the same in emails I read or forgot to delete. As I looked up at the clock on the book shelf striking the hour I got to thinking, what emails came across my screen one year ago today?

The first one I read was from my daughter who had come over to the house one day while we were away and did some computer work for me. Did a great job and told me all about it, what she did, what she found, how fast it would be when I next turned it on and then told me we keep the temperature in the house way too low. She was right then and still right today.

The second email I reread was my Ayr News Article from that week one year ago. I wrote at that time about having secrets that are secrets everyone else but are no secret to God. As I read it over, I realized some things never change over time.  We are still the same people, keeping the same secrets as we feel God loving us in spite of who we are or what wrong we have done.

Then again, if we think about it, life has changed. Mind you, for most, they are not colossal things. Maybe for you it’s all those inconsequential things that take us down this journey of life. The kids are older. Grand kids? Well, they are no longer kids. We even cleared the toys out of the toy room this year. Now it’s a tv/reading room that gets little use. There may be some who have experienced bigger changes, more important changes. Changes involving our occupation or we lost them. Going to work takes more energy and for countless reasons we arrive home tired just like last year and with less money.

Life changing situations unfortunately also come our way. Some of us have lost loved ones. Others notice friends who are no longer calling. We have stoically endured setbacks while occasionally asked, “Why me?” Not something we wanted but then again, God knows those secrets we hide so well. Through all these small insignificant moments, or big gargantuan situations in life, we can look deep and see the hand of God. He is that potter moulding us and making us into a better vessel for His mission here in our world.

Again, I go back yet another year to February 2012.  Most of the emails around that date have been read. Interestingly many of them seemed to be emails from me to me. This one stands out as I look back to what was going through my mind and heart two years ago today. It reads;   "When God's people allow God's truth to realign them to God's will and God's standard, then the power of God will be released through them the same way it was through the first disciples." - Richard Blackaby

Maybe a note from two years ago can carry us through those two lost years and give us courage to face another day today.

Something to think about.