Who's In control Anyway?

Recently, my good friend, Ed Chinn, shared something with me. He may write something on this later. But, with his permission and encouragement, I want to peek into the essence of what he wrote and I heard:

When it comes to the social, political and economic “topography” of this upside-down world, I tend to have a more positive focus than what the visible communicates. I do not have a negative focus about this earth and its future. I really do believe that Isaiah 6:3 is forever true: "The whole earth is full of His glory." Let’s make the word “is” the operative word here. That statement did not say that some day, it would be full of His glory. It is full now. It is just not “seen” by most people. Very important statement!

Just because the natural eye "sees" one pattern, it does not mean that reality (truth) is grasped. A lot of people today see a world for which "the jury is still out." They think the planetary health and destiny are precarious, that the outcome could go either way. That is simply not true.

Remember, God created the earth. He still loves it. He is not in a quandary or a bad mood about it. The Lord continues to be very pleased with His Own creation. It is all exactly where it should be. Nothing is out of place or out of HIS control.

I have a friend who makes his living flying very sophisticated helicopters. Now, try to imagine a backwoods, uneducated, but highly opinionated man looking at the helicopter he flies. This ill-informed man would SEE the very same engine, instrument panel, and hi-tech gear that my friend sees. Yet, his observations would lead him into judgments and pronouncements that would be WAY off about what that helicopter could, and could not do.

But when Mr. Opinionated, would stop spouting nonsense, my friend would smile, lay a gentle hand on his shoulder, and patiently say, "Okay, if you would please just listen, I can help you understand how this really works."

That little metaphor represents most religious, political, and cultural commentaries about the world today. Well-intentioned, earnest people are looking into the gears of the planet and saying embarrassingly ill-informed things about what is about to happen.

So much of this kind of view is like a scene in 2 Kings 6 (vv 15-18):

“When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

God has created, and lives in, His Own reality. It’s different from the naturally inspired human mind. We can live by His reality or we can live in the view from the mud ruts.

Reading Ed’s comments leads me to pray, “Oh, Lord, would you please open our eyes to see what surrounds us in the eternal realm of the ultimate reality? Would you help us to not fear, but courageously speak to one another?”

Then those who respected the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD took notice. A scroll was prepared before him in which were recorded the names of those who respected the LORD and honored his name. “They will belong to me,” says the LORD who rules over all, “in the day when I prepare my own special property. I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you will see that I make a distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not. Mal. 3:16-18 (NET)

The Sun Shines When You Come Home

My good friend, Doug Roberts, was ministering recently in Mongolia for twenty-one days. He was there to speak to sheep herdsmen, pastors and Buddhist monks who have recently met the Lord. It was an enriching trip. While he was gone, one of his grandchildren wrote him:

"Hi papa! I miss you! Every time you leave it rains, I need you to come back so the sun will come out…"

What a sweet thought. The sun comes out when those we love the most come back home after a long absence.

How many times have we spoken harshly to someone and then have difficulty getting to an apology? Lifelong companions become distant after a misunderstanding that should have never happened. Then there are the wayward ones. It is always so good when prodigals come home, and the sun shines once again.

Many years ago, a friend of mine was itinerating and away from home a lot. He called from a distant place and spoke with his wife and children. His little daughter asked him:

“Daddy, when are you coming home?”
Her daddy replied: “I’ll be home next Tuesday.”
Her little voice came back to him and said: “No, Daddy, I mean when are you REALLY coming home?”

That broke his heart and it was the tipping point for him and he changed his lifestyle to be with his family more, so the sun would shine again at home.

Business and other life concerns can bring storm clouds at times, but God wants the “SON” to shine more for us. We should stop and try to do what we need to do so we can remove all the clouds for our loved ones.

Let’s try to cause the sun to shine again for more people around us. Find someone to "come home to" so you can bring the light back to his or her cloudy days.

“The Message” translation of the Bible has 2 Corinthians 4:6 starting the verse with these words: “It started when God said, ‘Light up the darkness!’”

Let’s go start something by making the sun shine for others.

Amazed or Miraculous?

On rare occasions in my life I have had experiences that contained subtle glimmers of the miraculous. Then afterward, as I reflected on it, there was the transcendent essence about it that was like a visitation; an epiphany; something life-altering.

Roberta got her stitches out today. The surgeon waited until today to let us know that he had to do quite a bit of repair on the rotator cuff as well as putting that titanium rod farther down inside the bone of her upper arm than expected. That was in order to completely straighten her old break 32 years ago. This surgical journey has been so very amazing to my darling and me.

The woman has amazed almost everyone about her progress. She is nearly pain free most of the time. Of course she continues to take her pain meds, but less frequently than days ago. Her range of motion when the physical therapist or surgeon moves her arm in different directions is far beyond what most people could endure. But my little woman just will sit there and let her arm remain passive until the arm and muscles tell the professional that he has moved it as far as necessary for the moment. He then smiles and lifts his eyebrows. It's all so pleasantly eerie and surreal.

Last night we walked over to our neighbors for a visit. One of these treasured friends, spoke of her father having rotator cuff surgery and suffering so much during recovery. Others have also told us of their painful recoveries of the same kind of procedure. At various moments over the past week and a half, I have paused, and felt a bit bad because others have had difficulty that Roberta has not.

But then yesterday, I thought to myself what an amazing ride this past eleven days has been. We had expected far more pain and struggle than has accompanied my wife. We are amazed, but then, in the early morning hours, just after midnight I thought to myself - or was it the whisper of the Spirit on the winds of grace? I heard the question gently echoing in my thoughts:

"Why should we be amazed? So many people across this beloved land of ours, who love this dear woman with a gentle intensity, have been offering up effectual and fervent prayers for her."

Now down deep in my heart, as I sit in my bed typing this happy report, I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene. And now Roberta and I want to thank all of you dear, wonderful friends for offering up your prayers before our Beloved Creator, King, God and Father of us all. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being such treasures in our lives.

Glen & Roberta