Good morning to one and all on this
Thursday, June 19, 2014. I'm not going to get back into the forth and back on the World Cup, but, just to show you how it works, look at this headline from yesterday: "
2014 FIFA World Cup: Mexico and Brazil play to riveting 0-0 draw". See what I mean? I just happened to have been out on the road during that match and listened to it on ESPN radio. Riveting? I actually think it was. But enough about that. How are things going in your world? If you are like most of us, it's a one day at a time sort of deal. I thought that quote I used from Jonathan Swift of Gulliver's Travels fame was pretty instructive: "May you live every day of your life." Some might say, "Well, duh, if you happen to be breathing air on the planet then it stands to reason that you are living every day of your life." I didn't take it that way. I believe he intended to say that we should not just muddle through but we should embrace the day that God has given to us and to pursue it with all our heart. Do you know the difference? I do. I had people who worked for me a long time ago that probably got tired of me telling them to carry a small mirror in their pocket and occasionally take it out and breathe on it to check and see if they were still alive. I also took the time to show a couple of fellows how to walk down the hall instead of dragging themselves along as if they were on their way to the gallows. I hate it when I come up with stuff like this. Why? It means I have to make sure I'm doing the same thing. Where is the delete key when you need it?
I don't mean to imply that anyone can live without experiencing a bad day. I'm reminded of some folks who had become believers in the city of Corinth during the ministry of the Apostle Paul. They felt like they should just withdraw from any contact with the unbelieving world and just live all by themselves. That way they wouldn't become contaminated. The Apostle Paul's instruction was helpful to them and to us: "I wrote you in my letter not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or with the
covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go
out of the world." (1st Corinthians 5:9-10) Paul was attempting to explain what Jesus told about living in this world. (John 15:19)
In the same way you and I will have days that are difficult. They come with the territory. However, they should not become how our life is defined. And, after all is said and done, to avoid all bad days you would have to go out of the world. Another good thing to consider from the Apostle Paul: "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased
to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of
His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in
all respects,
bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the
knowledge of God;
" (Colossians 1:9-10)
I did not show up today with a sermon in my pocket. In fact, like most days, I didn't show up with a ready idea of what might come forth as I sat down to play a tune here on the old keyboard. There are times when I do carry something in the back of my mind but that's become risky since finding it has become more and more problematic as the age thing continues to march on. They tell us it's all there. Somewhere. It's that index that tells you its location that keeps slipping through the cracks. Kind of like those potentially incriminating emails the IRS lost and they say they can never be recovered. How convenient is that? Many folks immediately started calling in to say that losing an electronic record is not allowed in a tax audit. In fact, if you can't prove it, you will lose your deduction. We do live in a world where they tell us how to live but they don't have to follow the same rules. Right? See what I mean? Lost index to my good ideas somehow connects to IRS lost emails. I continue to be thankful that most people are not me. For obvious reasons. Y'all just hang in there, embrace the life God has given, and lets all pray for one another as we continue our journey here. Amen. ....More later.
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