LASTING MEMORIES

I was wondering if you thought of her often now that you're back in the house where she used to be. I think of her often too. She may not be here herself anymore, but the memory's here, isn't it, and because no one can take [those memories] away from you, and although she's dead yet in a way she's still alive, alive in your mind, and that's how God can bring her back for you. And although that's not as good as having her here alive and well, it helps to look across at the past, doesn't it, to look at her and know that she'll be there always in your memory to be a comfort to you when you want to remember.

-- Susan Howatch in Wheel of Fortune

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REMEMBERING

A man in his early forties died after a long bout with cancer, leaving behind a wife and two children. There was a particular casserole that was his favorite meal. Once a week his wife would continue to prepare this meal. As she and the children ate, she would tell her children stories of their father; and they would recall their own memories of their dad. His chair sat empty at the table, and they remembered him in a way that made them feel close to him and that continued to shape their lives.

I wonder if this is not what Jesus had in mind when he said, "As often as you do this, remember me." We should remember him not only in a morsel of bread and sip of wine during worship, but every time we sit down to break bread. Here I am reminded of the old tradition, now nearly forgotten, of setting an extra place at the supper table as a way of inviting the Lord to "be present at our table." How might you remember him at each supper you eat?

-- Adam Hamilton in 24 Hours That Changed the World - 40 Days of Reflection


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DISCERNING THE WILL OF GOD

For those who maintain a close relationship with Christ through a daily surrender to the Holy Spirit, there comes a sense of "oughtness"… and affirmation when they are doing the will of God. Contrariwise, they claim to have an inner awareness of when they are not in the will of God. There are a couple of safeguards in all of this to protect us from confusing God's actual will with what we "feel" is God's will. These two safeguards are Scripture and Christian fellowship with close friends.

It's a forgone conclusion that God doesn't lead us in ways that run contrary to the clear teachings of Scripture… The second means for helping us to figure out the will of God is through membership in a support group of fellow Christians who share our faith and commitments.

-- Tony Campolo in Following Jesus Without Embarrassing God


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FOUNDING FAITH

"Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127:1)

I've lived a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: That God governs in the affairs of men. If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We've been assured in the sacred writings that unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it.

-- Benjamin Franklin

A TAXI DRIVER'S WISDOM

I had an interesting conversation this morning with a Nigerian taxi driver on the way to the airport. It started when I asked him about the rap song on the radio. I only caught a few words but it was enough to make me wonder if it was a Christian group. So I asked him.

“I don't know,” he said, “but in my country all our popular singing groups are Christian. That's your problem in America; you have left God out of everything. Everything is 'Me,' 'Me,' 'Me.' No one has any fear of God. There's no respect for anyone but the almighty 'Me.'”

A wakeup slap in the face at five o'clock in the morning to say the least! But he's right. The Book of Proverbs in the Bible opens with: “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom,” and that pretty much sums up its contents. To fear God is to care about what God thinks about you and what you do, and to know there are right and wrong attitudes and actions, and consequences for those who disregard any of this. There might have been a time in this country when this kind of attitude was a part of everyone's moral framework, but it is not so today. Leave it to an African to tell an American about the fear of God. I told him maybe it was his country's turn to send missionaries to us. He didn't disagree.

-- John Fischer, Senior Writer for Purpose Driven Life Daily Devotionals


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