SECOND HAND DOGS

You may or may not have read the article I wrote about our
family rescuing an older dog from the local animal shelter. Some might call her
a “Second Hand Dog,” but that’s OK, we love things that have seen a little wear
and tear, maybe has some of the ‘new’ rubbed off. We did adopt her and she is
fitting in just fine with just minor adjustments as she figures out this new
home and strange people in her life.

We had to take her to the Veterinarian this week as she had
developed a cough. They warned us at the shelter this might happen; I guess
kennel cough is a common problem where there are large groups of dogs. She is
on antibiotics and has almost stopped coughing completely now.

The Vet said something that made an impression on me during
the exam. As many of us do when we go to the doctor we experience what they
call “White coat” anxiety. Our heart rate goes up; our blood pressure goes up,
etc. After examining her, the vet said, “I can see that she has chosen you for
her family?” I was confused by that statement, but the Vet continued: “When I
began the exam her, heart rate was high, she was afraid. You came over and
began to pet her and talk to her and as I listened her heart rate dropped. I
knew she had chosen to trust you and accept you.”

I don’t know about you, but I think that is such a cool
thing to be trusted and accepted as someone’s protector (even if it is a dog). It’s
great to be chosen as a protector, but what about the ones who choose to
protect and love us. We have come to love that little furry one, protect her
and provide for her. She gives us back something which is without price, her
love.

Isn’t that just like our God and our relationship? He chooses
us doesn’t he? Paul writes in Colossians
3:12, “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe
yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and
patience.” How do we respond to our God who has chosen us? The apostle
Peter adds in 1 Peter 1:5, “But
now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.”

I pray that you may be granted the peace, comfort and trust
that our little dog finds in us in your relationship with our God.

OLD AND UNWANTED

I’m getting to the age where many of the “young” people refer to me as
“old”. That’s OK with me, I really don’t care, I figure that the gray hair is a
mark of the many adventures we have had in this life. The problem with getting
older is that your body can no longer keep up with what your mind thinks it can
do!

I’m much luckier than many people in this world, because even though I
am “more mature” in age, I am also loved by those important to me. Now the
reason I am thinking about this is because our family status just changed. You
see, about 8 months ago our little “furry kid”, (our dog), who had been with us
for almost 16 years died. After struggling with the decision we went to the
local Animal Shelter and found a little dog and rescued her.

Now what makes her special is that she was picked up as a stray and no
one came to claim her. She was scruffy or scraggly looking with matted hair and
quite a bit undernourished (you can easily feel her bones through her skin).
The Shelter staff estimate her age to be about 12 year old, which makes it
harder to find folks who are willing to adopt her. She was in the “OAU”
category (old and unwanted). You see everyone wants a cute little puppy, but an
older dog with just a few years left is another story. The bottom line was that
if the Shelter didn’t find someone to adopt her they would euthanize (or kill)
her.

From the first time I saw her picture (scruffiness and all) I wanted
her. I saw a scared little dog who didn’t understand what was happening and was
completely at the mercy of people. Being older ourselves and having had two
small dogs in the past who lived to be near 16 we understand somewhat the
limitations of age. We wanted to love her and give her the best (last) years
that we can. We called everyday until they put her up for adoption because we
surely didn’t what the alternative to happen. That morning my wife was there
when the doors opened, and now she is ours.

It seems that our society has also lost some very important values and
one of them is honoring older folks. Our younger generation for the most part
worships youth and rejects the concept that those who are older just might have
something important to contribute, something as important as love and
acceptance. Our “old dog,” is already finding her way into our hearts. She was
so over joyed to come home with us that she runs around like a puppy and climbs
in our laps and cuddles up and exudes love. My wife said it seemed a little
strange that she should adapt so quickly. I replied, “Maybe she knows the fate
that awaited her before we came along,” probably not, but we knew and we acted
because of that.

Now looking at the spiritual application a bunch of scripture comes to
mind as it relates to this. The scriptures tell us, “While we were still
sinners Christ died for us” and that “he was not willing that any
of us should perish but all come to salvation”. You see, we may be
older, we may be a bit scruffy looking too, but not to God. God understood the
fate that awaits those, who like that little dog, lost and alone in a big world
will suffer. He determined that he would go to any extreme to rescue us and he
did. He died for us that we can live eternally in the arms of a loving master.
Are you there yet?

TELL US NICE THINGS

One of the Elders in our church, Bob, shared some
thoughts with us the other evening. One of the scriptures he mentioned struck a
cord with me. It is several thousand years old, but it speaks clearly to our
society. We live in a world where far too many have dismissed the idea of moral
or ethical values or constraints.

We live in a world where more and more people feel
they have “A RIGHT” to do or say whatever they want, whatever feels good to
them without restraint. They teach, “Have sex with whoever you want, we’ve made
abortion clinics available for everyone”. “Have homosexual relations, we
changed the laws and it’s legal now”. “Cheat just a little on your taxes, or
anywhere you can, it won’t really matter.” “Speak your mind, as crudely and as
loudly as you want, no one can stop you”. “Participate in all of the worldly
things you want… drink just a little, gamble just a little, party just a
little… it’s your right!”

The problem is that the world has tried this before,
(more than once), and it always has the same results. Notice what God says
about this through his spokesman, Isaiah.

“Now go and write down these words. Write them in a
book. They will stand until the end of time as a witness that these people are
stubborn rebels who refuse to pay attention to the Lord’s instructions. They
tell the seers, "Stop seeing visions!" They tell God’s spokesmen:
"Don't tell us what is right. Tell us nice things. Tell us lies. Forget
all this gloom. Get off your narrow path. Stop telling us about your 'Holy One
of Israel.'" 

Notice how God responds to this line of reasoning: This
is the reply of the Holy One of Israel, Jehovah God: "Because you despise
what I tell you and trust instead in oppression and lies, calamity will come
upon you suddenly; like a bulging wall that bursts and falls. In an instant it
will collapse and come crashing down. You will be smashed like a piece of
pottery; shattered so completely that there won't be a piece big enough to
carry coals from a fireplace or a little water from the well." (Isaiah 30:8-14).

I’m convinced that the reason
some of the “Modern churches” are growing today is because they no longer speak
for God. I visited a church awhile back and sadly I never heard the scriptures
read or mentioned during the whole service. The preacher instead gave a book
review of the latest motivational book. Tell us lies the people said, Tells us
only nice things, Forget all this gloom. It’s surprising that so many “Church
Leaders” are listening to people like that. It has become all about numbers and
money, not the truth.

Let me suggest to you that
just because the government approves of something doesn’t make it right. Just
because something is now socially acceptable doesn’t make it right. If we don’t
begin to follow God’s word, “The Holy One, Jehovah God’s” instructions for our
lives we will eventually be broken into pieces just as he did to Israel. Could
it be that you need to make a change, maybe take a stand for what is right in
God’s sight?

Motivate Yourself

As I have become “more mature,” I have found that often I find home
more inviting than something that is “not home,” especially on these cold
winter days. I sometimes find it harder to motivate myself to get out of my
warm comfortable space and do things, even if I know they need to be done. But
of course if we don’t motivate ourselves then perhaps God will allow our
motivation to come from somewhere else.

I’m reminded of an incident that happened when I was about 18 years
old. I was helping build a house with my dad and others in one of the suburbs
of Dayton, Ohio. There was an old stray dog that showed up on the job site. He
was really skittish and afraid to get too close to us, probably he had been
mistreated by someone. Anyway, I kept trying to win his confidence and even
shared some of my lunch with him. He finally seemed to become a little more
trusting and even took some food from my hand. He backed off and sat down and
then surprisingly he yelped loudly, jumped up and took off running. I was
mystified until I went over and looked at where he had sat down. There was an
electrical cord with two frayed wires just where he had sat down. He received
an unexpected shock and a lot motivation to vacate the premises.

What is it that you know you should be doing and are not? I’m
convinced that there are a great many people who don’t begin to use their
talents or God given abilities. They are comfortable and don’t want to get out
of that comfort zone. Sometimes we enjoy the comfort of hearing others teach,
but perhaps we should be teaching ourselves. Isn’t the church always asking
(sometimes begging) for those to help teach? What about serving? Do we ever
really have enough people to do the many things that need to be done within our
church family? That takes a lot of forms such as cooking, cleaning, visiting,
sharing, comforting, encouraging just to name a few.

There is a parable
told by Jesus meant to motivate us to do what we should be doing. It is about
three men who are given talents (in this case money) and told to use them for
their Lord. Two did, but one buried his and gained nothing for his master, (Matthew
25:14-30). In the end Jesus said, “For to everyone who has will more
be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even
what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer
darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
(vs 29-30)

Let’s hope that God doesn’t have to give us this kind of “shocking”
motivation to get us to use our talents. Don’t think you don’t have any, God
gives them to us all, it’s up to you to discover them and develop them.

DEATH IS INCONVENIENT

It seems that our lives are constantly coming into contact
with death and whenever they do it is never convenient. Plans that have been
made suddenly cease, trips that have been planned suddenly seem unimportant.
All of those things on your “to-do” list can wait a little longer while we
focus upon this seeming tragedy in our lives.

Yes, I said, “seeming tragedy”. Death is always a loss, many
times it is a surprise, but it is not always a tragic thing when it happens. You
know that some folks are ready to face death; they have prepared themselves
spiritually and are ready to go and be embraced by their God.

I have been involved in somewhere around 100 funerals in my
preaching career, (and I realize that is not a lot compared to some ministers),
but it is enough to learn some things about people. The simple truth is that
unless it is an immediate family member, death is more of an inconvenience than
anything. It disrupts their plans. It’s not that they are not truly concerned
and sorrowful, but the truth is that often the ones involved in the death are
soon forgotten. Simply because in life, there are goals to meet, plans to
complete, things to do… death is inconvenient.

There is actually a record in the bible of someone who felt
that way. In Luke 12:16-21 Jesus
tells us about it: “And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man
yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no
place to store my crops.'  "Then he
said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones,
and there I will store my surplus grain. And I'll say to myself, "You have
plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be
merry."' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life
will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for
yourself?'  "This is how it will be
with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God."

I believe that the man in this story found death to be very
inconvenient to say the least. He had his plans made, his future planned out,
his retirement prepared and death intervened. What about you? If you knew that
you would be facing death soon, would your priorities suddenly change? Would
your lists and your plans really matter any more? I would think that for many
things would change a great deal. We don’t like to be reminded of it, but death
is a reality and it is the one thing we will never escape in life. All you can
do is prepare in advance for that which is coming to you at sometime whether it
is convenient or not. An old hymn asks, “Are you ready, are you ready, are you
ready for the judgment day?” Are you?

The most wonderful time of the year

There is a song which is heard repeatedly throughout the month of December which proclaims Christmas as “the most wonderful day of the year.” I was thinking about the implications of that message for our world today.

I know it not just the words of the song that is the motivating factor, but I know several families who seem to pick up that message. They are basically “religiously neutral” throughout the year, but make a point to always “go to the Christmas service” at their church. I’m not saying it is a bad thing that they attend their church, but what makes this one time special? Why suddenly do they slip out of neutral and into drive, get a little traction and suddenly feel the need to “go to church”?

I do understand that in many churches there is a bit of pageantry that surrounds Christmas. They make it special with choral programs, plays, special decorations and special services directed towards the celebration of Christmas. I’m reminded of a story about a man complaining about the church service they had been to. His young son piped up, “I thought it was a pretty good show for a dollar!”

What occurs to me is that to many people it is more about the show, the pageantry if you will, than it is about the one they are supposed to be remembering. I understand the implications of the virgin birth of our Savior. I understand that without the story about that miraculous birth recorded in the scripture; we would miss out of something wonderful. What I don’t understand is why much of the world chooses to just remember the Savior only this one time per year. Why are so many people “religiously neutral” for the rest of the year?

I have to believe that it is because God and religion are really not that important to them. For many it’s like putting on a cross as a piece of jewelry, they think of it as a talisman. They think that it will somehow protect them from bad things happening in their lives. Some reason that if they “go to church,” it will let God know they think of him “this most wonderful day of the year,” yet for some it’s just a good show.

Personally, I love the holiday season. I love the music, I love the decorations, I love the way that many people become more loving and giving, I love that many become more aware of Christ and his miraculous birth. The question is why only in December? Why only one day of the year and then slip back into neutral?

Do you remember what the greatest commandment is? Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:36-38. He is asked, “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?" Jesus replied, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.”

If you only showed love to your wife, your husband or you children one time a year, do you think they would really believe you loved them? Ask yourself what your relationship to God is telling him.

Life without an eraser

Have you ever messed up and then wished there were some way to make
the mistake go away. You

just can’t, can you. Some wise person once said, “Life
is like drawing without an eraser,” once the line is down, there is nothing you
can do to make it go away. It’s like drawing with a permanent marker. You can
paint over it to cover it up, but often it bleeds through the paint to be seen
by all.

At times life can be difficult or perhaps challenging to say the
least. Lately I have often repeated the old saying, “We live in interesting
times,” referring to all of the changes our country is going through. How do we
deal with “interesting times,” or challenging times? I like the saying I read
recently that said, “sometimes the most difficult lesson in life to learn is:
Which branch to climb and which one to break off.” That is tough isn’t it?
That’s life without an eraser.

What happens to our lives, how do they change so drastically or go in
a direction we had not planned? Not everyone starts out in the best household,
the best home situation, but some do and something happens and their lives are
turned upside down. Mary LoVerde wrote a book that addresses this titled, “I
used to have a handle on life, but it broke.” I’ve had that handle break a few
times myself, so I can relate to this, and maybe you have too, so how do we
deal with this?

First of all we can’t plan long range and expect it to always go
smoothly or the way we had envisioned.

James reminds us in James 4:13-14, “Come now, you who say, “Today
or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and
trade and make a profit,” yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is
your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

Let me say though that this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan for the
future. A life without visions for our future, without plans is no life at all.
I honestly believe that God expects us to think or plan, there is just too much
in the scripture about thinking about our future, about how we can serve God,
about our eternal future to miss this point. However anyone who thinks it is
going to be smooth sailing or that our plans will always come into fruition
doesn’t have a true grip on reality.

Well, what should we
do then? Well, James adds another verse to the thought above that is important
to our plans. He adds in James 4:15, “Instead you ought to say,
“If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

So, when we are planning, we are praying! We need to factor into our
plans God and his will. We plan and say, “This is what I intend to do if it is
God’s will”. In my life I generally practice the “open door plan”. I try
something, stretch towards some plan and if it works out and God opens that
door, great, if not, if the door stays shut, that’s great too. You see; then
you just change directions and try something else. You see the truth is that we
can live our life with out an eraser, because we don’t have to stay between any
man made lines. The only lines that are important are the ones that God tells
us to stay in side of in his Book. So, how are you doing?