First, it was London. Now it is Washington, DC. Atheist groups in these cities have launched major ad campaigns to coincide with the “religious” holidays. Buses in London will carry billboards advising, “There probably is no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” The DC bus ads show Santa Claus asking, “Why believe in a god? Just be good for goodness’ sake.”
The wording used by the London group struck me as odd. “There probably is no God”? Were they hedging their bets by using the word "probably"? Does this provide them a loophole in case He shows up and it turns out He is real?
A spokesman for the Washington, DC group said the campaign was planned for this time of year as “non-theists feel a little alone during the holidays because of its association with traditional religion.” This synchs with billboards along the New Jersey turnpike proclaiming, “Don’t believe in God? You’re not alone.” If aloneness is their problem, these people are really going to hate eternity!
My question is would I get on a bus carrying such a blasphemous message? What about bus drivers who believe? Will they get a choice to avoid driving vehicles labeled in such a way? Will there be Christians who can’t get to work without boarding these buses? Will Christian employees of the transit system be subject to discipline for noncompliance? How many taxpayer dollars (or pounds) are going to these systems?
The apostle Paul warned us about this two thousand years ago and advised us on what our approach should be. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be – the Word of God is where we find our strength. As the days grow more evil, we find our solace in the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pray for those who feel alone, that they would say yes to the path where we are never alone!
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it. From infancy, you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. All Scripture is God-breathed and useful. . . .
2 Timothy 3: 12-16, NIV.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Second Billing
Nothing has taught me more about God’s love than the experience of being a parent myself. On Saturday night, my daughter’s high school volleyball team won the state championship. It was the first state title in the school’s twenty year history of girls’ volleyball. “Jubilation” only hints at the excitement we all experienced. And my girl’s role in this momentous occasion? She kept stats for the team.
I could not have been more proud of my daughter if she had scored the tie-breaking point in the final match. She went into the season as a varsity team rookie. She has shown up for every practice. She has cheered through every game regardless of whether she got play time. She has provided a platform for the team stars to take the group all the way to the top. Saturday night’s victory was as much hers as it was anyone else’s.
It makes me mindful of how our perfect Father sees us. We all have different roles to play in furthering God’s kingdom. Some roles are out front with a lot of attention. Others are behind the scenes. Some may seem downright insignificant. But every role is an integral part of God’s grand and glorious plan.
God is proud of each of His children. He beams whether we are speaking to a crowd of a thousand or wiping the last crumbs off the church’s kitchen counter. He delights in each of us, just as I delight in my daughter’s small but relevant contribution. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been known to mumble, “Well, I just . . . .” Fill in the blank with any task you’ve been tempted to discount in the grand scheme of the Kingdom. Join me as I ask forgiveness from the Proud Papa who loves every effort we make, large or small!
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:11, NIV.
I could not have been more proud of my daughter if she had scored the tie-breaking point in the final match. She went into the season as a varsity team rookie. She has shown up for every practice. She has cheered through every game regardless of whether she got play time. She has provided a platform for the team stars to take the group all the way to the top. Saturday night’s victory was as much hers as it was anyone else’s.
It makes me mindful of how our perfect Father sees us. We all have different roles to play in furthering God’s kingdom. Some roles are out front with a lot of attention. Others are behind the scenes. Some may seem downright insignificant. But every role is an integral part of God’s grand and glorious plan.
God is proud of each of His children. He beams whether we are speaking to a crowd of a thousand or wiping the last crumbs off the church’s kitchen counter. He delights in each of us, just as I delight in my daughter’s small but relevant contribution. If you’re anything like me, you’ve been known to mumble, “Well, I just . . . .” Fill in the blank with any task you’ve been tempted to discount in the grand scheme of the Kingdom. Join me as I ask forgiveness from the Proud Papa who loves every effort we make, large or small!
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
Matthew 7:11, NIV.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Results Are In
Election Day is finally here. Praise Jesus! Has an election ever caused the wind and fury this one has? While there are a few more hours until the polls close, I already know the outcome. I did not hear it on a news show or read it on the web. I did not hear it in a hand-wringing session of well-intentioned but fearful believers. I found it in God's ancient text.
When we go to the Source, we find our God has a long history of using man-made governments to accomplish His purposes. Think of a king known as Pharaoh, an emperor named Caesar Augustus and the governor of a remote Roman province called Pontius Pilate. The Truth is that God planned for this election before He set the world in motion.
Whatever America chooses today, one thing will remain unchanged: God is in control. He knows exactly who will be elected, what referenda will be passed. He knows exactly how the world will react. He knows every pocket where wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and famine will occur. He told us about it two thousand years ago. He knew the end from the beginning. In 2008, this remains our bedrock truth.
And Christ’s advice to us? “Take heart!” For He has overcome the world.
Tonight, the news networks can stay up, speculating, confirming, retracting and reconfirming. Tomorrow morning’s headlines will tell me what God is doing next. As exhausted as we all are by this race, I suggest we go to bed early and read a Good Book. It can tell us all we really need to know.
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have the power either to free you or crucify you?”
Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”
John 19: 10, 11, NIV.
When we go to the Source, we find our God has a long history of using man-made governments to accomplish His purposes. Think of a king known as Pharaoh, an emperor named Caesar Augustus and the governor of a remote Roman province called Pontius Pilate. The Truth is that God planned for this election before He set the world in motion.
Whatever America chooses today, one thing will remain unchanged: God is in control. He knows exactly who will be elected, what referenda will be passed. He knows exactly how the world will react. He knows every pocket where wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes and famine will occur. He told us about it two thousand years ago. He knew the end from the beginning. In 2008, this remains our bedrock truth.
And Christ’s advice to us? “Take heart!” For He has overcome the world.
Tonight, the news networks can stay up, speculating, confirming, retracting and reconfirming. Tomorrow morning’s headlines will tell me what God is doing next. As exhausted as we all are by this race, I suggest we go to bed early and read a Good Book. It can tell us all we really need to know.
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have the power either to free you or crucify you?”
Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.”
John 19: 10, 11, NIV.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Afterglow
Steven Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith, together in one concert. Now that’s a dream come true! I “grew up” in Christ on these guys’ music. We are about the same age and have experienced many of life’s milestone events around the same time. They have both been transparent in their public lives which led me to feel I "know" them in a personal way.
Saturday night, I sat in the sixth row and saw my boys up close and personal. Before the concert, my friends wondered if my fervor would warrant any embarrassment on their part. To their surprise, I was relatively quiet and self-contained. I can explain that – it’s called rapture.
Michael W. Smith recounted his trip to Colorado ten years ago in the wake of the Columbine High School shootings. It's been a while since I remembered Cassie Bernall, the young girl who was shot in the head for affirming her belief in God. Michael still sings the song he wrote about her, “This Is Your Time”.
Steven Curtis Chapman has always looked like a youth group refugee to me. The round face, blonde hair and fair complexion make me want to pinch his cheek when I see his picture. The man who stepped on stage Saturday night was not the boyish imp I have always seen. I felt shock as I realized this thin, drawn fellow with the gray goatee and thick glasses was “Little Stevie”.
Five months ago, Steven’s five-year-old daughter died after a freak accident involving her older brother and an SUV. The family has been very public with much of their grieving, saying they want to help other families enduring similar losses. So I knew a lot about their journey over the past several months. None of that prepared me for the stark stamp of grief I saw on this wonderful man’s countenance.
Yet, his message was one of hope. He shared the pain and bewilderment he and his family have felt, but that was not the end of the story. Steven spent much more time describing the comfort God has sent them. There was not a dry eye in the house as he expressed his gratitude for the letters, emails and prayers of hundreds of “strangers” who have reached out in the wake of this tragedy.
The man had changed, and so had the music. It was richer; it was deeper. It was more intensely infused with the eternal Truth that sustains each one of us, the certain knowledge that God works all things together for good to those who love Him. I already loved Steven’s new release of “Yours”. He sang that song for years but recently added a new verse to affirm his conclusions about our God. On Saturday night, I felt a great surge of hope as I SAW and believed Steven’s message that everything is under God’s control.
I leave you with Steven's lyrics and a fervent prayer they will touch any part of your own heart that is broken today. Join me in remembering that whatever situations trouble us (and we all have them), God is on His throne and mindful of every tear. God is love, and love does not disappoint.
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
I’ve walked the valley of death’s shadow,
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe.
I’ve had to let go of more than I could bear,
And I’ve questioned everything that I believe.
Still, even here in this great darkness,
Comfort and a hope come breaking through
As I can say, in life or death,
God, we belong to you.
The last Word:
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Matthew 10: 29-31, NIV.
Saturday night, I sat in the sixth row and saw my boys up close and personal. Before the concert, my friends wondered if my fervor would warrant any embarrassment on their part. To their surprise, I was relatively quiet and self-contained. I can explain that – it’s called rapture.
Michael W. Smith recounted his trip to Colorado ten years ago in the wake of the Columbine High School shootings. It's been a while since I remembered Cassie Bernall, the young girl who was shot in the head for affirming her belief in God. Michael still sings the song he wrote about her, “This Is Your Time”.
Steven Curtis Chapman has always looked like a youth group refugee to me. The round face, blonde hair and fair complexion make me want to pinch his cheek when I see his picture. The man who stepped on stage Saturday night was not the boyish imp I have always seen. I felt shock as I realized this thin, drawn fellow with the gray goatee and thick glasses was “Little Stevie”.
Five months ago, Steven’s five-year-old daughter died after a freak accident involving her older brother and an SUV. The family has been very public with much of their grieving, saying they want to help other families enduring similar losses. So I knew a lot about their journey over the past several months. None of that prepared me for the stark stamp of grief I saw on this wonderful man’s countenance.
Yet, his message was one of hope. He shared the pain and bewilderment he and his family have felt, but that was not the end of the story. Steven spent much more time describing the comfort God has sent them. There was not a dry eye in the house as he expressed his gratitude for the letters, emails and prayers of hundreds of “strangers” who have reached out in the wake of this tragedy.
The man had changed, and so had the music. It was richer; it was deeper. It was more intensely infused with the eternal Truth that sustains each one of us, the certain knowledge that God works all things together for good to those who love Him. I already loved Steven’s new release of “Yours”. He sang that song for years but recently added a new verse to affirm his conclusions about our God. On Saturday night, I felt a great surge of hope as I SAW and believed Steven’s message that everything is under God’s control.
I leave you with Steven's lyrics and a fervent prayer they will touch any part of your own heart that is broken today. Join me in remembering that whatever situations trouble us (and we all have them), God is on His throne and mindful of every tear. God is love, and love does not disappoint.
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
I’ve walked the valley of death’s shadow,
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe.
I’ve had to let go of more than I could bear,
And I’ve questioned everything that I believe.
Still, even here in this great darkness,
Comfort and a hope come breaking through
As I can say, in life or death,
God, we belong to you.
The last Word:
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Matthew 10: 29-31, NIV.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Sneak Preview
My friends have threatened to bring along a straightjacket when we see Michael W. Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman in concert tomorrow night. They still remember the state I was in at a Third Day concert last year. I promised that if they left the straightjacket at home, they could just pretend they don’t know me. Thirty-six hours until the concert, and I am already ten feet off the ground!
Nothing transports me to the Throne of Grace like praise and worship music does. When that takes place in an arena with thousands of other worshipers, I cannot contain myself. While I adore the Christian artists who bring messages of hope and praise, my elation is not for them. It is for the One they proclaim.
Concerts bring to mind what it will be like when we leave this broken world and stand before the One who has pursued us since before time began. What a glorious day that will be! I picture myself as a war bride whose Hero has finally returned from distant shores to begin our real life together. All the nights of loneliness and painful longing for Him will be over. He will be home for good. I will see Him with my own eyes. He will hold me and never let me go.
In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul described faith as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV). When I hear the lyrics of praise music and see others worshiping joyfully, it strengthens my faith. I become more sure of what I hope for and more certain of what I do not see. Now how is a girl supposed to sit still for all that?
What about you? What brings you into view of our joyful arrival Home? I invite you to crank up the music and join me in remembering that this earth is not our home, that a day grander than anything we can imagine lies ahead if we will just hold on!
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.
1 Corinthians 2:9, NIV.
Nothing transports me to the Throne of Grace like praise and worship music does. When that takes place in an arena with thousands of other worshipers, I cannot contain myself. While I adore the Christian artists who bring messages of hope and praise, my elation is not for them. It is for the One they proclaim.
Concerts bring to mind what it will be like when we leave this broken world and stand before the One who has pursued us since before time began. What a glorious day that will be! I picture myself as a war bride whose Hero has finally returned from distant shores to begin our real life together. All the nights of loneliness and painful longing for Him will be over. He will be home for good. I will see Him with my own eyes. He will hold me and never let me go.
In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul described faith as “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV). When I hear the lyrics of praise music and see others worshiping joyfully, it strengthens my faith. I become more sure of what I hope for and more certain of what I do not see. Now how is a girl supposed to sit still for all that?
What about you? What brings you into view of our joyful arrival Home? I invite you to crank up the music and join me in remembering that this earth is not our home, that a day grander than anything we can imagine lies ahead if we will just hold on!
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.
1 Corinthians 2:9, NIV.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Step Away From the Binky
Self-pity has been called the great emotional pacifier. If that’s true, I probably have a cleft in my lip from sucking on mine. Last week, I experienced disappointment as a humdinger sinus infection kept me from a much anticipated conference. A few other “calamities” coincided. Just enough to send me spiraling into a royal case of “Woe is me”.
The problem with a pacifier is that it may soothe for a while, but not a drop of milk comes out of it. After a while, it just becomes a rubbery mess that doesn’t satisfy. I finally reached that point, feeling miserable enough to change what I was doing. I’ve felt sorry for myself often enough to know exactly the antidote I needed. It always involves less me time, more knee time and reaching out to help someone else.
On Friday, I went to see my friend Dorothy. Dorothy is eighty years old. Her world consists mainly of her tiny living room, cramped on every side by old newspapers, broken furniture and dime store reminders of days long gone. Dorothy consistently refuses to let anyone clear out her living space. At her age, ties to the past are too fragile for the blunt edge of a cleanup. She has made herself quite content with the sofa she lays on and one questionable chair reserved for visitors.
While Dorothy’s surroundings are meager, her love is lavish. She always greets me as if I’d just been rescued from years on a deserted island. Face beaming, she reaches out to embrace me, exclaiming, “God bless you, Baby! Oh, I am so glad to see you. How you been? How’s dem girls?” News of our simplest goings on can send her into fits of rapture. I will risk the rickety chair any day just to bask in her affection.
When I left Dorothy’s, I stopped by to check on my friend Catherine. Catherine is a single mom with two children and a growing case of cancer. Her pocket-sized apartment sits in a neighborhood where you don’t let your children play outside, day or night. She gets a disability check the first of each month, but the money always seems to run out before the month does. When she had a visitor last week, she prayed the person would not ask to use the bathroom since she had no money to buy toilet paper and was relying on torn napkins from McDonald’s until the first.
Pulling out of Catherine’s, I felt like a different person. Here I had been fretting over missing a trip I will likely make next year. Dorothy won’t be making any such trip, and Catherine may not have a next year. Yet, both of them radiate a joy that’s contagious. Thank God they are willing to let me come and drink from their waters whenever I need the boost. I don’t know what I would do without them.
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
James 2:5, NIV.
The problem with a pacifier is that it may soothe for a while, but not a drop of milk comes out of it. After a while, it just becomes a rubbery mess that doesn’t satisfy. I finally reached that point, feeling miserable enough to change what I was doing. I’ve felt sorry for myself often enough to know exactly the antidote I needed. It always involves less me time, more knee time and reaching out to help someone else.
On Friday, I went to see my friend Dorothy. Dorothy is eighty years old. Her world consists mainly of her tiny living room, cramped on every side by old newspapers, broken furniture and dime store reminders of days long gone. Dorothy consistently refuses to let anyone clear out her living space. At her age, ties to the past are too fragile for the blunt edge of a cleanup. She has made herself quite content with the sofa she lays on and one questionable chair reserved for visitors.
While Dorothy’s surroundings are meager, her love is lavish. She always greets me as if I’d just been rescued from years on a deserted island. Face beaming, she reaches out to embrace me, exclaiming, “God bless you, Baby! Oh, I am so glad to see you. How you been? How’s dem girls?” News of our simplest goings on can send her into fits of rapture. I will risk the rickety chair any day just to bask in her affection.
When I left Dorothy’s, I stopped by to check on my friend Catherine. Catherine is a single mom with two children and a growing case of cancer. Her pocket-sized apartment sits in a neighborhood where you don’t let your children play outside, day or night. She gets a disability check the first of each month, but the money always seems to run out before the month does. When she had a visitor last week, she prayed the person would not ask to use the bathroom since she had no money to buy toilet paper and was relying on torn napkins from McDonald’s until the first.
Pulling out of Catherine’s, I felt like a different person. Here I had been fretting over missing a trip I will likely make next year. Dorothy won’t be making any such trip, and Catherine may not have a next year. Yet, both of them radiate a joy that’s contagious. Thank God they are willing to let me come and drink from their waters whenever I need the boost. I don’t know what I would do without them.
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?
James 2:5, NIV.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Bench Warming
This year, my daughter moved up to the varsity team in high school volleyball. She went from the proverbial big fish to the new kid behind a dozen ultra-talented girls. Coach talked to her about it before the season started. He warned that she would see very little court time this year but would be positioned as a starter for next year. She said she understood and could accept that. Slugging it out in practice day after day, knowing she will likely warm the bench the entire game didn’t sound so bad in theory. A third of the way into the season, she finds living this challenge harder than she expected.
I know just how she feels. For decades, I've been an expert in my professional field. After twenty years, motherhood is mostly familiar territory. But now God has called me to something new in this writing and speaking business. Now, I am the new kid behind dozens of ultra-talented ladies in the game. Like my daughter, I was warned at the beginning that there would be a long period of practice with little or no court time along the way.
God really thinks He’s funny. It is just like Him to put me in a position to advise my daughter on her frustration. What will I suggest she do? Go back to something that isn’t so hard? Change sports to improve her chances of visibility? I don't think so.
I am always amused when my kids back themselves into a corner where they have to answer their own question. Today, I feel God smiling. He has to be amused, watching me squirm and knowing that in the end I will do the right thing. Just like my daughter. So let the endless practices roll on—for both of us.
What about you? What waiting room are you in today? Is there something you keep practicing only because you know there will one day be a harvest? I would love to hear from you. It's much more fun to travel when others are on the same road.
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
I am confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6, NIV.
I know just how she feels. For decades, I've been an expert in my professional field. After twenty years, motherhood is mostly familiar territory. But now God has called me to something new in this writing and speaking business. Now, I am the new kid behind dozens of ultra-talented ladies in the game. Like my daughter, I was warned at the beginning that there would be a long period of practice with little or no court time along the way.
God really thinks He’s funny. It is just like Him to put me in a position to advise my daughter on her frustration. What will I suggest she do? Go back to something that isn’t so hard? Change sports to improve her chances of visibility? I don't think so.
I am always amused when my kids back themselves into a corner where they have to answer their own question. Today, I feel God smiling. He has to be amused, watching me squirm and knowing that in the end I will do the right thing. Just like my daughter. So let the endless practices roll on—for both of us.
What about you? What waiting room are you in today? Is there something you keep practicing only because you know there will one day be a harvest? I would love to hear from you. It's much more fun to travel when others are on the same road.
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
I am confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6, NIV.
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