Deliberations 2016(16): #Tempertantrums


Most persons would agree that we live in an age of instant gratification. Our children are generally not trained to wait for or on anything. Is it any wonder that uncontrolled temper tantrums are frequently observed in shops, restaurants and other public places?

We’re almost like “Give her that doll already!”….. Or invest in the future and don’t!

Waiting patiently for God's plan to be revealed is often difficult. The Bible account of Job’s steadfast faithfulness to God is incomprehensible to us, but all that he lost is restored, some of it in double portion.  We are reminded that even when we can’t understand God’s plan for our lives, we must still trust Him and hold on to our faith. Ruth Bell Graham once said, "When I am dealing with an all-powerful, all-knowing God, I, as a mere mortal, must offer my petitions not only with persistence, but also with patience. Someday I'll know why".

Daily we plead with God to be patient with us. And He is - in countless ways.

Are we being patient with Him?

Deliberations 2016 (15): Active or Passive?

The dissemination of information to students often takes place passively – as in lecture style teaching, or actively, for example by incorporating hands-on activities. It no longer appears to be good enough to simply deliver information passively to students, but instead to encourage and guide them to actively process the information, thus deepening their learning.

What’s my point? For more than 170 years, since the Great Disappointment in 1844, we have been talking about the nearness of Christ’s return. Yet this has not happened, and we are still waiting. Are we simply waiting passively, or are we waiting actively? Here are a few simple strategies for active waiting, (Adult Teacher’s SS Lesson #13, Q3, 2016):

• ·      Making at least one person smile each day
• ·      Showing a random act of kindness to at least one person each day
• ·      Starting/strengthening a relationship with your neighbor

The parable of the 10 virgins, (Matt. 25, 1-13), is a great reminder about the need for active waiting. To be brief, the wise ones waited actively for the bridegroom, with extra oil for their lamps. They were ready for the bridegroom, though he tarried, and were admitted to the banquet. Sadly the foolish virgins waited passively, with no extra oil, and lost the opportunity to be admitted to the banquet, while they went in search of oil.

What is your strategy for active waiting? Or are you too weary, or too busy to do the Lord’s work, so you simply wait passively? Keep watch because no one knows the day or the hour of His return.

Deliberations 2016 (14): Running the race

In a previous post, I made a comment about the decathlon being arguably the most difficult discipline in the Olympics. This grueling competition consists of TEN events over just 2 days—the long jump, high jump, discus, shot putt, pole vault, javelin (which are the field events), and the 110 meter hurdles, 100 meter sprint, 400 meter and 1500 meter races—the track events. Decathletes are multi-disciplined, and the winner is considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, athlete in the world.

As I watched the decathlon unfold during the 2016 Rio Olympics I was rendered speechless at the completion of the final event—the 1500 meter race. Soooo many strong men falling in exhaustion to the ground – unable to help themselves or any other athlete!

Yes, they had trained rigorously but obviously it took all they had to complete this competition, and only one could be the winner—and this time again, the prize belonged to Ashton Eaton.

I was reminded of a sermon entitled “7 rules for winning the race”, preached by Pastor Mark Ewen on 04/16/2016. The rules referred to running the heavenly race but are applicable to any race:

• ·      Run to win
• ·      Observe strict discipline
• ·      Don’t look back – keep your eye on the prize
• ·      Get constant encouragement from others
• ·      Take off weight (of sin)
• ·      Discount pain
• ·      Never give up

Here’s a relevant quote:

“The humble, self-denying life of our divine Lord we are to keep constantly in view. And then as we seek to imitate Him, keeping our eye upon the mark of the prize, we can run this race with certainty”, (God’s Amazing Grace, P 342).