Monday, May 28, 2018

MAKING CHOICES


To live requires making choices. Every day we must choose what to wear, where to go, what to say, what to do, how to act and whom to trust. The biggest choice we face each day is in our relationship with God. Will we trust Him and follow His ways, or only our own?
During their lives, both Stephen Hawking and Clive Staples Lewis had the same choice we all have: Will I believe in God or deny He exists? Both Hawking and Lewis were born into Christian homes, and both rejected the notion of God in their youth. Hawking maintained his lifelong rejection of God, but Lewis did not.
Reading the Bible, Lewis realized Jesus could have been only one of three things: A Liar, a Lunatic, or the Lord. He said, You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon. Or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God.”
Lewis chose to believe Jesus was Lord. A blessing we all have from God is His personal encouragement to trust, given us by the Holy Spirit. Through Word and Sacrament, the Holy Spirit urges us to avoid rejecting Jesus and go His way through life choosing Him.
May we say as Peter boldly did when asked by Jesus what he believed, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16)

Lord, I want to believe. Help when I am not sure.

Monday, May 21, 2018

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE (pt. 3 of 3)


        There’s third thing to consider about loving unconditionally. What if you feel you can’t do it? 
        What if you’ve been tested to your limits to show love and feel you’ve failed? What if you just can’t visit that Nursing Home another time? What if you’ve run away from that loved one? What if you’re too angry at God for giving you a love burden so big to bear? 
        Sometimes the straying spouse does the unforgivable. Sometimes the rebellious teen goes too far. Sometimes the addict disappoints you too much. Sometimes you just don’t have it in your heart to give another chance. Sometimes you feel you’re the failure. What then?
        Just remember that you’re not facing this alone. God will help you. Remember this verse? “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to all. God is faithful and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide you the way to escape it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
        Now change some words: “No problem has overtaken you that is not common to all. God is faithful and He will not let that problem go beyond your ability, but with the problem He will also provide you a way to bear it.”
        Lots of people have felt some task is too big to bear. God promises to give us strength to bear it or ways to deal with it. He stands behind His promises! He love us, and He forgives!

Jesus, help us bear our burdens with Your strength.

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com

Monday, May 14, 2018

“UNCONDITIONAL LOVE” (pt. 2 of 3)


        There is more to say about unconditional love. While actually having this love is very difficult, it is not impossible. 
        Consider the husband whose comatose wife lies unresponsive in her bed. While a stroke has rendered her helpless in mind and body, he has now become her mind and body. Daily he cares for her needs and makes all her decisions. 
        Or the wife whose barely responsive husband is in the nursing home, yet she comes every day to feed him, help clothe him and give him words of love and encouragement. 
         Or the parents whose child is born without a full brain and yet they watch over that child’s every need, medically and personally, as if the child understands, although it cannot. We’ve all known of such people and perhaps have been part of the life of one who will never be able to live independently of us.
        The Bible says, “In this is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and gave His Son as the means of our forgiveness.” (1 John 4:10) This is the source of any human capacity to show unconditional love. God loved us and gave us the powerful gift to love others. 
        The apostle continued in his letter, “We love because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) Is not His love the source of any unconditional love? God showed us the way, and His Holy Spirit gives us the power. He will not fail us.

Lord, help us love unconditionally, as You love us.

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com
(Next week - “UNCONDITIONAL LOVE” (pt. 3 of 3)

Sunday, May 6, 2018

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE (pt. 1 of 3)


        We hear a lot about “unconditional love” these days, but I’m not sure most people realize what that term means. “Unconditional love” means loving or having affection for a person without any limits or conditions. 
          An example might be a parent’s love for a child. No matter if the child’s test score is disappointing, his decision is disagreeable, her argument is irrational, or his strong belief is dangerous, the amount of love from the parent is unchanging and thus unconditional.
        Have you ever tried to love someone this way? Is there someone to whom you are so devoted? Is it not possible that our loved one can still do or say something that breaks the unconditional nature of our love? 
        Of course there is. Trust is not infinite. Human disappointment is not without limits. Only God in His divine and infinite power can have true unconditional love for a sinful human being. Only He can withstand the sadness and disappointment that can arise in a relationship.
        Consider Jesus’ love: “He was wounded for our sins, He was bruised for our evil deeds. He endured the penalties we deserved, and with His punishment we are healed. We all like sheep have gone our own way, but God has placed on Him the sins of us all.” (Isaiah 53:5) 
        People will have their limits on love, but God doesn’t. He cares for us, no matter what.

Lord Jesus, how can You love us sinful people? Thank You!

Rev. Bob Tasler, www.bobtasler.com
(Next week - “UNCONDITIONAL LOVE” (pt. 2 of 3)