A FLICKERING LIFE

It started one night and was a little spooky. The lamp on Carol's night stand came on by itself and went off. She had noticed it it once during the day. In the middle of the night, however, it was hard to miss. The lamp went on, got brighter, then went off. It went on and off several times so she nudged me to look at it. "What's going on?" she asked.

I walked around to her side of the bed with the light flickering off all over the place. At two o'clock in the morning this event was a bit beyond fascinating. We both knew it was one of those lamps with a touch-sensory switch that worked through the lamp's metal parts, so I touched the shade, and it went on and off and on again. Why?

"Ah," I thought, and reached over to the knob on top. It was slightly loose. I tightened it, perhaps an eighth of a turn, and the flickering stopped! I tested it and it worked as it should. Amazing! A tiny turn to tighten the knob and the problem was solved. How simple!

The night stand was close to the bed, so the loose knob allowed the lamp to wobble as if someone was touching it. Our flickering electric lamp was not spiritual phenomenon but a physical one. It was a loose connection, not a message from God.

Or was it? When small or large things work loose in our lives, when we no longer living as we know we should be or are as close to God as we once were, our life also may start to flicker. If we don't do something about it, we'll soon find ourselves out of control. But if we seek the reasons, perhaps that we are no longer as "tight" with God as we should be, then we can change things.

When we turn to God in repentance and faith, the flickering of life will change and hopefully stop. Our spiritual bulb may be dim, or it may need to be changed or the lamp may need to be re-plugged in. We may need to check whether we have moved away from God, or have allowed dust to settle between us and God.

Only when we realize that we are part of the problem, will the flickering of life be dealt with in a positive way. Only then can we realize Jesus is the solution to our problems. Remember, He once said, "You are the light of the world." (Matthew 5:14)

How steadily will you shine today?

WHAT MAKES A HOME?

Our neighbors of twelve years just moved. After many days of packing, moving and house touch-up, their house is empty. The garbage men hauled away the last of the leftovers, the realtor placed a "For Sale" sign on the lawn, and their former home is ready for a new resident.

Their home is a little ranch with finished basement, and like ours, smaller than most around here. Yet they raised five children during their twenty-five years there. As the original owners when the house was new, their time was unusually long by today's standards.

I've often thought what it takes to make a home. It's certainly more than size, shape and usefulness of a building. So many homes today are large for the amount of people in them. Carol and I have lived in our home next door for twelve years, the longest I've lived in any one place. That means I've moved a lot, and also that we like it here.

Making a home is a blessing, but losing a home can be devastating. This past week we saw the loss of 480 homes in the Black Forest fire about forty miles south of here, and it made us contemplate the value of our own home. To lose a home through divorce or financial reversal is also devastating.

How many rooms do you have in your house? Jesus once said, "In my Father's house are many rooms, [and] I am going there to prepare a place for you." (John 14:2) How many of those rooms do you live in?

It's estimated that regardless of a house's size, people usually live in about one thousand square feet of its space. I have an idea our neighbor's five children and parents lived in every square inch of their home. They were very good neighbors, and we shall miss them.

I was born and grew up in a house that was probably purchased as a kit. It was there when Mom and Dad bought it in 1937 and was the exact replica of one we saw in a 1909 Sears Roebuck catalog. Mom and Dad lived there forty years, and is still standing today, but just barely.

More important than how many rooms we have is whether or not we will be in our Father's House when our time of departure comes. Believers will be there, not because of the goodness of their lives, but because of Christ's perfect life and death and His promise that all who trust and have faith in Him will have eternal life in our Father's House.

What a houseful of children our Father will have then!

THANK A TEACHER

This past week Carol and I attended the funeral of a retired Lutheran School Teacher. During the sermon, my pastor said, "Never underestimate what God has done through your life." When he repeated it again, I realized how important his thought was. Never think God can't do something wonderful through your acts, teaching or witness. He does every day.

Sometimes we think that wonderful things are only done by others, especially the talented, the trained, or the clever. But God speaks wonderful words, does fine deeds, and instills lasting values in people through the lives of His men, women and children, and especially those who live their Christian Faith. 

I attended Country School for Grades one through six, from 1951-1957. Great Bend District #2 Rural School was built on a corner six miles from the nearest town with one main room that often held thirty students, plus two tiny cloak rooms, a small library and a big basement where we played when it was too cold to go outside. It had no indoor plumbing, but we didn't expect there would be. Bathrooms were used outside and drinking water was carried from the farm across the road. Their telephone was our only connection with the world during the school day.

But it wasn't the charm of a one-room building that made Country School important; it was our teachers. They imparted the knowledge we needed, and they opened young minds to the wonders of history, arithmetic, reading, writing, spelling and science. 

Sometimes our teachers taught us several years, and sometimes several months, such as one special teacher who left after Christmas because she was "in a family way." I won't embarrass her by giving her name, but I do want to say, that after all these years, she still sends me an occasional card for my birthday or Christmas. At such times, I sit down and write her a short letter telling her what I am doing now. And I hope she always hears me say, "Thanks!" 

This wonderful lady, as well other teachers I've had, helped nurture a lifetime of learning. When I was older they let me teach the younger students spelling or the arithmetic tables (that's how one teacher teaches six classes). I wonder if anyone reading this also spent time teaching - or learning - in a one-room school. I wonder if all you teachers realize how you have affected the lives of your students. 

As my pastor said of that faithful teacher, "Never underestimate what God has done through your life." Teachers! It's how God gets much of His work done. "Show me Your ways, O Lord, and teach me Your paths." (Psalm 25:4)

If you can read and understand this, thank a teacher!

GETTING THE DIRT OUT

I always find lessons in my summer yard work. Last Tuesday provided a perfect one. I had planned to mow my lawn in about a half hour, as usual, but my mower had other ideas, so it wouldn't start.

The trusty Craftsman had been fickle before, but always its motor worked. Just not that day. It would start, then stop. Start, stop. Finally, no start. So I pushed it to the garage and got out the tools! Well, yes, the tank was empty, but after more gas, still no start, no matter what.

I knew enough about small motors to realize it was a fuel problem, so I took part the carburetor off, cleaned things and put it together. Still no start. Took it apart again, cleaned it more, put it together, still no start. Finally, muttering things better left unsaid, I took it apart a third time. This time I blew out all lines and openings with compressed air. Put it together and, YES! it started - on the first pull!

What did I learn? 1) A person can't always fix a problem on a first try, 2) A small bit of dirt can create a big problem, and, 3) Problems don't fix themselves - you have to get involved.

I usually try to to follow "Occam's Razor." William of Occam (died 1347) said that when there are several solutions to a problem, the simplest one is usually the right one. Example: when your printer won't print, check your cables before installing a new printer driver or buying a new printer. Example here: blow out fuel line before putting the motor back together.

Bits of dirt can clog our lives too. We know they're there, but we may not believe they're a problem. Something else or someone else is the problem, not us. So, rather than first getting rid of our own dirt, we blame other people's dirt, or we say dirt is really good for us, or else we ignore the dirt and hope it will disappear. But dirt usually stays, and life may not run well again until it's gone.

That's why Jesus is so important, because He died on Calvary to get rid of our dirt. But first we must admit we are dirty, and then believe He's the only one who can truly clean us up. Trusting Jesus is the simplest solution, the one that always works. William of Occam - priest, philosopher and theologian - would have agreed.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

TRUE FORGIVENESS

Dr. Joe Morgan was speaking to a crowd near the Pearl Harbor Memorial, recalling the attack of the Japanese in 1941. Joe had been stationed on Ford Island, in the center of Pearl Harbor. At 7:55 AM, he heard planes as the bombing began. The nineteen year-old Texan, who had joined the Navy to "see the world", was confused as machine gun bullets rained down. As he watched his fellow sailors fall, bleeding and dying around him, his confusion turned to a fear and then to hatred as he saw the symbol of the rising sun pass overhead on plane after Japanese plane. 

He first tried to hide, but seeing the other men around him scramble for weapons, he settled into a machine gun nest and managed to shoot down several Japanese planes. Although Joe was a Christian, he found himself hating a nation and its people that in the end, killed 2,403 Americans, including 68 civilians, in the attack on Pearl Harbor.  

Joe and others stayed at their posts all night, in case of another attack, and during that night, Joe said a prayer that changed his life. He promised God that if he survived that war, he would become a preacher. Although he kept his promise to God, he never quite got over his hatred towards the Japanese people. 

In 1954, fresh out of the seminary, Joe became a pastor of the Wailuku Baptist Church in Maui. Two years later, he heard that Mitsuo Fuchida, commander of the naval air forces that led the attack on Pearl Harbor, was coming to Maui, so Joe went to hear his speech. He listened with awe as Fuchida told of his conversion to Christianity. After Fuchida's talk ended, Joe went up and introduced himself to this man who had led the attack that changed his life. Mitsuo Fuchida immediately bowed low to him and said one word in Japanese. "Gomenasai." "I am sorry."

What happened next was as an important moment for Joe as any other in his life. The two former enemies shook hands, and Joe felt all the anger toward the man and his country leave. God replaced the rage of his anger with the peace of His forgiveness. Joe Morgan and Mitsuo Fuchida shook hands, now as brothers in Christ.

Forgiveness is a gift you give. It does not need the other person's contrition or sorrow, just your willingness to let go of what will hurt you more if you hold it inside. Forgiveness is thus a gift you give yourself, but it first comes from God who forgave us for our sins. We can do no less than to forgive others as we have been forgiven. Forgiveness is good for the soul. It helps our peace of mind as well.

“I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you.” (Matthew 5:44)

"Gomenesai, Lord Jesus, amen!"

HELPING OUR NEIGHBOR

The Christian faith is given us for the benefit of all people, not just other Christians. Nothing illustrates this more than when disaster strikes, such as hit Moore, Oklahoma, yesterday, and Christians respond with assistance.

Children of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, want to help the victims in some way. So we pray for them, and we give them our money and other resources. We also rejoice when we see Christian agencies such as Orphan Grain Train immediately plan how they might assist with clothing, fresh water, medicines and even mobile kitchens for those who have lost their homes.

Orphan Grain Train began about thirty years ago through the efforts of Clayton Andrews of Nebraska who owned a trucking firm. He decided too many times his trucks came back from their deliveries empty, so he began finding things to bring back that will help people, used or new items, things that could be contributed to those in need.

Jesus' wrote to His disciples from John 14:18, "I will not leave you as orphans, but I will come to you." Thus, Andrews and other Lutheran Christians founded this highly successful and diverse ministry of procuring and sending items to people in need.

This summer I have been volunteering with sorting and packing used clothing at Epiphany Lutheran Church of Castle Rock, CO. Orphan Grain Train has become its primary social ministry, and for the past several years its members have sorted and packed over a million pounds of used clothing each year which is shipped all over the world to places in need, including places in the USA. Although their next container is scheduled to be shipped to the Ukraine, Epiphany people know that even now other Christians are packing items that will be sent to help the people of Oklahoma.

Our summer storm season is underway, and we know God will never leave us as orphans. He will bless us richly, providing our needs and providing ways for us to help others in their need. As you pray for and help the people of Moore, Oklahoma, remember with thanks the many ways Christians help each other, including also Orphan Grain Train.

"Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." (Matthew 25:40)

OUR DIVINE TROUBLE TREE

One of the more difficult things about work is learning not to bring work problems home with you. How do you deal with your struggles at work? Or with your health? Or in your relationships?

A carpenter was hired to restore an old farmhouse, and he had a very rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him arrive an hour late, his electric saw quit, and then his ancient pickup truck refused to start so he could go home. The homeowner drove him home in stony silence. On arriving, the carpenter invited him in to meet his family.

As they walked toward the front door, the man paused briefly at a small tree, touching tips of the branches with both hands. Then he opened his door and underwent an amazing transformation. His face went from a frown to a gentle smile as he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a tender kiss. The visit was brief, but the homeowner could see much love in their home.

As they walked to the car, they passed the tree and the homeowner asked him about his touching it earlier. He smiled and said, "That's my Trouble Tree. I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but my troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and children. So I just hang them up on that tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again as I leave. Funny thing, but in the morning there aren't nearly as many as I remember having the night before."

How do you handle your troubles? Where do you keep them? In your stressed voice, or on your face as you meet people? Do you carry them with you or can you put them aside when you come home or meet friends and family? 

Jesus said, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:34) I like that phrase, "tomorrow will worry about itself." Our Lord is our "Trouble Tree," the One we can mentally or spiritually touch and leave our worries with Him. 

Jesus went to Calvary's cross, the greatest Trouble Tree on earth. There He left our sins, our guilt and our condemnation. By faith, we can do the same.

Can you reach out to your Trouble Tree to help yourself and others?