Morning Tuneup

 Up and down the aisles of the grocery store, products are often labeled with a freshness date.  From lunchmeat to canned goods, today’s food products have what could be called an expiration date.  It seems everything has a determined shelf life with only a limited time that the manufacturer is willing to guarantee the product’s taste or safety.  Even with all the preservatives, no product lasts forever.  Bread, for example, loses its freshness very quickly.  Stores restock bread each and every day.  When Jesus taught his disciples a model for prayer, he included the request, “Give us this day our daily bread.”  This simple phrase implies several spiritual truths.  It is a reminder that our daily nourishment (physical and spiritual) comes as a result of God’s grace.  Second, it implies to be strong and healthy it takes a daily input of God’s sustaining power.  Realizing that the bread Jesus spoke of is more than food from the oven helps us understand why Jesus called himself the Living Bread.  When we pray for God to supply our daily bread, we are really asking for a fresh helping of Jesus.  Just as our bodies are designed to need food daily, our spiritual lives our dependent on a fresh encounter with Christ every day as well.  Dining on Jesus takes place every time we pray, sing praise songs or read the Bible.  Jesus, the Bread of Life, is fresh every day and desires to fill us with his love and peace to help us experience his purposes.  He never wants us to be satisfied with day old bread.  Like his mercy, he is made new every morning just because he loves us.

My favorite kind of exam in school was the open book test. I don’t know anyone who enjoys a test. That goes for tests in school and tests at the medical clinic. There is a certain amount of “test anxiety” even when you feel confident about the outcome. A lot of jokes have been told about various tests that are administered at the gate of heaven, typically presided over by St. Peter. While these jokes are often humorous, there is nothing scriptural about them. The final exam, so to speak, in heaven is not a spelling test, or a rating of good works. Also, there is no grading on a curve. To prepare for the real final test scriptures do tell us how to give ourselves a pre-test. It’s like an open book test to see how you’ll do when it comes to the final exam. The formula to pass the test is found in II Corinthians 13:5. It says, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you–unless, of course, you fail the test?” This instruction implies it is possible for anyone to administer this little pre-test. It only works on yourself though, so don’t go around trying to test others with it. The pre-test asks one simple question. “Is Jesus in me?” The Bible also includes an answer guide. Appropriately, the guide is found near the back of the book in I John. It says if you say “yes” to the question, “Is Jesus in me?” your life will demonstrate the truth of that answer by walking as Jesus walked and loving like Jesus loved. Fortunately, God loves us enough to give us the test question in advance of the test. He doesn’t want anyone to fail. Taking the pre-test regularly will keep us prepared for the real thing.

One of the most painful experiences in life is when you accidentally bite your own tongue. Recently, an advancement in medical science has made it possible to come to your aid even if you were to bite your tongue off. In Vienna, Austria a patient successfully underwent a human tongue transplant operation. Apparently, a malignant tumor had grown on this man’s tongue. The tumor, along with a good part of his tongue had to be removed. As I read this account, I mused whether the donor tongue was from someone who spoke the same language as the recipient or if the transplanted tongue would continue to speak the same language as it had always done. That’s just the twisted way my mind works. The prognosis, according to the article, is that the man should be able to speak with his new tongue, but he may not be able to taste with it. The Bible has a lot to say about the tongue. It says it has power to tear down or build up. It has power to spread a rumor as fast as a wild fire. The same tongue can bring blessings and curses. Even though it is one of the smallest members of the body, it can be the most difficult to control. We have all let our tongue spout off words that we wished we had never said. While a tongue transplant wouldn’t help in that situation, we can ask God to help us control and monitor our speech. Even wise old Solomon prayed that God would set a watch over his mouth and a guard over his lips. It’s a good idea to bite your tongue before saying something you might regret. Don’t worry; even if you bite it off, now there’s hope for a transplant!

As I toured the campsites at Pioneer Days, I saw a chair I just had to have. One of the campers had several styles of home-made chairs placed around their camp area. When I saw the simple design and tried the chair out for comfort, I knew I wanted one. In fact, I was determined to go home and make one or two for myself. I knew had the necessary lumber and tools to build it, I only lacked a good pattern. The camper was gracious enough to allow me to take a few measurements and draw a representation of the chair. With pattern in hand, I went home and within an hour I had two comfortable, portable, rustic chairs to call my own! When it comes to building things, I like to follow a pattern or see how someone else has done it. When we give our children advice, we are typically sharing our own experiences, giving them a sort of pattern to follow or, in some cases, a pattern not to follow. Of course, they don’t always follow the pattern we give them, but the important thing is to offer it. One of the values of the holy scriptures is that they contain a multitude of patterns for us to live by. It shows how others have faced the trials of life that we face. The pattern has been preserved for us to learn from the victories as well as the errors of those who have gone before. When you are faced with a decision or a task you’ve never tackled, look for a good pattern to follow. Your Bible is full of them!

 
Someday I’m going to figure out how you can throw five dirty pair of socks in the laundry and end up with four and a half pair of clean ones.  While I have no proof, my theory is that those missing socks go to the same place that ballpoint pens hide when they go missing.  Losing something can be frustrating, especially when it is something of value.  I have a “lucky pen” that I have driven several miles to retrieve from someone I let borrow it.  When something important to you turns up missing an all-out search ensues.  In some cases, no one gets any rest until the missing item is located and put back safely where it belongs.  That’s the same attitude that God has towards us when we stray away from his loving care.  Jesus described it like a shepherd who, while counting his herd of one hundred sheep, learns that only ninety-nine are safe within the pen.  That shepherd will leave his flock of ninety-nine to find the one that is lost.  Jesus goes on to explain that he is the good shepherd and we are the sheep of his pasture.  Scriptures say that all of us are like sheep that go astray and try to find our own way, not accepting the shepherd’s voice.  This world has many enticing paths that will lead us away from the road that is best for us.  Too often we go further down those paths than we intended and eventually forget how to return to the road that leads to life.  Fortunately, Jesus pursues all that are lost and devises ways to bring them back.  Now, if he could just help me find my missing socks!

 
Every superhero has a weakness.  Comic strip writers and illustrators have created every imaginable type of character with special super powers.  Some use those powers for good and some for evil.  Consistently, these characters are developed with some inherent weakness by which they can be defeated.  Perhaps the inspiration for this concept comes from the story of Biblical Samson.  He could only be defeated if his hair was shorn.  Superman, probably the most famous of all comic book heroes, was no match for kryptonite.  Fortunately for him, kryptonite was apparently difficult to come by.  Superman is often portrayed as a type of savior to those in trouble.  The real Savior, Jesus Christ, could correctly be called a super hero.  This description begs the question, “Did Jesus have a weakness?”  He, like Superman, was not from this earth.  In fact, scriptures say he was the creator of earth.  Becoming a human he encountered the same temptations of every man.  No kryptonite factor can be found in him since he was able to resist every chance to do wrong.  His death came about, not from his weakness, but from his strength.  His love for mankind was so strong he willingly gave himself up so we could be saved.  The real marvel is not the comic book, but the Son of God whose strength is available to us both in our troubles and temptations.  His love is real and his power has no weakness.  That’s a super hero you can count on!

Sometimes my “inbox” is so full I just delete all the “Forwards” without reading them. The Internet has brought a new meaning to the phrase “junk mail.” I wonder about those that simply forward on mail they have received from someone else without ever adding any original thoughts of their own. I try to be very selective on forwarding emails, because I know how frustrating receiving them can sometimes be. Original emails, on the other hand, always get my attention. By the way, did you recently receive an email from God? Here’s the deal: Apparently God was getting a report from the angels about conditions here on Earth. They informed him that 95% of the people were not behaving all that well. Only 5% of the people, according to the angels, were behaving in an acceptable manner. So, in an attempt to encourage those 5%, God decided to send out an email to them encouraging them to keep up the good work. So, did you get your email from God? No? Welcome to the 95%! Of course, the preceding was just a joke. (Probably a forward from someone) Actually, God is well aware of how we are behaving. He doesn’t need an angelic report to know “what condition our condition is in.” That is because he is personally interested in each and everyone of us. Scriptures tell us he even knows the number of hairs left on our heads. We will never comprehend the love he has for us. Rest assured, he is tuned in to our thoughts and needs and is looking for ways to help us in our time of need. Of course, I’m just forwarding that information on to you in case you haven’t heard it yourself.

 
My first motorcycle ride was behind one of my cousins on his 50cc Bridgestone.  Even though we probably didn’t exceed 45 miles per hour, it was one of the most terrifying rides of my life.  On every turn my cousin pushed that little bike as fast as it would go.  As he leaned into the curves, I leaned the opposite way hoping to keep the bike from wiping out on the narrow gravel road. After a few runs up and down the road, I was ready to let someone else take a turn and my cousin was irritated at me for trying to counter-balance his attempts at leaning into the curves.  The truth is I didn’t trust his driving ability or his concern for my welfare.  Decades later, I appreciate my favorite motorcycle passenger, who happens to be my wife.  She believes in my skill as a motorcycle operator.  If I lean to the left, she doesn’t fight it.  Most of the time, we ride as if we are one rider instead of two.  Leaning with God is just as important as leaning on him.  We lean on him “when we’re not strong,” as the song goes.  We lean with him when he is taking us on the ride of life.  Either way takes trust.  As scary as some of the turns are, we must trust the driver’s ability to get us where we are supposed to be.  When we learn to lean with God we find the ride more enjoyable, and even the dangerous places can turn out to be awesome experiences. 

One of the songs I enjoy singing at church is “Blessed Be Your Name.” The lyrics encourage the act of “blessing” or honoring the name of God. In times of abundance; or when it seems like God is blessing us, it’s not difficult to, in turn, bless God with thanksgiving and praise. It isn’t nearly as easy to express thanks or appreciation during times when there seems to be more taking than giving. Everyone experiences seasons when it feels like the things we hold dear are being subtracted from us. Money, health, and relationships are not guaranteed to last. Neither are our jobs, physical abilities or youthful good looks. How can we find it within ourselves to bless God even in times of taking away? King David, Job, Moses, Joseph, the apostle Paul and many other biblical figures endured times of giving and times of loss. They were able to continue to bless God in all circumstances because they believed in an all-knowing and all powerful God. They had the confidence that God was on their side and was working all things together for good. This same confidence comes to us through a daily trust-building relationship with God. The God of ages past is also our hope for today and the days to come. For this, we can bless his name.

If you’ve ever ordered Sea Bass from a menu, you know you will most likely add salt before taking the first bite. What is amazing about that is that a Sea Bass lives all its life in salt water! How is it possible that something that lives in a salty environment does not taste salty? Apparently the skin of a Sea Bass insulates the body of the fish from absorbing the salt. This insulation allows the fish to live in an environment without becoming like the environment. Scriptures teach the importance of living in the world without becoming like the world. Unlike the Sea Bass we have no natural insulating skin that prevents the influence of the world from being absorbed into our own lives. What is available to us is described in scripture as either types of spiritual clothing or armour. This insulating covering is put on as a result of a conscious decision not much different than deciding what clothes to pick out of the closet for the day. “Put on the whole armour of God,” admonishes the apostle Paul. “Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ,” he says in another place. Being wrapped in the protection that results from a relationship with Christ insulates us from the influence and temptation of the world’s short-term offerings. Consciously following God’s ways makes it possible to live in a worldly environment without becoming worldly. This amazing layer of insulation is what gives us peace in the midst of trouble, joy in the midst of mourning and hope in the midst of disaster. Whatever the world is trying to soak you with, know that God’s love and grace are able to keep you from conforming to its pressure and influence.