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The Value of Playing Cards

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PRINCIPLE: “When you’re dealt a bad hand, play the deal.”

I love playing a good card game. I always have. From childhood and games of Old Maid, War, Go Fish, and Solitaire to adulthood and the more ‘sophisticated’ games of Rummy, Canasta, Cribbage, Hearts, and Advanced Solitaire – and whether playing them with real cards or on computers or tablets – I love them all. I love them not only because they can be fun and promote the building of relationships, but also because most of them combine the dynamics of both luck and skill. Luck determines what cards I receive and skill determines what I do with them. Some games, my luck is bad and I cannot seem to get a good hand – then I must do my best by relying on my skill. Some games, my luck is good and I get nothing but good hands – I must still use my skill or the good hand will be wasted and I will lose my advantage. In either case, the only thing I can control is how I play the hand I’m dealt; that is totally up to me.

Just maybe that’s why I like card games – they remind me of life. Sometimes life hands me bad hands and sometimes good hands; I cannot control the hand I’m dealt. In either case, the only thing I can control is how I play the hand I’m dealt; that is totally up to me. I especially need to remember this when the hand I’m dealt is bad. “When you’re dealt a bad hand, play the deal.” I began to think of this many years ago when I read that as a youth Dwight Eisenhower was playing cards with his family. After being dealt a particularly bad hand he was busy complaining – so His mother told him that life was full of bad hands and that the task always was to play well the hand dealt. “When you’re dealt a bad hand, play the deal.” I thought of it again today when I read: “Nothing surpasses the holiness of those who have learned perfect acceptance of everything that is. In the game of cards called life one plays the hand one is dealt to the best of one’s ability. Those who insist on playing, not the hand they were given, but the one they insist they should have been dealt – these are life’s failures. We are not asked if we will play. That is not an option. Play we must. The option is how.” (1)

Acceptance of everything that is – it does not mean to adopt a defeatist attitude. Rather it means to recognize that while we cannot control the circumstances of life we can control how we respond to them. We always choose whether our circumstances are on top of us or if we are on top of our circumstances. “When you’re dealt a bad hand, play the deal.” The apostle Paul understood the principle well. From the depths of his prison cell he wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil. 4:4-9) “When you’re dealt a bad hand, play the deal.”

Paul, in fact, encouraged this attitude because he knew it could be life-changing: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…” (Rom. 8:28-29) God can use our circumstances to transform us. So play the hand dealt and become more like Jesus – who, by the way, didn’t try to change His circumstances but played the hand He was dealt. And His life turned out pretty well! “When you’re dealt a bad hand, play the deal.”

(1) A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God, p. 200 (from Taking Flight, by Anthony deMello)

Pastoral thoughts

Lesson from a Cloudy Day

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PRINCIPLE: “When the clouds spoil your view, give thanks for what you cannot see.”
We had just spent our first night in the mountain cabin. I was anxious to look outside and catch the majestic morning view of the mountains. What a disappointment – the clouds enshrouded the mountains; fog and mist was all I could see. So I spent the rest of the morning taking periodic looks up towards the mountains.
But why would I do that? What made me keep looking?  I believed the mountains were still there, that behind all the clouds was a glorious scene, that at some point the clouds would disappear and everything would be clear. And while the clarity didn’t come fully until the next day, it did come. And it was worth the wait.
It led me to think of some other clouds. There was the cloud that led the Israelites through the wilderness; they could not see God but believed He was there, leading them to the Promised Land. God appeared to Moses in a dense cloud; Moses could not see God but heard Him as He spoke the 10 commandments. There was a cloud over the tabernacle; the people could not see God but they knew He was present there in all His glory. Jesus was on the mountain with Peter, James, and John when  Jesus was transfigured into glory; then a cloud enveloped them and, while they could not see Him, God spoke clear words of affirmation. Paul, even though he couldn’t see the Lord in the clouds, wrote (1Thessalonians 4:17) that there will be a resurrection of the dead where we will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord.
I realize now that I should not have been disappointed in the clouds. In fact, “When the clouds spoil your view, give thanks for what you cannot see.” It should have been a time for me to give thanks to God for His ongoing eternal presence – not only in the world around me but in my life. There will often be clouds in the sky of my life. Some of those clouds will be thick and dark; it will be easy to be disappointed, even worried or depressed. But behind the clouds, even in the clouds, God is present. “When the clouds spoil your view, give thanks for what you cannot see.” Clouds always present the opportunity to give thanks to God. As Hebrews 11:1 wonderfully states (CEV), “Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see.” The Message says  that faith is “our handle on what we can’t see.”  Clouds remind us of the value and importance of faith – for faith “gives substance to our hopes and convinces us of realities we do not see.”
I’m reminded of the powerful testimony of the Heidelberg Catechism:
Question  27 :      What do you understand by the providence of God?
The almighty and ever-present power of God whereby he still upholds, as it were by his own hand, heaven and earth together with all creatures, and rules in such a way that leaves and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and unfruitful years, food and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, and everything else, come to us not by chance but by his fatherly hand.
Question 28 :  What advantage comes from acknowledging God’s creation and providence?
We learn that we are to be patient in adversity, grateful in the midst of blessing, and to trust our faithful God and Father for the future, assured that no creature shall separate us from his love, since all creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will they cannot even move.
Whatever the clouds that are blocking your view,  “When the clouds spoil your view, give thanks for what you cannot see.”
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Selling and Eating

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PRINCIPLE: “When you’re selling what you’re selling, eat it.”
Shaquille O’Neal. Peyton Manning. Michael Jordan. Janet Jackson. Debbie Boone. Sharon Osborn. What do they have in common? … They all pitch certain wares or products in television ads. Have you ever wondered if they actually use the products they endorse? Does it matter? If I’m trying to decide what to buy, it does. If they use, and are satisfied with what they are selling, it raises my opinion of the product. If they do not use, or are not satisfied with what they are selling, and are doing it only for the money, it lowers my opinion of the product.
Barb and I used to sell some products. A major part of our ‘pitch’ was to tell why we liked using them so much. Our experience with the products gave credibility to our pitch. Matching what we were selling and what we were using was critical for our integrity and our effectiveness.
And the same thing is true for our daily living. This was affirmed for me when I read the following: “Helmut Thielicke points out that we often wonder if the celebrities who advertise foods and beverages actually consume what they are selling. He goes on to say that this is the very question most pressing for those of us who speak for Christ. Surely something has gone wrong when moral failures are so massive and widespread among us. Perhaps we are not eating what we are selling. More likely, I think, what we are ‘selling’ is irrelevant to our real existence and without power over daily life.”1“When you’re selling what you’re selling, eat it.” Statistics show that when it comes to moral and ethical issues, Christians fare little better than non-Christians. The only difference is we preach and teach that it should be different. In other words, we’re not eating what we’re selling.
The wise preacher , in Prov. 12:22, wrote, “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.” Jesus was even more direct: “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”(Mt. 7:21) “When you’re selling what you’re selling, eat it.”
Itmakes me wonder about my ‘lips and life,’ my profession and my personality, my preaching and my performance. Do they align? Am I eating what I’m selling, living what I’m teaching? What are you selling – what are you saying about Jesus and your life of faith? Does the quality of your life raise others’ opinion of your testimony , and therefore of Jesus, or lower it? Are you eating what you’re selling? John the Baptist condemned the Pharisees and Sadducees when he railed at them, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.”(Mt. 3:8) If, indeed, you’re claiming your inheritance through baptism, live that way! Turn around the way you live. “When you’re selling what you’re selling, eat it.”
Remember Jesus words: “A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”(Mt. 7:17-20 NLT) Eugene Peterson captures it pointedly in The Message: “Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don’t be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.”
Are your lips and life in sync? If not, either change your testimony and words – or change your life. There are no other options.“When you’re selling what you’re selling, eat it.”
1Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, Harper One, © 1997 by Dallas Willard
Pastoral thoughts

Helping Yourself

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PRINCIPLE: “When others need assistance, take care of yourself.”
J-O-Y. Jesus first – Others second – Yourself last. I wouldn’t say it was my mantra, but I heard it so often as I was growing up that it did become a deeply embedded principle of my life. When this is our priority as servants of Jesus Christ, we will experience joy.
To a point, it is true. Scripture is filled with admonitions to forget self, to follow Jesus, and to love others. It is, in fact, the crux of Jesus’ summary of the law: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” J-O-Y. Then there are Jesus words in John 12:24-26 (CEV): “I tell you for certain that a grain of wheat that falls on the ground will never be more than one grain unless it dies. But if it dies, it will produce lots of wheat. If you love your life, you will lose it. If you give it up in this world, you will be given eternal life. If you serve me, you must go with me. My servants will be with me wherever I am. If you serve me, my Father will honor you.”  J-O-Y.
Yes, to a point, it is true. But only to a point. Jesus also told his disciples to come apart, get away from the crowd, and rest a while. “Take care of yourself.” Jesus certainly did so, repeatedly getting away, up into the mountains, to pray – some times all night. “Take care of yourself.” While preparing for the cross by praying at Gethsemane, Jesus told Peter, James, and John “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the body is weak.” “Take care of yourself.”  It doesn’t sound like J-O-Y, does it?
So what’s the deal? Twice recently I’ve heard an explanation. If you’ve flown you know that part of the pre-flight instructions concern how to use the oxygen mask in the event of an emergency. After explaining how to use the mask, the flight attendant says, “Remember to secure your own mask before assisting others.” We cannot take care of others unless we first take care of ourselves. “When others need assistance, take care of yourself.” We cannot give what we do not possess. “When others need assistance, take care of yourself.” Without sufficient oxygen, we cannot give breath to others. “When others need assistance, take care of yourself.” Without sufficient energy we have no strength to serve others. “When others need assistance, take care of yourself.” Without the presence of the Spirit, we have no spirit to share with others. “When others need assistance, take care of yourself.”  J-O-Y must be coupled with “When others need assistance, take care of yourself.”
In a culture that bombards us with messages of selfishness, ‘me first’, and ‘my rights,’ we cringe at the thought of taking care of ourselves – we want to share the message of Jesus that we are to serve others, not ourselves. And we should. In a world where there are deep, and often desperate needs everywhere we look, we want to give all we  have to share the love and healing of Jesus. And we should. But we cannot do any of this for very long in our own strength. So when you hear the self-centered messages, and see the overwhelming needs, remember “When others need assistance, take care of yourself.” Through the prophet Isaiah God said, “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” (Is. 30:15) Get apart, rest, read the Word of God, pray – breathe in the breath of God. Then share the breath of life with others. Taking care of yourself may just be the greatest gift you can give those who need your assistance. 
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One Hand is Better than Two

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PRINCIPLE: “When two hands are better than one, use one.”
It was known for its dinosaur footprints. That’s what drew us to it. While visiting our son and family in Leander Texas, we decided to go with them and walk the SanGabriel river bed. It was basically dry due to the prolonged drought. We had a great time and relished the opportunity to explore the footprints and admire the handiwork of God in nature all around us.
As we climbed down beneath the bridge where we could enter the riverbed, it was obvious the first few steps into the bed were a little tricky. There was some water flowing over the rocks right by the shore – certainly shallow yet deep enough to soak one’s shoes if not careful. The only pathway into the dry bed was a few damp and unsteady large stones; we had to step carefully onto those slippery stones or risk getting our shoes and feet soaked.
Being the chivalrous husband I am, I stood on the shore and offered my hand to my wife; she held it as she gingerly walked across the stones – and made it safely. As I prepared to walk on the stones, she offered me her hand to steady me; but being the proud husband I am, I refused – indicating I’d be fine. You guessed it – the second stone wobbled, my foot slipped, and while I stayed upright my shoe got wet. Pride often does go before the fall!
All this reminded me of how important it is to hang on to our Father’s hand as we walk thought life and negotiate the slippery places. As I was pondering this for a possible Pikkup note I was reading the book “Soul Unfinished” by Robert Atwell.[1] He wrote of this same thought. “Francis de Sales, writing in the sixteenth century, links contentment to the providential care of God. He sees it as God’s supreme gift. He compares our relationship with God to that of a child going out for a walk. He pictures a child strolling along a country lane, hanging on to his or her parent with one hand, while happily picking blackberries and wild strawberries with the other. And that is how  it should be, says Francis. God wants us to delight  in the world. But, he warns, we should be careful not to get distracted or greedy, and attempt to accumulate too many things on our journey through life. If we let go of God’s hand in order to pick more and more strawberries we will end up flat on our face…” “When two hands are better than one, use one.”
How tempting it is to get more out of life by our own efforts. We let go of God’s hand so we can reach and grab for more. But “When two hands are better than one, use one.” Ponder the words of Scripture: (Ps. 63:8) “I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Ps. 37:23-24 NLT) “The Lord directs the steps of the godly He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.”  (Ps. 63:8) “I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.” (Ps. 139:9-10) “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” (John 10:28-29) “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”  “When two hands are better than one, use one.”
Where are you tempted to let pride, or the desire for more berries, lead you to let go of your Father’s hand? Remember: “When two hands are better than one, use one.”

[1]          Robert Atwell, Paraclete Press, Brewster Mass., © 2012 by Robert Atwell, p. 111-112
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Puzzles

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PRINCIPLE: “When puzzled by the puzzle, switch places.”
In doing puzzles I’ve learned that at least one thing is inevitable – there will comes points where I’m stuck and can’t find any pieces that fit anywhere. I’ve learned that, rather than stressing and quitting, it’s best to switch positions, to go to the other side of the table, to get a different perspective. “When puzzled by the puzzle, switch places.” It’s amazing how many pieces I then find that fit. And it’s all because I put myself in a position to get a new perspective.
I’ve also learned that the same is true when it comes to viewing and understanding life. The Bible is filled with admonitions that say, in essence, “When puzzled by the puzzle, switch places.”Consider Joseph’s words to his brothers about understanding the circumstances of life: “Now do not be upset or blame yourselves because you sold me here. It was really God who sent me ahead of you to save people’s lives. This is only the second year of famine in the land; there will be five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor reaping. God sent me ahead of you to rescue you in this amazing way and to make sure that you and your descendants survive. So it was not really you who sent me here, but God…But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid; I can’t put myself in the place of God. You plotted evil against me, but God turned it into good, in order to preserve the lives of many people who are alive today because of what happened.” (Gen. 45:5-8 & 50:19-20 GNT) “When puzzled by the puzzle, switch places.” Reflect on Paul’s words about viewing other people: “So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!”(2 Cor. 5:16 NLT) “When puzzled by the puzzle, switch places.”Think about Jesus’ words to Martha about her dead brother Lazarus: Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40) “When puzzled by the puzzle, switch places.”Viewing life’s circumstances, other people, and the issues of life and death from Jesus’ perspective rather than our provides new, significant sight.
Jesus explains it this way: “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my words and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24) Once we believe in God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son, we live in the environment of life rather than of death. We see circumstances, people, and all of life differently; we see it from God’s perspective. And to be sure we understand how to cross over, Jesus told us “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.”(John 7:17) We change sides, we cross over, we move into the environment of life by obeying – by doing what Jesus says to do. There’s comes a time to quit trying to understand and figure out everything that happens to us in life, to stop evaluating and judging people from our own prejudices, to cease from focusing on death and darkness and to cross over to Jesus’ sight. We do it anytime, every time, we obey. Just do what He says, think likes He thinks, serve like He serves, love like he loves. It will be amazing how many pieces will fit. “When puzzled by the puzzle, switch places.”
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All that Trash

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PRINCIPLE: “When admiring the falls, remember the fall.”
Barb and I were enjoying the hike – not because we were in shape (far from it!) but because we knew we’d get to see the beauty and awesomeness of the majestic waterfalls. And sure enough – they were awe-inspiring. We not only took pictures but stood quietly as we reflected on and rejoiced in our great Creator God who designed it all.
Then my eyes shifted to a site some distance before the falls, just off to the left, along the shoreline of the river. Downed tree limbs and shrubbery had fallen into the river creating a natural dam. But it was not a thing of beauty. Rather, the dam was serving as a trap for all kinds of garbage; it was an absolute eyesore. People had dumped everything imaginable into the river – and all the garbage was dammed up for all to see. It was a condemning sign of our human-created pollution. I was stunned and appalled.
Yet as I pondered the sight, I thought of another kind of pollution – the pollution caused by our sin. As I admired the falls, I remembered the fall. Certainly Eve never contemplated the impact of her one sin – yet it is the fountainhead of all the pollution piled up in the dams of our world. “When admiring the falls, remember the fall.” I suspect few who threw garbage into the river did it with the intent of piling up garbage; in fact, many of them, if they thought at all, probably thought that just one little thing would not hurt. They just didn’t know it that one piece of garbage here, one there, and one there eventually dam up to spoil the beauty and health of the river. “When admiring the falls, remember the fall.”
And isn’t that the way it is with us and our sin? Surely this one sin, we convince ourselves, won’t hurt. Who else will see it anyway? No one else will be affected by it. Yet put it together with all our other sins, and with the sins of all others, and what do you see? And consider what God sees: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Heb. 4:13) God sees all our sin as it dams up his view of our lives. And He sees not only our sins but the sin of the whole world. One sin here, another there, and another there all combine to dam up the pollution our world and spoil the beauty and health of life. Just imagine how appalled God is when He sees the pile. In the midst of His beautiful world stands a humongous, ugly pile of garbage. “When admiring the falls, remember the fall.”
Yet we can praise God today that He built another dam to catch all our pollution and garbage. It, too, was made from a tree. He placed it on a hill called Mount Calvary. The dam was shaped like a cross. On the cross hung God’s Son, Jesus, who, while dying, offered forgiveness for sinners when He said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” As Peter later wrote (1 Pt. 2:24), “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” As with the dam in the river, the cross stops the garbage and the pollution – it stops up the sins. The pollution ends with Jesus. “When admiring the falls, remember the fall.” As George Bernard wrote in that great Hymn “The Old Rugged Cross”, “In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, A wondrous beauty I see, For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, To pardon and sanctify me. So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown.”
“When admiring the falls, remember the fall.”  It will point you to Jesus and lead you to rejoice in our great Creator God who designed it all.
Pastoral thoughts

When Nothing Is Everything

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Principle: “When you have nothing to say, say everything.”

The parsonage in which we lived was, like most, right next to the church. I had a standing rule that when our boys came home from school they could, if I was in my study at the church, stop in and say “Hi.” They often did. Many times it was brief, and they had little to say – except “Hi.” I’m not sure what it meant to them, but I know what it meant to me. They didn’t always need to say much – their presence enriched me and deepened my love for them.
That’s why I think I can at least begin to understand why Jesus likes for us to take the time to be with Him. It took me way too long to figure out that I don’t always have to say much to Him. Sometimes just taking the time to be with him, to say ‘Hi’ is enough. I realize now that I have spent needless hours berating myself. In trying to establish a discipline of regular times to ‘pray’, I would grow frustrated because I felt my prayers were either getting repetitious or empty and that the time was therefore becoming more a duty than a delight. I now realize that it’s not about me, it’s about Jesus. He cherishes my presence and my ‘Hi.’ It enriches Him and deepens His love for me. So it’s okay to say nothing. “When you have nothing to say, say everything.” My boys said everything when they took the time to to check in; and I say everything to Jesus when I take the time to check in.
Perhaps this is what the Psalmist was saying when he wrote, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” (Ps. 84:10) He had come to realize that just being in God’s presence was sometimes enough. In fact, what could be greater than that? Certainly there were times the Psalmist had plenty to say to God; but there were times when silence was the order of the day – and that was okay. There were times my boys had plenty to say – and oftentimes questions to ask; but there were times when silence said it all. “When you have nothing to say, say everything.”
I am thinking of all the wonderful moments of love I would have missed if my sons had only come in when they had something they wanted to say or ask. In fact, I realize now that without the moments of the simple “Hi”, I might well have begun to feel like I was needed and wanted only when they needed something or someone to talk to. But because they did come in when they had nothing to say , they said it all. “I love you.” And that meant the world to me and deepened my love for them. “When you have nothing to say, say everything.”
So I am working on being okay with spending moments with Jesus when I have little, if anything, to say. (And believe me – it’s tough for a preacher not to say anything!) I realize how important it is that when I have nothing to say I must say everything. And taking the time to touch base with Jesus, to spend a moment in His presence, says it all. And you know what else? I’m finding out that it not only deepens Jesus’ love for me – it deepens my love for Him! Maybe, just maybe, one of these days I will actually spend one day in His presence, with nothing – yet everything – to say.
Is it time for you to start stopping in to say nothing – but everything – to Jesus? “When you have nothing to say, say everything.”
Pastoral thoughts

Big Randy

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PRINCIPLE: “When fear sets in, retreat.”
I was, admittedly, scared. It was a typical opening to the school day – as the doors to my Junior High School opened, there was an instant mass of students in the entry foyer. Shoulder to shoulder, hollering morning greetings to friends, squeezing and pushing our way to our lockers – everything was routine. Until – big Randy hollered from across the foyer. Big Randy was tall, very tall – so tall he could see over the sea of humanity and spot me. Big Randy wasn’t often mean, but could be if he chose to be. He and I hung in different crowds. Big Randy and his crowd frequently got into trouble; my crowd did not.
And therein was the problem. Big Randy had been to juvenile court, and had apparently appeared before the judge, who happened to be my father. And Big Randy wasn’t happy about it. Now he was calling to me from across the foyer. Somehow I knew it wasn’t to thank me for having a wonderful father! At the sound of his voice I knew I could be in trouble. I wasn’t a fighter, I didn’t like conflict, and Big Randy was ready for both. The only thing separating us was a sea of fellow students. In an instant I was scared.
But before I could even decide what to do Pat, a friend of mine who got along fairly well with Big Randy, moved over to Big Randy and said something – I think he reminded him that his problem was not me and that the momentary pleasure he might have in confronting me would be short-lived because he’d only have to see my father again. But whatever Pat said worked – Randy backed off and it was over.
I didn’t realize it at the time, but Pat was my refuge – he protected me in the time of trouble. In the Old Testament we find that God established cities of refuge for people accused of murder but who might be innocent. In a city of refuge they would be safe. When filled with the fear of being caught and condemned, they could run to refuge. “When fear sets in, retreat.” In that context, Ps. 46:1-3  takes on significant meaning. “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” God is our refuge and strength. “When fear sets in, retreat.”
It’s worth noting that the phrase “an ever present help” can be translated “God lets himself be found in trouble.” We don’t need to look for God or wonder where He is – when trouble comes He’ll let Himself be found. Verse 7 reinforces the concept: “The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” So “When fear sets in, retreat.” Ps. 91 states it beautifully (1-12 CEV). “Live under the protection of God Most High and stay in the shadow of God All-Powerful. Then you will say to the Lord, “You are my fortress, my place of safety; you are my God, and I trust you.” The Lord will keep you safe from secret traps and deadly diseases. He will spread his wings over you and keep you secure. His faithfulness is like a shield or a city wall. You won’t need to worry about dangers at night or arrows during the day. And you won’t fear diseases that strike in the dark or sudden disaster at noon. You will not be harmed, though thousands fall all around you. And with your own eyes you will see the punishment of the wicked. The Lord Most High is your fortress. Run to him for safety, and no terrible disasters will strike you or your home. God will command his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will carry you in their arms, and you won’t hurt your feet on the stones.”
Whatever your fear, whatever is threatening you, whenever your Big Randy appears, whenever your world seems to be falling apart: remember who and whose you are. Don’t fight, don’t run, don’t panic – “When fear sets in, retreat.” God is waiting to be found; He’s waiting to help; He’s got you covered. “When fear sets in, retreat.” And nothing, no one, anywhere, anytime, anyplace can ever separate you from His love made known to us through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Pastoral thoughts

The Roundhouse

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PRINCIPLE: “When you’re stopped in your tracks, remember the roundhouse.”
I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Among my many fond memories are the times we drove past an old roundhouse. A roundhouse was a large round building that was built at the end of a section of railroad tracks. When a train had reached the end of its tracks, the end of its journey, it would go into the roundhouse where the tracks would pivot and turn the engine around. Then it could go back in the opposite direction. For some reason, I was fascinated by the concept. But little did I realize that this roundhouse would eventually become a symbol for my Christian life.
Turning around means to repent, to get in the roundhouse and change directions.  While we most often think of repentance as seeking forgiveness – which is one of its meanings – it’s important to remember that at heart it means to change direction. Think about the message of John the Baptist (Mt. 3:1-2 CEV): “Years later, John the Baptist started preaching in the desert of Judea. He said, “Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven will soon be here.” “The Message” translates verse 2: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.” “When you’re stopped in your tracks, remember the roundhouse.”
I now realize how many times in my life I came to the end of the tracks only to have God lead me to repent, to turn around and head somewhere else – somewhere He wanted me to go. When I entered college I was a music major; by the end of my freshman year I was headed for the ministry. When I headed home for the summer following that freshman year, I had a fairly serious relationship with a girl who was a fellow student; within a matter of weeks she cut off the relationship and I had met Barb, my current wife. When I graduated from seminary I was offered the opportunity to serve in an exciting young church where we could be near parents and in-laws; I wound up in a well established, traditional, exciting church northwest Iowa. I once said I doubted I would ever serve in Michigan; I’ve served in Michigan for over 30 years. I also said I would certainly never serve in my home town of Kalamazoo – not because I didn’t like Kalamazoo but because people just don’t serve in their hometowns; I served 81/2 years in Kalamazoo. And there are so many more visits to the roundhouse in my life. But get the picture? Time and time again I came to the end of my tracks and God put me in His roundhouse and turned me around, back to Him.
The roundhouse experiences of my life simply prove God’s truth once again: “We make our own plans, but the LORD decides where we will go.” (Prov. 16:9 CEV) “The Lord directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way?” (Prov. 20:24 NLT) “I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own. We are not able to plan our own course.” (Jer. 10:23 NLT) I’m glad this is true – though I still may not understand all the reasons and times God has put me in the roundhouse, I can honestly say that not once did I regret repenting. Whenever I have turned back to His way it has been good and right. No wonder Isaiah prophesied, “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength…” (Is. 30:15) I am trying to be more sensitive to those times when I’m nearing the ends of the tracks, headed the wrong way – because I’m still learning the importance and beauty of “When you’re stopped in your tracks, remember the roundhouse.”
Perhaps you’ve reached an impasse in your life; maybe your life has become dull and routine; it could be that you’re sensing that your life has lost is meaning; or it’s possible you’re traveling along at a rapid pace and haven’t even thought about the direction you’re heading. Whatever the case, pause for a while and examine your life. Ask God for discernment. Eugene Peterson, in “The Message” translates Jeremiah 10:23, “I know, God, that mere mortals can’t run their own lives, that men and women don’t have what it takes to take charge of life. So correct us, God, as you see best.” Make that your prayer – today and every day. It’s a whole lot easier to spot the roundhouse coming at the end of tracks than to go crashing into it. Perhaps the principle should be “When – or before – you’re stopped in your tracks, remember the roundhouse.” Correct us, God, as you see best.