I recently visited an 89-year old grandmother in a retirement home. You young people, you imagine everyone beyond 60 years old is a mummy looking for an Egyptian sarcophagus to be buried in. You think 40 is the extreme limit of life as you know it. Fifty years? Don’t even talk about it. And beyond that, people are in another solar system. I just smile a big smile and I say, “Wait. You think you’re always gonna be like that, do you? You know what awaits you? Look at me! Yup, this decomposition will happen to you, too. It’s a bit depressing, isn’t it? ” But back to this sister in Christ. She was quick-witted and we had a great conversation. Continue reading |
Category Archives: God’s goodness
Gimme Somethin Good
When my son Charles was about four, he was sitting on my lap and suddenly he piped up,
“Daddy?”
“What do you want?”
“Give me something good!,” he said with a mischievous glint in his eye.
So, I hugged him. I’m not sure that’s what he had in mind. He was probably thinking more along the line of candy bars. Hugs aren’t as exciting as Milk Duds when you’re four.
It looks like the fellow who wrote the 119th Psalm had a similar conversation going on with God.
“Do good to your servant according to your word, O Lord,” this fellow says to the Lord (v. 65, NIV).The “good” he received is God himself, “You are my portion, O Lord …” (v. 57)
Waaaay back in the Old Testament when God was dividing the land among the tribes of Israel, one of the tribes didn’t have a territory designated. The Levites served God fulltime but instead of getting lands God gave them the people’s tithes to live on. They also got designated cities to live in with the surrounding pasture lands for their animals. But, they got nothing like what everyone else was getting.
And I know God knows what He is doing but I kind of thought, “These guys are getting shortchanged.” Continue reading