Stories have always been a part of my life. I listened to my grandmother tell stories about her life growing up in Utah in the late 1800's and early 1900's. I've always been amazed at what these early Americans went through. We complain about such meaningless stuff. They lived without electricity, in door plumbing, no cars, phones, tv's, computers etc. Family meant every thing to them. They worked as a unit to survive.
Today's family unit, seems to go in multi directions away from each other. Each is wrapped in his or her own electronic gadget. Even the smallest child seems to be engrossed in it's own little world.
I love having a computer. It keeps me in touch with my family. I can see pictures of my grandbaby 300 miles away. I can chat in real time with any of my kids. I can share my stories here. Is our time better or worse than the previous one? I really can't answer that. There are many things I would not want to return to, but sometimes I think the world just gets smaller and smaller, all the while getting noisier and noisier.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Our hope is found in Jesus Christ
I watched a youtube video yesterday about the differences of a Christ follower and a Christian. Unfortunately the label Christian creates a picture of a stuffy, overly pious person who says one thing but actually does the opposite. I think most of the time these people are oblivious to the perception they portray. I have begun to intentionally think about how I act and think around those who are not believers. It's a tough balancing act.
The Bible is clear on some lifestyle choices which just can't be tolerated, but yet we are told to love the person. We must meet them where they are, not where we are. Jesus met the hurting masses where they were, not in the Temple (with the exception of the time when he was 12).
Therefore, the phrase Christ follower works better for me now. I'm trying to follow Jesus' example. He came to show us who God is. He came to model how we should communicate with God first and then with those around us. He came to be the sacrificial lamb so there would never need to be another sacrifice. He paid our debt of sin, once and for all. But He didn't just die, He rose again. There is life after this life. There is life with God if we accept what Jesus did for us and live our life relationally with Him.
The Bible is clear on some lifestyle choices which just can't be tolerated, but yet we are told to love the person. We must meet them where they are, not where we are. Jesus met the hurting masses where they were, not in the Temple (with the exception of the time when he was 12).
Therefore, the phrase Christ follower works better for me now. I'm trying to follow Jesus' example. He came to show us who God is. He came to model how we should communicate with God first and then with those around us. He came to be the sacrificial lamb so there would never need to be another sacrifice. He paid our debt of sin, once and for all. But He didn't just die, He rose again. There is life after this life. There is life with God if we accept what Jesus did for us and live our life relationally with Him.
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