Grade Six was a Long Time Ago!

This morning I won this tee shirt doing what I do best... losing to the mob.
The mob in this case was 100 elementary students at Lacombe Christian School. They and their teachers ganged up on me in an unfriendly game of 100 vs. 1 (like the tv show). I didn't stand a chance. It was Pastors Appreciation Day at the school so this was their way of toying with me. Instead of asking a Bible-related question they turned to the middle school science curriculum. Science was one of my better subjects in school and electronics was one of my hobbies then, but that was 35 years ago! I missed the question. I think maybe 4 of the 100 students missed the question. So I sat down with my other ministry colleagues and cried.
Actually, I exaggerate a little. It was a friendly game and more than 4 students missed the question. And I didn't really cry. I must admit it was actually fun. Several pastors fared better then I and went home with a tee shirt declaring themselves a winner or a toque with the school logo.
For someone who usually celebrates being correct it was a bit humiliating being beat so easily by the mob. On the other hand, the mob is overrated. I mean the real mob, not the grades 5th and 6th graders at LCS. By the real mob I mean the general public.
Most of the mob that I meet have voted with their absence from Christianity that they do not believe the Bible to be correct. It is either too narrow for their spiritual sensitivities or just plain untrue. I can't always answer the questions the world throws at me, but then the gospel is said to be nonsense to the wise of this world. I lose many of these intellectual battles.
But I will stand proudly on the contestant stage and declare my choice that the Bible is God's Word and contains everything I need for spiritual life. Of course, just having and reading a Bible is not the same as believing and obeying it. So add to my affirmative vote for the Bible's authenticity my devotion to its precepts. I get many things wrongs in life. I get many things wrong in my spiritual life as I try to follow God's Word. But I rise above the mob! Not by my superior intelligence or deeper spirituality or greater devotion. Simply because I put my trust in Jesus as my Deliverer, I rise above.
Good...now I fell better.
See you , later. I'm off to go make me a new tee shirt.

Who Cares?

The answer is: He cares! A song from my high school chorus days says it all...
"Who cares if you live or die? Tell me, who cares if you laugh or cry? Who cares if the world falls in on you? He cares, Jesus is His name. We care for He bore our shame. He cares, He cares. He cares about you."
Then there's a verse... "Died on the cross for everyone; the Man from heaven, God's only Son. The debt is paid, the battle's won. Do you care? Die to self, be born again. Be God's child today my friend. He cares, He cares. He cares about you." Then repeat the first chorus.

People need to know that He, Jesus, cares. People in today's world struggle for meaning. Those that do have a dream of some kind find many obstacles preventing it from ever becoming reality. I believe Jesus is there to help us through to a reality that begins with dreams stirring in our spirits. He cares about each and every person regardless of who or where they are.

And because He cares, I care. When I see or hear the news, meet people in my community or connect with someone from the other side of the world, a maze of issues emerge. Some private, some public, but all of concern for various reasons to people. Often my heart aches for people. Sometimes I am made to smile, chuckle, or outright rejoice. Through reflection and sharing we can discern the heart of our Lord that will equip us to face our issues. Let's do this together and see if we can find ways to heal and reasons to celebrate.

I will truly care because I know He cares!