Quick lunch

 While Peter was lying in his bed trying to fall asleep, his mind was busy recalling one of the busiest days he had had in quite awhile. It was a day that never wanted to end. From the moment his feet hit the floor there had been a barrage of errands, meetings, phone calls and pastoral visits that had soaked up his time faster than a dry sponge floating in a sink full of water.

“There is never enough time to spend with the ones you love” thought Peter as he dashed for safety under a large umbrella covering the quick lunch stand. He was not actually hungry but soaked and desperately wanting out of the rain.

“What ‘ill ya have there, Slick?” drawled the attendant who was sporting 3 days growth, a stained apron tied in front and a boat-shaped white paper cook’s hat.

“I’ll take a Chicago dog, orange soda and chili fries.” said Peter

“Ok, you got it Pal! Wow, when it rains it pours!” added the attendant with a smirk and slathered Peter’s hot dog in mustard.

“Well, you got that right, you wouldn’t believe the day I’ve had so far and it is not over yet!” replied Peter as he handed the man a wet ten dollar bill.

“You know Chief, cheer up because someone died today and it wasn’t you! Actually, there were 151,607 people that died today worldwide. Now, that little piece of info ought-a cheer ya up, huh Sport?” hollered the man, proudly popping off the bottle cap of an orange soda.

Peter wondered how that little nugget, that little gem, that little bit of trivia, which wasn’t actually trivial at all, was suppose to brighten up his day? He wondered when the last time the cook had washed his apron or even if he had washed his hands before preparing his lunch? He thought about buying him a disposable razor, and then took a large bite off the end of the bun. As he pondered these questions a sizable amount of sweet pickle relish mixed with mustard slid off the bun and onto his freshly pressed white shirt.

A moment later, Peter was awakened from his twilight sleep as the fire-bell alert tone rang from his cell phone. It was just a dream. Still groggy, he tried to make out the blurry text displayed on the screen. He eventually gave up and groped for his glasses on the night stand. The message read “Today my dad entered glory, finding his rest in the arms of Jesus.” The message was signed by his neighbor’s son. Still in shock, he imagined a baby lamb slung over the shoulders of the Good Shepherd.

He had known his neighbor for over twenty-six years and had just heard that he was recovering from cancer but in good health all things considered. It had only been a couple of weeks since they had talked. In a moment Peter realized that he would never talk to his friend again and then began to tear up.

It was a cold truth, a resolute emptiness that began to disperse his joy replacing it with chilling sadness. As his neighbor, he would miss their weekly conversations over the fence that always ended with a chuckle, grin (if he could have seen his face over the fence boards) or roaring belly laugh. As his pastor, Peter knew that he was in the presence of God and that he would be hearing “Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the rest prepared for you since the beginning of creation.”

From experience Peter knew that the family members would be grieving and that it would be many years before time began to heal their wounds. He knew that there would be a memorial, where people would be coming from all over the country to pay their last respects. He knew that some of those people would not believe in God, many would not even have the faintest desire to know God or be troubled to hear the sermon that he would undoubtedly have to write.

As Peter began the task of writing his neighbor’s memorial, he wondered what his neighbor would have desired to say, if in fact he could say something. The thought was provocative, engaging and demanded an answer. As he struggled to imagine the answer he remembered something his neighbor had once said to him. “Life is but a vapor; here one moment and gone the next and you know Peter, there is never enough time to spend with the ones you love.”

So tell someone you love them. Take a minute to call someone you have not spoken with in while. Have a quick lunch with a close friend. Make every second count while you still can.

Trust and Obey

Trust and Obey is the key that unlocks the door that leads to eternal salvation. While many have knocked on that door few have truly opened it wide enough to cross the threshold of God’s unlimited security. We may believe in God but we don’t believe God while carelessly continuing to knock, desperately trying to push through on our own strength.

One day as Jesus Christ walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he stopped near a fishing boat that was anchored off shore. Standing there he quietly watched as the men repeatedly threw their nets. With each volley the net would sink to the bottom and then be dragged back into the boat completely empty. 

“What vain toil these men are bound to as they pursue their lives.” Jesus thought to himself.

Looking past the silhouette of the two young fishermen, the Master thought about how the next three years would change their lives forever. He already knew his own destiny and where his footsteps would end. His life so far had been occupied with finding solitude; places where he could be alone as the Heavenly Father continued to reveal both the joy and the utter sorrow that was set before him.

The nets were hurled once again into the sea. The water gently lapped against their wooden boat as they began to notice the stranger who was starring at them from the shore. He was tall, thin and rugged looking and they thought him to be a simple traveler searching for a handout. They both looked at each other in disgust and then back at their sinking net. 

Jesus was dressed in ordinary clothing however it was clear, understood somehow that there was nothing ordinary about the man himself.

The Lord began to wade out into the water towards the wooden skiff. His eyes, once shrouded behind his head wrap, were now luminous blue and a warm mesmerizing smile captivated the two fishermen standing in the boat.

As sunlight danced on the surface of the sea, Jesus called out to the fishermen “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The men immediately obeyed. They dropped their net overboard and didn’t even watch as it sank to the bottom of the sea. The two men, in resolute obedience, did not think to retrieved their anchor, set the sail or grab an oar to row with, but without thought jumped into the sea and swam towards the Lord.

Trust and obedience are basic necessities to having a healthy relationship with God. Human nature will always persuade us to shoulder the seemly impossible rather than yielding to, trusting in an all powerful, all knowing and loving God’s directions.

On other occasions the crowds that faithfully followed Jesus said he taught and spoke with authority not from this world. He knew things beyond his years and often quieted a dispute with only a word. He was thought by others to be a lazy, listless man who never would amount to anything. “He certainly would never become the King of kings who would one day rule all the nations” mocked the scoffers.

“He that loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me…” Jesus said to a group gathered in the market as he made his way to the Temple. “You cannot serve God and mammon…” the Nazarene said to a group of tax collectors who were sitting near the Golden Gate. “Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but only he who does the will of my Father…” he said to a group of Pharisees discussing the law in the outer court.

Trust and obedience is what Jesus taught his disciples one night in a vineyard under the light of a Passover’s full moon. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing.” 

“But why do you call me Lord, Lord and not do the things which I say?” Jesus asked. That to trust and obey in him, to be obedient, to do the things that he instructs us to do is like a man who builds his house on the rock. So that when the storms come and the river rises the house will not be shaken and will weather the storm. But the man without a strong foundation, his house will fall in the midst of the storm and there will be utter destruction.  

Staying connected to the True Vine allows the sap to run through the braches and produce fruit. Trusting-obeying God’s blueprint for life ensures a sound foundation and gives strength through the storms that are sure to beat against us.

I am worried

What I know. What I know is that I went to the funeral last week. It was a memorial for a thirty-four year old man who had died from complications stemming from his cancer treatment. I also know this man left behind a wife and young son.  I know many people who had come to pay their respects were sad. I hugged the man’s mother, shook his father’s hand and embraced the heavy heartfelt sorrow that hung in the auditorium air like cold, damp fog that covers coastal cliffs making them disappear. 

I know tears began to fall as scenes of his life flash by, snap shot by snap shot on screens positioned around the sanctuary. I kept repeating silently “thirty-four is too young, thirty-four is too young to pass from this world”. 

At that instant all my petty complaints seemed so insignificant.  I listened as each one of his family remembered their son, brother and nephew. Their memories of camping trips in the desert, cold snowy winter days back in Cape Cod and vacations spent lying on white sandy beaches of Hawaii. 

I know for a fact that many of their friends had also lost children, spouses and family members and they too were shedding tears of remembrance for their own losses. Many had come just to show their support and love on a day that all wished had never come.

We must always remember how short life can be!  One false step off the curb into the path of an oncoming bus, a last minute fast ride down to the corner market that turns fatal or the deafening silence of a relentless cancer growing is all it takes to come face to face with death’s door.

The truth be told we were never meant to live in this world filled with heartache, death and pain. On the contrary we were meant to live eternal lives free from worry, anxiety, disease and pain. 

“Trust in God” Jesus would shout to the masses of people who gathered to hear him teach. “Why do you have so little faith?” he continued. “Your Heavenly Father knows exactly what you need and is more than willing and ready to give to those who ask him. You being evil know how to give good things to your children, how much more your Heavenly Father will give to you!” Jesus told the crowd assembled on the Temple Mount.

Our problem is: we believe in God, but we don’t believe God. He has promised us so many things and we need to begin to claim those promises, for God is the same yesterday, today and forever! He is able, he is able, he is able!

When we are in financial straits, like I find myself presently, we should take our fears, concerns and needs to our Heavenly Father, releasing them, laying them down at His feet for good. Above all we should have faith, trust in His ability to connect the dots in our lives and supply our every need. However we often choose to hold on to, carry our burdens and sometimes carry God’s burdens as well.

Our entire nation is suffering epidemically from diseases brought on by stress, tension, worry and anxiety. We are all caught up in a monstrous dark cyclone of selfishness “I have to be first, I have to get ahead of you, me, me, me, me” and we have been in this condition for far too long. 

We try to cram too many things into a single day, often returning home frustrated, angry and drowning in a sea foaming in hopelessness. Many reach for the pill box, liquor bottle or wrongly labeled “alternative medical remedy” for relief when what we really need to do is to simply trust in God to provide for us.

If God is all powerful, all loving and has promised us to take care of us then why don’t we believe Him? Try getting alone with your Heavenly Father, tell him all of your fears, concerns, want and needs, then simply ask him to supply these needs and then leave them at his feet.

After doing that don’t continue to worry about your situation. Believe that God is working all things out for good. He has more resources than we do, He can see the beginning from the end and knows every hair on your head.

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1-6 NKJV.