Good poetry does more than just state facts. Instead, it paints pictures, evokes feelings, and heightens our awareness of our surroundings. A good poet is like a symphony conductor, drawing from multiples sources to create beautiful music. The last poem of David contained in the book of Psalm is like that. In Psalm 145, David throws image after image at us, or as Lloyd Oglivie says, "An overload of synonyms." This weekend we will be exploring David's description of the love of God -- what a topic! The rich, full, abounding love of God. The amazing part is ... it's not just reserved for stars and mountains. The love of God is directed at his crowning creation: you and me. It was St. Augustine who said, "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us." Read that again.
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We can be easily seduced by tools and techniques. Infomercials promise every tool imaginable to make our lives easier and more efficient. Salsa makers, grout cleaners, and the best table saw, you name it. As if the promise of a better life wasn't enough incentive, you can double your order by just paying extra shipping and handling! We also love our techniques. We look for the magic formula (technique) to reduce stress, lose weight, and double our income -- all at the same time in just fifteen minutes a day. Is it any wonder we are also so easily disappointed? We are choosing to lean on a stick when God offers his own faithfulness: "The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and…
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"Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions." -- Proverbs 18:2 By this standard, we are surrounded by fools. Fools on the television. Fools in the next cubicle. One or two at the breakfast table. If I had someone to talk to on my commute to work, there would be at least one fool in my car every morning ... and it would be me. When Stephen Covey wrote his seminal work on effective habits, he included one about seeking to understand then be understood. The principle itself is as old as the Bible. A little self-examination may be in order. Am I more interested in telling people or listening to people? Do I speak first and listen later? Am I ever guilty of forming my response in my head while the other person is still speaking? Do I have a filter that keeps my tongue…
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King David of Old Testament fame was a complex man. King and shepherd, warrior and poet. He could lead an army and an orchestra. At one point, he is referred to as a "man after God's own heart." In the same Bible, the story is told of his adultery and how he plotted the murder of a faithful soldier (who happened to be his mistress' husband). The immediate fallout of David's adultery seems minimal. His plan works, his mistress becomes his wife, and life returns to normal for the King. That is, until the prophet Nathan shows up and takes the King for a walk. Along the way, Nathan tells King David a parable about a rich man oppressing a poor man -- steals his sheep, for heaven's sake! Only David doesn't know it's a parable. His anger flares and he demands that the rich man be held accountable, punished…
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In his book on boundaries for leaders, Henry Cloud uses a wonderful analogy to help us understand why it is important to have difficult conversations. When we avoid a difficult converation, we are allowing a dead fish to stink up the room -- only no one wants to admit there is a problem: "I don't smell anything." In other words, no one wants to bring the dead fish out into the open. This might happen when ... No one wants to confront an abusive leader. A teammate's misbehavior is allowed to continue. A parent chooses to overlook statements and actions that indicate potential trouble. Excuses are offered instead of changes. Businesses, churches, families -- each can suffer from a dead fish in the room. No amount of room deodorant will fix the problem; the problem is not in the air, it's the fish. The room may smell nice for a…
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