Abraham was seventy-five years old when God made him this promise: “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you" (Genesis 12:2-3). When the promise arrived, Abraham and Sarah (then known as Abram and Sarai) did not have any children of their own. Becoming a "great nation" would require this to change. More to the point, it would require having children. In this same chapter (12), God promises to give Abram's offspring the land occupied by the Canaanites. Again, offspring indicates children. A few years pass and Abram is growing concerned: "“Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate…
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Here's a simple truth: if you're not doing what you love to do, you'll either burn out or rust. Does this mean we ALWAYS do what we love one hundred percent of the time? Of course not. It does mean you should be over the fifty percent point, and I would even suggest you should be tipping the two-thirds mark. Pursue your passion.
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Marcus Buckingham says that the most ineffective staff people are like “sundials in the shade.” It's not a matter of ability or talent or desire. The real question is this: do we have them in the right role? As you lead teams of people -- be that at church, work, or home -- one of your primary tasks is to help place people in the right positions. Whenever talent is misaligned, no one is happy. In fact, misplaced talent will eventually erode if it's not being continually sharpened or utilized. Do you have any sundials in the shade?
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There are many things I'd like to be looking forward to when I'm 75 years-old but having a baby isn't one of them. The story of God's promise to Abraham and Sarah is quite amazing. In a divine visit, God promises this elderly couple a baby and then waits over two decade to fulfill the promise. To wait so long almost seems cruel, especially when you consider how long they had already waited. What would you do if the answer to today's prayer came twenty-five years later? Not only did Abraham and Sarah have to wait, they had to continue to believe in God's honesty and integrity. It's one thing to be hoping for a child when you're ready for retirement; it's an even greater test to wait patiently and faithfully for the Lord to move. This weekend's message looks at the example of Abraham's faith -- strong, courageous, unwavering…
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I recently started reading Anne Lamott's book, "Plan B," a book that offers an insight into her personal spiritual journey. Last night, I came across this line: "Things are not perfect because life is not TV." What a great line - and a great lesson. Since the 1950's, we've been raising generations who tune into the tube. While the lineup has increased from three networks to unlimited cable and YouTube, the same temptation exists: to define reality as something other than it really is. Reality is not perfect, white teeth and unblemished skin. Reality is that the good guy (or girl) doesn't always win; in fact, it's hard to find on TV a really "good" guy or girl who represents sound Christian values or morals. Life is not TV.
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