Christianity 101

Punished or Blessed?

I know, this is old news, though very pertinent. And thought provoking.

From LifeNews on April 22, 2008:

As many as 80 percent of unborn children diagnosed with Down syndrome become victims of abortion, but Alaska Gov, Sarah Palin didn’t let her child become a statistic. Palin, who has deeply-felt pro-life views, gave birth to her fifth child this week and the baby was diagnosed with the condition.

On Tuesday, Palin confirmed her baby, named Trig Paxson, has Down syndrome.

“Trig is beautiful and already adored by us,” Palin said in a statement LifeNews.com obtained.

“We knew through early testing he would face special challenges, and we feel privileged that God would entrust us with this gift and allow us unspeakable joy as he entered our lives,” she said.

‘We have faith that every baby is created for good purpose and has potential to make this world a better place. We are truly blessed,” the 44 year-old governor added.

Trig was born on Friday, one month before his due date, and he weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces.

Then there’s this from CBN on March 31, 2008:

“I’ve got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby. I don’t want them punished with an STD at the age of 16. You know, so it doesn’t make sense to not give them information.”

And this from Psalm 139:14:

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

Disclaimer: Though it quotes two prominent political figures, this isn’t a post to make a political point.

(By the way, try searching for news reports of Mr. Obama’s remarks.) 😯

He Prayed Earnestly

“”He prayed earnestly” (James 5:17).

What compels me to pray earnestly?

Not much.

Usually, a huge spiritual crisis…particularly in my family.

Nobody said I had to wait that long!

I believe earnest prayer can minimize and even prevent such crises from happening.

So pray, Mark!

Don’t grow lax and lazy.

Don’t be forgetful.

Don’t get tired and discouraged.

Don’t give up.

Keep It on the Road!

[Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way (Proverbs 13:6)]

To live right…live right.

To do right…choose right.

To stay on the road…make that determination.

In other words, deciding to make right choices sure makes it more likely that I will make right choices.

It amazes me to see people (including me) trying to follow Jesus…but making choices (even “little” ones) that don’t contribute to staying in The Way.

Oh, and if you want to see what else I wrote this morning related to Proverbs 13, click the image above. In fact, I wish you would.

(By the way, I took the picture last winter while driving on Oregon’s Highway 26 in the Mt. Hood area. We were on our way to Madras.)

The “Losers” Out There

You really ought to read the whole thing. Here are the concluding paragraphs.

My African Violet

My mind made the leap from herbs to men. One encounters people throughout one’s life who look like damaged goods. And no doubt they are. Droopy and lifeless, or curled in on themselves, they look gruesome and make the onlooker recoil and turn away.

The plant withered because it was trying to save itself. The unappealing person caved in with depression or addiction or surliness is trying to save himself too. The lesson from the African Violet — and a cardinal rule for understanding human behavior — is that no one does anything for no reason. You need to find the reason. And just knowing that there is one stirs my compassion.

Thank you, Andrée Seu!

Olympics: Any Lessons So Far?

That’s Life

Michael Phelps held his arms aloft on Sunday after surpassing Mark Spitz as the most successful swimmer and Olympian of all time, relief written on his face after he won an unprecedented eighth gold at one Games.

[…]

Phelps hugged his team mates after a world record-breaking 4×100 meters medley relay win, a relatively comfortable race compared to two finger-tip finishes in Beijing.

[…]

Constantina Tomescu had time to relax and wave as she entered the Bird’s Nest stadium to claim a surprise win in the women’s marathon that began in Tiananmen Square.

[…]

The furious chief of Greece’s Olympic Committee told Reuters the “golden girl” of the Athens Games should have stayed home instead of dragging the country’s name through the mud.

[…]

The U.S. team got some cheer when the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, put their tennis singles disappointment behind them to pick up a second consecutive gold in the doubles.

[…]

After firing at the wrong target in Athens, a nervous Emmons this time squandered a huge 3.3-point lead on his final shot when he pulled the trigger by mistake while lining up, to register a mere 4.4 after scores mostly above 10 before that.

Those paragraphs have elements that so clearly show what life is.

And what Christianity is.

  • Even the strong fail.
  • Only the overcomers are rewarded.
  • Get up and try again.
  • We’re in this together.
  • It’s not just about you.
  • The little things can make a huge difference.

There are more, of course, but I have to move to other things, of course.

Tonight is our monthly Hymn Sing at church. I’m supposed to have a brief devotional. I think I’ll talk a little about some of these Olympians. And the life lessons for the Christian.

Like this one:

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (King James Version)
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Above all, love God!