Month: July 2015

I was having trouble last week with my banking card. So I decided to call the bank and find out what the problem was. I poured myself a cup of coffee, sat down at the computer and called the bank. I was prepared to sit through several minutes of listening to music while on hold, perhaps an endless round of pushing numbers until I got someone to speak with. Imagine my surprise when after three rings an actual person answered the phone and then proceeded to help me with my problem. No waiting on hold. I was impressed. When the culture around us changes gradually we don’t often notice the differences that are occurring. Remember, way back in the late 1980s, it was considered cutting edge to have an answering machine in your home. Of course, it was attached with many wires to your land line which probably had a rotary dial. In the early 1990s we had a friend who got ‘caller ID’ on his land line. He could decide whether or not to take your call. We were all amazed at technology. The other night my son and I ‘rented’ a movie on iTunes. I tried to explain to him that we used to have to go out to a store and rent a VHS tape. We’d have to rewind it before returning it to the store the next day. He didn’t really understand what I was talking about. Kids these days! Things have changed. We feel so much more advanced now. Always connected to the internet we check Facebook, Twitter and our email multiple times throughout the day. We have in-depth conversations with people around the world while sitting quietly in the same room with our family members. I’m not going to complain about technology today or scold people for using devices which have become so common. But my encounter with the bank reminded me that it was nice talking to an actual person instead of dealing with a computer screen. In the 1980s, as new technology was taking off, John Naisbitt coined the term “high tech, high touch.” Among the many things that this phrase has come to mean is the idea of finding balance between the high tech skills that are necessary for life and the high touch skills that are essential for enjoying life. Naisbitt understood that the very technology which was intended to free us from certain tasks could end up enslaving us. With great foresight he argued that we need to be involved in activities that keep us healthy, creative, energized and in relationship with other people. The prophet Isaiah asked an insightful question: But can the ax boast greater power than the person who uses it?     Is the saw greater than the person who saws? Can a rod strike unless a hand moves it?     Can a wooden cane walk by itself? (Isaiah 10:15 NLT) In other words, people are more important than the tools they use. Advances in technology have always been with us and will continue to be. But technology is meant to serve us. Too often we find ourselves serving the technology, tied to our devices and desperate for a digital fix. Finding the balance isn’t just helpful – it is essential. Our spiritual life and development depends on it. We must stay connected to God and the people around us in a meaningful way. The world has lots of ‘high tech’; what it needs now is some ‘high touch.’

When I was growing up there was a popular TV show in Canada called Front Page Challenge. A panel of journalists had to guess the identity of a mystery guest. The mystery guest was usually a well-known person who was currently in the news. Guests could include famous musicians, politicians, authors and various types of celebrities. For the panel, the trick was to guess the identity of the person in as few questions as possible. The show ran for almost 30 years. It’s similar to a party game that many people play today. The contestant is given a mystery identity and must ask questions to find out who he or she is. Basically players have to answer the question, “Who am I?” Jesus asked similar questions of his disciples except he wasn’t in the dark about his identity. He asked his disciples two questions. First, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” (Luke 9:18) Jesus had been ministering for some time among the people. Yet, he remained somewhat vague about his identity and mission. People were beginning to form their own ideas about who he really was. Many thought he was a prophet come back from the dead. Then Jesus asked his second question, “But who do you say that I am?” This is the key question that each person must answer. It doesn’t matter what the crowds say about Jesus. Their opinion is often wrong. What matters is whether or not we correctly understand who Jesus is. Jesus has left a lot of evidence about who he is, what he has done and what he will do. Each one of us has to examine the evidence and come to a conclusion. Peter concluded that Jesus was “God’s Messiah.” (Luke 19:20) Our life now and life in the future rests on how we answer this one simple question, “Who is Jesus?” He is either the savior of the world or he isn’t. There is no in-between answer.

He was warned. But he got eaten by the alligator anyway. A marina owner recently put up a sign next to the bayou, “Beware of Alligator.” The twelve-foot-long reptile had been seen lurking about the area. Alligators are common in that part of Texas but don’t usually hang around developed areas. Local people were advised to be careful and everyone had been staying out of the water. But one young man ignored the warning. Two of the marina employees told the 28 year old that it would be dangerous to go for a swim. But he went anyway. Horrified, his girlfriend watched as the alligator grabbed the man and carried him underwater. It was the first time in 179 years that someone has been killed by an alligator in Texas. Sadly, it didn’t have to happen. What is it about human nature that refuses to take warnings seriously? Despite the risks, people do careless things every day that endanger themselves and others. In Genesis 4 we read about two brothers, Cain and Abel. Cain was angry with his brother because Abel’s sacrifice to God had been accepted and his wasn’t. God sought to help Cain deal with this issue and then warns him about harboring anger in his spirit.  “Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7) God warns Cain about the dangers of sin. Sin is waiting for Cain, ready to pounce on him. Cain needs to be alert or he may wind up doing something terrible. But he doesn’t listen. Instead he ignores the danger and kills his brother. As believers we have many blessings in Christ. Over the years we grow stronger in discipleship and maturity. But beware: sin is crouching at your door. We should never dismiss this warning. It’s why we need to be on guard at all times. Examine your heart regularly and watch out for sin that wants to overpower you. God gave us a warning in the early chapters of the Bible and it still applies.

The front page news here in Europe is all about the debt crisis in Greece. On Sunday Greeks voted against a bailout package. No one is really sure how this is all going to play out or what it means for the future of Greece and the Eurozone. But it’s going to be painful. One thing seems clear: Greece will never be able to repay all its debt. While the IMF has recently acknowledged this fact, it’s also true about most other countries. Overall national debts in many industrial countries today are so high that the likelihood of ever getting out of debt is almost zero. History tells us that many great city-states, nations and empires came to an end because of bad debts and their inability to repay. God is concerned about debt. In the Old Testament, Jews were forbidden to charge interest on loans. This was done to ensure that people would be able to repay and not spend a lifetime in servitude. The law required that every seven years all debts be cancelled so that people could have a fresh start. Debt has a way of squeezing life out of people and removing any chance of hope. This crisis has caused me to pause and give thanks that my debt has already been paid. The Bible calls sin a debt. Each one of us has a debt of sin greater than we would ever be able to repay. Paul says in Romans 4:25 that Jesus “was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Furthermore he reminds us that “you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14) The hymn writer put it this way: I had a debt I could not pay, He paid the debt He did not owe, I needed someone, To wash my sins away So while I pray that a reasonable solution can be found to the crisis in Greece, I am also giving thanks that my greatest debt has been paid. Jesus’ death and resurrection has given me a fresh start and hope for the future.

One year Tom and Janice bought their dream house. It was a big step financially but they had been planning for some time and were overjoyed when they finally moved in. A week later their car died and they needed to buy a new one. When the summer holidays rolled around someone asked them if they were going to take a trip somewhere. “No,” said Tom, “we can’t afford to. So we just plan to sit in the house and look out at our new car. And then when we get tired of that we plan to go and sit in the car and look at our new house.” Whether or not you get away on holidays in the next couple of months I hope that you can slow down and enjoy the summer season. Here are three things I try to fit in during my holiday time. 1. Rest. Taking rest means ceasing from work. It’s important that we put projects and deadlines behind us for a while. It’s sobering to think that if you suddenly died your work place would continue on without you. We like to think that our work is indispensable but truthfully we can rest without everything falling apart. So ignore the emails and take some time for yourself. 2. Relationships. Holidays are a great time to reconnect with the people we love. Take time for your spouse and children. Spend an evening with old friends. Play silly games with the kids. Surveys tell us that camping trips are among the most stressful things a family can do but they also make for the best family memories. Make some good memories this summer. 3. Reflection. We need to pause and think about the season we have just come through. You might be filled with gratitude for the way God has blessed. Or you might find yourself experiencing disappointment or sadness with events that have taken place. Talk with God about how you are feeling. Just as important is thinking about the next season that lies ahead. You can mentally and spiritually prepare yourself through thoughtful reflection and prayer. After a particularly busy day of work and ministry Jesus said to his disciples, “‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’ So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.” (Mark 6:31-32) I pray that during these next couple of months you’ll find a solitary place and time alone with Jesus.