God Shaped Hole

I have been watching people's behavior lately and the more I watch and the more I read scripture, the more I think people have a God shaped hole inside of them. The weird thing is watching them try to fill that hole with things other than God. Some chase after money or power. Some try to the best in their careers while others try to the very best at their hobbies. The whole try to keep up with the Jones I think is a way of making yourself feel good about yourself even though there is this big empty hole inside. Some look for chemical filling and others go after sex of all kinds to fill that need. It is not that I see myself as super Christian or that my life is perfect. I still fight with trying to make myself feel better with things and activities. God is what is needed for those times. As St Paul wrote, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We need Christ to fill that hole sin has ripped in our souls.

The Daily Grind

As much as I love coffee, today's post is not about one of my favorite drinks. It is rather about doing a daily devotion. This is by far not easy. Even if I have a light schedule of activities and and the smallest of devotions, weekends and holidays and the irregularities of life get in the way. The biggest asset to doing a devotion long term is consistency and that is one of the hardest things to maintain. I tried to do dated devotions and wind up running perpetually ahead or behind. I have tried to to have weekly or monthly goals and it seams like I run ahead just to put the brakes on. It also seams like the more I do my devotions, the more there is to learn and now I feel like even if I have a lifetime, it will not be enough time to do it well enough. I really don't have any good answers except to rest in the Grace of God. It is in Christ I need to rest and not what I do or study. In the meantime, I still do the readings and set aside the time to pray and worship God. Only in God's hands are they worth anything. I am only a frail , sinful man.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness has got to be one of the hardest things we are called to do in the Christian life. In some cases, it is unquestionable the hardest thing we must do. There is just so much pain and suffering that we humans do to each other that how can we ever be expected to forgive the other person. How do expect spouse that has been cheated on to forgive her husband? If there is abuse in the marriage, does the spouse go back because that is the forgiving thing to do? Forgiveness does not mean that relations stay the same or that their are no consequences.Trusts and relationships are broken. They may or may not be repaired-EVER. That is sad. It would be nice if relationship could last a lifetime and beyond but in this broken world that is not always a possibility. This is not in favor of someone being hurt and running away nor does it mean staying forever in a bad situation. Life is full of grey and like Ecclesiastes says, there is a time for everything. It is not an easy answer. We are always called to forgive. We are not called to stay abused and a door mat. there are times we are called to endure but it is not always easy to say when that is or the reason behind it. God help us in this broken, sorrowful world.

LSB- Guitar Edition

I just picked up the LSB Guitar Edition. It is a two volume edition with just the hymns. It has a coil spine for easier open. It is scored with just the melody line, with chords over top and the capo chords for the easier chord. I enjoy it for the melody line only music. I play recorder for the church and not the most accomplished musician. The melody only score makes it easier for me to play. Since it is getting increasing harder to get church musicians, anything that makes it easier to have good music in church is a good thing in my book.

This is also a good edition for bringing the Sunday hymns into Sunday School, vacation Sunday school or Christian camps. I am not fully comfortable with guitars in church but not totally against it but this guitar edition can bring the Sunday Service music out to the world. If this encourages us to sing hymns outside of the Sunday Service, then bravo.

The Beck Translation

This translation was done by DR William beck. As far as I can tell, it first came out about 1976. It is very much a Lutheran Church Missouri Synod translation. I think the timing of it was interesting since it was done in the era of Seminex. I don't know of any connections between the two. I did check out Isiah 7:14 and it did say and a virgin shall have a child instead of a young woman like some other more liberal texts would do. This translation according to the preface had the aim of updating language, being an accurate translation as well as being doctrinally accurate. Overall, I like the translation but the richness of the language seams a little to be desired but it it is a readable translation. I have not formed a full opinion on this test as I am still reading through it but so far it has made for a nice trip through the scriptures.

Politics and Religion

It has been said that in polite circles, you don't talk about money, religion and politics. In this election cycle, religion is one of the main topics so religion and politics are being mixed. I don't object to the mixture but i do have some concerns. Religion has been used to demonize for one thing. America is a land of many faiths and these faiths disagree. When this comes to the public forum, it is a time for discussion not to tear each other down. I do not expect agreement but I do expect us to find out where common ground and division is and decide where to go from there. Even though I disagree bitterly with the doctrine of many of my fellow Christians, I can agree with a lot of them on Abortion. I can also agree that we can take political decisions to God for guidance but I cringe when I hear that a particular issue is God's will. How to decide how to spend highway funds is a subject of prayer. Saying that, for example, extending I-69 is God's will, I am going to start wondering what chapter and verse of the Bible that came from.

I also believe that you can not divorce a candidate from their religious beliefs whether they are atheist, agnostic or any or the world's religions. So let's be honest about people's positions and let the people decide on the candidates on all their positions.

Abortion

In this Election season, I have been hearing a lot about abortion. One tact I have heard is calling the pro life position as the anti choice position. I think that is unfair. As much as I do not want the government to interfere with the decisions I make or the choices I make, having an abortion is a choice I do not think we have. From my point of view, life starts at conception and the fetus or embryo is a human life to be protected. People ask about what if the life of the mother is threatened. I then point to the fact the the doctor and mother must work out what is best for both of his patients. Doctor, do no harm.

LSB- Daily Devotrions Aids

Starting at about page 294 in the Lutheran Service book is a series of sections to aid in home devotions. I think this was a great idea so this hymnal truly becomes a hymnal of home and church. The first section is a collection of four brief services for devotions. These are great for setting your devotional time apart. With being busy and distractable, sometimes it is very necessary to go through a little extra to set this time apart and get more focused. The next section is a daily lectionary which takes you through most of the bible in a year. The last section is a table of psalms to do with the daily prayers. None of these things are a required thing to do but they are still a good thing to do to aid in your devotions. You can mix or match any of these or even mix in Portals of Prayer by Concordia Publishing House. My challenge for you is to find the mix of things that fits your devotional life and may God bless you in your walk.

Should all Christians have children

I have been hearing a big reaction in Christian circles that all Christian couples should have children as a way to support traditional marriage to to show that marriage is for having children. In a perfect, pre fall people, I would agree fully and freely. In this broken, imperfect world, I see problems with this position. I can see this position as a law oriented position where infertile people are made to feel like they are not being blessed by God with the children they so dearly want. I can see people who have prayerfully decided not to have children being pressured to do so when it is not their calling to do so. I honestly believe that some people are not blessed with the talents to be a parent and are called to a vocation other than parent. St Paul states that some are called to be single and i think some couples are called to be childless. God forgive me if I am wrong on this but the decision to have children or not is not a light one. To decide to have children just to speak against gay marriage is dangerous and wrong. To have children because that is the model God has given and the parents are drawn to do so. Having said that, I do not believe it is right for every couple in every situation to have children. Consider the following question.

Do you have another child if the mother will die and deprive the child of its mother?
What if it is just a financial concern with providing for the child?
What if the parents just do not have the talents to care for the child? There are a lot of children who are loved and wanted who still wind up abused.

How do you handle couples who for what ever medical reason, just can't have a child?

I am not trying to convince people to not have children. I am just trying to point out that that to have or to not have children is not an easy issue. To promote children just to speak out against gay marriage is a dangerous position. I agree that it does need to be spoke against. i just don't agree with that plank.