A Lesson from Politics

It's interesting to watch the growing profile of the upcoming presidential election. The conventions increase this. It is on everyone's mind, if only a little more than usual, for the next two months or so. And it all ends in a choice. This means that everything we hear from every source is designed to convince us to vote for one candidate or the other. In fact, we're told repeatedly that this one choice we make is critical. Faith is often presented this way, with the choice of Jesus as Savior presented as the touchpoint. Certainly, it is. Less so, but still important, is the choice America makes in November between Obama and McCain. There's more to the future, however, than just one day's choice. Here's where elections and altar calls fail us. There's always a day after. There are always more choices. The election results in November are limited in their ability to reveal what the future will bring. Candidates change once they are elected. No one, not even the candidate, can predict what these changes will be or what they will bring. I've watched many people come to Christ over the years. Putting aside theological considerations, let me make a statement: some make it and some don't. You just can't tell if the tear-filled eyes of a new convert to Christ will see a life of faithfulness to Christ. Perhaps they will look elsewhere and move on. So many do. This is a lesson politics teaches us. The direction of all our decisions confirms or denies the direction of one decision, even a decision for Christ. What are your thoughts on this? What decisions are you making today and what do they say about what you really believe?   

Benign or Malignant

No phone call is better. I was driving back, 2 hours into a 12 hour drive when Dan called with the news. The tumor was benign. We were overjoyed. A day later this has been "updated." Now it is malignant, stage 1 cancer - slow growing but still the "C" word. A beautiful little four year old girl with tubes everywhere and parent who are exhausted in every way wonder what's next. Nothing changed except what it was called. We have faith in the labels we give things. Benign is a blessed label and malignant is cursed, but a label is not the reality, only how it is described. I saw a church sign on the way back, somewhere in Ohio, that read: "Worry is the dark room where negatives are developed." Sometimes perspective matters more than reality. I know that naysayers to faith say us believers are all perspective and no reality, but they don't know what it is to have faith when perspective and reality are lined up together on the side of the opposition. It truly is "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Have faith today and pray for Andrea and her parents. 

Praying for Andrea Fritzsch and Her Parents

She's four years old and while her family was away on vacation, they discovered that she had a large brain tumor that was so large and serious that they needed to perform surgery right away. No going home. So, life for the Fritzsch family has pulled into the breakdown lane as they today begin a 4 to 5 day wait after a day's worth of surgery yesterday to remove the tumor. They're waiting to see if it's cancer or not and what to do next. Pray for Dan and Letha (Dad and Mom) as they walk through this valley. Dan is a seminary student and pastoral intern of a church under the care of the church I pastor. He's got a year left; his adopted church loves him and is preparing to call him as their pastor. It's been a hard couple of years and now this. One can go a thousand different directions with the emotions associated with the trial they're enduring. There's only one direction that helps, and that's right into hands and care of a Sovereign God. So many people these days do the opposite. They use pain and hardship to justify their disdain for God. "If God is so good ..." they rant. The anguish behind the rant is entirely valid, and, according to Psalms, God is no stranger to people bitterly complaining to Him about Him. But to pull away from God is to add to any tragedy. I'm grateful for the sermon that Dan and Letha are preaching right now through their tears and questions. It helps me and all the rest of us deal with the fear we feel at such news as theirs. It helps us believe even when circumstances mock our belief. Please pray for Andrea, Dan, Letha, big sister Eryn, and the rest of their family. Here's a link to Andrea's Care Page, if you want more information:

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