Jesus

Connecting With God

/ Bill Jones / 4 Comments
birds on a wire

birds on a wire (Photo credit: Vurnman)

As I drove past the interchange on I-16, I noticed a flock of pigeons perched on the power line. I didn’t count them but guessed there were 30 or more lined up on the wire, just sitting there waiting for something to happen – maybe hoping for a truckload of corn to be accidentally spilled along the highway (“Bob, do you remember the big corn spill of ’07? Boy, what a feast!”).

Or perhaps they were just talking among themselves, passing the afternoon away until it was time to go home to roost. (“Well, I think I’ll go home, take a little nap, then go over to Thelma Lou’s and watch a little TV”)

The next day my schedule took me back in that direction and they were in the same place. Since I didn’t pay enough attention to recognize any individuals from the day before, I wasn’t sure it was the same group – but I assumed it was. I wondered if they were lined up in the same order as the previous day, like us church-goers who sit in the same location in the pews each week. (“Hey! Move over – that’s my spot!”)

I’m not an expert on pigeon perception but I doubt they noticed me at all. (“Hey Joe, isn’t that the same red pickup that came by yesterday?”)

The pigeons and I didn’t make a connection. I was passing by and happened to see them for an instant. After those few odd thoughts, my brain turned to whatever I was thinking before. They were in their own little world, which didn’t include the people passing by on the interstate.

But some people do make connections with pigeons. The owners of homing pigeons easily recognize individual birds. They know each bird’s peculiarities in flight and pickiness in eating. In a race, the owner knows which one will get back first, and which one will lag behind the others. The connection is made because someone cares enough to invest their time and effort to make it happen.

I’ll agree most people won’t feel a desire to make connections with pigeons. I may notice them the next time I travel I-16, but I doubt I’ll get off the interstate to go introduce myself.

But there is a connection we need to invest time and effort to strengthen – our connection with God. In these busy days, it’s too easy to keep trucking down the road, giving only an occasional glance or thought in His direction and then moving on. So let’s stop awhile and sit and talk…or maybe like the pigeons, just sit.

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Celebrate Words – Especially God’s

/ Bill Jones / 29 Comments
English: Holy bible, St Mary's Church Located ...

Holy Bible (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Since the July theme for the ChristianWriters.com blog chain is “celebrate”, it’s appropriate that we celebrate words. While there are some “word” celebrations in place, such as the Celebrating Words Festival in Los Angeles, National Writing Day and I Love to Write Day, this will be a smaller scale of just a few minutes.

Words are fun to play with. Such as seeing a sign that says “Giant Tire Sale” and wondering just how big the tires are. Or, thinking of movie titles like “The Sum of All Fears” and imagining what the plot would be for “The Fear of All Sums”?

My favorite personal example came one day at a produce distribution plant. There were rows and rows of boxes stacked to the ceiling. A label on the side of each box indicated its contents. Most were straightforward (tomatoes, peppers, bananas, etc.), however, one box stood out. It’s label read simply: “Squash, Do Not Crush”. I imagine someone was just having fun with words, and it may even be a standard produce plant gag, but, it sure stayed with me. I suppose I celebrate words each time I think of it.

As Christians, our celebration of words must include God’s Word. There are passages that can be fun (remember short Zaccheus climbing up a tree so he could see Jesus (Luke 19), or Balaam’s donkey talking to him (Numbers 22:28)). But, in our celebration, we can move far beyond fun, and we can consider the joy, thankfulness and humility that Scripture brings us.

One of my favorite verses comes when Nehemiah is encouraging the people in Jerusalem to rebuild the wall around the city. He in effect told them “Let me tell you the good things God has done to bring me to this point” – and it worked – their response was “Let us rise up and build!”.

Let’s take that verse and celebrate what God has done for us.

“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me.” Nehemiah 2:18

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalms 23:1

“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me.”

“But Noah (and we) found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:8

“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me.”

 “And she shall bring forth a Son and thou shall call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me.”

“.. so He was their Savior.  In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in his pity He redeemed them.” Isaiah 63:8-9

“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me.”

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me.”

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes..” Romans 1:16

“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me.”

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

“Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me.”

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalms 23:6

Those are the true Words we celebrate!

(Read additional blogs this month on the days listed on the right)

Connecting Our Words and Thoughts in Prayers

/ Bill Jones / 2 Comments

To-do list reminders on the back door

I use computer calendars (personal and work) to keep up with my schedule and to-do lists. However, Sharon and I have found another effective way to get specific reminders. As shown in the picture above, it’s the use of sticky notes on the back door glass.

Since tomorrow is garbage pickup, Sharon has put up the note that says “trash day”. In the morning, after I start the coffee and then head outside to feed the kittens, I should read it. If not, at some point during the morning, one of us will notice it and I’ll pull the container to the road. After that’s done, I can remove the note and put it on the counter to use again next week (may as well be frugal until the sticky wears off that one).

In case you wondered – “wasp nests” means I need to take the wasp spray out at some point because they have started several nests around the outside of the house. “Tablecloth” is a reminder to return our company’s trade show exhibit tablecloth back to the main office.

That location for the notes is effective because we both go out the door for various reasons several times a day. But, because it’s a well traveled route, it can also become routine. We can get to the point that we don’t notice the notes and what they say. We go on about our business and ignore the reminders. So, even with something right in front of our eyes, there still has to be an effort to pay attention.

That can apply in a Christian’s prayer life too. Even the wonderful example that Jesus gave His disciples of how to pray (usually referred to as “The Lord’s Prayer”) can become routine. We can repeat it by rote enough that we don’t have to think about the words. I’ve caught myself at times repeating that prayer, or saying a different prayer, while thinking about something totally different – like, “what’s for lunch?” or “it’s time for another cup of coffee”.

It’s my belief that what we’re thinking about while praying is more important than the words we’re using. As I said, there isn’t always a connection between the words and the thoughts, but there certainly needs to be. Our thoughts and words should be focused on and to God the Father, guided by the Holy Spirit, and prayed in Jesus’ name. That takes our effort to pay attention.

Sometimes Sharon and I will be talking about our back door to-do list and realize we’ve stopped paying attention – one of us will say, “I don’t remember, let me check the door” and we’ll get re-focused.

At times, we need to follow that in our prayers – Stop and take a moment to re-focus on what our objective really is.

“After this manner pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom com, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” Matt 6:9-13 KJV

Much Ado About Half of Nothing

/ Bill Jones / 4 Comments
Typebars in a 1920s typewriter

Typebars in a 1920s typewriter (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I don’t know when it happened, but somewhere along the way we lost one of the spaces after a sentence. Back in high-school typing class (yes, it was many years ago), the teacher drilled into our heads that there should be two spaces after a typed sentence. “…type, type, type, type, type, period, space, space!”

However, now I have learned that only one space is needed. As I understand, it comes with the difference between using computers/printers and typewriters. The modern combination can separate the letters depending on their width, while the outdated typewriter takes up the same width with each letter. Thus, with the typewriter, to ensure a readable width at the ends and beginnings of sentences, two spaces were necessary.

Since a space is actually nothing, we can say that now we only need half as much nothing as we did before. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.

We often hear, and say, there’s nothing to watch on TV. Having half as much nothing to watch doesn’t solve any problems. “Nothing” is the common answer to the question “Whatcha doing?” Doing half as much nothing doesn’t seem to matter one way or the other.

Perhaps Shakespeare’s play will need to be renamed “Much Ado About Half of Nothing”. And, if we’re able to do a task quickly, it may be done in “half of nothing flat”.

You get the idea – losing a space doesn’t have much serious effect. It just requires some practice to get in the habit.

But, when considering “nothing” we are given some principles to follow:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV

Nothing should interrupt the peace of God within us. In everything that happens in life, which will include trials and tribulations, Christ Jesus is with us, and we should be ever thankful for His presence and power.

 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1 Timothy 6:7 NKJV

We are not here to gather things for the sake of gathering things. (This is part of the passage including “the love of money is the root of all evil”.) Our pursuits should not be for things but, as verse 8 tells us, if we have food and clothing we should be content. Then, verse 11 spells out that our pursuits should be righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

We can pursue no thing, and we can be anxious about nothing (or half of nothing), and find the peace of God – but it’s only through His presence and power that we ever find that contentment that the human mind can’t understand.