I'm sure many heard of the snafu at the Super Bowl this year as regards the seating of certain fans. Evidently there was a section of seats that were constructed at the last minute in order to hold what they knew would be a record setting attendance due to the popularity of the two competitors; namely Pittsburgh and Green Bay. One slight oversight, however; the seats were not assembled in enough time to allow them to be properly inspected and deemed worthy. Therefore, those that were to be seated in those areas were treated to viewing the game on a big screen outside the stadium. Needless to say, this was a less than adequate compromise in the eyes of those fans.
So when the dust settled and Green Bay took the Lombardi trophy back to its new home in Green Bay, some of those displaced fans made a bee line to their local attorney to file suit. Now, one would expect them to somehow be compensated for this obvious oversight on the part of the stadium crew. And herein lies the blatant greed (my opinion). They were given tickets for next year's game, they were reimbursed for their transportation costs to this year's ill fated game, they were compensated for their hotel expenses for this year, and they were paid, in some cases, three times the face value of their tickets. Some of those tickets were valued at $900. So, what will money, or the quest for it, make us do? When someone is out nothing for travel, nothing for a hotel stay, is given a free ticket to the most coveted NFL game of the year, AND in some cases handed $2700, the quest for greenbacks will cause us to say "no" to generosity in favor of greed. Unbelievable.
But unfortunately, that's not the only thing we'll do. We'll also redefine marriage.
Yesterday's news carried the report that our present presidential administration will no longer take the side of traditional marriage being between a man and a woman. And what is one of the flash points for this decision? I quote the Wall Street Journal from Thursday, February 24, 2011:
"One of the cases that prompted the shift was filed by Edith Windsor, who sued after the federal government refused to recognize her 2007 marriage to her partner Thea Spyer. After Ms. Spyer's death, Ms. Windsor faced a $350,000 estate tax on her inheritance from her partner, a tax she wouldn't have incurred had her marriage been recognized by the federal government."
So, on account of money, we're willing to take what is clearly lined out in God's Word and decide that it's no longer applicable, as long as money's involved! In spite of the government arguing for the defense of marriage just weeks earlier, a major shift takes place largely due to money. And realistically, there is a connection here between the two cases; the Super Bowl greed and the Defense of Marriage "re-define." Greed says "God can't do enough, I've got to help him out." The re-defining of God's Word says "God doesn't understand this culture, I've got to help him out." Either way, it smacks of an arrogance that is really at the root of all sin.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
A Quick Pit Stop
I am about to show my ignorance when it comes to auto racing. I know absolutely nothing. I barely can tell you the difference between NASCAR and Hot Wheels. But I do know, from time to time, drivers must take a pit stop.
And, I've even seen, at times, drivers pull into the pit just slow enough to grab a cup of water, or Gatorade, or whatever might be in the cups, from some kind of fancy cup holder at the end of a telescopic pole, and then speed right back onto the track. My understanding is that the temperature inside those cars while wearing the kind of fireproof suits they have to wear brings about quite a thirst. If they aren't properly hydrated, they run the risk of passing out; never a good idea while driving a piece of machinery that fast!
I took a pit stop last week. I had the opportunity to attend the Desiring God for Pastors conference in Minneapolis. It was a three day conference focused solely on prayer. It featured some great speakers, great times of worship, and, for me personally, a great pit stop.
If you're like me, life tends to move, at times, at breakneck speed. And, like the race car drivers, some of that moving is around and around to the point of near dizziness. And, especially in the ministry where we are giving out so much of the time, it is easy to become spiritually dehydrated. But that condition is not something that only affects pastors. It can happen to anyone who is in a position of giving out; parents, students, spouses, employees, you name it. So let me ask you a somewhat pointed question; "Are you in need of a pit stop?"
I think the most logical analogy to the pit stop is that daily time with God. Are you setting aside time to be refreshed? Maybe, with your particular schedule, you aren't able to pull off the track for very long (to press the analogy) but only are able to slow enough to grab the cup of Gatorade off the pole. Or, maybe your time does allow for longer stops; to actually fuel up, even change the oil perhaps.
I have found that the most helpful tool in enabling that kind of time to occur is to budget for it. For me, it begins the night before with getting to bed at a reasonable time. My most productive time is early morning. It might not be the same for you. But the one need that is universal is to come and drink from the source of Living Water; Jesus. One of the speakers at this conference said the following: When we take hold of God, He takes hold of us. Are you overdue? Why not put on your blinker, slow down, and pull in!
And, I've even seen, at times, drivers pull into the pit just slow enough to grab a cup of water, or Gatorade, or whatever might be in the cups, from some kind of fancy cup holder at the end of a telescopic pole, and then speed right back onto the track. My understanding is that the temperature inside those cars while wearing the kind of fireproof suits they have to wear brings about quite a thirst. If they aren't properly hydrated, they run the risk of passing out; never a good idea while driving a piece of machinery that fast!
I took a pit stop last week. I had the opportunity to attend the Desiring God for Pastors conference in Minneapolis. It was a three day conference focused solely on prayer. It featured some great speakers, great times of worship, and, for me personally, a great pit stop.
If you're like me, life tends to move, at times, at breakneck speed. And, like the race car drivers, some of that moving is around and around to the point of near dizziness. And, especially in the ministry where we are giving out so much of the time, it is easy to become spiritually dehydrated. But that condition is not something that only affects pastors. It can happen to anyone who is in a position of giving out; parents, students, spouses, employees, you name it. So let me ask you a somewhat pointed question; "Are you in need of a pit stop?"
I think the most logical analogy to the pit stop is that daily time with God. Are you setting aside time to be refreshed? Maybe, with your particular schedule, you aren't able to pull off the track for very long (to press the analogy) but only are able to slow enough to grab the cup of Gatorade off the pole. Or, maybe your time does allow for longer stops; to actually fuel up, even change the oil perhaps.
I have found that the most helpful tool in enabling that kind of time to occur is to budget for it. For me, it begins the night before with getting to bed at a reasonable time. My most productive time is early morning. It might not be the same for you. But the one need that is universal is to come and drink from the source of Living Water; Jesus. One of the speakers at this conference said the following: When we take hold of God, He takes hold of us. Are you overdue? Why not put on your blinker, slow down, and pull in!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)