Certainties
We're preparing for our study of the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren for the next 40 days here at New Hope, and in my reading I came across this quote from Nobel prize winning physicist Richard Feynman.
I have approximate answers and possible beliefs and different degrees of certainty about different things, but I'm not absolutely sure of anything, and many things I don't know anything about, such as whether it means anything to ask why we're here, and what the question might mean. I might think about it a little bit, but if I can't figure it out, then I go on to something else. But I don't have to know an answer... I don't feel frightened by not knowing things, by being lost in the mysterious universe without having any purpose, which is the way it really is, as far as I can tell, possibly. It doesn't frighten me.
A brilliant man who when faced with the question of "What On Earth Am I Here For" reacted as the woman in Kansas had a few years back when she went out on the front porch, saw a tornado coming dead for her. She went back inside, closed the door and locked it.
Who was she fooling? She wasn't secure. Who was Feynman fooling? He was frightened.
Friends, here's the great certainty. Write it down. Impress it upon your children.
It's not about you.
Col. 1:16 (Msg)
For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible...
— everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him.
It's about God.
Until you grapple with God, you'll never really grip life.
Until your life is in His hands - it will never be secure.
Until you know God, though you may be brilliant in all matter of earthly things, you'll never have true understanding.
It's not about you. It's about Him. And I've got great news.
It makes no difference who you are or where you're from—if you want God and are ready to do as He says, the door is open. Acts 10:35 (Msg)
That is up to you. Unending love awaits if you'll walk through that door.
Of that I am certain.
Grace!
David
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
Friday, April 23, 2004
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Knowing and Loving
Carol Stoy came by my office yesterday with a watering can in one hand and a flower flat in the other. Carol is a lover of plants. When we were talking about the church's grounds, her own home, and other yards and gardens here, her eyes sparkled and it was so obvious to me that she not only knew a lot about plants - but she loved them.
My son Sean and I were talking guitars the other night while we were in our computer room at home. He was just sitting on the floor playing my old acoustic in a way its owner never could. I asked him about a particular type of guitar, and his voice lifted as he told me about the differences in the shapes of the necks, the pickups, and even the wood the guitar was made of. Pretty obvious he's got encyclopedic knowledge of guitars - and loves them.
Since I hang around churches a lot, pretty frequently I bump into people who really know the Bible. In conversation, they will bring up certain issues that fascinate them, and drop tons of references as to why this point couldn't be this way, or how this issue has to turn out that way. They get excited over their love for the Bible.
But sometimes..
Unlike Carol, whose love of plants and knowledge of them translates into care for them. And unlike Sean whose love of guitars and knowledge of them is shown by the music he plays with them.
Sometimes those who know the most about the Bible, live it the least.
How can that happen?
Because it's not about what - it's about Who. The Bible - the Word - is living.
In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and He was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 He created everything there is. Nothing exists that He didn't make.
4 Life itself was in Him, and this life gives light to everyone.
John 1:2-4 (NLT)
If you love the Bible, know the Bible, but never translate it through your life into love for God - wholehearted, give Him everything love - and love for people - light for everyone...
Then you missed the point. It's not about what. It's always about Who.
Oh, and it's never about you.
Grace!
David Wilson
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
Carol Stoy came by my office yesterday with a watering can in one hand and a flower flat in the other. Carol is a lover of plants. When we were talking about the church's grounds, her own home, and other yards and gardens here, her eyes sparkled and it was so obvious to me that she not only knew a lot about plants - but she loved them.
My son Sean and I were talking guitars the other night while we were in our computer room at home. He was just sitting on the floor playing my old acoustic in a way its owner never could. I asked him about a particular type of guitar, and his voice lifted as he told me about the differences in the shapes of the necks, the pickups, and even the wood the guitar was made of. Pretty obvious he's got encyclopedic knowledge of guitars - and loves them.
Since I hang around churches a lot, pretty frequently I bump into people who really know the Bible. In conversation, they will bring up certain issues that fascinate them, and drop tons of references as to why this point couldn't be this way, or how this issue has to turn out that way. They get excited over their love for the Bible.
But sometimes..
Unlike Carol, whose love of plants and knowledge of them translates into care for them. And unlike Sean whose love of guitars and knowledge of them is shown by the music he plays with them.
Sometimes those who know the most about the Bible, live it the least.
How can that happen?
Because it's not about what - it's about Who. The Bible - the Word - is living.
In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and He was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 He created everything there is. Nothing exists that He didn't make.
4 Life itself was in Him, and this life gives light to everyone.
John 1:2-4 (NLT)
If you love the Bible, know the Bible, but never translate it through your life into love for God - wholehearted, give Him everything love - and love for people - light for everyone...
Then you missed the point. It's not about what. It's always about Who.
Oh, and it's never about you.
Grace!
David Wilson
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
A Handful of Feathers and a Heartful of Hope
1 Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are His dear children.
2 Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave Himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. Eph 5:1-2 (NLT)
Last week I wrote about the efforts of a group of mockingbirds to save one of their own. The next day when I came to church, I was still smiling over how good had triumphed. Then I saw them. in the corner of our walkway, I saw a handful of feathers streaked with blood. They weren't full size. My heart sank when I realized that clearly, one of the fledglings didn't make it.
It bothered me. Maybe it shouldn't have, but it did.
Oh I know that's the way the world works. I'm not so naive as to believe that the Italian Sausage I ate with my spaghetti tonight was picked off a bush. Animals die, some as a result of other creature's needs.
But I thought I had made a difference, and it didn't seem like I had.
Sunday though, one of our members did. Seeing another fledgling in trouble, lying on its side on the concrete outside our buildings, she scooped it up and took it to an emergency vet. After an unfortunate incident with another patient (a cat), I can report that at least one of the fledglings will make it to adulthood.
Friends, that made me smile. If enough people do enough acts of simple kindness, we can change things. Yes, this world is tough - hard - cruel. But hearing about how the Edwards family saved that little bird replaced the image of a handful of feathers with a heart full of hope. They made a difference.
You may be wondering right now if you've done anything right. People you've poured your life out for just haven't turned out as well as you've hoped. You tried, and failure seems to be staring back at you like a handful of feathers.
Well friend, I am here to tell you that no act of kindness is ever wasted - regardless of whether the person you give it to returns it in kind. If Christ had not had the attitude of loving sacrifice for the undeserving, and the potentially rejecting people we are - where would we be?
But He did love the unlovely, even knowing many would fail to love Him back. And for me, He's made all the difference in this world - and the next. :) That gives me a heartful of hope. And a reason to keep trying to help as many as I can.
Make a difference! Follow Christ's example and live a life of love.
Grace!
David Wilson
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
1 Follow God's example in everything you do, because you are His dear children.
2 Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave Himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. Eph 5:1-2 (NLT)
Last week I wrote about the efforts of a group of mockingbirds to save one of their own. The next day when I came to church, I was still smiling over how good had triumphed. Then I saw them. in the corner of our walkway, I saw a handful of feathers streaked with blood. They weren't full size. My heart sank when I realized that clearly, one of the fledglings didn't make it.
It bothered me. Maybe it shouldn't have, but it did.
Oh I know that's the way the world works. I'm not so naive as to believe that the Italian Sausage I ate with my spaghetti tonight was picked off a bush. Animals die, some as a result of other creature's needs.
But I thought I had made a difference, and it didn't seem like I had.
Sunday though, one of our members did. Seeing another fledgling in trouble, lying on its side on the concrete outside our buildings, she scooped it up and took it to an emergency vet. After an unfortunate incident with another patient (a cat), I can report that at least one of the fledglings will make it to adulthood.
Friends, that made me smile. If enough people do enough acts of simple kindness, we can change things. Yes, this world is tough - hard - cruel. But hearing about how the Edwards family saved that little bird replaced the image of a handful of feathers with a heart full of hope. They made a difference.
You may be wondering right now if you've done anything right. People you've poured your life out for just haven't turned out as well as you've hoped. You tried, and failure seems to be staring back at you like a handful of feathers.
Well friend, I am here to tell you that no act of kindness is ever wasted - regardless of whether the person you give it to returns it in kind. If Christ had not had the attitude of loving sacrifice for the undeserving, and the potentially rejecting people we are - where would we be?
But He did love the unlovely, even knowing many would fail to love Him back. And for me, He's made all the difference in this world - and the next. :) That gives me a heartful of hope. And a reason to keep trying to help as many as I can.
Make a difference! Follow Christ's example and live a life of love.
Grace!
David Wilson
This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.
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