Wonderfully made

by Pastor Tom

“For you did form my inward parts. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for you are fearful and wonderful. Wonderful are your works!”

-Psalm 139:13-14

Every now and then I make an attempt at woodworking. Typically, I get an idea in my head for some amazing creation, and then think about it for a while. My last project consisted of a box-type, framed shelf to fill a hole in the wall in the bathroom where an old, rusty medicine cabinet had been.

I began with some precision measuring. I tend to cut a piece of wood over and over, only to discover that it’s still too short (an old carpenter’s line). Anyway, I cut the wood and formed the box with shelves, then glued and nailed it together. So far, so good. To trim the unit, I had to cut out a frame, and that involved angles, which also involved complicated mathematical computations. Well, they were complicated for me. After cutting the pieces, I was delighted, and somewhat surprised, to find that they fit together really well. I then installed this magnificent creation and carefully applied a coat of paint. The grand finale came when I was able to show off the finished product to my wife, who promptly told me that it was perhaps the greatest woodworking project of all time. I frequently drag house guests down the hall and into the bathroom so that they, too, can be dazzled by my woodworking wizardry.

It’s really great to conceive an idea, plan a project, and carry it out to a successful conclusion. I think creativity is something we get from God because God is creative, and opportunities to be creative are to be embraced whenever possible. They provide us with reward and satisfaction, and also are a great blessing to others.

Well, let me ask you a question. What do you think God had on his mind the day he created you? Really, what was he thinking? Were you just an afterthought? Did God design you and create you for, well, no good reason? Did God finish putting you together and then think, “Hmm, that’s nothing special.”

I’m pretty sure that God was thinking some beautiful, wonderful things about you as he formed you in your mother’s womb. God knew of your potential as he designed the miraculous creation that would be you. There would be no other like you in all of human history. All of God’s works are wonderful, and you are one of God’s works.

It’s really something to produce a wonderful creation. And, if we take time to think about it, it’s really something to be one.

The best defense

by Pastor Tom

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16:8

I’m sorry I can’t remember the exact source for this story, but a while back I read a magazine article about when Mike Kollin was a linebacker for the Dolphins and a graduate of Auburn University. His former college coach, Shrug Jordan, asked him if he would do some recruiting for him. Mike said, “Sure, Coach. What kind of player are you looking for?”

Coach Jordan said, “Well, Mike, you know there’s that fellow, you knock him down and he just stays down.” Mike said, “We don’t want him, do we Coach?”

“No, that’s right. Then there’s that fellow, you knock him down and he gets back up, but you knock him down again and he stays down.” Mike answered, “We don’t want him either, do we Coach?”

Coach Jordan said, “No, Mike, we don’t want him either. But then, there’s the fellow, you knock him down, and he gets up. You knock him down again and he gets up again. Knock him down again, and he gets up again. You keep knocking him down, and he keeps getting up.” Mike said, “That’s the guy we want, isn’t it, Coach?”

The coach answered, “No, Mike, we don’t want him either. I want you to find the guy who’s knocking everybody down. That’s the guy we want.”

It’s always a great thing to have a good defense. But it’s the offense that scores the points.

Sadly, a lot of what we Christians do is defense. We hunker down in our churches and whine about how bad things are. We hide out and pout. We ask for God’s protection, and then are surprised when the problems we never really did anything about come knocking on our door.

Following Christ means a lot more that being able to get back up when we’re down. It also involves some knocking down type activity. When Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church, he was most certainly assuming that the church will do more than sit on the bench.

The problems facing our community will never go away on their own. We should get on the offensive, which by the way doesn’t mean that we are to be offensive. It means that we will act to score some points against the violence and other plagues working full-time to destroy families and neighborhoods. Certainly, we need to pray, and we need to put feet on those prayers.

There are many things we can do. We need to get to know our neighbors again. We need to be involved in community efforts. We need to support our elected officials and leaders. We need to be willing to mentor our young people and provide active role models. We need to get out of the pew and into the stew.

We can begin by believing that there are answers to our problems, and that God will help us solve them if we are willing to be used to that end. And then, we need to begin moving toward the goal.

EYES OF LOVE

by Pastor Tom

“Above all hold, unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.”
-1 Peter 4:8

I had three sets of grandparents when I was growing up, and I never really thought it was unusual. Without going into the how’s and why’s of it, I believe it turned out to be a very special blessing in my life.

My step-grandpa was named Tullah. He was a very talented and gifted woodworker, carpenter, cabinetmaker; an artist, really. With the ability to create intricate inlaid furniture as well as design full-sized buildings (he drew and built several beautiful churches), he constantly turned out unbelievable masterpieces. The things that man could do with a piece of wood!

As I grew up, I watched Grandpa build, piece by piece, year by year, a unique house he had designed. He did it all by himself, in the evenings and on weekends, with the occasional help of my Dad, while his family lived in a one room building he had constructed. He even hand-faced the stone that made up the front facade.

I loved building model cars when I was a kid, and once Grandpa built a scale-sized car dealership for my room, complete with showroom, operating glass doors and a service center in the back. He played guitar and sang crazy songs, had served in the trenches of WW1, and was a Christian fellow who could have written the book on courtesy.

The last summer of his life, I spent a lot of time with him on his eight acre property and was then old enough to really get to know him and to love him a lot. When he died, everyone in our family cried and cried.

We had a picture of Grandpa in our living room. One day, a visiting buddy of mine picked it up and asked me who it was. After I told him, he asked, “What’s wrong with his face?” Wondering what in the world he was talking about, I walked over and took the picture from his hand. When I saw it, I remembered. Grandpa had a large, very prominent red birthmark covering half of his face. It seemed so strange. I certainly knew it was there, but it was as if I had never seen that birthmark before.

Eventually, I figured it out. My friend never had the opportunity to know and then come to love my Grandpa. If he had, he wouldn’t have noticed it either, because love makes things like that invisible.

IT’S RIGHT TO RESPECT

by Pastor Tom

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for any honest work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all.” -Titus 3:1-2

I can remember coming home from school one day, enraged that I had received detention for an entire week for something I had not done. I argued my case with Dad, urging him to go to school and have a little sit-down with that poor excuse for a teacher who had so violated my rights and dealt me such an injustice. Finally, Dad agreed to miss a couple hours of work the next day and go speak with the teacher on my behalf. I was elated. Yep, the Old Man would make quick work of that guy, and I could forget about a week of detention.

The next evening, I eagerly waited for Dad to arrive home from work. I wanted all the details. I wanted to hear just how that teacher had been put in his place. Finally, Dad showed up. “Well, Pappy, did you talk to that teacher,” I asked. “I certainly did, son,” he said, “and I’m completely convinced that you were indeed innocent.” I said, “Hey, that’s great! Now I won’t have to take a week’s detention.” And then, Dad said, “No, son, you won’t have to take a week’s detention.

Now, you’re going to have two week’s detention.” Needless to say, I was a bit confused. “But Dad,” I protested, “you just said you knew that I didn’t do what I was accused of doing!” “That’s right,” he said, “but you didn’t tell me the whole story. During your encounter with that teacher, you were rude. You talked back. You were disrespectful. You failed to conduct yourself in a manner that acknowledged the teacher’s authority. Even though the teacher may have been wrong, he was still the teacher, and you were still the student. The moment you thought your rights came before your responsibilities, you lost them. In the morning, you’ll go apologize to the teacher, and you’ll take the detention and feel darned lucky that it’s not any worse.”

I didn’t like it one bit. Now, I had two weeks of detention for something I hadn’t done. I had already told all my friends how my Dad was going to come to school and set that teacher straight. This whole thing had gone terribly wrong.

Well, the next morning I went and apologized to the teacher. Surprisingly, it was a pretty good encounter. Eventually, I ended up in one of his classes. He turned out to be a great teacher. And, I must say, this whole episode turned out to be, for me, a pretty good lesson on the importance of respect and courtesy.

I am praying for all the students and teachers who are just beginning another school year. I pray patience and wisdom for the teachers. I pray an eagerness to learn for all the students. And I pray that all of us will know as much as my Dad knew about honoring and respecting those who have been called to teach.

The Truth Hurts

by Pastor Tom

“But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me. Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell you the truth, why do you not believe me?” -John 8:45-47

According to some pretty reliable polls, only about ten percent of Americans think political candidates regularly tell the truth. That means ninety percent feel that they just say what voters want to hear. Why is that? Well, politicians lie because voters tend to demand lies rather than the truth.

We live in a pretty deceptive society. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that odometers get rolled back an average of 30,000 miles on about three millions vehicles a year, cheating consumers out of around $1,000 a car. One or every eight restaurant checks is computed incorrectly, the majority of which add up to overcharges. Ten thousand people in the United States are suspected of practicing medicine with a bogus medical degree. Many doctors with valid credentials, when polled, admit to cheating on medical exams. That really official looking manila envelope you received not long ago in the mail that you felt compelled to open because it must have certainly contained some important governmental information ended up containing some half-witted sales scheme from a local car dealer. But you weren’t surprised.

We’ve come to expect as much from car companies. Remember that fine Corinthian leather Ricardo Montalban told us about? Not really from Corinth. It was just a label dreamed up by the Chrysler marketing department.

Then, there are those little lies we hear and tell every day; “I’ll just be a minute.” – “Let’s get together for lunch. I’ll give you a call.” – “Everything’s fixed.” – “I’ll get this book back to you as soon as I’ve finished reading it.” – “The check is in the mail.” – “The doctor will be with you shortly.” – “This will only hurt a little.” – “There’s absolutely no obligation.” – “And if elected, I will…….”

The next time we gripe about our politicians and their inability to be truthful, we should think again. They’re just doing what we’ve asked them to do. We don’t respond well to the truth and rarely want to hear it. We don’t want some politician telling us that the biggest problem with America is directly connected to our shabby, shoddy, apathetic lifestyle. We would rather make believe that they can fix everything for us and we can just all stay as we are.

Jesus got himself into some real trouble, not because he made promises he couldn’t keep or metered his comments according to the polls. He got into trouble because he told the truth. He challenged our false assumptions. He told us plainly to get our lives in order. It didn’t go over well, and it still doesn’t. Sinful human beings are quite comfortable in a world of untruths.
If you want real change, then look to Christ. He is the way, and the truth, and the life.

Sometimes, the truth hurts, but the truth leads to real change and to healing.

Left Behind

by Pastor Tom

“For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.” -Acts 8:7-8

Human beings have only been exploring outer space since the Russians managed to place the satellite Sputnik in orbit on October 4th of 1957. However, in that short span of time, human beings have managed to create a huge supply of space garbage.

Thousands of fragments larger than an inch, and somewhere between ten billion and thousands of trillions of microscopic pieces of debris are now floating around our solar system neighborhood. Some chunks of space trash are as big as a truck, or even a small apartment building.

Space garbage is created when certain rocket components are spent, waste material is ejected, tools get away, things come loose and, on occasion when secret military satellites are blown up to avoid having them fall into enemy hands. The Russians tended to do just that for a good number of years.

Some space garbage is almost famous. The Gemini 4 crew had a glove float away during the very first space walk in history. Michael Collins lost a camera during the Gemini 10 mission. The lunar module, normally left to crash on the moon, for the failed Apollo 13 flight came back with them and is still up there flying around the earth, along with bag after bag of refuse tossed from various Soviet space stations.

Both Venus and Mars now have little piles of our junk littering their surfaces, and the moon has in excess of 20 tons of garbage lying around. Just a couple of jaunts to the moon, and already there are several junk cars (moon buggies), satellite parts, experimental equipment, abandoned lunar landing craft and the wreckage of several lunar modules, which in short order plummet to the surface after we leave without the benefit of an atmosphere to burn them up. There are even some golf balls up there, cameras, and a host of refuse that would make any landfill proud.

When we humans go somewhere, we always leave something behind. Normally, what we leave is a mess. It seems to be our nature to interrupt, deface, pollute, defile and in some cases even destroy. I suppose it happens so naturally in outer space because we’ve practiced it for so long here on earth.

It doesn’t have to be that way. In the book of Acts, we read about some people who always left something good behind. The believers we read about left deliverance, healing and joy.

Some people walk into a room and don’t leave very much in the way of good after they’re gone.

But, look on the bright side. At least they’re gone. On the other hand, some people bring a lot of love and joy with them when they come, and it tends to hang around for a while after they leave. Thank God for those who leave the joy.

Tick, Tick, Tick

by Pastor Tom

“We are afflicted in every way, but no crushed, perplexed, but not driven to despair, persecuted, but no forsaken, struck down, but not destroyed, always carrying in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” -2 Corinthians 4:8-10

There used to be a fellow on television all the time named John Cameron Swayze. He didn’t have a television show that I know of, but he did do a lot of commercials for Timex watches. The Timex watch came out in 1946 and it sold for $6.95, which even back in those days was pretty inexpensive for a watch. The combination of low price, reliability and a great advertising campaign let to incredible sales.

The commercials all had pretty much the same theme. A Timex watch would be severely punished in some impressive demonstration. Once, one was secured to an outboard motor propeller. In another ad, they strapped one to the leg of a race horse. They did dozens of horrific things to those watches. At the end of the commercial, they would retrieve the watch and then hold it before the camera. Lo and behold, the watch still worked. Mr. Swayze would then boldly proclaim, “It takes a licking and keeps on ticking!”

Everybody kind of hoped that just once, the watch would fail the test. Finally, in one commercial, just to show that the Timex people had a sense of humor, they placed a watch on the ground and had an elephant step on it. When they retrieved the watch it was smashed to pieces. It was a great bit, and probably did as much to endear their product to consumers as any of the other commercials.

The Timex watch was, and I suppose still is, a great product. Everybody could afford to own one. It did its job very well, and it could take a real pounding and continue to be reliable. Paul and his fellow disciples in the New Testament were much the same. They were afflicted, perplexed, persecuted and struck down. But they plowed ahead. Their attitude and outlook remained positive. They could still be counted upon. They weren’t wimps. They weren’t crybabies. They didn’t run home with their tails between their legs when things got difficult.

They didn’t start whining and making excuses. They kept on keeping on.

I pray that we can be as reliable. It seems today that so many are ready to throw in the towel at the first sign of adversity. This happened. That happened. So and so said this. So and so did that. They’re discouraged, destroyed, wiped out, finished. Too bad. Too sad!

For those of us who claim the name of Jesus, and have a call upon our lives to serve God and others, may it be said of us, “They took a licking, and kept on ticking.”

WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES

by Pastor Tom

“In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” -Ephesians 1:13-14

I was delighted to return from a trip out of the country to find that we have finally received some much needed rain during this past week. And, along with the rain comes the lightning. Not far from here, in a 60 mile wide path that cuts across the state down around Tampa, known as “Lightning Alley,” lightning strikes occur more than 90 days each year. Of the 40 million strikes per year in the United States, 400 actually hit people. Half of them die as a result, and the majority of those deaths happen in Lightning Alley. The most dangerous spots, by the way, tend to be grocery store parking lots.

It’s true that one of the safest places to be in a lightning storm is an automobile. Contrary to what most folks think, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the rubber tires. The real reason that most cars are safe is because they have metal bodies. They do indeed get struck by lightning from time to time, but the metal body of a car acts as a Faraday Cage. The electrical charge of the strike is dispersed around the body and remains on the outside of the car. Those inside are kept neutral and perfectly safe.

People should be aware of the fact that convertibles and cars with plastic bodies also get struck with lightning on occasion, but offer no electrical protection for the occupants. These types of cars might look a lot like other cars, but without the metal cage surrounding the people inside, there’s no protection from a sudden strike.

Lightning has incredible power. It’s is kind of comforting to think that, while in your car, lightning could literally crash down on you, and you’d be snug as a bug in a rug. It would sizzle and crash and flash all around you with no ill effects. It makes me think of what Paul says about the way we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Those who have heard the word of truth and believed have this amazing shield of protection all around them. Nothing will have the power to come along and blast them out of God’s kingdom. The Holy Spirit will keep and protect them until the day comes when they can acquire personal possession of the eternal life that Christ won for them on the cross. Amazing!

Cars and religious systems share something in common. From the outside, they might look a lot alike, but there are some models that offer no real protection at all to those inside, and they may never know until lightning strikes.

Fountain of Youth

by Pastor Tom

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” -Psalm 103, 2-5

It’s going on five hundred years ago that a Spanish fellow named Ponce de Leon landed on a strip of Florida beach just a few miles south of where we live here in Jacksonville. The locals weren’t all that crazy about his appearing and they were pretty crafty individuals, so they made up a story about a fountain of youth. Quickly, old Ponce and his men took off through the swamps and the scrubs hunting for it, just as the natives knew he would. Who could resist? What he found was bugs and snakes and heat and a bunch of misery while he continued to grow old in the process.

It’s ironic that the land of the fountain of youth has the highest median age of any state in the nation. And quite a few of us are still searching for that magical thing that will ward off the aging process. Workouts, hair dye, face lifts, health food and gallons of Oil of Olay are just a few of the things we try in order to avoid the inevitable effects of aging.

I’m getting to the point where I think about it every now and then, particularly when I take a look into the mirror. I could try some new hair or some such thing, but it’s not likely.


Over the years, I’ve been watching people age and I know a lot of folks who have quite a few years on them. I’ve been convinced that the youngest “oldsters” I know are the ones who not only have a strong faith in God, but also an active interest in serving others. It’s not surprising.

Statistics bear out the fact that active church members enjoy a healthier and higher life expectancy than others. Regardless of age, the people I know who are out of touch with God in their lives and more interested in themselves than anything else seem to act the oldest.

We didn’t really need modern statistics to figure all this out. It’s been in the Bible all along. While it’s true that the body will ultimately manifest the effects of time, our minds and our spirits can be renewed by the power of our relationship with God. The Lord designed us not simply to grow old, but to grow up, higher and higher, into a greater likeness of his Son, and into an experience with life that is constantly renewed.

As it says in Proverbs 14:27, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life!”

Sixth Month, Sixth Day, Sixth Year

By Pastor Tom Fuller, Lake Shore United Methodist Church, Jacksonville, Florida, USA (our beloved pastor from our home church!)

“This calls for wisdom: let him who has understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six hundred and sixty six.”

-Revelation 13:18

Some numbers are more famous, or perhaps infamous, than others, and for a variety of reasons. Many consider the number seven to be lucky. And everyone knows about the number thirteen. Just this past week, I was riding an elevator in a twenty story building that curiously had no thirteenth floor. Of course it really did have one, even if it was marked as fourteen. And the number thirteen is particularly troublesome if it happens to fall on Friday.

The Bible has several prominent numbers that pop up repeatedly, and seem to have significance beyond simple math. One of those numbers is twelve, from the twelve tribes of Israel to the twelve apostles, and at least twelve dozen more in between. The number forty is another. It rained for forty days and nights during the great flood. The children of Israel wandered in the desert for forty years, on a journey to the promised land that would typically take eleven days on foot. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness for forty days, and he also appeared after his resurrection for forty days. The number three, in addition to its association with the trinity and the three days between the death of Jesus and his resurrection, shows up in the Bible well over four hundred times.

But hands down, the most famous biblical number has to be six hundred and sixty six. Just the sight of “666” tattooed on somebody’s arm or printed on a black t-shirt or perhaps spotted on a movie poster is enough to elicit visions of devils and demons and all kinds of evil. Not long ago, I made a purchase in a local convenience store, and my total came out to be $6.66. The poor cashier suddenly had a look of horror come over her face. She said, “Oh my goodness, six, six, six! Do you want to buy something else?” I said, “No, that will be fine,” and just for fun gave her the best sinister stare I could muster. This week, we will see the arrival of the sixth day of the sixth month in the sixth year of this century. Who knows what evil will rear its ugly head on such a day!

Actually, the number 666 is not presented in the Bible as evil in and of itself, although it is no doubt an important and revealing number. When the Bible was written, numbers did not as yet have their own symbols. Various letters of the alphabet were assigned numerical value. Most of us are quite familiar with Roman numerals, which are letters of the Latin alphabet that have numerical value. Greek, the language John used to record his Revelation, also had numbers assigned to the letters. It was revealed to John that the numerical value of the letters of the name of the beast in his vision, when added together, would total six hundred and sixty six. This beast is undoubtedly an evil and violent deceiver who stands in opposition to God and everything good. The number of his name, on the other hand, is presented as a code provided for the benefit of the people of God.

John made it a point in this chapter of his Revelation (can you believe it, chapter 13?) to call for the use of wisdom in regard to this particular prophecy. To a large degree, his plea has been ignored. Over all however, the message is clear. The path of sinful human history will lead to catastrophe, but to those who receive Christ and are faithful to his gospel, there will be salvation and deliverance.

We never know what a day may bring, and in that regard, June 6, 2006 is certainly like any other day. The most significant day for any of us is today, because this is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice, and be glad in it.

Toxic Fruit

by Pastor Tom

“But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissentions and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful. He is self-condemned.” -Titus 3:9-10

On September 26, 1830, a man named Col. Robert Gibbon Johnson stood on the courthouse steps in Salem, Massachusetts before a crowd of several hundred cheering spectators as he held a basket of potentially toxic fruit. Despite warnings that the fruit, if consumed, would turn his blood to acid, he announced that he was going to eat the entire basket.

His own doctor, who stood among the other spectators, shouted out that if the Colonel was foolish enough to carry on with his plans, he would foam at the mouth, develop an instant brain fever, and drop dead. Johnson, however, dressed in black, did indeed eat the entire basket filled with fruit, and he survived!

He not only survived, but showed not a single ill effect. The “toxic” fruit contained in the Colonel’s basket was none other than the tomato. For many years, dire warnings about the poisonous quality of the tomato had been universally accepted. Thanks to the brave actions of the Colonel and a number of others, today we regularly enjoy the flavor and health benefits of the tomato. Where would the world be without the BLT?

A lot of grave warnings about all kinds of things have in time been demonstrated false. It was commonly believed for a time that any human being moving at a speed in excess of 35 miles per hour would instantly die. And most of us can still remember all those warnings about Y2K.

Although some warnings are bogus, we should not become numb to all of them. There are some very destructive things out there. When Paul writes to his friend Titus, he delivers a warning that should certainly be heeded by all who are members of the family of God. It has to do with individuals who have slipped into the practice of constant controversy and criticism. For some reason, these people have developed a pattern of never-ending nit-picking. For such people, life is a succession of problems and dilemmas. Their negative attitude is infections. If left unchecked, the church goes nowhere. If it was up to them, we never even would have had the tomato!

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

by Rev. Thomas R. Fuller

“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?” -Proverbs 1:22

I have an old telephone in my house that is commonly called a “candlestick” model. The base features a rotary dial, and the receiver is mounted on top of a column. The speaker hangs on the side, and to use it, one generally has to hold the phone in one hand and the receiver in the other. Believe it or not, it still works. Every now and then, just for old time’s sake, I place a call on this phone. It’s fun to hear that old rotary dial click out each number.

Back in 1963, AT&T introduced the Touch-Tone telephone. It didn’t take long for a nation obsessed with push-button convenience to warm up to the new thing. It was said that to dial a seven digit number on a rotary phone took an average of ten seconds, but only five seconds on the new push-button variety.

Our family was very excited with our first push-button phone. In short order, we were punching out numbers at lightning speed! Back then, each button created a different tone, and before long we were calling friends and irritating them with push-button renditions of our favorite songs. At one time, I even had a push-button phone songbook.

Well, if only we would have known then just where all this push-button convenience would lead. Now, thanks to push-buttons, we never have to actually connect with a live human being when we call a business or agency. Instead, we get a recording that tells us to push more buttons, offering us a myriad of options that have nothing to do with what we really need. We end up stuck on the phone forever, pushing one button after another, with a good chance of eventually slamming the phone down in disgust. But, we should remember that, on the average, it only took us five seconds to dial the initial number, instead of the previous ten it took back in the old days when we actually connected immediately with a helpful, living person. Boy oh boy, aren’t we smart?

I’m not really against technology or opposed to progress. Actually, in a lot of ways it’s great. But, more and more, as our technology gets increasingly complex, I think we tend to get increasingly simple. We don’t think things through. We don’t look at the whole picture. We accept everything. We don’t evaluate much. Overall, it seems to me that we are not really doing a better job at anything. And thanks to technology, we can be stupid a whole lot faster.

The Book of Proverbs in the Bible was written, “That men may know wisdom and instruction, understand words of insight, and receive instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice and equity” (Proverbs 1:2-3). Psalm 111:10 tells us that, “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.” Is it any wonder that, as our nations falls away from God, and in spite of all the technological advances, America seems to be in the process of “dumbing down?”

There is no push-button device that can make us smart. Our technology creates as many problems as it solves. Wisdom comes from God, and those who desire to be wise will seek him.

The Real Picture

by Rev. Thomas R. Fuller

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood.” -1 Corinthians 13:12

Although people have seen themselves reflected in water since the beginning of time, they haven’t had the benefit of viewing themselves in all their glory in what we would call a mirror until recent history. Early attempts at making mirrors have been mentioned in the Bible and in ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman literature, but generally these devices were made out of polished brass or bronze. The medium, as well as the primitive polishing techniques, were never able to produce a very clear reflection.

The earliest glass mirrors, backed with shiny metal, appeared in Italy during the fourteenth century. The original process for creating a glass mirror was to coat one side of the glass with mercury and polished tin foil. But the process for creating what we would call a genuine glass mirror was perfected by a German chemist in 1835 named Justus von Liebig. His process consisted of pouring ammonia and silver on a sheet of clear glass, and then adding formaldehyde, which produce an incredibly shiny surface that reflected light with great clarity. For many years, all mirrors were produced using this process.

Today, of course, there are many materials and processes used in making mirrors, and the expensive ones are of very high quality. Sometimes, when I catch my reflection in a mirror, particularly the full-length variety, I wish they weren’t so clear.

When Paul wrote about seeing himself in a mirror, he didn’t have the benefit of a clear one. When he saw his reflection, a lot of details weren’t very visible. His reflection was hazy and out of focus. Try as he might, he just couldn’t make everything out. He could never get much better than a fuzzy, distorted picture of himself.

That didn’t worry or upset Paul, because he knew that some day, the perfect would come. Knowledge would be complete. He would see Jesus, not through the eyes of faith, but face to face. On that day, he would understand. He would see things, for the very first time, with complete clarity.

In our own day, we have the benefit of seeing ourselves clearly reflected physically, and maybe that’s why we are so consumed with our appearance. But we have the same problem Paul had when it comes to knowing ourselves. Our self-perception doesn’t always jive with reality.

Perhaps a mirror is not the best tool for knowing one’s self. Generally, our encounters with mirrors reflect only our own face. Maybe we need to look at more of the faces around us. This week, I have had the image of a beautiful, young girl in my mind. Even though I have never met this girl, her image is so very clear that it’s breaking my heart.

You see, this young, beautiful girl was murdered this past week in our city as she sat reading in her own home. She was yet another innocent victim of the senseless violence that has become a common part of everyday life in Jacksonville.

Her image in my mind reveals more about who I am and who we are than a glimpse of my own sorry face in a mirror. It’s a picture that I would rather not see, but it’s the real picture. And maybe, if we can begin to see ourselves as we really are, we can work on being transformed into the kind of people we’ve thought we were all along.

Enduring Love

by Rev. Thomas R. Fuller

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

I’ll never forget my first encounter with diaper changing. Our brand new baby girl had just been home from the hospital for a couple of days and Cindy thought I was ready to take care of her all by myself. Since I had taken the time to carefully study a number of baby books, I was filled with confidence in my baby managing skills. And, considering the fact that Cindy was only going to be away for about an hour, I anticipated a delightful, special moment between father and daughter.

About ten seconds after the door closed behind Cindy as she left, the baby began to cry. Utilizing my vast, recently gained knowledge from all those baby books, I knew to check the diaper before anything else. Sure enough, a diaper change was in order. Without going into great detail, let me just say that this simple, little task turned into quite a messy ordeal. Who could have anticipated those kicking legs, which in short order kind of transformed an isolated problem into a room-sized environmental catastrophe? And back in those days, the cloth diapers we used required pins. I think I only stabbed myself about half a dozen times.

Diaper changing is not what I would classify as a fun kind of thing. It’s dirty, smelly, and messy. I suppose if we only changed diapers when we felt like it, then a whole lot of babies would be in a world of hurt. But we do it because of love. And that’s how love is. When it’s real, it means more than just the fun stuff and the things we feel like doing. It takes endurance.

Mother’s day is coming up, and the greatest thing about mothers is that they are willing to suck it up and do the hard work of love. I’m sure that my mom never once thought to herself, “Gee, I wish little Tommy needed a diaper change. I’m really in the mood for one!” I know that when we had a dessert shortage, she really wanted some when she said she didn’t for fear that we wouldn’t have enough. I bet that if the truth be known, she would have much rather had a new dress than to buy a Cub Scout uniform for me. I imagine that on many a night, she really could have used some relaxation time for herself, instead of reading bedtime stories to us.

Love can be a very confusing thing to some folks. Love can even be completely missed, when the “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things” part of it is left out.

I’m thankful that my mom got it right. And I’m thankful for God’s great love. Jesus didn’t die on the cross for our sins because he wanted to die that way. He did it because of a love that takes guts, sacrifice and endurance. To all the moms who have risen to the high calling of this kind of love, I wish a Happy Mother’s Day!

Rob and the Rock of Ages!

April 2006 266
Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

Inscription on the plaque:

ROCK OF AGES
This rock derives its name
from the well known hymn
written about 1762 by the
Rev AM Toplady
who was inspired whilst sheltered
in this cleft during a storm
inscribed 1951

We are Hiding in the Cleft of the Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages is Rob's favorite hymn. What a blessing to be able to visit the actual rock that inspired this great hymn. The words to the hymn are below.

April 2006 271
Originally uploaded by MercyWatch.

Rock of Ages

Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,[originally When my eye-strings break in death]
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.

We recently visited the great cleft in the Rock that inspired Rev. Toplady to write this hymn in 1762.

Read the instructions

by Rev. Thomas R. Fuller

“As [Jesus] spoke, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that fed you!’ But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the Word of God and keep it!”

Most of us are not inclined to read the manual. We purchase appliances and electronic equipment and skip right over that thick booklet of instructions that came along with the product. Because that’s so true, there are now toll-free technical assistance hot-lines for consumers to call when they can’t get that new device to work.

The majority of problems received by help hot-lines aren’t really problems at all. For the most part, the calls are a result of the fact that the consumers never bothered to read the manual. The number one reason owners of new washing machines can’t get them to start is simply because they have the lid open, and those darned things just won’t run with the lid open. It’s automatic for washing machine help-line operators to first suggest that they close the lid. That normally does the trick.

Computer tech lines receive thousands of calls a day from new computer owners. In the majority of cases, the failure of a new computer to work is directly related to the failure of the consumer to plug something in. When printers fail, the number one cause is that they never removed the protective plastic tape from the ink cartridge, in spite of the bold faced type instructing them to do so that can easily be found in the manual. But, consumers don’t generally read the manual. By the way, the second most common cause for printer failure is that the printer has not been loaded with paper.

We all get to pay more for products so that the employees hired to tell consumers what they already should have known can be paid. We also pay higher costs due to the large number of perfectly good products that are returned because the people who bought them never took the time to read the instructions.

When we don’t read the manual, we pay the price. That’s particularly true when we don’t read God’s manual for living, the Bible. We just want to jerk life right out of the box and skip the instructions. Small wonder life is not working well for quite a few people. When it goes bad, we get the feeling we’ve been dealt a faulty product. Truth is, the life God gave us is just fine, but we never bothered to read the instructions.

Are you wondering about the why, when, where and how of your life? Do you think you have the gumption to plow through the manual so that you can get it right? It will take a little time and effort. God’s manual is pretty thick, and you’ll never get it all in just one read. But reading it won’t cost you near us much as not reading it. -Tom

Hold On!

by Rev. Thomas R. Fuller

“Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him. I will protect him because he knows my name.” -Psalm 91:14

This is a true story reported in the September 3rd, 1987 edition of The Boston Globe. On a commuter flight from Portland, Maine to Boston, the pilot, a man named Henry Dempsey, heard a strange rattling noise coming from the back of the plane. He turned the controls over to his co-pilot, and made his way through the plane to the rear for an investigation. As he entered the tail section, the plane was rocked by an air pocket, and he was thrown against the rear door, which had been the source of the strange noise because it hadn’t been latched properly. As Dempsey’s body collided with the door, it popped open and he was sucked out.

The co-pilot immediately noticed the open door light and soon became aware that Dempsey was no longer in the plane. He radioed for an emergency landing at the nearest airport, along with his coordinates and a plea for rescue aircraft to search the area of ocean over which they had been flying when the door came open.

Upon landing, the emergency crew dispatched to greet the plane on the runway made an amazing discovery. Somehow, as Dempsey was being sucked out of the open door, he had managed to grab on to the door ladder as he fell, and for ten full minutes, as the plane traveled at over 200 miles an hour at an altitude of four thousand feet, he held on for dear life.
Dempsey narrowly avoided a major head-but with the runway when the plane touched down. He was in fact alive and well. Dempsey was holding on to the aircraft with such force that it took several minutes for the rescue team to pry his fingers from the ladder.

Wow! There are times to let go, and there are times to hold on. Thankfully, this pilot was able to hold on when he needed to, and for that reason he lived to fly another day. I can only imagine his resolve in that moment. His determination not to let go was stronger than the fear and the wind and four thousand feet.

We should understand our connection to the Lord in those very same terms. It’s not always immediately clear to us just how dangerous letting go of the Lord really is. But he is our life. He is our deliverance and our protection. To let go means to take the big plunge. When we cleave to him in love, it means life, and even more. The psalmist goes on to use the words answer, be present, rescue, honor, satisfy and save (Psalm 91:14-16). So, hold on, tight! -Tom

More than Words

by Julia McGuinness

Scripture:
"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need." Acts 4:32-35 (NIV)

Devotional:
It wasn't just what the early Christians said that made an impact on those around them, it was how they lived.

Luke recounts how these believers shared a material as well as a spiritual life. Whilst they had separate home and had personal possessions, these were not held on to tightly as private property. Christians were willing to share what they had. When fellow believers faced hard times - through the famine and political unrest affecting employment in first-century Jerusalem, or discrimination as followers of the Way - those with financial assets sold them, and released the money to meet the need. No wonder the apostles' testimony packed a punch, backed up by the Christian community living out kingdom values with such integrity.

In our consumer society the emphasis is on getting and guarding. Communities are fragile and families fragmented. Many find it hard to know who to turn to when times are tough. As Christians we may worry about words when it comes to giving our testimony, but perhaps we are at our most eloquent when we express our practical concern for one another. Such love extends to more than simply sharing a pew: our faith is not just about who we are, but who we are together. As Jesus said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."