FATHER'S DAY BUT

In North America, the third Sunday of June is celebrated as Father's Day. For the first time in many years I will have the pleasure to actually be with one of my children on Father's Day. Jan and I will spend this coming weekend in Manhattan where our daughter Jeannie, husband Chris live with their one year old daughter, Amara. Right now we are in Philadelphia with our son Steve and his wife Vanessa.
Although Father's Day is coming soon, my Bible reading today was in the last two chapter's of Proverbs. Thus two comments on wives.
First, the author mentions that their are four things on earth that cause the earth to tremble. One of these is "an unloved woman who is married". (30:23) From observation, such a woman can become very angry and bitter. She can become obsessively focused on her children. She can become a very difficult boss or employee. Actually there should not be such a woman. Married women ought to enjoy the love of their husbands. So my challenge to all Christian husbands: are you loving your wife the way you should? The Bible expects us to love like Christ loves the church. (Ephesians 5:25, 33) Do you let her know you love her? Does she feel loved?
Second, the last section of Proverbs (31:10 - 31) describes the ideal wife and mother. It paints quite a picture of an amazing woman - efficient wife, mother, businesswoman, etc. It tempts me to rave about the woman God gave to me more than 40 years ago. I will resist the temptation, but will say this. I appreciate and love Jan more now, and thank God for her more now, than I did in our early years of marriage. I hope the same growth in appreciation is true for all of you fathers and husbands who read this blog.

WHICH IS WORSE

My wife and I enjoyed an 11 hour bus ride yesterday from Toronto to Philadelphia. Except for the hour long border crossing (two of the passengers were having difficulty getting into the US and caused most of the delay) the trip was uneventful. The bus was comfortable, only half full and the drivers were excellent. However promised wi fi service was very intermittent.
After several tries I was able to get onto the internet - for a few minutes - then suddenly I was off. I tried periodically for a few hours. Occasionally I was connected but again only for a few minutes. One email I managed to send took 18 hours to arrive at its destination.
The question I found myself asking was: which is worse - no offer of wifi or totally unreliable, intermittent internet service? I wasted a lot of time trying to connect. The occasional momentary connection served only to raise my hopes and then leave me frustrated and disappointed. Fortunately my favourite friend, my wife was with me; and I had a good book to read (my kindle was not working either). I finally gave up on the wifi connection.
As a Christian and pastor, I've been wondering since yesterday about a parallel: in God's eyes, which is worse - those who sporadically turn to God in prayer and maybe lifestyle, but usually break off contact very quickly; or those who just don't connect with God at all. They ignore Him, deny His existence or in their pride have decided they can do better without His help.
Many of us would suppose that some contact with God - some reaching out to Him - is better than nothing. However I wonder how God feels about that? I wonder if He wishes we would just "leave Him alone" if we are not serious; if we are not going to work at growing an intentional, faith friendship with Him? I wonder if we are not serious about following Jesus; would He rather we just go ahead and live totally without Him instead of weak, intermittent attempts to reconnect?
I wonder if He would rather we were hot or cold, but not luke warm. (Revelation 3:15, 16)

I KNEW NOTHING

My schedule this week has been crazy. No routine at all since catching a 11:30 pm flight to Calgary, via Tokyo and Dallas. I now write from Toronto. I've had three 7:00 am appointments this week and an interior clock that has been trying to adjust to travelling half way around the globe.
I never have early morning appointments in Hanoi! So my times with God have been scattered instead of my normal regular early morning time with Him. And my reading of Scripture has been less on some days. Today for example I didn't open my Bible until about 4:00 pm. I looked at Proverbs 24 and was jolted by it. Underlined in my Bible, maybe I've not paid attention to this passage since reading through Scripture last year.
Our world is filled with injustice, poverty and spiritual need. Whatever our age and season of life, God expects us to help those in trouble. To do our part, however small. I read the following passage just now and needed to confess and pray. "Lord, please give me strength to do all you want me to do. Please help us to give all you expect us to give. Please help me to pray more for those suffering because of injustice, poverty and spiritual darkness. People need Jesus. People need protection. People need systems to change. Please help us to do our part. We are accountable to You!"
Here is the passage that just challenged me. Perhaps it will challenge you today as well.

If you do nothing in a difficult time,
your strength is limited.
 Rescue those being taken off to death,
and save those stumbling toward slaughter. 
 If you say, “But we didn’t know about this,”
won’t He who weighs hearts consider it?
Won’t He who protects your life know?
Won’t He repay a person according to his work?  Proverbs 24:10 - 12

LESS IS MORE

The natural human tendency (my natural tendency) is to want more; to think that more brings increased happiness; that more strengthens satisfaction. It is easy to think that just a little more would provide more happiness. Many people work long hours often ignoring family relationships in the mistaken belief that gaining wealth is worth the cost. The wisdom of Proverbs corrects that natural but incorrect thinking.
Inner peace and loving relationships are far more important than more money; increased wealth that brings increased inner tension or broken relationships is just not worth it. Sadly too many people learn this lesson too late.
We do well to listen and learn from the simple but profound words of Proverbs.
"Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. A bowl of vegetables with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate." Proverbs 15:16, 17 (NLV)

RECOVERING IN CANADA

Jan and I left our apartment in Hanoi just after 8:00 pm on Sunday night. We arrived in Calgary just after 1:00 pm on Monday. When you add in a 13 hour time gain, it adds up to 30 hours in transit.
With our interior clocks absolutely reversed I was delighted to sleep for 7&1/2 hours last night. Today I've managed to think and talk clearly (I hope) through several appointments, but it will be several days as we recover from this radical time zone change. Some people do these major (8 hours or more) time zone changes often. And enter major negotiations or make major decisions soon after arrival. I admire them!

We are travelling to four Canadian cities and three US cities during these next five weeks. So I expect my blog will be less consistent than normal during this period.

I am reading in Proverbs this week. Expecting to meet many old and new friends during these days of travel, my prayer is that we enjoy valuable conversations. I want to speak words of encouragement with wisdom as I make these many contacts. In Proverbs 10:11 - 32 there are seven statements about the kind of conversations I'd like to have. Wherever you are living right now, may these describe the way you (and I) speak with others.
"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life."
"Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning."
"he who holds his tongue is wise."
"The tongue of the righteous is choice silver."
"The lips of the righteous nourish many"
"The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom"
"The lips of he righteous know what is fitting"

May God bless others through our conversations this week.

LIVING BREAD

Wow! I was just "touched, moved, challenged, pleased" by a blog referenced in an article in hermeneutics found through Christianity Today. "aholyexperience.com/2012/05/bible-reading-as-a-family-devotiona/"

I don't know the author at all. But when she writes about her family's daily practice of reading the Word of God together, she makes me wish I could start our family life all over again. Learned from his father, her husband introduced his rare family tradition into their marriage from the beginning.
They never rise from eating "dead food" before eating from the Living Bread. After every meal, Scripture is read - a few verses or more. Their family has practiced this habit for, it appears, at least two decades. With small children and with teens, the tradition continues. In the midst of busy lives, they maintain "eating God's Word" after every meal. Given our need to be shaped by the Living Word, it is a marvellous family practice.
I've never thought of the food I eat as dead food. But it has been picked, plucked, cut or torn from the tree, bush,  ground or animal. It is not alive. Not a pretty adjective, "dead" food. But it makes a startling, helpful contrast to the Living Word that we don't eat often enough.
As one who struggled to sporadically have our family read Scripture together after one meal a day, I recommend the article to you.
Read her blog just for the pleasure of being reminded that as we open Scripture we are spiritually eating God's living words. Read it to be encouraged again that the Bible deserves a major place in your life and mine.

WISDOM, GUIDANCE, PROMISES

Continuing from yesterday: reasons why I should read the Bible regularly. Without going through Psalm 119 in detail, here are four verses (between vs. 89 and 140) providing four reasons that are underlined in my Bible. Good reasons among many, why the Bible is worth much attention.
First the contents of the Bible, words from God, are eternal. That should make reading of them more important than all books, TV shows or movies that I may find informative and entertaining. That is if I respond with a mind set "on things above."
Your word, Lord, is eternal; 
    it stands firm in the heavens.
⁹⁰ Second, many books can provide information, increasing my knowledge and expertise. However the Bible, in an unmatched way, provides wisdom from God.
our commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies.
⁹⁹ I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. 
¹⁰⁰ I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. 
¹⁰¹ Third, when making decisions, whose guidance will help me most? Surveys show that in some countries, for many people, TV talk shows and other programs provide their insights and models for life direction. There are of course many influences that provide guidance as we make daily decisions and occasional major decisions. The Bible can and should provide our foundational guidance. But it has to become a familiar reference for me.
Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.
Fourth, the Bible provides promises from God. Millions of people have believed these promises over thousands of years. Millions would affirm what the psalmist believed. To believe and trust God's promises you have to know what they are - so we read the Bible regularly.
Your promises have been thoroughly tested, 
    and your servant loves them.