• I have been in ministry in one form or another since I was 21 years old. I have sat through many sermons, classes, lectures and devotional thoughts. I have given my share of them as well. Yet I have never heard anything stir my heart as when my family joins hands at the dinner table and says our prayers. Chloe usually goes first and thanks God for everything from her parents to Couscous. She always tells God “I love you so much in the whole wide world. You are the best. I love you forever. Amen.” Cassie’s prayer usually consists of “Thank you for mommy. Thank you for Daddy. Thank you for Chloe. Thank you for Shayla.” She will repeat that about 30 times. It melts my heart to hear these two girls as they begin to develop their faith. Such innocence. I believe that is what Jesus was talking about when He said our faith must be like the little children. There is more purity in those two little girls than my world-wearied heart can muster. The preacher must learn when he is being preached to.
  • Chloe’s first dance recital was last weekend. Her group was the second to perform in the second act. The song that they “danced” to was Someday My Prince Will Come. After their performance Tracy took the other girls home and I stayed with Chloe to receive her awards at the conclusion of the second act. While we were sitting there watching the performances, Chloe climbed up in my lap and said, “Daddy, will you marry me?” Although I told her I was already married to mommy she was insistent. “I want to marry you.” My prayer is that I will be the kind of father to her that models what a godly husband and father should be. It is a humbling proposition but I must embody the man she seeks for a husband.
  • While we were at the recital two girls performed to Christian songs. Although the rest of the songs chosen were innocuous their performances to me were inspiring. I hope my girls will seize whatever opportunities are presented before them to make a statement of their devotion to Him. What a testament.
  • I’m enjoying a TV show called Hit Me Baby One More Time. The premise is that five artists whose fifteen minutes of fame are well past them compete for charity. They perform one of the songs that made them famous all those years ago and a contemporary song. The winner voted on by the audience donates the winnings to the charity of their choice. The show has been sobering to see formerly well-known artists strive for a few remaining minutes of fame. It made me wonder how disconcerting it is when people realize that their finest moments are behind them. When the actor realizes that the meaty roles are going to someone younger. When the singer realizes that he has written his greatest song. When the athlete realizes that he no longer has that explosive first step. I wonder when I will reach the day when I have preached the greatest sermon I will ever preach? Have I already preached it? Isn’t it good to know that, as Christians, our best days are forever before us? It does not matter how old we get. Heaven is always waiting for us. And that is as good as it gets.
  • I just got through reading a series of interviews with Bono, frontman for U2. In the course of the conversation he mentioned that one of his favorite passages of Scripture was “be still and know that I am God.” He made the comment that if he were to write a song about it that he would entitle it, “Shut Up and Listen.” How true is that? We need to learn to talk a little less and listen a whole lot more. There is no telling what God can do through us if we will be more willing to shut up and listen to Him.
  • Look at this quote from Rick Warren: “We are blessed to be a blessing to others, and certainly America, as
    the most blessed nation on our planet, has the greatest obligation to
    help those who are stuck in poverty around the world. Last month, I was
    in Kenya and Uganda, and then in Rwanda where the average income in
    that nation is 67 cents a day! Imagine trying to raise a family on that.If
    you were hopelessly in debt, with no chance of ever getting out of debt
    – or even your children getting out of debt — you’d despair. But if
    someone canceled all your debts — as the Bible commanded Israel to
    often do — you’d have the hope of a new future. The poor aren’t asking
    for a handout — they just need a hand up!

    This summer, at the
    G8 conference, our nation has a historic opportunity to lead the world
    by showing a visible and significant commitment to the fight against
    global poverty, hunger, and disease. In early July, President Bush will
    gather together with leaders from the world’s eight wealthiest nations
    in Edinburgh, Scotland, to discuss these very issues — especially in
    Africa.

    We all grieved when 250,000 lives were lost in the
    tsunami in Southeast Asia. But there is a health tsunami of that
    proportion in Africa every 12 days!”

  • May we all summon the innocence of children and pray that we will do all that we can to stop the widespread affliction of poverty and disease that plagues so many. It is the least we can do.