Living for What Matters –A Gift From God!
Have you ever been sailing? A friend and I bought a sailboat when I was in college and I can still remember the exhilarating times when the wind was screeching and we were flying so fast in the water that the full-keeled boat was leaning so far over that I could almost reach out and touch the water! It was great! But sometimes, when there was no wind at all, the sail would hang limp, and we went nowhere until we fired up the engine. I can even remember one day when we were half way between Catalina Island and the mainland and not even the engine would fire up! We just sat there rocking gently on the water. No wonder they call it being “in irons” – it’s as if you are in irons because you certainly can’t move!
Does your life ever feel like it’s “in irons?” Does it ever feel like someone just “took the wind out of your sails?” Perhaps you have had the experience that what you have poured so much energy into wasn’t really worth it? (and maybe it wasn’t!!) Perhaps what you have influenced your child to be a part of or to do has proven to be a negative in his/her life? Perhaps you have suffered a setback or tragedy that has you wondering if any of it makes sense? Perhaps you have been on such a treadmill, going faster and faster, that you have forgotten why you ever got on it in the first place? Perhaps there has been such a change in your life that you feel disoriented and confused? Perhaps, in a darker moment, you are just unsure that anything you have really “lived for” made any difference at all?...and in an even darker moment you perhaps even wonder if anything at all is really worth living for??
There is an old song that Dionne Warwick, among others sang. It is called, “What’s it all about, Alphie?” This is the question we will focus on. Do you ever ask this question? Are you perhaps asking it somewhere in your life right now?
In the next few weeks we will focus on “living for what matters.” This says two things. 1. It can be done. There are things that matter and that are worth living for. And 2. We can know what they are. Both of these are a gift from the God who gave us life and who would lead us in the gift of living it for what matters. Interested?
Sunday, September 4th You Matter!!....to GOD!!
I was very young and I knew nothing about politics, but on the TV news I remember seeing Jesse Jackson talking to a group of young black people having
them repeat after him again and again, “I am a somebody! I’m not a nobody! I am a somebody! I’m not a nobody!” Tell me, why do you think he felt compelled to lead these young people in such a chant?....What do you think of yourself? What are you worth? Are you a somebody?...or a nobody? How do you know? Do you think what you do can have meaning and purpose? Why? Do you think that you CAN live life for things that count? Again, how do you know? This is our focus. Everything starts here. Interested?
Sunday, September 11th Jesus Christ is Lord!
I can remember one game in high school where, as a linebacker, I was just a little late on a counter play to the other side of the field that they ran a couple of times in the first series of plays. So, what I did when I came off the field was to go ask the cheerleaders what to do –right? No, no, no, that’s not right. I went and asked the trombone player in the band –right? Of course not. I asked my position coach who then had me make a small adjustment that made all the difference in the world! Jesus Christ is Lord! He is the voice of authority! He is the king of all! This was the first Creed of the first Christians – Jesus Christ is Lord!...And it changed the way they lived their lives…it gave them authoritative confidence and direction as they looked to live for what matters! And it can do the same for you! Interested?
Sunday, September 18th Jumping in with Both Feet
Have you ever watched a court room drama on TV or in a movie and one attorney says, “objection!” to which the other attorney says, “goes to frame of mind!” Today is all about “frame of mind” as we look to live our lives for the things that matter. It too is a gift from God! Interested?
Sunday, September 25th Take a Step!
What is the saying? “Once begun is almost done!” On the other hand, “never begun leaves you a bum.” (ok, ok, I made this last one up.) When Jesus called his disciples, he said, “follow me.” It meant that they had to take a step and then another and then another. Today, our focus is on taking a step as we look to grow in living for what matters. What will this mean for you?