"Be the Man!" Week 6

It’s amazing how fast our media centrifuge hurls today’s celebrities to the fringes of memory, leaving them almost forgotten. Cal Ripken, where are you? What ever happened to David Duval? Where did you go, Mikhail Gorbachev? Whither Alan Greenspan, Pete Roselle, or Tom DeLay? Heroes for a season, and then trivia forever. Notoriety is no guarantee of durability. So, what can we pursue today that will not atomize into dust tomorrow? We can invest in the name, the deeds, the glory and the authority of the One who never changes. We can legitimately boast in knowing and understanding the Master whose every attribute proves itself true and solid in every generation. That is a future that will not be marginalized by polls, or relegated to a trivial factoid.

Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 5

My dad taught me a helpful way to use my body and will to overcome the paralysis of fear. He would take me with him on his occasional preaching forays to the Rescue Mission. It was situated where you might expect: in a very scary, Skid Row part of town. The nearest parking place was usually a couple of blocks away, and the walk to the Mission meant passing lots of loitering, homeless, ragged men on a dark street. Dad would say: “Roger, we are going to walk together, swing our arms and look like we are going somewhere. No one will bother us, and we won’t have any trouble.” Whether his method actually affected any of those men, I’ll never know.  It did, however, fix an indelible picture in my mind about facing my fears: go straight in. Go with purpose. Go with someone else at your side, and don’t get distracted. This method doesn’t trick or ignore my emotions; it supersedes them to accomplish something greater. Swing your arms and walk in a straight line. Your fears will recede on the sidewalk as you arrive at the purpose for your day. 

Roger

"Be the Man!" Week 4

Hanging drywall is a two-man job. It’s not just the weight of it. It’s just so clumsy, bulky, and cantankerous!  Too many operations need to happen with just two hands.  So when Steve offered to help me, not only with his strength, but with his expertise, I jumped at the opportunity. Some helper!  He made it look easy. He knew how to prepare, how to lift, how to make the joints fit, and how to get-‘er-done. I was instantly aware that trying to do this without his help was foolish and ridiculous. What little I had accomplished on my own had been excruciatingly difficult and poorly done. I needed help. I needed wisdom. I needed strength. I needed encouragement. What a metaphor for the great Helper Jesus promised to send us. What are you trying to do on your own? Do you know there is a helper available?

"Be the Man!" Week 3

Way back in the gauzy memory of my track career I was consumed with weight. My body fat index was zilch. I wore the lightest materials on my body. I wanted no extra water or food in my stomach. And, I especially wanted the lightest shoes. My event was the steeplechase, which includes a water jump on each lap. The first time I ran it I was startled at how much water was squishing in my shoes after each jump. So, I punched holes in my track spikes to eliminate those micro-ounces of unwanted weight. All of these details could appear obsessive or trifling if it were not for the goal. I wanted to run well toward the goal, and every ounce of extra weight would compromise my freedom to run. Shedding weight was no sacrifice because the finish line was worth it. Is this not the spiritual principle behind daily confession of sin, and regular worship of our Father? We shed encumbering weight and we re-focus on the race ahead.


Roger

"Be the Man!" week 2

The new healthcare law weighs in at 1100 pages. Who has read it? The U.S. Government regulations on the sale of cabbage entails 26,911words. Who wants to read it? The Lord’s prayer, in contrast, is 66 words. Millions have memorized it.  Which of these documents will change your life for the better? It isn’t the weight of the document, but the heft in the words that makes the difference.  Your Father has a few weighty words for your day today. His word will constantly refresh you about His character and His will. His Spirit will bring the just-right obedience to mind when it needs to be enacted.  Simply apply those few words, without deviating, and watch them guide you through the thickets of confusion. 

Roger

"Be the Man!"

“Is it in you?” That’s the marketing hook for Gatorade. They depict nearly superhuman endurance and strength to those who pour their concoction into their thirsty bodies. It’s an add-in, to be added to the other products that are add-ons. But for the Christ-follower there is no need to go searching for strength and power to add in or to add on. It IS in you. It’s built in, and alive. It’s inexhaustible and ever-ready. It’s the Holy Spirit. Do you recognize how to unleash this Spirit of Christ in you today? Unsmother Him. Give Him the air of your open and clean heart. Fuel His fire with the truth of the Word. He will be ablaze within you!

Roger

I'm back!

Hey, friends,
I am planning to be a more frequent visitor and contributor to my own blog! I began it originally as a place to “park” some writing I was doing, and which still captures my heart. Hence, you will find some VERY long entries from the past. That writing project remains incomplete, but I want to get back to it one of these days. In the meantime, many of you are linking to this blog to retrieve the “Be The Man” devotional thoughts. I have received many words of appreciation about these—and that’s saying something, since they are sent exclusively to men! My intent with these paraphrases of scripture is to help you hear the one voice we all need to hear: the voice of our true Father. Every man wants to know what his Dad thinks of him. Through this blog you will still receive one per week, and you will be able to share it more easily with others. Thanks for any suggestions you can send to me. I hope to become a more responsive and proactive communicator through the use of this medium. Shalom!
Roger