As images of burning rubble and frantic people flash on the TV screen, a reporter says, “A terrorist organization has claimed responsibility for last night’s bombing that left 23 dead and scores injured.” It was not a random act of violence but one that was calculated to frighten people and advance the agenda of those who stepped forward to say, “We did it.”
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On a family visit to Disneyland, I pondered the sign over the entrance arch that read, “Welcome to the happiest place on earth.” The rest of the day I looked at the faces of the people and was impressed by the small number who were actually smiling during their visit to “the happiest place on earth.” I roamed the park with divided attention—trying to make sure my kids had a good time and wondering why so few adults seemed to be enjoying themselves.
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When I was working my way through school, I washed walls and windows in people’s homes. At one new job, a 4-foot-tall man greeted me at the door. He told me he had to hire someone to clean his windows because they were too high for him to reach. Although I’m only 5′ 7″, in his home I felt like a giant. In God’s eyes, of course, our physical stature means nothing.
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It’s not easy to keep up with the shorthand that accompanies today’s fast-paced, youth-oriented electronic communication. In IM-speak (Instant Message talk) or text-message language, “laughing out loud” becomes “lol.” “By the way” is “btw.” And regrettably, some people use “omg” for “Oh, my God!”
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In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Edmund was easily won over to the side of darkness by the wicked white witch. Her method was simple—she appealed to his love for rich, sweet food, as well as for status and revenge. The Turkish Delight she offered him was delicious, and it left him craving even more. So strong was its appeal that it led him to betray his brother and sisters.
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After the Israelites miraculously crossed the Red Sea, they were led into the desert. How strange that God would lead them from a place of revelation and power to a place of disappointment and dire need!
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As a young person, Robert had many things working against him—poverty, a broken home, a violent neighborhood. He skipped school often and was difficult to handle. But when a friend was shot to death, he considered it a wake-up call. Determined to change his life, Robert worked hard to bring his grades from failing to top marks.
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Inside, music was playing. Outside, leaves were falling. Catching a gust of wind, one of the last leaves of autumn blew briefly upward as I heard the phrase, “He is risen!” By the end of the song, however, the leaf had reached the ground. Gravity had overcome the breeze.
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Why do people run away from God? Is it because of anger, disappointment, despair, disobedience, or a web of rebellion woven from our own desires?
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A story is told about a vendor who sold bagels for 50 cents each at a street corner food stand. A jogger ran past and threw a couple of quarters into the bucket but didn’t take a bagel. He did the same thing every day for months. One day, as the jogger was passing by, the vendor stopped him. The jogger asked, “You probably want to know why I always put money in but never take a bagel, don’t you?” “No,” said the vendor. “I just wanted to tell you that the bagels have gone up to 60 cents.”
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