Month: August 2007

Where Was God?

Was God sadistically absent? That’s what Robert McClory, professor emeritus of journalism at the Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, asked after Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area of the US.

No Record Of Our Sins

Out of the depths” the psalmist cries to God (Ps. 130:1). His problem surfaces: terrible guilt for things done and undone in the past. “If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?” (v.3).

The Bug Zoo

A bug zoo in Philadelphia with more than 100,000 live insects entertains 75,000 visitors a year. The Insectarium’s founder and proprietor says, “I’ve got a million more bugs still in storage.” He points to boxes, cookie tins, and other containers piled floor-to-ceiling, filled with dead bugs from around the globe. Movies, holograms, microscopes, and games keep people of all ages occupied. There’s even a scale to weigh yourself in ladybugs, fireflies, and other creatures.

Visible Reminders

A growing number of people find that wearing a pedometer helps them increase their level of daily exercise. The step-counting device is both a recorder and a motivator for them. Knowing how many steps they take encourages them to walk more.

The Lingo

What do teenagers mean when they say they’re “chillaxin”? (They’re chilling and relaxing.) What if they ask for some “cheddar”? (That’s cash.) If a teen likes someone’s new clothes, he might just say, “money,” meaning cool. Teenagers have their own lingo that some of us might not understand, and it seems to be always changing.

Spiritual Decompression

On May 24, 1883, New Yorkers celebrated the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge, the first steel-wire suspension bridge. This engineering feat, however, was not accomplished without sacrifice. To lay the bridge’s giant foundations in the water, huge watertight chambers called “caissons” had to be used. Men would work in them for 8 hours while under tremendous air pressure.

The Battle Within

My doctor noticed a small spot on my skin—one that he thought needed some attention. It was a tiny problem that had to be treated so it would not grow into something worse. I hadn’t known it was a problem until he pointed it out.

God Weeps With Us

What is the meaning of Psalm 116:15, “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints”? God certainly doesn’t value or find enjoyment in the death of His children! If He did, why would the psalmist praise God for delivering him from death? And why did Jesus groan and weep as He saw the grief at Lazarus’ tomb? (John 11:33-35). I agree with scholars who render Psalm 116:15, “Costly in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.”

The Tipping Point

In his book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell observes that struggling businesses are often turned around by one key decision. Many once-foundering companies are now thriving and successful because of a choice that became the tipping point.