Strong Hands Soothe Fear
It was bedtime and my wife and I had all the lights in the house turned off to help our little three-year-old son prepare for bed. The only shining light was in the room where the three of us were sitting. With a not-yet-tired voice, my son said, "Daddy, I need to go potty." Thankful that he was finally learning to use the bathroom on his own, I said, "OK, you know where the bathroom is." I watched as he skipped to the short hallway leading to the bathroom, only to see him turn and run back to me.
"Daddy, I can't go there. It's dark."
"Then turn the light on," I said flatly.
"Daddy, It's scary. I want you to come with me," my little son begged.
With a sigh, I got up and walked behind my son as he trotted toward the bathroom. When we reached the dark hallway, he turned to me and said, "Daddy, put your hands on my shoulders." I put my hands on his small shoulders and followed as he confidently walked on into the darkness.
"Why don't you turn the light on?" I asked.
"It's OK, Daddy. I don't need to," he said, "because you're with me."
How often we encounter the dark hallways of life! What gives us courage to walk boldly on when we can't see the outcome? With faith like a child, we cling to the knowledge that our Father's strong hands are on our shoulders! "Even if I walk through dark shadowy valleys, I will not fear, because You are with me!" (Psalm 23:4, paraphrased)
Jesus Is The High-Water Mark
A high-water mark is the maximum rise of a body of water over land. In the world of high finance, this term is used to refer to the highest value reached by an investment fund. In the Civil War, the high-water mark of the Confederacy was achieved at Cemetery Ridge near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the farthest point reached by Confederate forces during Pickett's Charge on July 3, 1863.
In the pursuit of morality, the high-water mark is found in the words and actions of Christ.
The high-water mark of morality isn’t loving those who love you but learning to love those who hate you. This high-water mark was first expressed by Christ when he said, “Love your enemies,” and it was first lived out by Jesus when he went to the cross to give his life for every sinner who, by their sins, made themselves the enemy of God.
If, contrary to your own nature, you are to rise to the level of God’s high-water mark of morality, you must turn to Jesus. He alone has made the way for you to follow, and only he can provide you and me with the love necessary to walk in it.
Trading Away The Future
A Yahoo Sports headline says it all. "Six future first-round picks have already been traded." That is surprising for several reasons, not the least of which is the date on the calendar. Today is October 16, 2019. The NFL Draft isn't until April 23-25, 2020, over six months away.
- The Jaguars now have the Rams' 2020 and 2021 first-round picks in exchange for Jalen Ramsey.
- The Dolphins now have the Texans' 2020 and 2021 first-round picks in exchange for Laremy Tunsil.
- The Dolphins also have the Steelers' 2020 first-round pick in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick.
- The Raiders now have the Bears' 2020 first-round pick in exchange for Khalil Mack.
With each of these men, their new teams felt they were the missing piece for them to win right NOW. Of course, by trading away draft picks, these teams are mortgaging away their future.
How about you? Are you trading away your future for the possibility of getting what you want now? Jesus warned us not to store up our "treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal," but to store up "treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).
The great danger Jesus was concerned about is that our hearts will follow our treasure. Do you really want to give your heart to this passing world? Even if moth and rust don't consume these investments, time certainly will. What we horde for the moment will be gone in a moment. What we store for eternity will be ours for eternity.
By the way, the previously mentioned teams who traded away their future picks to win today are currently a combined 12-11. The other lesson here is that even when we sell our futures, it rarely gives us what want in the present.