If you would have told me that within a few minutes you could move the island of Japan 4 feet, I would have said yeah, I can imagine an earthquake could do that. If you would have told me that in 24 minutes 990 structures could be completely destroyed and over 2000 could be critically damaged, I would have said yeah, I could see a tornado doing that. But if you would have told me that it will take 10 to 12 years to fully recover from the tornado damage in Tuscaloosa, and decades to recover from the earthquake and tsunami, I would have said, I can’t imagine that it would take that long. However, after spending two days with 28 people working for 6 hours a day with 5 chainsaws, a skid steer, and any tool we needed at our disposal, we were still only able to help out 3 households.
I often wonder about God. As a pastor and therapist I am often confronted with many questions about God and the created order. As I sit and silently observe the conflict in the heart of those whose words call for an ear, I often pause … and wonder.
300 years ago the vast majority of people on this earth would have never asked the question, does a god exist? But these days the perceived need for a god has diminished to the point that even some of those who claim to be followers, don’t really believe in a god’s existence. Since the advent of the scientific method, man has been desperately trying to understand everything about the world around us, so that ultimately he/she can control it.
Most days I go through life not spending much time in thought about people’s names or titles. They are, well, what they are. But it’s late on a Thursday afternoon and I am neck deep in curriculum writing. The warm sun is shining through my office window, and the topic that lay before me is the different names and titles of Jesus in the book of Matthew. As I contemplate the importance of each, exploring the author’s choices, I can’t help but wonder about the impact of His many names on the people He touched. A quick look through the Old Testament scriptures will reveal that God, like his son, had many names and appeared to his people in many different forms each conveying a different part or characteristic of the divine and holy God. But one theophany of God stands separate and far apart from the rest, Emmanuel.
The summer heat is slowly moving out and cool breezes are starting to blow. It is definitely feeling more like fall with every new day. Football is in full swing with school spirit at its annual high. Planning is almost complete for next year’s youth events calendar, and Jill and I are getting ready for the upcoming holiday season as first time parents. It is an exciting, yet stressful time filled with tradition, change, and the anticipation of the holiday season.
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| Directions & Worship Schedule | |||
| McKinney at Cardinal | 940.387.4355 | ||
Sunday8:30 am - Worship 9:45 am - Classes 11:00 am - Worship Wednesday 6:00 pm - Dinner (Menu) 7:00 pm - Classes |
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