It’s hard to blog when you’re bogged. Sometimes I get bogged down, even with a mirage of good things, blessings even, that are occurring all around me. This weekend, I will be speaking for the ladies seminar at the Nettleton church in Jonesboro, Arkansas. I will be talking about the peace that Christ promised his apostles. What was He describing when He spoke of peace in the tumultuous world they were about to try to saturate with the good news of Christ, even after this Christ was killed as a criminal outside the city of Jerusalem? I think the lesson will be tailor-made for me! I need this study.
This morning I am praying for my friend, Tammy, who is very ill. I am praying for baby James, who is in a very critical period following a huge heart surgery. I am praying for my dad, who is making some huge steps toward independence these days after three months of recovery from a difficult illness. I am praying for some kids who are trying very hard to gain scholarships at a Christian university, because it will make the difference in their being able to attend, or their staying home and attending local colleges; colleges void of the Good News and void of an environment that fosters Christian marriages. I’m praying for lots of sick people in our local congregation. I’m praying for the course of the gospel through the lives of His people and through the works of faithful churches, and especially for our faithful elders. God is very good…sometimes so good that my mind races in all different blessed directions.
Next week will conclude the Digging Deep study of the gospels. Next Monday, I plan to post a sort of summary of the parables study. Because I’m not sure how long the window of opportunity for this will be, though, today, I want to recommend that you see a movie. It’s called “October Baby” and Glenn and I saw it in Charleston last week. It was riveting, but most importantly, it was a timely fictional depiction of some events that are, all too often, not entirely fictional in the world around us. It’s about the after-effects of a botched abortion and one girl’s coming to terms with the regrettable circumstances of her birth. More importantly, it sort of checks the pulse of our nation in which there are two protection agendas–one of protecting a mother’s “reproductive rights” and one of protecting life in the womb. That’s the reason the movie has raised the ire of those who are abortion proponents. That’s the reason I hope you will see it. That’s the reason it’s not in every market across the US and that’s the very reason I hope it will be a successful film. I wish we were a nation in which a film like this could be a blockbuster. See it if you can. (Note: While this movie is clean and appropriate for your family, my recommendation does not necessarily mean I endorse every single detail of the film.)
Keep praying. There’s a lot of goodness in the world, but it often seems the immoral and reckless has a way of being blatant and “in your face.” Remember the war has already been won, though. It’s the battles between now and the victory celebration that can still claim casualties for the defeated prince of darkness.
