Month: <span>June 2009</span>

Published June 7, 2009

Pressing on Toward the Goal

by John Grant
John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney
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“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.� Philippians 3:12

It was one of those red letter milestone days, the ones you remember forever. Our youngest received his Juris Doctor degree. I am not sure our family is big enough to handle three “Dr. Grants,� but here we are. Any day when your child graduates is a big day but this one (not unlike the last one) was really special.

Since I had also received the same degree from the same school in the same courtyard, I got to present the diploma. After donning my cap and gown, as we processed in, thoughts came through my head of all that God has blessed me with since I made the same walk forty one years ago.

Then came the big moment……… When his name was called, the Dean handed me the diploma and I in turn presented it to our graduate, but not before giving him a bear hug and whispering in his ear… “Congratulations Dr. Grant, I love you!�

For Jamie and all the other graduates, it marked the conclusion of years of study, but also the beginning of a new chapter of life. That’s why they call it a “commencement,� rather than a “conclusion.� It is a mile marker in life, one that should never be a conclusion of learning new things and meeting new challenges. Life is a journey and like most journeys, it is filled with roadblocks and speed bumps, joys and sorrows and dreams and nightmares.

The important thing is that we never give up growing, learning and most important of all serving others. In Philippians, Paul tells of “pressing on,� and we too should live a life of always reaching for new goals, learning new things and reaching new heights.

Most important of all is that we should use every ounce of every talent that God has given us for this journey of life. As the great humorist Erma Bombeck said: “When I stand before God t the end of my live, I would hope that I would not have single bit of talent left, and could say I used everything you gave me.�

My prayer and life’s ambition is that I will never stop learning and that my tombstone will be my ultimate diploma.
  (a though on life from John Grant )

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/06/07/jg_pressing-on/

Thoughts by All thoughts by John Grant Thoughts by Men

Published June 6, 2009

Kissing?

by Roderick Marshall
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“..standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. …And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” 
Luke 7:38-50 (ESV)

I was in a queue at a set of traffic lights in town. We were stationary, so I looked expectantly towards the red lights in front of me, when a movement in the car in front of me caught my eye. It turned out to be a woman who had leant across to get up close and personal with her passenger: intimate. I thought; it must be love. You get exhibitions of young parting lovers making public declarations of affection. I can remember being like that once.

Anyway, the lights being still on red, and me being inquisitive, I watched this tableau played out before me. Only I realized the person on whom the woman was so  intent, was not her partner, no, it was her toddler son!

Presumably he was in a booster seat which raised his head up to adult levels. She was inspecting his face, then cleaning it and fussing him, prior to being dropped off at the nursery around the corner.

Well I was not wrong, I thought, it was love! Then the following words drifted into my consciousness: coming-towards-as-if-to-kiss.

Yes, I had been ambushed by God again. Proskyneo, the N.T. Greek word for worship means just that. Yes, I am no Greek lexicon, I had to look it up to find it again. It is not an amorous encounter, but rather one of trust, love, deference, respect and intimacy; like Mary Magdalene’s uninhibited entreaty.

As a Creator, God longs to be close with His children, just as this mother was to her son. The question is will we allow Him to get up close and personal? Close enough so He can clean us up, make us presentable, encourage us, and then send us out!

OK, are we ready to being open to Him in reverence today, even up close?

PRAYER: LORD, You are awesome and terrible, holy and majestic, yet You are also jealous of our worship, obedience and love. So we, with bended knee and humble hearts, say Our LORD come! Visit us once more today, in Jesus name, amen.

You can comment on this devotional online at:
https://thoughts-about-god.com/blog/2009/06/06/rm_kissing/
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Thoughts by All Thoughts by Men thoughts by Rod Marshall