Thoughts on Meditation

My assistant pastor and I are starting to work through Richard Foster's Spiritual Classics. You may or may not be a fan of Foster and his writings which include Celebration of Discipline. I find Foster's works to be mind and heart stretching.

In the area of meditation this week, I find the writings of Thomas More to be challenging. More was an interesting character, most notably for refusing to sanction Henry VIII's divorce of Catherine of Aragon and for his taking the title of "Head of the Church." More was imprisoned and executed for his stand. It is said that he went to his death with "great composure" and even joked with his executioner.

In More's "A Godly Meditation," I was drawn to the phrase, "to buy the time again that I before have lost." My response is, "How?" I've always been taught that the time we waste is forever gone. I look back on my life and shake my head at all my lost time. Time lost with family. Time lost in ministry. Time thrown away due to sheer laziness or lack of commitment to the things of greatest importance.

I'm not sure how to buy back any of that time lost. I know I can't relive the past. Perhaps all I can do is make the most of what time I have left. What priorities will guide my life from this day forward? What will I do to ensure that those I love will be convinced that I have their best interest at heart? How can I make a Kingdom contribution that will be applauded by all who love me - not just to say I did great things for God, but that I did great things for them through God?

I guess you can say I'm struggling with this thought. Any suggestions would be welcome.

It's Been a While

I know I haven't posted anything in quite a while, but I have been having computer issues. Once again, I received a virus from who knows where. I've had the computer scrubbed again, installed a better anti-virus program, and hope that we are on the road to safe computer use. It's amazing. I don't really use the internet that much. I don't open emails if I don't know the sender. I don't download. I don't utube. Oh well.

Now that I've said all of that, I'm going to get back on here. Let me share one thought. In Romans 10:9-10, we find a couple of creedal statements that are the core of what it means to be a Christ. First, we must believe that in our heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. It's not about being sincere. It's all in the single truth that the resurrected Jesus is the source of life itself. Second, we must confess that He is Lord. The Romans confessed Caesar to be lord. But as Christians we must say the same thing about Jesus that God says about Him. He alone is Lord! And once we do these things, we will never be put to shame (Romans 10:11), meaning that He will never frustrate or disappoint us.

We are on the road to Easter!