Archive - September, 2009
Remembrance
How could one forget 9/11/01? I was ill that day. As I lay on the couch watching Good Morning America, the tone of the show changed completely. Something had gone terribly wrong. Multiple planes hijacked? You’ve got to be kidding me! One plane hits a tower. No accident. Smoke envelops the NY sky. Another plane hits the other tower, caught on camera. Shortly thereafter, a tower crumbles; the other soon follows.
The sick feeling in my stomach was now compounded. I felt bad when I began the day, but now another sick feeling consumed me that brought me to tears. I’d hoped it was a dream.
I laid on the couch virtually all day long, watching planes repeatedly crash into the twin towers, as well as the subsequent crumbling of the towers to the ground. All day long. It was like the movie Groundhog Day. How could I ever forget?
Who are the wise?
I’m convinced Christian’s gravitate to James because he pulls no punches. He doesn’t beat around the bush. What’s he’s trying to say is inescapable. I think such is greatly appreciated, especially when you consider to whom he was specifically writing (James 1:1).
Christianity began with Jews from all over the world who’d converged in Jerusalem for Pentecost (Acts 2). It took a while, but eventually the gospel was received by non-Jews. When it did, though, it was not without incident. The New Testament reveals a Jewish prejudice against Gentiles that warranted exposure and reproof on more than one occasion. Furthermore, keep in mind that behind prejudice is conceit.
This brings us back to the book of James. The people to whom he writes are hardly lacking in pride, arrogance and conceit. They are resistant to truth (James 1). They show favoritism in their assemblies (James 2). They use their tongues in degrading ways (James 3). They think they are wise, but the signs reveal otherwise.
“Who is wise and understanding among you? He should (emphasis mine) show his works by good conduct with wisdom’s gentleness” (James 3:13, HCSB). They supposed themselves wise, but the evidence was to the contrary. Pride, arrogance, and thinking we’ve got it all figured out leads to blindness. The Pharisees got sucked into it, leading Jesus to say in reference to them, “They are bling guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14, HCSB).
Wisdom warrants discretion, contemplation and consideration for others. Heavenly wisdom is “pure, then peace-loving, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without favoritism and hypocrisy” (James 3:17, HCSB). Wisdom isn’t found in the denigration of others. Unfortunately, those who think themselves wise often find much delight through it. Who really are the wise?
Take Away the Bad Dreams
The other evening I got home a little later than normal, around the time my kids were going to bed. I kissed them each goodnight, as per their requests. Reese was already half asleep when he uttered, “Dad, can we pray?” I responded, “Sure bud!” and he commenced almost instantaneously.
One phrase has stuck with me ever since. “God, please take away my bad dreams, and Haylee’s, Aby’s, and mom and dad’s bad dreams too.” When he was done, I kissed him on the forehead and said, “Thank you, buddy.”
I’ve heard it said that whether we realize it or not, when we sleep we always dream. I’ve also heard it suggested that we, on average, have several dreams a night. No one may be poorer than me at remembering what I dream about, but I know that when I have bad dreams, I tend to remember them.
Growing up, I repeatedly had the same terrible dream that caused me to wake up screaming at the top of my lungs. Funny thing is that nothing that I remember about the dream itself was really frightening. It wasn’t as if Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees or Michael Meyers were hunting me down or anything like that. The dream that caused me to awaken in terror, night after night, was centered around my being trapped at the bottom of a hill as hundreds of wooden barrells plummeted down from the top. That’s it. No blood. No guts. No creepy figure from the big screen. Just me, a hill, and barrels.
As we experience them, dreams are very real to us. They may invoke any number of different kinds of emotions because they are tremendously powerful. Our minds, the most powerful tool God has given us, are intensely at work. A lot is going on while we dream, stirring up good and bad emotional responses.
So I’m not the least bit surprised that Reese prayed for God to take away his bad dreams. They are no small matter to him, and the depth to which he is affected by them is seen in his desire that God takes away the bad dreams from the rest of his family too!
God can do that. But God can do much more. He can take away the harmful effects of sin- guilt, shame, and emotional pain- by the power of his might. For that I am eternally grateful. But I’m also thankful that he can take away our bad dreams as well!
