Picture this: A man dressed in uniform with sword strapped to his side, regal in his bearing, strides to the front of a crowd. On his head, a circlet of gold. Splendor and majesty mark his bearing. His face is set with determination that is fearful to behold. He casts out evildoers from his presence with his glance. He smiles with twinkling eyes at those who love him. He is adored by thousands. And his enemies do not have a chance against the arrows of his indignation and they know it. He is the King. For us, it is King Jesus!
Now read this: “What we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him...” While this passage is not primarily about physical resemblances, it does imply likeness of character. And, if we love King Jesus (live for Him) that will be you and me!
My purpose in writing this is the same as the apostle John. In the midst of trials here below— the winter cold, the loss of dreams, the sadness of severe circumstances— the encouragement of a coming King who will set all things to right buoys our hearts. Gone will be our sin of boredom, our impatience at sameness, our lust for ex- citement. Gone too, will be tears, hurts, fears and needs. What a day!
Encourage your children too, with that bibli- cal hope!
Monday, January 27, 2014
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Why Do We Exist?
May I remind you why Christian education is the best choice?
Because man’s chief purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, Immanuel Christian School believes that education exists for the task of revealing God’s character through the Scriptures and in every facet of His creation.
As a result, students will have their hearts instruct- ed and their minds expanded as they study history, literature, mathematics, science, and all other academic disciplines with that purpose in mind. As students study, they will gain insight into how God has worked in the world in the past, and therefore, how He is working today - even when it looks as though no one is in control. They will learn His principles of ordering the world. Not only will they understand how gravity works, but what makes it important to our everyday lives. They will understand the ways word order matters in English versus other languages where the case endings in nouns, verbs and adjectives indicate meaning. They will learn the tools of writing clear sentences, expressing thoughts in concise ways. Ultimately, our desire for them is to marvel at what wondrous ways God has made the world to work!
Christian education is expensive in terms of money. Lack of a Christian education is more expensive in terms of having children not understand these truths.
Because man’s chief purpose is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, Immanuel Christian School believes that education exists for the task of revealing God’s character through the Scriptures and in every facet of His creation.
As a result, students will have their hearts instruct- ed and their minds expanded as they study history, literature, mathematics, science, and all other academic disciplines with that purpose in mind. As students study, they will gain insight into how God has worked in the world in the past, and therefore, how He is working today - even when it looks as though no one is in control. They will learn His principles of ordering the world. Not only will they understand how gravity works, but what makes it important to our everyday lives. They will understand the ways word order matters in English versus other languages where the case endings in nouns, verbs and adjectives indicate meaning. They will learn the tools of writing clear sentences, expressing thoughts in concise ways. Ultimately, our desire for them is to marvel at what wondrous ways God has made the world to work!
Christian education is expensive in terms of money. Lack of a Christian education is more expensive in terms of having children not understand these truths.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Talking AT or Talking TO
When you have a conversation with someone, what makes you feel like you've been heard? Is it because they look at you? Is it because they ask questions that clarify what you were saying? Is it because they want to under- stand what you are saying?
You may not have the experience of having some-one making you feel like you’ve been heard very often, so can you identify what it is in conversation that makes you feel like you are NOT heard? I think that it goes like this. The other person is just waiting to jump into the conversation with their part of the story or their experience. Or they tell you where you are wrong in your assessment of things. Or perhaps they take the conversation in a different direction by chasing a “rabbit.”
Now put yourself in your child’s shoes. Your child comes home from school and needs to do their homework. They stare at their paper. They need a drink. They have to sharpen their pencil...again. You want to have a conversation with them about the amount of work that is not getting done. So you tell them to get to work. They respond with, “I’m thinking.” [Here is where you need to make them feel like you are hearing them.] The temptation is to respond with, “Stop thinking and get working!” or something like that.
The goal is to get them to work and yet make sure they know that you understand them.
So you look at them and ask a question. “Is it thinking about your work or something else?” Any question will do that is designed to get them back on track. Being frustrated will not help. By asking a question, you will convey, “I am not sitting in judgment against you. I want to understand you.”
I must confess that even after years and years of practice, the tendency toward being frustrated is still there. I need to pray quickly, often and consistently for help and reminder that I too, get distracted from what needs to be done. Remembering Christ’s grace, helps me to speak with patience.
You may not have the experience of having some-one making you feel like you’ve been heard very often, so can you identify what it is in conversation that makes you feel like you are NOT heard? I think that it goes like this. The other person is just waiting to jump into the conversation with their part of the story or their experience. Or they tell you where you are wrong in your assessment of things. Or perhaps they take the conversation in a different direction by chasing a “rabbit.”
Now put yourself in your child’s shoes. Your child comes home from school and needs to do their homework. They stare at their paper. They need a drink. They have to sharpen their pencil...again. You want to have a conversation with them about the amount of work that is not getting done. So you tell them to get to work. They respond with, “I’m thinking.” [Here is where you need to make them feel like you are hearing them.] The temptation is to respond with, “Stop thinking and get working!” or something like that.
The goal is to get them to work and yet make sure they know that you understand them.
So you look at them and ask a question. “Is it thinking about your work or something else?” Any question will do that is designed to get them back on track. Being frustrated will not help. By asking a question, you will convey, “I am not sitting in judgment against you. I want to understand you.”
I must confess that even after years and years of practice, the tendency toward being frustrated is still there. I need to pray quickly, often and consistently for help and reminder that I too, get distracted from what needs to be done. Remembering Christ’s grace, helps me to speak with patience.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
New Year
When you replace a calendar with a new one, you look at the new picture. You look at the days ahead and for most people, begin looking at the schedule of things that need to be accomplished. But one thing that must be present in the heart as you look at this new month, new year ahead is a sense of hope.
Not only is there a desire for “I hope it is better than last year...” but also beyond that must be a sense that there is something transcendent—beyond the immediacy of doctor’s appointments, getting the oil changed, and planning a party. We have a desperate need for something that is big- ger than all of the mundane and temporal events and that provides meaning to everything that we do.
So where do we look? Generally we look for diversions from routine to provide meaning. Or we hope in relationships to give a sense of significance. Or we invest in our jobs, our kids or our volunteer work to give us that sense of transcendence.
What we need to do is be like the magi from the East. We need to look up. Their GPS to the manger was a star. “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel....” They were looking at the star that was the announcement of transcendence. Some- thing surpassing normal was happening and they were going to get to view it. This star was the announcement of the King of kings, the long awaited Messiah.
And that is how transcendence will come to us. Meaning will be made of the mundane as we look to the King of Kings and get caught up with what He is doing. And as mysterious as that may be and humbling as it must be, we will no longer rule our days but be able to submit to His direction for us and interpretation of our existence.
I need that Hope that is stated in I John 3:2: But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Not only is there a desire for “I hope it is better than last year...” but also beyond that must be a sense that there is something transcendent—beyond the immediacy of doctor’s appointments, getting the oil changed, and planning a party. We have a desperate need for something that is big- ger than all of the mundane and temporal events and that provides meaning to everything that we do.
So where do we look? Generally we look for diversions from routine to provide meaning. Or we hope in relationships to give a sense of significance. Or we invest in our jobs, our kids or our volunteer work to give us that sense of transcendence.
What we need to do is be like the magi from the East. We need to look up. Their GPS to the manger was a star. “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel....” They were looking at the star that was the announcement of transcendence. Some- thing surpassing normal was happening and they were going to get to view it. This star was the announcement of the King of kings, the long awaited Messiah.
And that is how transcendence will come to us. Meaning will be made of the mundane as we look to the King of Kings and get caught up with what He is doing. And as mysterious as that may be and humbling as it must be, we will no longer rule our days but be able to submit to His direction for us and interpretation of our existence.
I need that Hope that is stated in I John 3:2: But we know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)