The Bright Side

I have a friend who loves maps. She loves to unfold them, hold them in her hands, and study them... just because. Maybe you can relate. I can't. Even though I once worked as a cartographer, hand-inking topographic maps in the late '80's, it was nothing more to me than very detailed line work that sent me home every evening cross-eyed with pounding headaches. Even so, if I become desperately confused (in an airport, for instance), I will occasionally swallow my pride, find a directional display, and locate the "you are here" big red X . I can usually navigate from there. Some people don't need maps. They have an internal compass and would never ever wander aimlessly in a grocery store parking lot searching for their car. In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we read about the first disorientation. Immediately after disobeying God, Adam and Eve recognized their nakedness and for the first time, felt shame. They then did what any of us would do. They hid thems...

I was intrigued by The Shroud of Turin from the time I learned of it in 1988. The ancient, fine linen cloth measuring 14.5 feet by 3.5 feet is named after the city where it resides: Turin, Italy. This relic has been examined and scrutinized by scientists, journalists, photographers and religious leaders alike for centuries. All agree that it bears a photo negative image of a victim of crucifixion. The question is  who is this individual  and  how did it get there ? The full length shroud was first photographed in 1898 and it was then that it was seen reversed from a negative impression to positive one, revealing amazing detail. Of course, as science and technology become more sophisticated, many discoveries are either debunked or authenticated. Much research has been conducted regarding the Shroud. Forensic DNA testing, for instance, is recently responsible for solving cold case homicides. When stains on the cloth were tested, it was confirmed to be of human origin. ...

The catchy slogan, " you're in good hands with Allstate " accompanies compelling TV ads ending in the familiar, deep voice, asking the penetrating question  "...  are you in good hands ?" ... pregnant pause. This same question should punctuate the end of every Bible commentary and every church marquee. In reality, only those who have placed their lives into the hands of the one true, living God can answer in the affirmative. Notice I said God, not "a god".  The first commandment reveals the fact that the world offers a plethora of false gods that promise happiness. These things titillate us continuously and cause us to think "if I only had more money, more sex, a nicer car,  bigger house, better body.."  ad infinitum .  But the Bible promises blessings for those who believe and trust God alone. One time, a very wealthy young man approached Jesus, asking what he must do to receive eternal life. Knowing that this man had placed all of his...

I muse over Colorado visitors who, after driving through our majestic mountains, comment about the guardrails. Equal to their expressions of gratitude for the existence of them - is the overwhelming fear where they are absent. My son and daughter-in-law drive countless hours up and down from the highest elevations to the lowest, and I don't think they could tell you where the guardrails are and are not. But folks who are unfamiliar with our extremely steep canyons go from sweaty palms to sighs of relief as their tires hug the winding tight rope. It's a matter of perspective, isn't it? What constitutes a feeling of safety for one person can conjure extreme fear in another. And we can have a false sense of security as well -visualizing a non existent guardrail. I think we do that often, in fact.  From a spiritual standpoint, people can make guardrails out of acts of kindness, church attendance, and a plethora of rituals. Even those who faithfully follow the Ten Commandmen...

Caught up in emotional frenzy, Sharon needed to get away alone for awhile to unwind. The solution was a no-brainer, she would head to the tranquility of the Colorado foothills. Time disappeared as she traveled upward on the unbeaten path. She felt the stress and anxiety slowly dissipate and her mind began to clear as she breathed the fresh mountain air. Then she stopped. Her surroundings had become barren, overgrown with waist-high wild grass and flowers. Sharon realized that she had reached a place that appeared to be seldom visited. Then she noticed it. An old, broken-down bench in the midst of the weeds. A soft voice beckoned to her, "come, sit with Me". Time stood still. She heard it again... "come, sit with Me." The warm and welcoming presence of God waited as she made her way slowly to the bench. "Okay, Lord. I'll sit," she whispered. The bench creaked and shifted underneath her. She closed her eyes. The birds sang joyfully all around her and...

"This requires an immediate Corrective Action", says the boss with furrowed brow.  If you've ever worked in a mid to large sized corporation, you know these dreaded words can mean possible product recall, or manufacturing line down, or at minimum a slight production delay because something has gone wrong with the process. It also means that an aggressive search for the root cause begins, and a time-consuming, costly process of risk assessments followed by preventative measures to avoid further problems. For whoever is found responsible, there is also the strong possibility of disciplinary action. We strive to preserve our companies' reputations by preforming corrective actions which prove we have resolved issues that would otherwise call into question our integrity. God's Word is a risk assessment. The issues with humanity are spelled out plainly, followed by the "process improvement" steps required to remedy what appears hopeless. It begins with i...

I recently heard a story told by a private investigator. One day his fellow officer pulled over a drunk driver. The driver got out of his car and, unbeknownst to the officer, had a gun in his waistband. That day the driver decided he was going to kill an officer. The man pulled his gun out and pointed it at him. He was standing just far enough away that the officer couldn't preform a gun take-away. In that split second, thoughts flashed through his mind. He could duck behind the car, hit the deck, or charge him. He decided to trust his bullet proof vest to do what he  knew  it could do. Taking a couple of rounds in the chest while grabbing his own gun, he chose to enter the gunfight. That officer didn't just have faith  that  he was wearing a vest - he had faith  in  the vest itself because he had repeatedly seen it stop bullets at the shooting range. Likewise, those of us who have placed our faith  in  Jesus Christ have see...