Pray For Your Church Leaders Too

I had an experience over the weekend that made me realize something important: our leaders need our prayers too.  Even our church/religious leaders.  They are no exception.

This particular pastor was going through a difficult time with the passing of his mother.  The passing was six months or so prior, and a memorial service was being planned.  Lots of memories flooded back to him, as he poured his soul out at the pulpit.

I prayed for this pastor, for healing.

Then it dawned on me that church leaders are not exempt from needing prayers too.

So the next time you pray, include your church leaders too.

Residing in God's House

Psalm 84 is a love letter to the Lord, to dwell in His House.

There is a saying that goes, home is where the heart is.  That is also true when we talk about the Lord's House.

In much the same way a sparrow finds a home in its nest, so should we when we dwell with the Lord.  That is where we find our strength, where the Lord hears ours prayers.

Verse 10 says, "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere."

The Lord blesses those who trust in Him.

God's House may not necessarily by church specifically, but rather our own hearts.  Keep the Lord within us by praying daily and often.

Reminiscent of the nation today

I know, I know, it's been a long time since I've blogged on here.  I'm making a commitment to write more often and consistently.

That being said, I'm now in the book of Isaiah, and in reading chapter 1, I get the feeling that this could've been written in today's time.

The chapter starts out with how the children is Israel have turned their backs on the Lord, how they have rebelled against Him.  In verse 3, it says that an ox knows its master, a donkey recognizes its caregiver, but the Lord's people do not.

In verse 7, it speaks of foreigners plundering the fields and destroying everything, and in verse 9 it compares Israel to Sodom and Gomorrah--and we all remember what happened to those places.

In verses 11-13, God states that he is tired of our meaningless prayers and offerings, because at the same time the people celebrate their sins and ungodly celebrations.

By verse 17, He says to learn to do good, seek justice, and help the oppressed.  Defend orphans and help widows.  Repent of your sins and Israel will become a Godly place once again.

From A Widow's Point of View About "A Man Called Otto" Movie

Last weekend, my girlfriend and I went to see the movie "A Man Called Otto" starring Tom Hanks.

Given that we both had lost spouses, and from what we heard about Tom Hank's character, we had reservations about the movie since the character Otto was a widow, but knew it would be good and it certainly was!

Looking at the world through the lens of a widow/widower is not easy for some and not quite so difficult for others.  Both of us seem to be in the former camp, as we have strong values when it comes to how we view death.

We are both Christians and with that comes a strong sense of faith and belief that death is not permanent.  We will both see our former spouses again in Heaven one day.  And that is not to say we do not grieve our former spouses.  We do.  But with our values, we have found a way to move on and live life the way God wants us to.

On a side note, there was an element to the movie that gave me pause, and it will be a topic that I will dive into down the road.  I'm just not ready at the moment.  And that topic is suicide.

But that, my friends, will be for another day.