Christian Reflection and Prayer

I would like to talk on a different subject.
Some of you will say this is political or
radical.  You may even say that it has
nothing to do with religion or faith. That's
ok please remember you are entitled to
your opinion.

I have four wonderful children.  I am proud
of each one them.  Each one of my children
presents a particular gift or talent that I'am
very proud of.

I would like to talk to you about my youngest
son.  He has become a part of a movement
that has been in the news lately.  He is a
protester, part of the Occupy Movement.
You still hear something about these
protesters every once in awhile in the
news.  He's kind of like his old man, you
see I was a protester too, yes in the 60's
against a war, not those who fought the
war, but against the war itself.  

I'm proud to say that my son was arrested
for what he and I believe in.  I don't think
he minds me telling you this, if he does
it's to late.  Now I realize that many of
you will have all kinds of images in your
mind about my son and about these
protesters.  I'm sure they are the same
kind of images that many had of me when
I was arrested.  I can't change those
attitudes and images and I'm not going to try.

My son and many of these protesters,
have a problem with a society that views
human beings as commodities.  They have
a problem with a culture that celebrates the
logic of greed.  You see they see the old
idea of democracy, that is, of the few that
governs the many through the power of
capital as being wrong.  They see
democratic values in working together
in the very interest of social responsibility
and the common good.  Does any of this
sound familiar, I think I learned this about
Jesus in church.  I also believe this is
what I read in the Scriptures.  In other
words, the man I put my faith in, that
I believe is the Son of God, the reason
I call myself a Christian said the same
thing.  

Many of these protesters are shifting
the national conversation to important
issues.  From poverty and joblessness,
to corporate corruption.  They are asking
the big questions about our American Society
and the very foundations of our morality.

ARE YOU ASKING QUESTIONS?
WHAT IS THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR
MORALITY?

I'M PROUD SON!!!

Scripture:

So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow
will bring its own worries. Today's trouble
is enough for today!"
Matthew 6:25-34 NLT

Reflection:

"Jesus encourages us not to worry about
that which we cannot control or about that
which is not important. Worry instead, he says,
about your priorities and the condition of your
soul. When you find yourself overcome with
worry, take a careful look at the priorities of
your heart. When God is firmly established
at the center of our focus and desires, worry
loses its grip on our lives.

(from the Touch Point Bible with commentaries
by Ron Beers and Gilbert Beers (Tyndale), p. 829)

Scripture:

 "He taught them with authority" (Mark 1:22).

LIFE

A number of years ago The editors of
"Life Magazine" compiled an inspiring collection
of essays in answer to their question, "What
is the meaning of life?" From more than 25
countries, 200 poets, scientists, philosophers
and just "everyday people" shared their vision
of the meaning of life. The following essays
are just a small sampling from this life-enriching
collection. The first is from Capetown South
Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu who wrote,
in part:

The evolution of the world is a great manifestation
of God. As scientists understand more and more
about the interdependence not only of living things
but of rocks, rivers - the whole of the universe -
I am left in awe that I, too, am a part of this
tremendous miracle. Not only am I a part of this
pulsating network, but I am an indispensable part.
It is not only theology that teaches me this, but
it is the truth that environmentalists shout from
the rooftops. Every living creature is an essential
part of the whole. Our surroundings are awesome.
We see about us majestic mountains, the
perfection of a tiny mouse, a newborn baby, a
flower, the colors of a seashell. Each creature is
most fully that which it is created to be, an almost
incredible reflection of the Infinite, the invisible, the
indefinable. All women and men participate in that
reflected glory. We believe that we are in fact the
image of our Creator. Our response must be to live
up to that amazing potential - to give God glory by
reflecting His beauty and His love. That is why we
are here and that is the purpose of our lives.

The next essay was written by renowned
Grammy-winning composer and recording artist
Quincy Jones, a portion of which I will read:

In 1974 I was blessed to have survived a brain
aneurysm and two brain operations. It is unfortunate,
but sometimes it takes a life-threatening crisis
such as this to get your undivided attention, and this
certainly did. I was given the opportunity to renew my
basic belief in the importance of spirituality, reopening
communications on a one-to-one basis with the
Creator. God has given each one of us approximately
25,000 to 26,000 days on this earth. I truly believe
He has something very specific in mind: 8300 days
to sleep, 8,300 to work and 8,300 to give, live, play,
pray and love one another. We were born to struggle,
to face the challenges of our lifetime and, ultimately,
to evolve to a higher consciousness. When we find
we can unyieldingly bestow our trust to that inner
voice, it is evidence of our divine guidance. The
universal karmic law dictates: "You get what you
give" and "You've got to bring some to get some.
" I would like to believe that the highest state of
evolution in our lifetime is to reach a state where
grace and giving reign and we experience the
oneness of ourselves with the creations of this
universe. We must search for the good in each
of God's creations; it is important to invest our
faith in the best part of humanity.