Discipleship – Gleanings

A faithful response to Sunday sports

Posted on January 30, 2021 by TG

How would you or your child respond to a soccer or baseball or hockey game scheduled on Sunday morning? The story below, although fictional, shows us the struggle, but also a faithful response arising from faithful parenting born of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.

Across town, the Joneses were pulling into their garage. “Are you hungry?” Rebecca asked. “Yes,” Jeremy answered. “Not you,” Rebecca smirked, unbuckling her seatbelt. “The other redhead.”

Robbie was already out of the SUV, dropping his cleats by the door and making his way into the house. Rebecca frowned. Her son had been unusually quiet the entire ride home, especially considering the fact that it was his RBI and double play that had clinched tonight’s victory. He hadn’t said a single word on the drive out to his grandpa Evan’s house in the country, and once they had turned back toward home, he had spoken only when his dad had asked him questions about the game.

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Discipleship

Do you really want to pay it forward?

Posted on January 22, 2021 by TG

A few weeks back I was going through the drive-through at Tim Horton’s when I pulled up to the pay window, expecting to flash my credit card, only to be surprised by the cashier’s announcement that the person in front of me had paid for my ice cap. “What a wonderful gesture,” I thought to myself. “Someday I should do that too.” Too busy taking the freebie and thinking about it, I quickly missed the chance to “pay-it-forward” for the next person in line.

Now buying a coffee or an ice cap is a couple of bucks given away graciously. Not a big deal for most people, but still a nice symbolic gesture.

Today I was again in the drive-through at Tim Horton’s, having just ordered a high-calorie raisin bran muffin to fill my morning hunger. I hadn’t seen the second line as I pulled away from the ordering menu, but an old truck started nosing in, signaling that he was next in line after me. It was then that I recalled that “pay-it-forward” moment from a few weeks ago and decided then and there that I would I do exactly that. What’s a couple of bucks right?

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Discipleship, Theology

Do you have enough faith?

Posted on January 21, 2021 by TG

How do I know if I have enough faith? I have known people who think they believe, but they trusted in themselves instead. Can I trust my faith?

The following article from the Lutheran Witness (September 2020) answers these important questions.

The question of faith is a very important one, since we are saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus. There are three things to consider in answering the question.

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Discipleship

Blind but seeing…

Posted on January 19, 2021 by TG

Which is harder? To be born blind or to have had sight all your life and gradually lose it? I think it’s the second of the two.

I once knew a man who had been blind from birth. Although I’m sure he had many challenges because of this, he had learned to live a very normal life. In contrast, I knew another man who was losing his sight and this gradual loss seemed to disable him in other parts of his life that had little to do with sight.

Loss of any kind is certainly hard and often takes time to adapt, but sadly, not everyone does. Some become truly disabled and begin to draw others into the hole they’ve created. How difficult it is to watch spouses, family, and friends attempting to care for loved ones who are sitting in darkness amidst a life of blessing.

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Discipleship

Devotions

Posted on December 29, 2020December 30, 2020 by TG

I grew up in a Christian family where every morning after breakfast we would gather as a family for “devotions.” In my teenage years this turned into personal devotions. Although these daily personal devotions have remained a strong pattern in my own life, devotions as a family was a far more challenging and erratic pattern than my family of origin. However, in our latter years Beth and I have managed to develop a fairly regular pattern of devotions for us as a couple.

What are devotions? Devotions is simply a time “devoted” to being in the presence of God by listening to the Word of God and responding to God’s Word in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.

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