Random Reflections

Random bits and pieces that are on my mind this morning…

· Last night I spoke briefly to the group eating dinner at Highland church last night, many of whom were neighbors from our community. I had prepared a brief message on the gospel, but my time was limited and it was a difficult setting for people to hear, given the bad acoustics and the fact that some of them kept talking while I was speaking. However, I did get to say a few things that I pray were used by the Lord to draw them closer to Him

I told them that I had some good news to share with them. God is not mad at us. Instead, He loves us. I then said, “Did you know that? Do you believe that He loves you? I know He loves you and me because He told me so this afternoon.” Then I read these words of Jesus from John 3:16 in the wonderful paraphrase by Eugene Peterson, The Message:


“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help to put the world right again. Anyone who trust in him is acquitted…”

I then prayed over the dinner crowd, pleading with God to help these neighbors come to Jesus and experience that “whole and lasting life.” I love that phrase – a “whole and lasting life.” Who else but Jesus could give us such a life? Don’t you love Him?

· Big sports weekend coming up – the Winter Olympics and the Pebble Beach Pro-Am Golf Tournament. Why is it there is so much last minute construction, conflict and controversy before these games begin? In spite of all the problems, they always put on a good show. My highlights of these winter games are ice-skating, the downhill run and freestyle skiing. And it will be so cool to see the snowboard competition. The opening shots of Turin with that wonderful theme song of the Olympics will once more be so stirring.

Then there is Pebble Beach. Hosted at one of God’s masterpiece of creations along the Pacific Ocean. Watching on T.V. the scenic views from such holes as the 17th and 18th will trigger some wonderful memories for my son and me. Last summer Aaron and I drove up with Susan to Northern California and played at Pebble Beach. It was very expensive. But it was worth every step we took on that course, every golf swing, each hole. We spent close to 7 hours there. We warmed up on the putting green (I took a picture of Aaron putting by himself on that green where so many golf pros have stood over the years – he was beside himself in being able to be there), We took our time playing the course, in awe of the beauty of the cliffs and ocean. Susan joined us on the 17th hole to take pictures and walk with us along the 18th hole where so many championships were won. After wards we bought the cliché Pebble Beach golf shirts, ate a late lunch and just soaked it all in. It really was a golfer’s heaven. We felt so privileged to be able to play there.

This summer, on our annual trek to California to be with my extended family, Aaron and I hope to travel south this time, to play at Torrey Pines. It’s a course along the coast in La Jolla, one of the most gorgeous spots in Southern California – nestled along the Pacific Ocean. It will be the home of the 2008 U.S. Open. Since leaving my home town of Ventura, California 26 years ago, I cherish those summers when we can visit there – especially to cool off from the 90 + degree summers of West Texas. And yet ironically, I love living in Abilene – where Susan and I love our work, where we raised our family, the home of our beloved church at Highland, all the mission trips we’ve taken to Mexico and Brazil with Highland folk. This is where the Lord put us for now, for His purposes, and so we’ll contentedly stay here and serve Him.
· Please be in prayer for my brother-in-law, Michael Nevin. He and my sister, Sandra, have lived in the San Francisco area for 30 + years. Last weekend he was injured while sawing some wood, accidentally sawing off his left thumb. Doctors in a hospital that specializes in re-attaching limbs attached his thumb and he is apparently recovering well. The doctors are quite hopeful about his thumb being saved. My sister asked that our Highland family pray for Michael’s healing. Please do so – and may God get all the glory.

· My prayer for you today, from our reading at this morning’s staff and volunteer devotional:

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.”

– 1 Thess. 3:12-13

Jim