11 February 2007

Sunday School: Proverbs 22:11 What about the one whose speech is gracious?

Scripture Reading: #674             

Valentine’s Banquet and reading of the annual reports tonight @ 5:00.

Wednesday evening 7 - 8 p.m. A class on "Anger: the theological, psychological, emotional and social aspects of our temper."

Be Strong and Courageous 

Joshua 1:1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2. "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them--to the Israelites.

3. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates--all the Hittite country--to the Great Sea on the west. 5. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

6. "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.

8. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Risk averse? The turtle gets nowhere until it sticks its neck out.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

It amazes me how risk averse our pampered and goofy society is. Let's review the news: We sue if the coffee we just bought at the drive-through window spills in our lap and is hot. We sue the manufacturer if our little darlin' gets shot by a gun while trying to buy drugs from the local street corner entrepreneur. We sue if we fell off of the neighbor's ladder while breaking into the second story of our neighbor's house.

The manufacturer of bats for Little League baseball has been under pressure to make bats that won't cause the baseball to fly with quite so much velocity because it has come to the attention of some of the mommies that if their little darlin' doesn't happen to get his glove up to catch the ball - it might hit him.

We can't play playground games at school that were once enjoyed, because some one might fall down, or get hit, or fall off, or walk in front of...and get hurt.

We shouldn't play sports because someone might get hurt, or lose and feel bad. We can't actually guard our border because someone just might get shot or killed (and if that happens we put our law enforcers in a Mexican jail). We can't have an automobile without it having all sorts of lights, bells, stickers, buzzers and computer voices telling us to close the door, buckle the seatbelt and be aware that vehicles seen in the right rear view mirror are closer than they appear!

It has been said that 'the problem with idiot-proofing our world is that there will always be one more idiot than you counted on.'

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Undoubtedly because of the era and way in which I was raised, I want to yell past the hysteria of all the soccer moms, "Get out there kid! Suck it up! No pain no gain! Go for the gold! Give it all you got! You don't know what you can do until you try! Dry it up and try it again! When the going gets tough, the tough get going! Be a hero not a zero! You CAN do it and NO, you can NOT QUIT!"

No, I'm not out of platitudes...I figure you get the idea. That is my interpretation of God's instruction to Joshua. What was the last thing YOU heard from God?

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.