1. A commentary by syndicated columnist Cal Thomas caught my eye this week. He started his piece with these words, "Once, Social Security was the 'third rail' of politics. Touch it and face political death. Now it is homosexuality. Criticize anything gay people do and you risk ostracism, fines, suspension or loss of your livelihood." I could not help but to think of Cal's remarks as I watched the media coverage this week of a judge's striking down Pennsylvania's gay marriage ban. And should anyone speak up to ask... "Hey, is it right to allow one judge to redefine an institution that has been around a very long time?" - that person will be immediately branded as a bigot and hater. Well, I for one and asking that question. And I don't consider myself either a bigot or hater. But I do consider myself one who believes in the institution of marriage as designed and established by the Creator himself. Jesus makes it clear just what this design is in Matthew 19:3-6. Here he states that God's design for marriage is ONE MAN ... ONE WOMAN ... ONE FLESH ... FOR LIFE! So .. we who follow Jesus must stand for this biblical definition of marriage. Since the Creator established marriage, only he has the right to define it. But even as we take this stand, we should not dishonor Jesus by failing to respond to those who differ from us with the love of Jesus Christ.
2. I liked what pastor-author Kevin DeYoung had to say on his blog about his desire that his church not be a "lopsided" church. By that he meant that he doesn't want his church to get so focused on a few virtues that other important ones get neglected. Then he wrote the following (and I really liked what he had to say ... and what he desires for his own church, I desire for our church):
"Obviously, we won’t be able to do all things equally well as a church, just like you cannot do all things equally well as an individual. But my hope is that University Reformed Church Grace Church at Willow Valley could be marked by diverse excellencies: grace and truth, logical precision and warmhearted passion, careful thinking and compassionate feeling, strong theology and tender love, Christian liberty and spiritual discipline, congregational care and committed outreach, appreciation for businessmen and entrepreneurs and advocacy for social justice, interest in local evangelism and interest in world missions, excellence without elitism, unity without uniformity, diversity without doctrinal infidelity, ambition without arrogance, and contentment without complacency."
Well said, Kevin. Please pray for me that we would grow toward becoming this kind of church!
3. Finally, a quote to inspire you to pray ... and to pray more!
"God has commanded us to pray that we might be prepared to receive from him what he is always ready and willing to confer upon us." (Puritan Ezekiel Hopkins)
Thanks for stopping by . . .
pj
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