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In the middle of the litany of the kings of Judah and Israel--some who did what was right and many who did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord--a statement jumped off the page at me: "...they went after false idols and became false" (2 Kings 17:15).  What the people went after they also became.  We become like what we pursue.  Those who pursue righteousness through Christ become righteous.  Those who pursue Jesus become more like Him.

Who are what are you pursuing?  Who or what are you becoming?  Who or what is worthy of your pursuit?

In the days of the prophet Samuel, the people of Israel came to Samuel and said in effect, “We want to be ‘like all the nations’ who have a king” (1 Samuel 8:5; 1 Samuel 8:20). In these days leading up to a state-wide ballot issue, I hear people saying that they want this state to be like all the surrounding states that have casino gambling.

Interestingly enough, some of the loudest voices of opposition are from the gambling industry. Those who operate racetrack betting are opposing the plan to allow casino gambling in the state. One wonders about their motives.

Last night I heard on the radio that a cosmetic company is manufacturing and selling an anti-wrinkle cream that contains tissue from aborted babies. I was struck not only by the horrific nature of such a product, but also by the irony of rubbing part of a dead body on your face to make you look more alive.

Wednesday, September 2, was a beautiful late summer evening, and I was out for a bike ride. Suddenly I heard a vehicle engine revving behind me and saw out of the corner of my eye a van coming towards me. Then I saw the passenger leaning towards me and yelling angry words laced with profanity. By God’s grace, I was spared from running off the road and crashing to the ground. It is also only by the grace of God that I did not return a volley of angry words or an obscene gesture (but my thoughts at that moment were not loving and pure).

In the last blog entry I reflected on Stephen's calling into the office of deacon, his performing of many miracles and his glorious death at the hands of Jewish leaders. We, as believers in Christ, must remember the great martyrs who came before us. It is important to remember that through many tribulations we will enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). Our heavenly Father's ways are massively above our ways. You can't even for a split second have the remotest idea of how intricate and far reaching his plans and purposes are. He knows all hearts, all thoughts, every will of man.

I have been working my way, scene by scene, through the book of the Acts of the Apostles. It has been an eye-opening and heart-shaping experience. How like the Lord to turn such a rag tag bunch of cowardly, blue collar workers into bold proclaimers of his Gospel of Grace. Reading through this book I have been struck by the bravery and faithfulness of Stephen. This man Stephen only makes a very brief appearance in the Scriptures but his impression is a lasting one.

A friend wanted to bless Karen and me and gave us passes to the Memorial Golf Tournament at Muirfield Village, so we spent a few hours there today. What a glorious day to be outside in God’s creation. Since Karen has never golfed (other than miniature golf) and I have only golfed a handful of times, it was an educational experience for us in several ways. We enjoyed walking together (and watching golf) in this beautiful setting.

Yesterday I was at one of the area heart hospitals while a member of the congregation had a heart catheterization. When I was asked in the waiting room by a loved one if this person would make it through the procedure, I responded that I could not say, but that I do know that God is good. To some this would seem like a cop-out and a lack of faith--especially for the pastor of a flock. Yet as a pastor, I feel a great responsibility to prepare people not only to live well but to face death well and to die well.