Thoughts Along the Journey

"O God, be merciful to me a sinner." Luke 18:13b The full context of this verse is a story Jesus told about a Pharisee and a tax collector. Both men were in the temple praying. The Pharisee looked down his nose at the tax collector. With great disdain he prayed, "God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get." Talk about attitude! Comparing himself to a tax collector, he thought he looked pretty good. And just for added effect, he threw in some of his own good works. Trying to impress God, I guess. On the other hand, the tax collector, full of grief over his sin, would not even lift his eyes. With eyes downcast, he beat his breast, and simply prayed , "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" He saw himself as he truly was, and repented. This is the heart attitude God desires. We can always find someone worse than us--someon...

Do you remember that children's song, "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands"? Hold that thought. A few years ago, my brother-in-law preached a sermon entitled, "God Is Bigger". I can't tell you how many times I have replayed the words of that message in my mind. The basic gist of the message was this: It doesn't matter what you are facing or going through. God is bigger! If it seems small in your eyes, God is bigger. If it seems insurmountably big in your eyes, God is still bigger. Whatever it is, God is bigger! I have seen two camps of people. One group thinks that God is only concerned about the big things in our lives: disasters, cancers, hurricanes, tornadoes, wars, etc. Large-scale stuff. Then there's the other side that thinks God is concerned with those things, yes, but is even more concerned with every tiny, minute detail of their lives. These are the people that pray for parking spots, ask God if they should really buy th...