Whispers of Truth

You’ve probably noticed that when people get together, one of the first things that usually comes up in conversation is the weather (unless you live in Alabama, and then it's football...). The conversation might begin something like this: “Can you believe this weather we’ve been having? I can’t remember a [colder, hotter, wetter, drier, etc.] one in the last twenty years"…and so on and so forth.  Most of us in these kinds of conversations are just stating the obvious, and probably, if we were honest, most of us could really care less. We’re all in the same boat, and mere conversation certainly won’t change the weather—for good or bad.  So why do we spend so much time talking about the inane or the obvious and so little time talking about what matters most? Probably because it is so easy—no thought or effort is required to make these kinds of comments in passing. I thought about this today as I was reading in Luke 12:54-56. In this little section of...

Weariness is normal, but it can derail or defeat us if we let it. As a teacher, my most trying and wearying times seem to come toward the end of the year, but I've noticed that the elation of finishing another year well overtakes the weariness at what seems like the last moment. It is elation at nearing the finish line that gives me the energy needed to complete the seemingly endless checkout tasks and paperwork that must be done before I can call it summer. Maybe it's because I'm an English teacher that I look for spiritual parallels everywhere, but I see the same principal at work in the life Paul. As he finished his journey here he seemed energized in looking forward to what lay ahead of him--namely, heaven and time with Christ. He also commented on finishing his race well. When I am weary with this life, I find encouragement in Paul's epistles. We have a God who is powerful to save and who supports us until we finish our races. Whether you are physically or spiritua...