"Tunnels"

 

“Tunnels”

 

Due to the COVID pandemic Karen and I had to cancel or reschedule three trips we had planned for 2020. So to compensate somewhat I reviewed in my mind some travels of recent years, including a tour of Italy in 2017. For some reason I remember passing through 19 tunnels between two cities. So I became curious, did some research and found some interesting facts:

*Italy has upwards of 1000 road and railroad tunnels.

*China with 16,229 tunnels in 2017 has the most of any country followed by Japan, Norway and Italy.

*The longest railroad tunnel is the Gotthard Base in Switzerland at 57 kilometers/35.5 miles (the Chunnel between England and France checks in at 50.5 km/31 mi)

*The longest road tunnel is the Laerdal in Norway (25 km/15.4 mi).

*The Pennsylvania Turnpike, America’s first “superhighway”, opened in 1940 with seven tunnels.

*Four vehicle tunnels connect Manhattan with New Jersey and Long Island (not to mention the many carrying subways and commuter trains).

By going through or under rather than around or over formidable obstacles tunnels can save travelers time and money. But once entering the passageway there’s no way out until the other end which can cause ventilation issues and claustrophobia for those using them. So they must be utilized judiciously.

There’s an eye condition known as tunnel vision which limits peripheral sight and can severely impact those afflicted with it. But the term also describes such complete concentration on one thing (e.g. a person, idea or goal) that all else is shut out. (I have a tendency to do this and sometimes have to be brought back to reality.) How can I avoid this pitfall? A good start would be heeding Jesus’ admonition, “…(God) will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” (Matthew 6:33, NLT, emphasis added). So putting God’s claims first enables me to balance other areas of my life. This is a daily choice I must make—I pray I’ll “…fix (my) eyes on Jesus….” (Hebrews 12:2) and avoid the tunnel trap.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

 

"Y.B.H.?"

 

“Y.B.H.?”

 

Years ago I had a job as an auditor for a retail inventory company. On one of my first jobs a fellow rookie and I had just finished counting an aisle of merchandise when a supervisor (who could never have been accused of being tactful) told us the area had been done “all wrong”. When I asked what had been done incorrectly I received no answer. In this and similar situations I’ve wondered how an error can be corrected if I don’t know what it is.

In my hospice position I was part of a group that was assigned to come up with ideas to bring in more patients. (Somehow it doesn’t seem right to “market” to those with limited life expectancies.) I made three suggestions but they were shot down by management because of the cost (which in each case was minimal). I’m not an economist but I’ve heard more than once. “You have to spend money to make money.” Is it any wonder that my former employer now serves about a third of the number of patients it once did?

In both these scenarios needed resources were lacking to achieve a positive outcome. But we can be thankful that God doesn’t operate this way—He provides “…everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us….” (2 Peter 1:3). How has He done this? Through His Word (“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the {people} of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”—2 Timothy 3:16-17, emphasis added).

As an example, God said to His people, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21). But He hasn’t left it to us to find this way on our own—He’s provided at least six resources to guide us: His Word (“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go….”—Psalm 32:8); His Spirit (“…he will guide you into all truth.”—John 16:13); discernment (“I want you to be able always to recognize the highest and the best….”—Philippians 1:10, Phillips); godly counsel (“…a wise {person} listens to advice.”—Proverbs 12:15); our life experiences (“,,,men of Issachar…understood the times and knew what Israel should do….”—1 Chronicles 12:32); the examples of others (“…everything that was written in the past was written to teach us….”—Romans 15:4).

A long-time believer had notations in his Bible’s margins, “Y.B.H.” When a friend asked him what it meant he responded, “Yes, but how?” As seen above, God in His grace has answered this question for us. Will I avail myself of it?

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"A Habitude Check"

 

“A Habitude Check”

 

During the fall our pastors delivered a series of sermons from 1 Thessalonians using faithfulness (both God’s and ours) as the overall theme. The letter concludes with 22 succinct commands (5:12-28) which characterize consistent godly living. In his message on the first part of this passage (verses 12-18) Next Generation Ministry Pastor Ricky Lindsey described the principles stated as “habitudes”, a term neither Karen nor I had heard before. So I did some research and found the word has Latin roots dating back to 1365 and is defined as “a habitual tendency or way of behaving”, an apt description of what Paul is telling his readers. Further, the suffix “-tude” refers to a condition or quality and “habit” is an action we repeat. The word in itself is neutral (as are other things such as time, money and TV)—it’s how we put it into practice that makes it positive or negative.

In 5:16-18 the Apostle writes, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (Emphasis added). Pastor Ricky pointed out that these concise, no frills, commands, or habitudes, are always God’s will for us as His people (as is salvation for all—2 Peter 3:9 and purity of life—1 Thessalonians 4:3). Difficult? Perhaps. Possible? Definitely (“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”—Philippians 4:13, emphasis added).

In these challenging times of civil unrest, international tensions and the COVID crisis we need to take seriously these godly habitudes of joy, prayer and thankfulness. At times (more often than I care to admit) I find all three to be elusive because my faith isn’t as strong as it ought to be. But God’s always there (“Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”—1 Thessalonians 5:24, NASB, emphasis added) so we can depend on His strength.

Are you (am I) ready for a habitude check?

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

 

"The Power of One"

 

“The Power of One”

 

Each year our community bowling league ends the season with a pairs’ tournament in which the top three teams receive small cash awards. Several years ago I was the last bowler and by some miracle converted a split in the last frame and finished with a strike on the bonus ball. When the scores were tabulated my teammate and I captured third place by one pin! So one can make a difference—just ask Tiger Woods who won the 2019 Masters’ Tournament by one stroke and pocketed $1,211,000 more than the three who tied for second.

As a history buff I did some research on one-vote-difference incidents:

*In 1645 Oliver Cromwell was named Lord Protector of England by a single vote in Parliament.

*During the American Revolution one vote defeated a movement to replace English with German as the Colonies’ “official” language.

*In 1816 the construction of the Erie Canal was approved by a single vote.

*In 1845 Texas was admitted as the 28^th U.S. State by a one vote majority.

*In 1868 President Andrew Johnson avoided impeachment in the Senate by one senator’s vote.

*In 1923 the Nazis elected Adolph Hitler party leader by one vote.

*In 2000 George W. Bush won the Presidency by one electoral vote.

We have no way of knowing how history would be different if these and other such decisions had gone the other way.

The power of one is also seen in the biblical record:

*One man’s family was saved when God judged the world by the great flood (Genesis 6:5-8).

*One man’s sin brought defeat to Israel at Ai (Joshua 7).

*One prophet of God won the battle over 850 idolatrous prophets (1 Kings 18).

*One man motivated the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall (Nehemiah 2).

But here’s the most far-reaching example of the power of one: “…Christ…suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones.”(1 Peter 3:18, TM, emphasis added). And because He did God declares us righteous in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Never underestimate the power of one! It (or you or I) can make a big difference.

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan