"The Goal Post Standard"

 

“The Goal Post Standard”

 

At the rear of the end zones of American college and professional football fields stand goal posts. As the game has evolved their construction, location and dimensions have changed but were standardized in 1974: wishbone shaped with the crossbar ten feet off the ground, each post rising 20 feet from the crossbar and 18 feet, six inches apart. And the design and placement remains the same no matter what the weather, skill level of the players or other variables might be.

The idiom “moving the goal posts” has arisen to describe efforts to change rules and governing factors to conform to a particular agenda. (A “Peanuts” strip of yesteryear has Good Ol’ Charlie Brown shooting an arrow at a fence then drawing a target around where it hit and stating, “That way I never miss!”) This leads to a distortion of facts and can play fast and loose with the truth, leading to confusion and unrest.

On an episode of “All in the Family” Archie Bunker told his daughter Gloria, “Jesus Christ is who’s great, little girl. I knew that long before them rock and roll freaks made him a ‘superstar’.” (Pretty good theology from an unexpected source.) But who or what sets the standard for who Christ is or anything else? The psalmist (possibly King David) answers the question clearly; “Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” (Psalm 119:89, emphasis added). And Paul makes Jesus’ Person as God and man plain by writing, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form….” (Colossians 2:9, emphasis added). So what truth is and who Jesus is has already been determined and isn’t subject to debate or public opinion polls, In the words of God’s prophet, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.” (Isaiah 40:8, emphasis added). So let’s just leave the goal posts where God has put them.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"Never Beyond Reach"

 

“Never Beyond Reach”

 

For many years comic books, cartoons, films and TV shows have featured “superheroes” whose actions are (to quote one description) “far beyond those of mortal men”. Some have remained popular for decades (Superman, Spiderman and Batman come to mind) while others had their brief time in the sun and have drifted into obscurity. One I remember from my grade school years is Plastic Man, created in 1941 by cartoonist Jack Cole. This crook-turned-good guy somehow acquired elasticity which enabled him to reach to extraordinary lengths to capture bad guys, giving new meaning to the term “the long arm of the law”.

While reading and reflecting on the Psalms recently I reread David’s familiar words in 139:7-10: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” This brought my mind back to my childhood recollection of Plastic Man. Just as criminals were never beyond his reach I’m never beyond the reach of “the long arm of the Lord”. This truth is at the same time comforting and terrifying—if I’m walking in His ways He’s there encouraging me but if I choose my own paths He’s ready to reach out and yank me back.

Remember Samson and Solomon? Both had been chosen by God as leaders of Israel but they got their eyes off Him and succumbed to the allurements of conniving women—read their tragic stories in Judges 16 and 1 Kings 11 respectively (and Solomon’s spiritual autobiography in Ecclesiastes). But in their final days God drew them back into fellowship with Himself. Just before God renewed his strength prior to his death Samson cried out, “O Sovereign Lord, remember me.” (Judges 16:28). And Solomon came to this conclusion: “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of (mankind).” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

Paul wrote in Romans 15:4, “…Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us….” Will I learn and profit from the experiences of others?

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

"First Responders"

 

“First Responders”

 

The term “first responder” first appeared in a Boston Globe article about proposed ambulance regulations in Massachusetts in 1973. It became a familiar designation for police, fire and emergency medical services personnel after the tragic events of September 11, 2001 when 343 New York firefighters and 60 New York police officers died responding to the attacks. Since then these heroes, along with hospital and other health care workers, have been rightly recognized for being on the front lines protecting those of us privileged to call this country our home.

According to Wikipedia, a first responder is “a person with specialized training who is among the first to arrive and provide assistance or incident resolution at the scene of an emergency.” While we hope and pray we’ll never have to utilize such services as police, fire and ambulance personnel the uncertainties of life make us grateful for their availability when unforeseen circumstances arise. Karen and I have had occasion to benefit from all three during times of need in ways we’d never expected.

As I read through the story of Jesus’ temptation recently I saw His personal “first responders”: “Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.” (Matthew 4:11, emphasis added). So in His human weakness after this time of testing Jesus needed strength and His Father’s angels were there to help.

When our trials come what’s our first response? Is it denial? anger? panic? withdrawal? or some other inappropriate or unhealthy reaction? When David found himself in a tough spot he paused and said, “In my distress I called to the Lord, I cried to my God for help…my cry came before him, into his ears.” (Psalm 18:6). About three centuries later when his descendant Hezekiah was threatened with annihilation by the Assyrian king Sennacherib “,,,he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread (the letter) out before the Lord. And…prayed to the Lord, ‘…deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God.’” (2 Kings 19:14-15,19). The result? It was the Assyrian army, not Israel’s, that was exterminated (2 Kings 19:35-36).

Both David and Hezekiah made the right first response: turn to God in prayer. Will I? May I follow the counsel of our Lord’s brother: “Is any one of you in trouble? (He or she) should pray.” (James 5:13). We can be sure that’s a first response that will not be ignored.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan

 

"The Heavenly Registry That Matters"

 

“The Heavenly Registry That Matters”

 

In years gone by there were lots of radio ads promoting the International Star Registry “for the person who has everything”. For “only” $35 to $90 we can have a star named after someone we love and/or admire. It’s a unique idea and probably has made a lot of money for its creators and investors. However, whoever came up with it overlooked a small detail: each star already has a name! We’re told in Psalm 147:4, “(God) determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.” (Emphasis added.) As has so often been the case, what man thinks is ingenious takes a back seat to the infinite knowledge and wisdom of God (“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and his paths beyond tracing out!”—Romans 11:33).

If what the astronomers say is true concerning the vast number of stars there are certainly more than enough to go around. But does it really make any difference if one’s name is in the International Star Registry? There is, however, a registry which is literally a matter of life and death. The Bible calls it the book of life, the record of those redeemed through faith in Christ. To have one’s name written in this book means eternal life in God’s presence (“They will walk with {Jesus}…for they are worthy…I will never blot out his name from the book of life….”—Revelation 3:4-5, emphasis added); to have it missing means eternal torment and separation from Him (“If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”—Revelation 20:15). Best of all, enrolment in the book of life is free (“…The free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Romans 6:23, NLT).

It’s infinitely more important to be recorded in the registry of Heaven than that of the heavens. Why? It’s the difference between the visible and unseen. In Paul’s words, “…What is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

Make sure you’re safe in the proper registry by trusting Christ as your Savior.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan