People Tend to Forget

We'll be celebrating the Fourth of July next week Wednesday, and with it will come all the parades, barbecues, gatherings of family and friends and, of course, fireworks.

The Fourth of July was always fun when I was growing up. In Chicago we'd often go downtown to the lakefront and watch the fireworks. There'd be crowds of people all along the water, up and down Michigan Avenue, lounging around in Grant Park, enjoying Buckingham Fountain, and pretty much all over the joint. There were street-vendor hotdogs ("red hots"), magnificent burgers, loads of junk food, and plenty to drink.

It was a good time.

Of course, in the end it was all about the fireworks. After the sun set, we'd watch the sky slowly transform from light blue to black. With a rousing background of live orchestral music to properly introduce the forthcoming display, the first shell was sent ripping through the sky. More followed, each with its distinctive display of colors and patterns. Pretty soon it was an all-out barrage. As the shells blasted off into the sky and burst into brilliant colors, smiles would break over our faces, as we gawked and groaned at the fusillade taking place overhead. In between the blasts of vibrant hues, there was the occasional shell that spun its way into the air and then, with a pregnant pause, would boom louder than the rest. Suddenly, its shock wave would reverberate through our bodies.

For some, those were a little too close to home.

A few years have gone by since those Fourth of July days. Now when I watch those flashes of color and feel the shell's explosive vibrations, I find my thoughts turning to my oldest brother, and to my father. My brother did two tours in Vietnam with the Marine Corps. His military career, like my Dad's time with the Navy in World War II, was one that put him in the thick of it at times, with all the gut-wrenching spectacle that involves. For servicemen and women everywhere, the Fourth of July's "rockets' red glare" carries real meaning. As we enjoy the celebration of our nation's independence, others may recall different times -- harrowing times of terror and uncertainty -- that they would just as soon forget.

Let us remember them as we applaud our nation's independence this Fourth of July and give thanks for the courage of our servicemen and servicewomen throughout the world. If you have a veteran or active military person in your orbit next Wednesday, be sure to let them know their service is appreciated.

Any fond or poignant recollections from the Fourth of July you'd like to pass along? If so, please click here and share your thoughts.

When Right Now Seems Like All There Is

In his youth there wasn't much room for God. He was far too busy thinking about this life -- his goals, dreams, and aspirations. He was preoccupied with getting ahead. That didn't leave much room for sympathy either. It's pretty hard to put yourself in someone else's shoes if all you can think of is yourself. He brashly did whatever came to mind, without giving any thought to the fallout that would result.

I could be talking about many young men -- myself included. But I'm thinking of Jacob from the Bible. When his older brother Esau was famished from his work in the fields, Jacob saw his chance to steal the birthright: i.e. all the rights and privileges that belonged to the firstborn. For a bowl of stew, he tricked Esau out of that precious birthright. (Of course, that shows Esau didn't give much thought to the future, thoughtlessly trading away the honor of carrying on the line that would lead to the promised Savior, Jesus Christ.) But hey, when you're hungry, you're hungry.

Some time passed, and Jacob and Esau's dad Isaac thought he was going to die. So he sent Esau, his favorite, to hunt and prepare a special meal. Afterwards, he would pass on his blessing to his son. The problem was he didn't realize his wife Rebekah was listening in. She knew God had chosen Jacob, so she told Jacob to dress as Esau and trick his nearly blind father to get the blessing instead. Jacob was a natural-born deceiver, but he was also shrewd, too. Sure, he had a lot to gain if he could secure that blessing, but if Isaac saw through the deception he'd earn a curse, instead of a blessing. Mom insisted, however, and Jacob went along.

The problem was neither of them was thinking things through. The trickery might work in that moment, but eventually Esau was going to come in with the meal. Soon enough Isaac would learn he had been duped by Jacob. But mom Rebekah insists, and Jacob gets his father's blessing, with the reward of having to flee for his life when Esau is furious enough to kill him. This ends with Jacob spending 20 years away from his family as a result, during which time his mother dies.

How often do we shipwreck our lives with foolish decisions, rash words, or perverse actions when we're young? God dedicated the much of the book of Proverbs in the Bible to young men, warning us of the many booby traps, snares, and pitfalls our youthful desires can lead us into. Wise is the young man who trusts God's Word and resists those lusts and passions with God's help.

But the story of Jacob (Genesis 25-49) is the story of God's renewal, even when we have shipwrecked our lives. Jacob was in the middle of his flight from Esau when God appeared to him in a dream. Suddenly, the God he had never given much thought to was important to him. As Jacob became the victim of dishonesty and selfish deception from his Uncle Laban, with whom he spent those 20 years, he learned God was the only One he could rely on. He was Jacob's only help and rescue when 20 years later he returned to his brother Esau.

God created us to love and serve Him as we care for one another. Our sin makes us selfish, faithless, and reckless, but God faithfully, persistently, seeks us out, offering forgiveness and complete restoration. Through the perfect obedience of Jesus, our Lord, which included suffering the punishment for all our sins on the cross, we have a new life waiting for us.

What is the story of your life? Have you seen God's hand in it through the years? Have you been able to dodge a few disasters by leaning on His Word -- trusting and being patient when all your senses urged you to go rushing forward?

You can click here and share your experience and reflections.