Long Journeys

Maria is finally home from the hospital and is now beginning her period of recuperation. She has a long journey in front of her (6-12 weeks) before she can make a full recovery and begin to share in the fullness of life. Her doctors are confident of a full recovery. Her journey toward health begins today - her first full day at home.
Joel and Shafali should have arrived in Liverpool, England by now. It is a long journey (some 12-15 hours anticipated) from Chicago to Dublin, Ireland and from Dublin to Liverpool. They had purchased a new laptop computer to take with them. They could do some writing and watch some movies on their long journey.
Today, Joanie and I will begin the long journey back to California (it is about 34 hours). After 4 months on Sabbatical we will be returning home. I don't know how many days it will take, but once we are on the road, anxiousness sets in and we want to get to our destination as soon as we can. It will be a good few days to release the emotions of the last week.
Long journeys. They are full of anticipation and uncertainty. They give you time to think about what is ahead (not always a good thing, I fear). They allow you time to look around and see what surrounds you. People and friends are surrounding Maria and Jonathan; new adventures, cultures, and people will be surrounding Joel and Shafali; and miles of this great country and old friends and a great church surround Joanie and I as we go home. But in all of this and in everything we face we are surrounded by two sometimes unseen things.
Hebrews says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who have gone on before us. I take comfort in that. The people who have held great influence on our lives are still cheering us on from the heavenly realms. And we are surrounded by the gracious presence of the Holy Spirit. No miles can separate and no experience can drive a wedge through those who are held together by the loving will of God's Holy Spirit. So, the Long Journey begins. And, thank God, we are not alone.

Prophetic Words

Last Thursday, I wrote an entry to this bloc on the subject of "Delays". It was written 5 days before I knew anything about Maria's tests or the eventual surgery. Last Saturday night, three days after her surgery and some 9 hours after they were supposed to be married, Jonathan and I were sitting in the living room and he was on my laptop catching up on reading this bloc. He came across the following lines from that posting:

Delays. Sometimes they benefit us and sometimes they frustrate us. Life is often lived in the delays; in places where we wait; in times when we are waiting on the Lord and see our futures as being "delayed" by circumstances. I wonder if God does not work just as much through and in the delays as he does in the moving moments. Israel was delayed 40 years; Jesus public ministry was delayed 40 days; Abraham's seed was delayed for years and years; Ruth's inclusion in the Jewish family was delayed by the death of her first husband; Paul was delayed from going into Macedonia and he was delayed by the imprisonment in an Philippian Jail. If you are in a delay, watch out, God is working - more than you ever think or expect!

Jonathan read them back to me with emotion choking his voice. He said, "I didn't know you were a prophet, Dad!" Well, thanks for the thought, but I'm not. But I do believe that God prepares you for what is coming. In talking to Paul and Janet Flores, Janet told me that Paul preached the Sunday before all this happened and that the sermon he preached was exactly what he needed to face the surgery of his daughter. I firmly believe that when you do what God calls you to do he works out your life in ways that help to prepare you for the uncertain future we all have. He never leaves us unprepared for the trials of life (though we often feel we are unprepared). Maybe one of the reasons people don't talk about their faith as much as they should is because you may have to live by the words you speak. For me, that is a blessing because I know that if I have to live by what I have preached or taught or shared with others (even on a blog) is God's way of preparing my life for what is ahead. And I would much rather be prepared than caught unaware!

Storms

As Katrina blows through the Gulf Coast and Southern United States, I realize that not all the storms that arrive in life get covered on the news or by meteorologists. Tonight we spent quite a bit of time sharing with Maria and Jonathan. They have had an incredibly difficult, emotionally, and physically draining week. Yet, in the midst of it all, they are faced with life changing questions that they feel must be answered. Bills have to be paid, decisions have to be made, life has to go on.
I learned a long time ago that decisions should never be made in the heat of the moment. When crisis hits, that's the absolute, complete, and totally wrong time to be making far reaching decisions. It is at times like this that faith takes over. You must realize that, in spite of all the issues that crash into our lives, God is still in control. As a matter of fact, God is still in control even when you think He is not in control. To have faith is to believe that God is in control when the circumstances say to us that He is not in control.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) Maria should be released from the hospital. For the last 5 days she has not been in control of much of anything. She has been poked, prodded, opened up, and sewn up. She is in control of very little. Over the next 6-12 weeks she will rest and rehabilitate in order to gain some small measure of control over her body and schedule. She is having to learn the very difficult lesson of dependence and interdependence rather than self reliance.
Are we any different? I think not. Faced with storms of life we very often have little control over the things that effect us the most. Trusting God is believing that he will make us safe even when the circumstances make us unsure. Learning to lean on Jesus is sometimes very difficult for those of us who have spent a lifetime learning to lean on our own strengths and abilities. Faith, by it's very nature, has a certain kind of abandonment to it. You abandon your personal control and depend on the hand of God to work out what you are used to working out yourself. Faith is not hard - but it is impossible if we continue to lead our lives in the same human way we always do. That's why Jesus told us it didn't take much faith (only a mustard seed size worth) to make mountains move. Abandoning your will into His requires a free-fall of your present and future into an unseen hand. It is more than just a head knowledge - it requires a real heart knowledge. And that is exactly how God determined it should be.
So, blow storms blow. Katrina has done her damage. But God brings hope and life out of the midst of rubble. And, sometimes, the greatest experiences of life are the ones that started because of the storm.

The Times They Are A Changin'

Joel just left our hotel room. We are meeting together at 8am to have breakfast before he and Shafali head back to the Chicago area for their Tuesday departure for England. It was one thing to send him off to Indiana from California. It is quite another to see the two of them head off to England for a year.
Maria is out of the ICU and is in a regular room. Her color has come back and, while still very tired, her personality has returned. She is supposed to get up and walk tomorrow. She will have a day before her family leaves. Her mom will be staying to see her through the healing period that will be 6-12 weeks.
Jonathan spent the night with Maria's brothers. They will be leaving to go back to California (they live in the San Diego area) on Sunday and he won't see them again until the wedding (whenever that will happen!). He starts back to work on Monday and has his first Seminary class on Tuesday.
Joanie and I still don't know when we will be leaving. We want to wait until Maria is out of the hospital and that should be the first of the week (if everything goes well). She will be out of work for at least 6 weeks. After that, light duty only for the next 6 weeks. She has some major adjustments to make both physically and mentally. We can't be here to help her through all of that but we hope to help her with the first steps out of the hospital before we go.
I have been squeezing in Ministries Council meetings this week along with everything else. The members of the MC have been a wonderful support. In the meetings there is a sense we all feel that we are moving toward a new direction and focus. There is a renewed sense of hope in the discussions.
All I really know is the old saying, "The only thing that is consent in this life is change". Everything in Jonathan and Maria's life and future has changed. Joel and Shafali are about to live in Europe for a year and experience monumental changes in culture and society. Joanie and I are about to head back to California changed by a summer sabbatical.
No matter who you are or what you do; no matter how much you want things to stay the same; no matter how settled you are - let me assure you of this: The times, they are a changin'! You can either enjoy change or fight a losing battle against it. The choice is ours. But the change, it is a comin'. Either get on board, get to the back of the line, or stand on the tracks. No matter what you do, count on this. The times, they are a changin'!

24 Hours

As far as I can tell, Kiefer Sutherland and his hit TV Show 24 Hours have nothing on me. 24 hours ago we were planning the final details of the Wedding of Jonathan and Maria. Joanie and I were arguing over what food to serve during the rehearsal dinner and where to get it. A few minutes later we were talking to Jonathan about wedding details on the phone when he told us they had just gotten word that Maria had to go into the hospital in the morning. This gorgeous 23 yr. old nurse who loves my son with everything she is was facing a heart catheterization and a suddenly uncertain future. Joanie and I packed the car in less than an hour and made the five hour drive from Tallmadge, Ohio to Indianapolis, Indiana in 4 1/2 hours. With less than 3 hours sleep we got up and drove to the hospital for a 7:00 admittance and an 8:30 heart cath. By 10:00 the doctor had Maria's parents, Jonathan and us in a room telling us the unthinkable. She would have to have emergency heart by-pass surgery. The wedding was off and far off from our minds. It was now a race to surgery to make sure that this special young woman would not have a massive heart attack. It was so acute that the surgeons rearranged their entire surgical rotation, made an operating room available immediately, and brought in the top heart surgeon in the hospital (St. Vincent's has a national reputation as a heart center) to perform her surgery. Before noon she was under anesthesia and by 2:00 her blood was being pumped through a machine while they stopped her heart to do a double by-pass around her main artery. By 4:00 she was off the machine, her heart had been restarted successfully, and she was being prepared for closure. At 5:00 the surgeon was in the waiting room telling us of the successful surgery and how close a call it probably was. At 9:00 we were in her room talking to Maria and having her respond through the drug haze that was keeping her from feeling the pain.
24 Hours. From wedding details to fearing for her life. The Wedding is postponed until a later date. Jonathan is now looking for lodging (he has been staying with friends until the wedding) and preparing to spend the first week of school in class rather than on his honeymoon. I am now in a hotel room in Anderson exhausted from the last 24 Hours. But grateful to God for his providential care and guidance.
So, how was your day?

The Power of Prayer

Tonight, in a phone call with my son, Jonathan, we found out that his fiancee, Maria, is going to have a heart catheterization tomorrow morning. She is 23, in great health, scheduled to get married this Saturday and will be having this surgical procedure at the hospital she works at as a nurse. Immediately, Joanie and I packed up our bags and headed out from Tallmadge, Ohio to make the 5 hour drive to Maria's apartment in Indianapolis so we can be with them tomorrow at 7am for the procedure.
Our first thought was to call folks and ask for prayer. We called Fresno, Tampa, and let the folks in Tallmadge know what was going on. Tonight we have talked with folks from around the country who have heard through the grapevine of the situation. All have called to assure us of their prayers. For many years I have been the one on the other end of the phone call assuring others of my prayers and the prayers of the church. As I have understood even in those situations, it is very different on the other end of the prayer cycle. Now, once again, I am experiencing what it means to be the recipient of others prayer focus. As I write this Maria is preparing to try and get some sleep (not very probable) and preparing for a day that may change her life and her plans for the future. Through it all the thing that is sustaining her is her faith in God's loving care and the prayers of God's loving people. It sustains her, her parents, her fiancee, and Joanie and me. Thank you for praying. It means a lot.

Delays

Sorry for the delay in posting but I have been working diligently on my book. I am on Chapter 5 and have about 50 or so pages typed. But putting so much time in on the book has limited my postings on the blog.
Joel and Shafali (My youngest son and his wife of 3 weeks) left from Tampa today to try and make a whirlwind trip from Orlando to Chicago, change air carriers and go from Chicago to San Jose, get picked up, drive 3 hours to Fresno and spend a few days at home visiting friends. Unfortunately they got delayed in Pittsburgh. They never made their flight to Chicago but Delta, the second carrier came through big time and they ended up going from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati to LA to Fresno (the Cincinnati to LA flight they were bumped up to first class) and are sleeping at the house in Fresno tonight. Hmmmm. Some delays work out well.
Since I took Joel and Shafali from Tampa to Orlando to catch their flight (we left at 5am and I got back to Tampa at 8am and had slept about 2 hours) we delayed our departure until the afternoon. We got off late but are in Charlotte, N.C. tonight and, hopefully, will make it into West Middlesex, Pa. Tomorrow afternoon. We don't want to be delayed in our desire to attend the National Association Campmeeting. Driving during the night prevented us from having traffic and work area delays - we made good time.
Delays. Sometimes they benefit us and sometimes they frustrate us. Life is often lived in the delays; in places where we wait; in times when we are waiting on the Lord and see our futures as being "delayed" by circumstances. I wonder if God does not work just as much through and in the delays as he does in the moving moments. Israel was delayed 40 years; Jesus public ministry was delayed 40 days; Abraham's seed was delayed for years and years; Ruth's inclusion in the Jewish family was delayed by the death of her first husband; Paul was delayed from going into Macedonia and he was delayed by the imprisonment in an Philippian Jail.
If you are in a delay, watch out, God is working - more than you ever think or expect!

Priorities

I went to the library to work on the book yesterday and was going great guns when the library started to fill up with teenagers who were coming in after school. Surrounded by young high school kids, they began to do what young kids do - talk and carry on. Now, I was much more interested in finishing what I was writing and concentrating on the creative act. They were much more interested in one another and the creative interaction that goes on between carefree young people. Who was right?
I sat and watched them for a while. They were happy, full of themselves, and were doing the one priority that was most important to them - relating to one another. I listened as the volume in the library increased as others, mostly adults, who had been talking quietly, increased the volume in order to continue their conversations. The librarian came over and tried to get the kids to calm it down, but to little success. I guess you could say they were in the wrong because it was a library and they were supposed to be quiet. There was a part of me that felt that way. But there was also a part of me that was happy they were in the library and at least one of them was doing some homework.
Ah, priorities. Most of the conflicts in the church (and in life) come from differing priorities. One person believes fervently that this issue is the most important issue in the life of the church. Others have differing opinions. People look at the pastor and point out what he is not doing (or what is not happening in the life of the church) and they say he isn't doing the job. Meanwhile he is working hard but with differing priorities. Who is right?
I'm not sure that's the right question. Unity in the church is based on several things. Neither of which is that we have the exact same priorities. As a matter of fact, the Body is made of people gifted by God with differing priorities - they are called spiritual gifts. Unity is based on the fact that we all do our part to accomplish God's priorities and not just complain that others aren't doing what we think is the most important priority. Our differing priorities are not bones of contention, they are building blocks of God's vision for the church. So, let's all do our part to help accomplish what needs to be done. If you see something that is important and not being done, do it - don't complain about it not getting done. If you see something happening, join in and make it work.
Ultimately, I got written what I needed to write and the kids got done what they needed to do. The library still is standing, the world is still revolving around the sun. I must always keep in mind that what others have as a priority may not be my priority - and that's OK.

To Whom Should We Listen

I am astounded by those who are listened to in our society today. We seem to revel in the information that is expressed by people who, beyond a singular talent or ability, would never be listened to at all. Let me give you a few examples.
Tonight, MSNBC has a program where Rita Cosby will have an in-depth interview with Amber Frye. You remember Amber Frye, don't you? She is the "girlfriend" of convicted murderer Scott Peterson. Let's see now...The reason we listen to her is? Because she was duped by a guy who was a world class liar? She found out about who he was a turned the guy in? She is a former stripper? No offense, Amber, but why should we continue to listen to you? The trial is over. You have nothing more to tell us. But we continue to be fascinated by you.
Here's another. Tom Cruise. Why should we listen to Tom? Because he has been married and divorced twice and is about to get married for a third time? Because he has become a spokeperson for a cult group called Scientology? Because he can't act (OK, maybe he can act a little)? Because he is rich? Good looking? No offense, Tom, but you are so out of the mainstream of human life on this planet that you have nothing to say to those of us who live normal lives.
The Media. Why do we listen to these guys? They have had hour long programs all over the cable channels talking about the death of Peter Jennings. He has been treated as though he formed world opinion and changed people's lives. He has been eulogized because he was a newspaper man, journalist, and anchor man. Hmmm. Married and divorced four times. He spent most of his life outside the U.S. He was terribly hard to work for by all accounts of those who have been eulogizing him. Forming world opinion? Maybe, but I doubt he had near the affect that his colleagues think he did.
Any Sports Figure. Take your pick. Gary Sheffield (nobody would pay any attention to this guy if he couldn't hit a baseball - and that affects us how?), Rafeal Plamiero (he had one chance to make a statement and change lives in front of congress and he lied), Kenny Rogers (all he did was physically accost a couple of cameramen - he should be in jail not on the front page). Barry Bonds, Terrell Owens, Ricky Williams (please), and a host of others. If you want to listen to a sports figure, try Jim Kelly who lost his son, Hunter, to a debilitating disease this week and has worked tirelessly for the disabled; Lance Armstrong because he defeated cancer and is affecting people's lives with his story and his courage (I know, he has been married, divorced and is dating Cheryl Crow but I will give him a break-he's earned it); Dan Marino, voted into the Football Hall of Fame this week who is a terrific Dad and has helped to build a Children's Hospital and who, through his Foundation and charitable fund raising, has donated more than 4,000,000 to this cause (the Marino's have a special needs child).
To whom do you listen? Movie stars and rock stars have little to contribute. Politicians and Interest Group representatives rarely tell the truth - they only try to represent their point of view without regards to the truth. Even preachers have their own agenda and cannot always be the source of truth they claim to be. So, to whom do you listen?
When I go into the pulpit I read from the NIV version of the Bible. During this Sabbatical I have heard pastor's use a variety of versions. I think I will stick with the NIV. Largely because it is a translation done by a group of scholars. This group checked themselves and their conclusions against a variety of research, scholarship, and thought. And that leads to a better, more rounded understanding of how to translate the scriptures. I think that is good advice. Listen to more than one voice. Certainly, we must listen to the voice of God. But how does the Holy Spirit speak? He speaks through the Word, prayer, preachers and teachers, problems and pain, understanding and confusion. He speaks in a variety of ways through a variety of voices. And that's the way it's supposed to be. Don't listen to a single voice (even your own). God has given us the ability to hear from Him through many different avenues. Choose them wisely. There are always voices wanting to get our attention. I John 4:1 says, "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." Wise advice. To Whom Do You Listen?

What is Anger?

Let's talk about something we don't talk about all the time. Let's talk about anger. First of all, anger is an emotion and, by nature, has neither a positive or negative connotation. What you do with your anger makes all the difference. Paul admonished us to "be angry but sin not" - recognizing that anger is all about how you use it or don't use it that creates our impression of it. Jesus got angry in the Temple. God has gotten angry. So did Moses, David, Peter, Paul, etc. So, what is anger anyway?
Anger is what happens when the communication connection is broken. This can happen intentionally or unintentionally. Once communication is broken, anger results from the conclusions one makes absent any direct understanding. For instance, a husband gets angry at his wife because she forgets their anniversary. Absent of any direct understanding of the reasons why, she begins to assume that he doesn't really care about the relationship or, even worse, about her. Feelings of anger get mixed with hurt feelings and they grow exponentially to the point where she doubts the security of their love and marriage. By the time the husband gets home he gets a full blast of her anger and is back tracking on his heels until he can try and patch up the problem.
Anger is also what happens when we are faced with an injustice. The World Trade Center, children being molested and killed by sexual predators, the murder of a pregnant woman by her husband and the body of the woman and baby dumped into the Bay, the degradation of a person of color by someone who is white just because they are of color...These are things which create in us a sense of anger created by an injustice.
How do we deal with our anger? Here is the key question. In order for our anger to be assuaged we must learn how to communicate what we feel without creating the same kind of destruction, injustice, or disrespect that caused us to be angry in the first place. While there is a place for "an eye for an eye" that place is not in anger. To respond in anger to someone who is angry with you or at you does not solve the dilemma. Again, we must communicate rather than hold our emotions inside and allow them to blow up in a rage.
I just listened to a program about Jackie Robinson, the great Brooklyn Dodger baseball player, who endured the prejudice of a nation and won them over. In order to accomplish that goal he had to hold his anger and find constructive ways of responding to it (usually this was in the form of beating the other team and gaining a certain amount of revenge against their anger towards him).
Our problem with anger is not expressing it but it is in how we receive it from others. We hurl it back at others rather than deflecting it away from us. At Joel and Shafali's reception, a woman from the VFW came into the hall as we were cleaning up and began berating us for taking down the flags and plaques that had been on the wall. We tried to tell her that we had permission from the VFW to do what we had done. She was unable or unwilling to hear that and continued to ply us with her anger over our "disrespect". She returned three different times to express her anger. Each time it became more and more pointed. She spent some time in the hallway weeping over what we had done. While I'm sure the alcohol she had consumed was, at least, partially responsible for her emotional state, I was fascinated to see how all those who were there (mostly the Klecka family - Shafali's mother, brothers and relatives) handled themselves. They did not lash out at her but tried to diffuse the situation. After the woman had left the hall, I went over into the bar and tried to make sure that those who were the patrons of the VFW knew that we had not done anything out of disrespect. They were grateful for the sentiment and apologized for her attitude. I wonder if they would have done that if we had berated the woman when she spewed her anger at us? I think not. Everyone gets angry. How you handle it can make all the difference in the world.

Unimaginable Anguish

I have been reacting to the story of Susan Torres and her family. This 26 year old mother of a 2 year old has been in the midst of an extraordinary battle between life and death. She contracted cancer some months ago. This aggressive form of melanoma struck her brain and she suffered a massive brain hemorrhage. In the normal course of things she would have died as a result of the hemorrhage - a condition that left her brain dead. One factor complicated this situation and caused her to become national news. She was pregnant at the time of her hemorrhage. Her husband was faced with the most agonizing of decisions. He chose to quit his job, sit by her side in the hospital room for the last months, and await the time when the baby might be born alive and healthy. This week, with her body functions decreasing rapidly, doctors delivered the 1lb. 13 oz. Infant by caesarian section. The infant (named Susan after her mother) is only 32 weeks old (full term is 40 weeks) and has a 25% chance of contracting the cancer that killed her mother. According to reports, people from around the world have responded by donating $400,000 for medical bills incurred by the family during this tragic time.
Amazingly there has been no outcry. She was given last rites by the Catholic Church just prior to life support being removed. Her parents did not sue nor did her husband take them to court. No media attention was focused on the feud between families because there was none. No lawyers went in front of the news cameras to explain their legal position. The governor of Virginia was not called into the situation and the U.S. Congress passed no legislation aimed at keeping her or the baby alive. How different from the Terry Schiavo case. And I've been wondering why?
Is it because a baby is worth more than a brain damaged adult? Is it because being in a persistent vegetative state has less value than being pregnant in a brain damaged state? Is it because the end justifies the means? Is it because there is life at the end of this rather than just death? Is it because we don't know what to do with the medical knowledge we have when it comes to the ethical questions about life and death? Or, is it because families come together at times of great stress and anguish and make horrendous decisions together rather than get into a public spat about what should be a private matter?
When my parents died my two brothers and I sat down at our parents home and decided how to divide the contents of the home. There was no arguing or complaining. In sadness we sat down as brother and as a family and took whatever we really wanted as a keepsake and divided the rest by lot (sounds like the second chapter of Acts, doesn't it?). That's what families do. When the tough times come, they learn how to come together rather than finding ways to split apart. I cannot imagine what it took for Susan's husband, Jason, must have gone through to decide what and how to do. But he did it with his family in support and lending him whatever comfort or help they could. I know this because there was no spat, no fighting, no arguing. Just a couple of grandparents caring for the 2 yr. old (Peter) while his Dad sat next to his Mom waiting for the unimaginable day when his brother would be born and his mother would die.
I don't know what little Susan will grow up to be but I do know she has a chance to become who and what God intended her to be because the family has given her that chance. No lawyers, reporters, judges or politicians. Just her family. And that's the way it should be. Amen.

When The Foundation Cracks

Our visit to Ground Zero was a very moving experience. Seeing this 20 acre scar in the ground and reliving the pictures from TV in your mind as you stand there is incredible. One of the oddities of Ground Zero today is the building that is dark on the left of the picture. This is the Duetch Bank Building. It survived the carnage of September 11. Like most of the buildings that surrounded the Plaza, all the windows in the building were blown out. But the building survived. At least, it is still standing. Survival might be too strong a word.
It seems that the upper floors of the building survived without any significant damage. However, the lower floors were damaged significantly by the towers falling and the intense heat of the fires that raged on following the collapse. While the upper floors can still be used, the lower floors cannot. And, of course, when your foundation is cracked, the building is not safe. The reason the building is wrapped with black material is that real point of the story. You see, one of the major pieces of transportation in NYC is the subway system. The World Trade Center actually had two stops underneath the buildings. It took months and months to get the subway system up and running from Uptown to Downtown. It was a vital link in the way people get around in a city that has millions of people trying to get around a very small island. The picture at the right is the subway exit at the observation area for Ground Zero. You can see how many people line the streets (and if you can see well, the streets are full of cars). The problem for the Bank Building is that if you implode it, the subway underneath will be damaged and you will have the same issues as you did when the Twin Towers came down. So, what do you do?
Well, the demolition artists are not going to destroy the building and bring it down in a heap. Instead, they are dismantling the building piece by piece. Starting with the top floors (the undamaged, stable floors) they are carefully taking down the whole building. It will take them months and months to do it. But it will save the city untold problems in the long run. Imagine, dismantling a perfectly good top half of a building just because the bottom floors are fragile and the subway goes underneath!
Too many people (including many who go to church) are living lives built like the Duetch Bank Building. It's not just that their foundations are cracked, it's that they have built successful lives on cracked foundations. To look at the their lives, they look to be healthy from all appearances. But down below, in the heart and soul, the building is unsteady and will, eventually, have to come down. The danger lies in how it comes down. When someone turns their lives completely over to Jesus Christ (not just the upper floors but the whole building) God will tear down the old structure and rebuild it on a lasting foundation. Often, he is able to preserve the good parts of your life and place them back into your new life. Not all is lost when the Grace of God recreates your soul. However, if you allow your life to come crashing down it will not be just your life that will come down but all those others who pass underneath your life, like the subway under the Duetch Bank Building, that will be affected by your fall. Your life affects so many other lives. How you live it makes all the difference. And how you build - and who builds it - will determine whether it will last or crash down on your family, job, friends, and church. Jesus said in Matthew 6:47-49:
I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."