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I read out of Acts 26 this AM – Paul conveying his conversion experience to King Agrippa.

The last sentence in verse 14 grabbed my attention.

Acts 26:14  - “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

Three application points: ( A goad is a point, prick, stinger often used to prod stubborn oxen)

When we hurt the church we hurt ourselves. – Obvious

Not so obvious, and this is where I think it applies to me (us), we cannot resist what God has purposed for us to accomplish. Resisting the directive of God brings pain and no solution to the reason(s) why we are resisting his directive in the first place.  Obeying the directive of God usually involves COST (Sacrifice) but in faithfully following his directive (despite pain, cost, sacrifice) we experience the equipping GRACE and JOY of God.

I cannot resist the providence of God…by his grace I have no desire to do so. (Note: Paul saw and heard the visible resurrected Christ – ( a vision I imagine difficult to sideline and thus disobey).  I don’t need a visible appearance and audible voice from God to motivate me to obey — however, affirmations and confirmations from his written word, circumstances and people, whom I respect, help me to be content that I am indeed following God’s specific directive for me (us).

Check out this link to bring some more clarity to the “Goad” sentence. FAITH BLOG

Ancient Stump

I’m burning some cedar incense…it’s rustic but nice, woodsy…like a cloudy quiet day in Deep Creek, MD. The swaths of smoke rising from the incense carried me to the lake today. Flash backs of lazy mornings on the back porch – cradling a piping hot cup of coffee…hey did I just see a deer? Wish you were here with me?

After my coffee,  I am hiking to the lake to capture some images of ancient stumps…nooked, crannied, and half submerged – a perfect hide out for frogs, snakes, bugs and fish. Traveling down the emerald path of ferns and evergreens, I swallow deep gulps of oxygenated air…every breath.  At the lake’s edge, wading in sparkling water, I explore, take pictures, and listen. In the distance echoes of thunder rumble across the cove; better head back up to the cabin…play some Clue?

Planet Earth

I was awakened this morning by rattling windows, a shaking bed, and rumbling sound. I rolled over in bed and ask my wife; “What is that?” Disoriented I thought the washing machine was out of balance…slamming terribly out of control, but then the windows started rattling; it was then that I realized we were experiencing an earthquake. Later in the morning I found out that the epicenter was located near Sycamore, Illinois – approximately 30 miles from my house. Although only a 3.8 magnitude quake I was amazed at the power it yielded; I can only imagine the terror people in Haiti felt at their 7.0 magnitude earthquake.