Basic Truths | Finding God in Everyday Life

  I’ve talked with thousands of patients about their health and how to best improve or maintain it. I’ve noticed a change in attitudes over the years. Early on, many people expressed a desire to be as healthy as possible in order to take care of others, most commonly their children but sometimes their spouse, parents, or others in their family. Fewer and fewer people have expressed this attitude as time has gone on. It’s possible that this phenomenon is not typical of our society as a whole but I suspect it is. We have been drifting towards “me first” for awhile and that doesn’t appear to be about to change.   As I mentioned in an earlier post, our life itself is a gift from God.   Everything we have, everything   we can do, is through the grace of God.   We may think that the condition of our bodies is just a physical matter, but there is a spiritual dimension to it as well. Our body is a gift from God. How we take care of it reflects on our relationship wi...

  Have you ever bought a gift for a kid who proceeded to trash it, either physically or verbally? It makes you think twice at the next gift-giving occasion. We know that a gift, by definition, is something that the recipient can do whatever they want with, but it makes us feel better to know that our gifts are appreciated and well used.   God blesses us every day with an abundance of gifts. Life itself is a gift! Just as we would want others to use our gifts well, God wants us to take care of the gifts He gives us and use them well.  It’s fine for us to enjoy all the blessings we have received. We shouldn’t forget, though, that we are called to use our gifts to serve others.   We need to serve with an attitude of humility.  Our natural tendency is to take pride in the things we do. We can even be proud of how humble we’ve been! Jesus said, “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only...

  I watched the Lone Ranger TV show when I was a kid. I always thought that it seemed a little silly to think that you couldn’t recognize someone just because they were wearing a mask.   Then along came COVID and things changed. I found out on several occasions that others couldn’t recognize me with my mask on and I noticed that I often had a hard time figuring out who someone was when they were wearing their mask.   There is a spiritual corollary to this. Jesus talked to His disciples about the day of judgment (Mt 25:31-46). The King separated the people based upon what they did or didn’t do for him when he was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, sick, or needing clothes. When the people said that they never saw the King like this, he replied, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25:40).   We will likely come in contact with many people today.   We need to see beyond their outward appearanc...

  I grew up in New Jersey. Wedding receptions there are quite the big deal. They often involve an elaborate banquet at an elegant facility with a multi-course meal, music and dancing, and other activities. The women get their hair done and shop for a new dress beforehand. The men have it easier. They just need to get a suit, dress shirt, and shoes out of the closet. There is an air of anticipation before the event, both for the wedding and the banquet. The reception itself is a time for celebration and family reunions. I still have vivid memories of some of the receptions I went to 50 to 60 years ago.   Jesus compared heaven to a wedding banquet in one of His parables (Mt 22:1-14). We have all been invited to the banquet. We have accepted our invitation if we have accepted Jesus as our savior. The majesty and the celebration will be beyond what we have ever experienced or even imagined in our lifetimes. We will be reunited with family and friends who have gone before us. ...

 Like most kids, I liked balloons. I still think they’re fun. We went to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed watching the giant balloons go by.   A balloon is pretty unexciting and not much fun when it’s not inflated. But, fill it with air or helium and it becomes a thing of joy. You can’t see the air that goes into the balloon, you can’t weigh it or measure it without fancy equipment, but it makes all the difference when you inflate your balloon.   Many people are walking around today like somebody just popped their balloon, without joy or a purpose in life.  We should be witnesses by our actions and demeanor to the “good news” we have received. We can encourage others to draw near to God, who is the source of all joy and encouragement through His Holy Spirit.   If you are feeling a little deflated today, ask for an extra filling of the Spirit’s presence in you.  Jesus promised, “ If you then…..know how to gi...

  I have some favorite clothes that I like to wear, some of which I have owned for a long time. I like them, I’m comfortable in them, and I don’t want to throw them out, even if they start looking a little ratty. This has led to battles with my mother when I was growing up and then with my wife once I got married. Once in a while I’ll wear one of my favorites when my wife is out of town (not out of spite, I promise).   The point is – we all have things that we don’t want to let go of. It can be a little thing like clothes or it can be a big thing such as a relationship, a job, an activity, or a habit. Somewhere in the back of our mind, we may know that we will be better off if we let go but something inside of us resists.   Jesus drove a large number of demons out of a man who was possessed (Lk 8:26-39). The demons went into a herd of pigs. The pigs ran into a nearby lake and drowned. The people of the area gathered around Jesus and the man who was healed. What was th...

  As I write this, the jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery tonight is over one billion dollars. The TV reporters have been busy interviewing people about what they would do with the money. It reminded me of a joke that I heard a long time ago. A man prays, “God, I really need some money. Help me win the lottery”.   No luck. This goes on and on for awhile until one day the man says, “God, I’ve been asking you for months to help me win the lottery and nothing happens. What’s the story?” All of a sudden, a light shines down from the sky and a loud voice calls out, “Meet me halfway. Buy a ticket!”   As I’ve said before, I think certain passages in the Bible illustrate a message but also show that God has a sense of humor. In Matthew 17:24-27, we read that the collectors of a temple tax asked Peter if Jesus paid the tax. Peter, either without thinking or purposely fibbing, said that Jesus paid the tax. Jesus corrected Peter, telling him that, as the Son of God, He was no...

  I came down with COVID recently and lost my sense of smell for awhile (I’m better now, thank you). COVID has made us think more about our senses, especially our sense of smell and taste. We probably don’t spend much time thinking about our sense of touch. Touching someone or something can greatly affect us. I remember vividly to this day the joy I felt in being able to see and touch our daughter when she was just born.   The gospels speak of the power of touch (see Luke 8:40-51). Jesus was in the middle of a crowd with people pressing up against him. Then, a woman with bleeding for 12 years reached out and touched Jesus in faith and was immediately healed. Following this, Jesus arrived at the home of a girl who had died. He reached out and took her hand and she returned to life.   We tend to pray to a God who is in heaven or “out there somewhere”. We need to be reminded from time to time that God is a personal, loving God who is with us. We can reach out with ou...

  COVID has made all of us acutely aware of illness and the need for healing. We have invested billions of dollars in the search for vaccines to prevent illness and for treatments to heal those who have gotten infected. Early in the pandemic this was literally a matter of life-or-death for those who were affected. I was witness to the sadness of families who lost loved ones to COVID and also to the thankfulness of patients who recovered from their illness.   Jesus healed multitudes of people in the course of His ministry. He had compassion on those who were sick and His healings also furthered the spread of His message. The story of the paralytic illustrates this point (Lk 5:18-26). A group of men brought a man who was paralyzed to Jesus. Jesus told him, “Friend, your sins are forgiven” (Lk 5:20). When the religious leaders objected, Jesus told them, “ ‘That you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘I tell you, get...