Which is the right way?

In my latest trek through the Bible--this time the Evidence Bible published by Bridge-Logos in Orlando--I've been reading in Deuteronomy. I'm amazed at how such an old book can be so relevant to today. In Deuteronomy 12:8 Moses shared God's message to the Hebrew people: "You shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes." People at that time built and worshiped idols. They performed many rituals for their dieties. They even sacrificed their children in hopes of pleasing their gods. Even those who worshiped the God of Abraham sometimes invented ways to please Him. But God gave very specific instructions about how to worship Him so "that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, when you shall do that which is right in the sight of the Lord." (Deut. 12:25) God is not interested in our brand of religion, whether we pretend to worship him or someone else. How can we be sure what really pleases God? There are so many religions, so many denominations of Christianity, so many styles of worship. What standard should we use to see if our actions and attitudes are what God approves? Moses reminded the people, "What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: you shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it." (Deut. 12:32) Herein lies the answer to our dilemma. We cannot do what is right in our own eyes. We have an obligation to find out what God requires. This is found in the Bible, God's holy book. Which do you choose: what is right in your own eyes or what is right in the sight of the Lord?

Are You Listening?

Sometimes I really surprise myself. I think I have it all together, and then I realize I don't. I have an old cassette of Dino Kartsonakis that I love to hear. The only place I can play it is in the car. It's a great stress reliever to listen to his beautiful piano music blended with sounds of nature--the ocean or a rain storm. After a long day at work, I had some errands to run. As I drove, my mind whirred at top speed, processing all the obligations I tried to manage. I mentally cataloged my to-do lists for school, home, and church. Traffic demanded my attention. A long wait at a red light forced me to halt. Suddenly, under the current of all that had demanded my focus, I heard a sweet melody. Dino's music had been playing during my ride, but all those stressors had completely blocked it from my perception. At times like this, I am reminded that God is speaking words of love and wisdom to me. But so often I am not even listening. I block out His gentle call with a myriad of mindless matter. Perhaps a friend might say, "God does not talk to me." I must reply, "He is speaking. But are you listening?"

For All the Children with Broken Hearts

Y Y is my letter. Can't say it's my favorite. That would mean it makes me happy. No, it's just my letter. And brown is my color. But red is rising. My science teacher talked about the earth's plates. They shift around sometimes to make earthquakes or volcanoes. She showed us video clips. Magma makes the plates move. Something just clicked in my head when I heard that. I thought about it a lot. Magma is hot, and it moves around kind of restless. Sometimes I feel like I'm the brown earth. The magma is churning under the surface of my plates, making me feel restless. The red just keeps on pushing. And some day it's going to explode like a volcano. My magma is full of feelings. Sad. Angry. Scared. Lonely. Hurt. All jumbled up together. And it's full of hot questions, too. Why was Daddy so mad? Why does he hit people sometimes? Why did Mama get sick? Why didn't it just work out that I could stay with Grandma? Why did she and Nana have to argue over me? Why did strangers come and take me away? Why can't Buster come with me? Why do I have to go to a foster home? Why did Uncle Buddy show me those nasty pictures? Why did he touch me like that? Why didn't he stop when I said NO? Why can't I just have a normal life like everybody else in my class? Someday I just may shout all my questions at once. They'll spew out fast like lava reaching the sky. People will see the smoke for miles away. WHY? --D. Gornoski