Sweet Words from Maine

Fort Knox, the first granite fort in Maine, was constructed in 1844 and was strategically positioned along the Penobscot Narrows across from Bucksport village. Built to guard the Penobscot River from unwanted intruders and to protect access to the ship building trade in Bangor, it stands as a reminder that our nation and its communities need protection from those who would push their will upon others.

So, who keeps careful vigilance over our nation today? Who defends our freedoms- our rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness as stated in the Declaration of Independence? Who is responsible for and will pay the price to keep our national priorities? Who or what guides us? Is it our elected authorities? Our judicial system? Our warriors?

Our Constitution says that “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity …”

“We the people” hold the power and responsibility for assuring ongoing common good for our nation. That tall order requires us to guard our character as well as our “rights”—to be watchful and protective against the intruders of apathy, selfishness, greed, lust for power, ingratitude, extremism, and divisions. That level of morality demands adherence to a standard greater than a document, greater than a guiding Constitution.

King Solomon implored his readers to keep “ your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life… Let (God’s words) penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them… look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.” (Proverbs 4:18-27 (NLT2)

The idea that God’s wisdom is protective and beneficial does not seem to be in the collective, cultural thinking of this day and conjures up Pete Segar’s haunting question, “when will we ever learn?” (Where have all the flowers gone… Pete Segar’s 1950’s song)

Whether Christian or not, there has never been a better moral guideline for an individual or nation than Jesus’ summation of the Moral Law. It will never be equaled by any other statute or tenet or creed: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:35-40) Possessing that mentality would save us from the increasing idolatry of selfish “rights”, philosophic relativism, and injustices and return us to civility in speech and behavior.

Most certainly, caring for the our nation’s “soul” will require understanding of an accurate and truth filled historical context, continuity of good values, the desire to be and to do better, and diligent adherence to what is good for all. Scripture gives us the antidote to recalcitrant ways and angry cries and divisive demands for “rights.” It promises that a people who are humble before God and who will seek His face and ways will have a healed land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 )

If we as individuals and as a nation honor God and His time tested and very sensible moral guidelines of self control and love, we will ^“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. …looking not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others…( Philippians 2:1-11)

Our peace and stability will be protected when we discover the meaning of the humility that Christ taught and modeled… a love for God and a selfless, sacrificial, considerate, caring attitude toward all.

Fort Knox, the first granite fort in Maine, was constructed in 1844 and was strategically positioned along the Penobscot Narrows across from Bucksport village. Built to guard the Penobscot River from unwanted intruders and to protect access to the ship building trade in Bangor, it stands as a reminder that our nation and its communities need protection from those who would push their will upon others.

So, who keeps careful vigilance over our nation today? Who defends our freedoms- our rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness as stated in the Declaration of Independence? Who is responsible for and will pay the price to keep our national priorities? Who or what guides us? Is it our elected authorities? Our judicial system? Our warriors?

Our Constitution says that “We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity …”

“We the people” hold the power and responsibility for assuring ongoing common good for our nation. That tall order requires us to guard our character as well as our “rights”—to be watchful and protective against the intruders of apathy, selfishness, greed, lust for power, ingratitude, extremism, and divisions. That level of morality demands adherence to a standard greater than a document, greater than a guiding Constitution.

King Solomon implored his readers to keep “ your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life… Let (God’s words) penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them… look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.” (Proverbs 4:18-27 (NLT2)

The idea that God’s wisdom is protective and beneficial does not seem to be in the collective, cultural thinking of this day and conjures up Pete Segar’s haunting question, “when will we ever learn?” (Where have all the flowers gone… Pete Segar’s 1950’s song)

Whether Christian or not, there has never been a better moral guideline for an individual or nation than Jesus’ summation of the Moral Law. It will never be equaled by any other statute or tenet or creed: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:35-40) Possessing that mentality would save us from the increasing idolatry of selfish “rights”, philosophic relativism, and injustices and return us to civility in speech and behavior.

Most certainly, caring for the our nation’s “soul” will require understanding of an accurate and truth filled historical context, continuity of good values, the desire to be and to do better, and diligent adherence to what is good for all. Scripture gives us the antidote to recalcitrant ways and angry cries and divisive demands for “rights.” It promises that a people who are humble before God and who will seek His face and ways will have a healed land. (2 Chronicles 7:14 )

If we as individuals and as a nation honor God and His time tested and very sensible moral guidelines of self control and love, we will ^“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. …looking not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others…( Philippians 2:1-11)

Our peace and stability will be protected when we discover the meaning of the humility that Christ taught and modeled… a love for God and a selfless, sacrificial, considerate, caring attitude toward all.

Of the reportedly 65 lighthouses along the Maine Coast, 57 are active, 55 of which are managed by the Coast Guard. As shining sentinels guarding harbor entrances and standing on rocky shoals, these beacons guide fishermen and sailors safely home through the darkness hiding Maine’s hazardous waters and cliff lined shores.

The Genesis story of creation states quite simply that God created light: “God made the two great lights… and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:16-18)

That same narrative also reveals that God merely spoke and light appeared. Today, His voice enlightens our darkened, broken world and disperses spiritual darkness just as His words took away the darkness of the physical world. King David sang, “You are my lamp, O Lord, You turn my darkness into light.” “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” ^“I have stored up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (2 Samuel 22:29) (Psalm 119:105) ( Psalm 119:11) And in his letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul claimed that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:15-16)

God’s message for humanity is so crucial, so loving, but so misunderstood that He personified it. He gave us Jesus. (John 3:16) His Word became more than oral or recorded or transcribed words. “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthian 4:6) Jesus, as the expressed image of God, became the living Word of God to give us redemption and hope. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (Colossians 1:15) (John 1:14) (Philippians 2:7) (John 1:4-5)

Through the life and redemptive activity of Christ, God’s voice speaks clearly and loudly. There is no mistaking that humanity is in extreme need of forgiveness and spiritual restoration and that God offers amazing grace to those who will believe. He delivers “ us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son…” (Colossians 1:13) “

Jesus, “the Light of the World” came to shine through life’s hazards and pitfalls. He guides our souls to the safety of God’s Kingdom through the confusing darkness which invades humanity’s minds and spirits .“If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life, “ Jesus said. (John 8:12) 

Of the reportedly 65 lighthouses along the Maine Coast, 57 are active, 55 of which are managed by the Coast Guard. As shining sentinels guarding harbor entrances and standing on rocky shoals, these beacons guide fishermen and sailors safely home through the darkness hiding Maine’s hazardous waters and cliff lined shores.

The Genesis story of creation states quite simply that God created light: “God made the two great lights… and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:16-18)

That same narrative also reveals that God merely spoke and light appeared. Today, His voice enlightens our darkened, broken world and disperses spiritual darkness just as His words took away the darkness of the physical world. King David sang, “You are my lamp, O Lord, You turn my darkness into light.” “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” ^“I have stored up Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (2 Samuel 22:29) (Psalm 119:105) ( Psalm 119:11) And in his letter to Timothy, the Apostle Paul claimed that “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. (2 Timothy 3:15-16)

God’s message for humanity is so crucial, so loving, but so misunderstood that He personified it. He gave us Jesus. (John 3:16) His Word became more than oral or recorded or transcribed words. “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthian 4:6) Jesus, as the expressed image of God, became the living Word of God to give us redemption and hope. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (Colossians 1:15) (John 1:14) (Philippians 2:7) (John 1:4-5)

Through the life and redemptive activity of Christ, God’s voice speaks clearly and loudly. There is no mistaking that humanity is in extreme need of forgiveness and spiritual restoration and that God offers amazing grace to those who will believe. He delivers “ us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son…” (Colossians 1:13) “

Jesus, “the Light of the World” came to shine through life’s hazards and pitfalls. He guides our souls to the safety of God’s Kingdom through the confusing darkness which invades humanity’s minds and spirits .“If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness because you will have the light that leads to life, “ Jesus said. (John 8:12) 

Unwavering from its course, the distant ship is missing the wonder of this seal rookery and is a reminder of the gentleman in the anonymously written poem “Opportunities Missed”: There was a very cautious man/Who never laughed or played/He never risked, he never tried/ He never sang or prayed. // And when he one day passed away/His insurance was denied/For since he never really lived/They claimed he never died!

Hopefully, we are making the most of our opportunities, have few regrets, and are enjoying life. However, we all play the “what if” game. We wonder how different life might have been if we had just altered course a little, if we had chosen a different path, if circumstances had been different, if we had been more focused, mature, and discerning, if we had set better standards and goals, or if we had been more decisive and less fearful. We wonder how or why life has weaved itself together the way it has and whether we are living to our full potential in our current season of life!

Scripture is replete with accounts of men and women at some crossroads in life. Some chose wisely, but others chose poorly and missed out on a blessing. A whole civilization lost its life in the great flood because it mocked and did not heed God’s warnings; a generation of Israelites died in the wilderness because they did not trust God’s leading; the people of Sodom and Gomorrah ignored God and were destroyed; Jonah spent three days in the belly of a big fish because he refused to be God’s man; Solomon’s willful waywardness resulted in a divided Kingdom. These Old Testament examples remind us that it is easy to be self involved, to miss meaning and purpose, to sail by what God intends for us!

Jesus told many parables about missed opportunities. The Levite and the Priest in the story of the good Samaritan lost out on the blessing of helping others; five bridesmaid had no oil for their lamps and therefore missed the wedding feast; a man who hid his talent eventually had it taken away because he had done nothing with it. Perhaps the most striking and troublesome parable is about a group of people who totally missed their reason for being and, in the end, missed eternity with Him. ( Matthew 24:31-46)

We evaluate and therefore react to opportunities differently. Jesus was crucified between two thieves who had the same chance to know him. One questioned Christ’s authenticity. The other recognized Jesus’ power to save and requested that Jesus remember him when he came into his Kingdom. The thing about opportunities is that they are not just about the present but are about how the future will work out.

That is the reason to not sail by Jesus.

Our perceptions of him may differ, but if Scripture is correct, thoughtlessly ignoring him will be life’s greatest missed opportunity.

Unwavering from its course, the distant ship is missing the wonder of this seal rookery and is a reminder of the gentleman in the anonymously written poem “Opportunities Missed”: There was a very cautious man/Who never laughed or played/He never risked, he never tried/ He never sang or prayed. // And when he one day passed away/His insurance was denied/For since he never really lived/They claimed he never died!

Hopefully, we are making the most of our opportunities, have few regrets, and are enjoying life. However, we all play the “what if” game. We wonder how different life might have been if we had just altered course a little, if we had chosen a different path, if circumstances had been different, if we had been more focused, mature, and discerning, if we had set better standards and goals, or if we had been more decisive and less fearful. We wonder how or why life has weaved itself together the way it has and whether we are living to our full potential in our current season of life!

Scripture is replete with accounts of men and women at some crossroads in life. Some chose wisely, but others chose poorly and missed out on a blessing. A whole civilization lost its life in the great flood because it mocked and did not heed God’s warnings; a generation of Israelites died in the wilderness because they did not trust God’s leading; the people of Sodom and Gomorrah ignored God and were destroyed; Jonah spent three days in the belly of a big fish because he refused to be God’s man; Solomon’s willful waywardness resulted in a divided Kingdom. These Old Testament examples remind us that it is easy to be self involved, to miss meaning and purpose, to sail by what God intends for us!

Jesus told many parables about missed opportunities. The Levite and the Priest in the story of the good Samaritan lost out on the blessing of helping others; five bridesmaid had no oil for their lamps and therefore missed the wedding feast; a man who hid his talent eventually had it taken away because he had done nothing with it. Perhaps the most striking and troublesome parable is about a group of people who totally missed their reason for being and, in the end, missed eternity with Him. ( Matthew 24:31-46)

We evaluate and therefore react to opportunities differently. Jesus was crucified between two thieves who had the same chance to know him. One questioned Christ’s authenticity. The other recognized Jesus’ power to save and requested that Jesus remember him when he came into his Kingdom. The thing about opportunities is that they are not just about the present but are about how the future will work out.

That is the reason to not sail by Jesus.

Our perceptions of him may differ, but if Scripture is correct, thoughtlessly ignoring him will be life’s greatest missed opportunity.

“If wishes were horses beggars would ride”, an old Scottish proverb, expresses a desire for the ideal but assumes the harsh reality that not everything is possible. We long for Eden, for Paradise Lost, for a perfect world where there would be no reason for beggars. However, we know that there will always be poverty, mental illness, economic and social inequality, injustice, war and evil behavior. We are incapable of achieving a flawless state because men’s heart are broken and their minds are weak. Regardless of how long we spin our wheels and no matter how high our IQ’s are, we have neither foreknowledge nor incorruptible characters. So, we are given to incomplete or illogical thoughts which lead to flawed actions and unintended consequences.

 Cynical? No! Experience tells us that we cannot have full confidence in people and worldly ideologies. Science constantly reconstructs the meaning of collected data; its “truths” are changing, moving targets. Although intellectually stimulating, statistical analyses or observational conclusions drawn about our material universe don’t hold answers for moral dilemmas. Secularism which emphasizes human potential and value and goodness fails to resolve human problems because we are egocentric creatures. When relativism is elevated and absolutism is debunked and when sin and accountability are downplayed with a weird kind of tolerance which lacks any moral backing and makes our personal desires permissible, human ideas become folly. People fail us; ideologies betray us.

The ancients knew that faith in Sovereign God was the answer for a healthy and strong society. The Psalmist, a great warrior, repeatedly warned against trusting in men or princes or horses or chariots or military might for security and salvation. God was the source of his salvation.(Psalm 118:6-9), (Psalm 146:1-9), (Psalm 20:7-8) The prophets Isaiah and Hosea held the belief that human intentions and behaviors can not save” “Don’t put your trust in mere humans. They are as frail as breath. What good are they?” (Isaiah 2:22) “You have eaten the fruit of lies— trusting in your military might, believing that great armies could make your nation safe (Hosea 10:12-13 (NLT2) The New Testament warns us that “… the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness,’ and again, ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile…’ (1 Corinthians 3:19-21)

Some would say that faith is like a beggar’s wishes because there is no certitude, and that here are no logical grounds for eternal hope. But the author of Hebrews stated it like this: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) That statement is universally applicable. We do not have full “proof” about every thing we believe, yet we all have some system of belief that includes or excludes God, that believes in future nothingness or some eternal existence. The Judeo-Christian confidence in God arises from creation evidences, from the irrefutable, historical revelations of Scripture about who we are, who we were meant to be, what we can be, and how to grow toward achieving those goals through a power greater than ourselves because of the resurrection and redemptive work of Jesus for us. The Christian community is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,” (Ephesians 2:20)

A nation of people honoring God’s authority would be as close to attaining Eden as is possible because its highest ethic would be love: love of God and of neighbor. God showed us what that means through the sacrificial, unconditional, enduring love at the cross of Jesus Christ, who died that we might know peace with God and our neighbors. Although there have been glimmers of such societies, Eden is an impossibility because we choose to be greedy, selfish, power hungry, and seek pleasure and security and meaning not in God but by opposing Him.

As long as mankind knows more than God, dethrones and refuses to worship God, and ignores His redemption powers to forgive and to transform and to restore, we will live in spiritual poverty. But a long look at Scripture, a thoughtful consideration of Jesus, and a decision for faith gives the confidence all spiritual beggars need and long for. Christ makes “hope” a reality!

“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)

This little heron presents us with a visual metaphor. We often feel helpless and vulnerable in the chaotic, confusing sea of geopolitical messes, pandemic crises, inconceivable violence, and moral decline in our world, but this awkward appearing bird emanating ripples from the center of its personal microcosm as it carefully and quietly searches for its dinner speaks a truth to us.

Our personal impact on the small world around us, even in the more mundane moments, is powerful. Words, attitudes, efforts, and behaviors can diminish or encourage those who seek our approval. Similarly, we remember kindnesses,  affirmations, encouragements, gentle exhortations and commendations, but we also hang onto negativity directed at us. We nurse snide remarks, verbal abuse, being ignored, and gossipy character assassinations. Apologies may be made and forgiveness sought, but words and actions can’t be retrieved and may evolve into resentments.

As approval seekers, we self-evaluate by others’ criteria. Our minds  are bombarded and molded daily by a wide variety of  conflicting and confusing cultural, subliminal messages as well as by overt, intentional persuasions of family, friends, teachers, writers, musicians, social media, news casters, religious leaders, and politicians, all of whom have opinions and points of view!

Popular music frequently mirrors real life stories and insights into “our ripple effect.”  In her song “I’m everything I am/ Because you loved me”,  Celine Dion reinforced the great importance of encouraging, supporting, and loving those about us.  Ray Boltz’s “Thank you for giving” broadens that kind of power to a much wider circle than we might imagine. The setting of his song is heaven where he is walking with his friend. People unknown to his friend approach and thank his friend for how he had influenced their lives as he lived out the graces of the Gospel. “One by one they came/Far as the eyes could see/Each life somehow touched/ By your generosity/Little things that you had done/ Sacrifices made/Unnoticed on the earth/In heaven now proclaimed.” Each came with the same message; “Thank you for giving to the Lord/I am a life that was changed/Thank you for giving to the Lord/I am so glad you gave.”

There is no better motivator for grace than the Gospel. There is no better mirror than Scripture where we can ascertain who we truly are–broken but valuable before Holy God, who in extreme love offers us redemption despite our faults, evil desires, and bad behaviors. Scripture reveals that wisdom for this earthly life begins by revering God, that His principles guide our journeys, that Jesus is the light of the World, and that we should walk as he did and be imitators of God, who gives us His righteousness through faith and empowers us to be gracious and to live a life of love and generosity.

If those ideas become more than theory, if they become a reality, some pretty nice “ripples” will be generated even when one isn’t trying!