Friday Thoughts: Time to Celebrate and A Reminder to Pray for Our Government

Pennsylvania Capital Complex

For eighteen days the world watched the search for and rescue of a youth soccer team in Thailand. Twelve boys and their coach were trapped in a flooded cave. Fortunately they were found alive. In a race against time divers attempted a daring rescue hoping to beat the monsoon rains that threatened to make the situation worse. Thank God the rescue was successful. All of the boys were rescued just before one of the pumps used to pull water out of the cave failed.

This is a time to celebrate with the families who got their sons back. It is a time to praise God for guiding the search and rescue. It is also a time of mourning as we remember the diver who lost his life during the dive. We stand with his family in prayer and with the doctor whose father passed away while he was in the cave giving medical attention to the children.

Following the rescue both the President and the Vice President released statements. One recognized God. The other (as far as I know) did not. We have been told that both have professed faith in Christ. The difference in  their statements is a reminder that we need to pray for the White House and for all of our government leaders. If they profess Christ, pray they acknowledge Him in all things.

God Through the Eyes of Solomon

When speaking of God in the Old Testament we tend to speak only of His judgement, seeing Him as if He were a heavenly enforcer looking for those whom He could condemn. Meanwhile the New Testament is all about love and mercy, a focus how God forgives our sins. But if God was so heavy handed in the OT, why did people like David want to serve Him? In our search to find God we must not overlook the descriptions of those in the OT who knew Him. We need to look at people like Solomon whose prayer at the temple dedication sounded a lot like he was calling on a God of mercy not the OT judge we have become accustomed to seeing.

2 Chronicles 6:12-31

King Solomon fulfilled his father's dream of building a temple for the God of Israel. Upon completion of this rather elaborate construction project God revealed His pleasure by resting His glory upon the building in the form of a cloud. It was then in the presence of the Lord and of the people that Solomon said a prayer of dedication over God's new home.

In his prayer Solomon acknowledges the Supreme Judge, speaking of a future where both individuals and the nation as a whole would suffer as a result of sin. He speaks of the disasters to come to those who turn their backs on the Lord. Solomon knew God as a judge and does not question His judgements. He seems to accept these as a natural consequence of man's fallen state.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Romans 3:23

Like Solomon, the writers of the New Testament saw God as a judge. The verdict received via the inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16) is that all men and women are guilty. The punishment, as decreed from the judgement seat, is far worse than suffering famine or even invasion:

"For the wages of sin is death..."

Romans 6:23

Like it or not the judge seen by Solomon in his day has also judged us today. And just as Solomon, in all his wisdom, accepted God's judgement as right so should we. But we should also recognize that even in the OT Solomon saw much more in God than a judge.

Knowing the people would sin Solomon appeals to God, asking that He would forgive them and restore them when they turn to the Lord in prayer. This was an appeal for God's mercy and grace. Solomon saw God as merciful and had no trouble asking God to forgive sins which had yet to be committed. The wisest man on earth spoke of God in the Old Testament as if he were speaking to the merciful Lord found in the New Testament.

As king of Israel Solomon shared a special relationship with God. He saw God at work in the life of his father and during his own rule as he served during the construction of the temple. What Solomon saw was a judge. At the same time he saw God as merciful. He saw grace. He saw restoration at the hand of the Lord. These would compel him to pray as he did at opening day of God's temple. Solomon's prayer reveals how God looked through his eyes. Do you see the same?

Mr. Incredible, Real Life Fatherhood and an Explosion of Straws

"Why would they change math? Math is math!" Mr. Incredible

I took my family to see “Incredibles 2” this past Father's Day. We all enjoyed the first movie and had hoped to see a sequel. When Disney announced movie 2 we knew we had to see it as soon as possible. I also had an ulterior motive in going to see the film. After reading one or two critiques which said the film portrays dads (represented by Mr. Incredible) in a negative light, I wanted to see for myself if this was yet another bad dad film. Considering the movie takes place in 1962 when family roles were a lot different than today, I was pleasantly surprised by a realistic portrayal (at least in my experience) of what it's like to be dad.

For the record "Incredibles 2" is an entertaining, though somewhat predictable movie. The action sequences are a lot of fun and while this is a superhero movie, it does a great job of poking fun at everyday life. Incredibles 2 picks up where its predecessor left off, in the parking lot right after Dash's track meet. Though the supers once again save the day, the world would still rather they stay in hiding. Against this backdrop Elastigirl is offered a job where she can fight crime while changing perceptions about supers.

Mom's new job means a number of changes in the family, including Mr. Incredible taking on a new role as a stay at home dad. I doubt this was very common in 1962. Back then most dads worked and would have scoffed at staying home with the children. There would have been bruised egos and a lack of know how if they were forced to take on the task. When judged by 2018 standards of course Mr. Incredible looks bad. I also suspect fifty-six years from now we will look like we didn’t have a clue to those looking back upon history.

With a precocious super powered baby, a moody teen whose having boy troubles and a son learning elementary school New Math, dad is in over his head. And yes he does make some silly mistakes, in at least one case making matters worse. He loses sleep. Eventually he loses his temper. He has to turn to Edna Mode and Frozone for help. For most of the movie it looks as if he is failing at his job. And as he struggles to figure it all out his day begins to look very familiar.

As any parent will tell you, when you are running late something will come up missing. Once when we were running late for my older son’s football picture day, he couldn't find his cleats. As we searched for the cleats my younger son discovered a box of 1000 drinking straws. Unfortunately toddlers (which he was at the time) are not good at opening boxes. Somehow he ripped the box in half sending the straws all over the family room. The sight of my son surrounded by a sea of straws would have made for a good picture had I had time to get my camera. It also made for a good laugh, which I would have enjoyed if not for the sound of my dog throwing up in the dining room.

I now had missing cleats, straws on the floor and vomit to clean up. There was only time to take care of two problems. I left the straws knowing I could explain things to my wife when she showed up for the football game. There was only one flaw in my plan and boy was it a big one. Instead of going straight to the field, like she said she was going to do, my wife decided to go home where she discovered that we no longer had any clean straws. In hindsight I should have cleaned up the straws and left the vomit. I could have then denied having any knowledge of the dog throwing up, which would have kept me out of the dog house.

Like Mr. Incredible I have made many mistakes while taking care of my children. Yes at times the house turns into a chaotic mess but eventually everything gets cleaned up. We found the cleats and on other occasions the remote, or whatever other item becomes lost at inopportune times. The children forgive me when I mishandle situations with their friends. Eventually even my wife learns to laugh at things, that is after she cleans up after me (just kidding). The same was true for the Parr family in “Incredibles 2,” where the kids survive Mr. Incredible's mistakes. Eventually one even compliments the job he does being dad.

“Incredibles 2” is not a disparaging portrayal of a father. It is an animated telling of what it's like for real dads, both in the 1960’s and today. We do our best, which often is less than perfect. Eventually we figure some of it out and everyone survives. But I still don't know why they would change math!