Fleet Week

One of the great things about working on the waterfront is having a front row seat to events on the water. It's Fleet week so we have navy vessels in town.

Fire boat

Navy vessel

Helicopters

Navy vessel and helicopters

Trifecta: Navy vessel, helicopters, and fireboat

Wise Virgins

I really have been enjoy writing the Women of the Bible section of the newsletter. This issue we selected the Wise Virgins.

Matthew 25:1-13 is a parable that Jesus told about ten virgins. He likened the parable to the Kingdom of Heaven. Of the virgins in the parable, five were wise and five were foolish. The parable’s purpose was to illustrate the need to be vigilant and mindful in our readiness and walk with God. We are never sure when the unexpected will happen, so we need to always be prepared.

The parable is about a wedding. During those times, the bridegroom would go to the bride’s house for the ceremony. Then the bridegroom and bride would go to the groom’s house along with a great procession for a wedding feast, which could last for a week. Selected bridesmaids would be part of the procession.

In this parable, ten bridesmaids (or virgins) took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom to be part of the processional and the wedding feast. Five were wise and took extra oil for their lamps. Five were foolish and did not take any extra oil (some say they did not take any oil at all). The bridegroom was delayed. The bridesmaids became sleepy while waiting for him, and they all went to sleep.

At midnight, it was announced that the bridegroom was coming. The bridesmaids were instructed to go out and meet him. The wise virgins were able to wake up and trim their lamps. They were ready to meet the bridegroom.

The foolish virgins’ lamps had gone out. When the foolish virgins asked the prepared virgins for oil, the foolish virgins were told no. They were forced to go in search of oil. While they were gone, the bridegroom came and those ready virgins went with the him to the wedding feast and the door was shut. When the foolish virgins returned, they attempted to gain entry by yelling through the door. They were denied entry and were unable to join the feast.

This is a parable that shows the contrast between people who are spiritually faithful and ready and those who are not. It is an exhortation to be ready at all times. It of course speaks of the second coming of Christ with Him as the Bridegroom and the Church as His Bride.

In terms of reaching forward, it is important to be ready and have a set foundation to build on. Preparation is the key to being successful in whatever the future has in store. There is nothing worse than being unprepared when your time does come. In the parable, there was a delay in the arrival of the bridegroom. The unwise virgins were not prepared for that delay.

There is a part of me that finds the five virgins who did not share their oil as a little harsh. But, in this case, I think the moral of the story is that relying on the works and faith of others will not get us into the Kingdom. Had the virgins who had prepared tried to share, they all would have run out of oil. The bottom line is that we are all responsible for our spiritual conditions.

God expects us to have our own faith and relationship with Him. As we reach forward and press toward our future, it’s important to be prepared and ready for whatever life brings.

Volume XIII Issue III Editor's Corner

My section for the latest issue.

The Way We Were is one of my favorite movies. In the movie, Katie and Hubbell are an ill-fitted couple who take many chances at being together despite having very little in common. One of the reasons they were so on and off again is that when they remembered their past relationship, they remembered it with rose-colored glasses. They remembered the good times and the laughter, but they edited out the painful and challenging parts of their relationship.

In general, I think it’s easy to look at the past with longing and happy thoughts while editing things that were unpleasant out of our memories. In this way, a known edited past becomes easier to digest than an unknown future. But we need to look and reach forward.

A familiar passage about reaching forward is found in Philippians

3:12-14. It reads, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

In the like, in Isaiah 43:18-19, the Bible says, “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

God wants to do a new thing in each of us. But how can He do a new thing when we are constantly looking to the past with longing? How can He do a new thing when we can’t let go of the hurt and pain of yesterday? There is nothing in your past that is worth going back to get. There is nothing gained by continuing to nurse old wounds. The constant looking back is like a dog who returns to its vomit or a sow who returns to the mire after washing herself.

There is a danger in looking back. Look at the example of Lot’s wife. God was trying to take her and her family to a better place and a better future, yet she looked back. I invite you to look and reach forward for whatever God has in front of you. The best days of your life and ministry are in front of you. There is nothing better behind. God’s plan is to give you a future and hope, not to keep you imprisoned in your past.

Volume XIII, Issue III Word of the Quarter

Word of the Quarter from the July Issue of the PCC Scroll. The editing team did not have time to meet, so I swung it solo.

The theme of this issue’s PCC Scroll is “Reaching Forward.” One of the most familiar scriptures about reaching forward is found in Philippians 3:12-14.

We are all works in progress. Regardless of our pasts or what our futures may hold, we are continuously being perfected. And we will continue to be perfected until the end of our days. Paul is a great example. When he wrote the letter to the Philippian church, he had already accomplished a lot. But he was humble about his achievements because he knew there would always be more work to be done. He was also able to accept the imperfections in his past because he was constantly striving to reach his call and destiny in Christ. He was reaching forward.

It is easy to reach back and dwell on the past. In this state, you continue to beat yourself up and punish yourself over past mistakes, sins, disappointments, and failures. This doesn’t do anything but make you feel bad about yourself. Truthfully, we all make mistakes every day, but they should become learning experience as we continue to reach forward for our prize.

And it’s easy to constantly condemn people for their past mistakes, sins, disappointments, and failures against us, but this doesn’t do anything either. Continuing to pick at scabs and old wounds just interferes with the healing process. It holds the offender a prisoner to their past, and it holds us a prisoner to our pain.

In all honesty, what good does dwelling on the past do? It won’t change anything. Forgetting the things behind and reaching forward is a choice we have to intentionally, continuously make. We can continue to let the voices of condemnation and ridicule hold us anchored and chained to the past, or we can reach forward to the future with the confidence that any mistake, sin, disappointment, or failure will work out for our good. We can believe the Word of God when it tells us there is therefore now no condemnation for us.

Do you have a past filled with mistakes, sins, disappointments, and failures? You are in good company. David was an adulterer who put the woman’s husband in the frontline of battle. Paul was responsible for the persecution and killing of Christians. Jeremiah struggled with depression and doubt. Despite their mistakes, sins, disappointments, and failures, they loved and trusted God. They did not get stuck in their mistakes, sins, disappointments, and failures. They looked and reached forward and did great works for God.

It’s cliché, but, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life!” You can forget those things which are behind and reach forward to your destiny in Christ. Whatever lies before you is much better than what you leave behind. You can face the future with this confidence in Christ. 

Random Pictures

We've had quite the summer thus far. It's been nice if you like hot weather. It's been in the 80s and 90s. I of course prefer the 70s.

But it has been absolutely beautiful outside for sure. I wish I could have gotten a good shot of a few of the sunsets. Beautiful sky that almost look purple. And we had a nice big super, full moon last week. Pictures just don't do any of it justice.

Lunch in West Seattle today

I was rushing home this evening, and I smelled something so sweet and lovely that I had to backtrack to investigate what it was. It was these lovelies. Reminded me of the sweet smelling air in Charleston.