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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
Through A Child's Eyes
May 11,2005
Dear friends,
We take so many things for granted. Have you been to the Statue of
Liberty? Last week I was in New York City on a field trip with my
daughter. On the way in I heard several of the kids talking about "Lady
Liberty." They were excited about visiting one of the world's best known
monuments. I chuckled to myself as I listened to their chatter. You would
have thought that they were going to see one of the seven wonders of the
world.
As the bus arrived, several of the kids saw the Statue in the distance and
began to murmur in joyful anticipation. I have to admit that I wasn't as
excited as they were, but that was because I had been there before. It is
funny how familiarity seems to rob us of that sense of awe and wonder.
As we neared Liberty Island an air of excitement broke out on the ferry.
People started lining up on the right side of the boat. Everyone wanted a
picture of their kids with the Statue in the background. As I looked up and
saw this grand emblem of freedom, I saw it in a way that I hadn't seen it
before. There was the Statue, strong and true, offering hope and promise
to all who came in search of freedom and new life. It even looked bigger
now than I had remembered.
Too many of us take our freedom for granted, don't we? Yet, the Statue of
Liberty reminds us that freedom is a gift. The kids knew that instinctively.
Sometimes we need to look at things through a child's eyes to recapture a
sense of awe again.
As I was looking up at the famous lady, it struck me that the same thing is
true with God. We take Him for granted because we have lived with His
benefits for so long. We have lost the sense of awe and wonder because
we feel that we know God too well. God has been the source of strength
and comfort in our lives. He has quietly worked miracles all around us,
some of which we are still not even aware of. God has stood by us
through the ups and downs of life, weathering the storms of
disappointment, standing tall in our seasons of discontent and never
pushing His own agenda onto us. He is the good shepherd walking with us
beside the still waters, the verdant pastures and deep, dark valleys.
I'll never forget the day my oldest daughter came into our church
sanctuary and pointed up at the stained glass window depicting Jesus as
the good shepherd. Becky was three years old at the time. As she saw the
picture, her eyes lit up and she declared, "Das' Jesus!" With her joyful
declaration, my heart leaped for joy. It was awesome and I will never look
at the window again without that sense of awe.
I pray that you will always have someone, some child, some blessed saint,
in your life that will help you maintain that sense of awe and wonder
concerning the most important things in life. They will keep you from
losing sight of the wonderful blessings God has put along your path.
God bless! See you in Church. Cal
May 11,2005
Dear friends,
We take so many things for granted. Have you been to the Statue of
Liberty? Last week I was in New York City on a field trip with my
daughter. On the way in I heard several of the kids talking about "Lady
Liberty." They were excited about visiting one of the world's best known
monuments. I chuckled to myself as I listened to their chatter. You would
have thought that they were going to see one of the seven wonders of the
world.
As the bus arrived, several of the kids saw the Statue in the distance and
began to murmur in joyful anticipation. I have to admit that I wasn't as
excited as they were, but that was because I had been there before. It is
funny how familiarity seems to rob us of that sense of awe and wonder.
As we neared Liberty Island an air of excitement broke out on the ferry.
People started lining up on the right side of the boat. Everyone wanted a
picture of their kids with the Statue in the background. As I looked up and
saw this grand emblem of freedom, I saw it in a way that I hadn't seen it
before. There was the Statue, strong and true, offering hope and promise
to all who came in search of freedom and new life. It even looked bigger
now than I had remembered.
Too many of us take our freedom for granted, don't we? Yet, the Statue of
Liberty reminds us that freedom is a gift. The kids knew that instinctively.
Sometimes we need to look at things through a child's eyes to recapture a
sense of awe again.
As I was looking up at the famous lady, it struck me that the same thing is
true with God. We take Him for granted because we have lived with His
benefits for so long. We have lost the sense of awe and wonder because
we feel that we know God too well. God has been the source of strength
and comfort in our lives. He has quietly worked miracles all around us,
some of which we are still not even aware of. God has stood by us
through the ups and downs of life, weathering the storms of
disappointment, standing tall in our seasons of discontent and never
pushing His own agenda onto us. He is the good shepherd walking with us
beside the still waters, the verdant pastures and deep, dark valleys.
I'll never forget the day my oldest daughter came into our church
sanctuary and pointed up at the stained glass window depicting Jesus as
the good shepherd. Becky was three years old at the time. As she saw the
picture, her eyes lit up and she declared, "Das' Jesus!" With her joyful
declaration, my heart leaped for joy. It was awesome and I will never look
at the window again without that sense of awe.
I pray that you will always have someone, some child, some blessed saint,
in your life that will help you maintain that sense of awe and wonder
concerning the most important things in life. They will keep you from
losing sight of the wonderful blessings God has put along your path.
God bless! See you in Church. Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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