September 24 was on Friday ten years ago and became the longest and saddest day of my life. At seven o’clock that morning a fairly cold and matter-of-fact internist told me my wife had five systems shutting down and they had never been able to save anyone with that many. She went through the list of things they were going to do anyway and left my daughters and me sitting in stunned silence and disbelief. My wife had entered the hospital the night before with what we thought was a case of dehydration.
Read MoreI love hamburgers and hamburger joints. I found a new one that did not look very fancy, most good ones don’t, and found a gold mine. Every time I walked in to the place the young owner spoke and welcomed me. Then one day I noticed he was wearing a helmet and, in spite of the natural reluctance to bring up tough subjects, I started a conversation with him. He told me he had brain cancer and had to wear the helmet in case he fell. I was able to tell him how wonderful his food was especially his own mustard sauce which I said I could eat my shoes with that sauce on them.
Read MoreA terminally ill man with a very honest and inquiring mind asked me that question. I took the question very seriously and requested that he give me some time for an answer much beyond a top-of-the-mind platitude.
The only way that question could be answered in an honest affirmative is if my Christian faith had made life here on Earth have meaning, purpose, and joy.
Read MoreIt was my first week in high school and I was in the principal's office beginning the slow process of changing and maybe even saving my life. If the secretary happened to be listening to the conversation, she probably thought I was getting my rear end chewed to a pulp.
He was explaining that I was on the wrong track in my life and that I had too much to offer for me to be wasting it and living like I was living. He was demanding that things change and that they do so starting that day.
Read MoreI have carried a couple of buckets with me for the last twenty years. They are my props when I am talking about what helps people with their grief. I ask someone to hold one of the buckets and tell them to imagine they have just lost a loved one. The bucket represents their feelings and I asked them to express what feelings they think would be in their bucket. I ask the audience to join in and words like pain, fear, grief, loneliness, empty, anger, guilt and sometimes relief. I then ask what thoughts
Read MoreI was thrilled by a picture on Facebook. It was a room full of Evangelical clergy persons gathered in prayer around the President in his office. Seeing that made me realize God is still finding ways to get His truth spoken to power.
In the Old Testament every time there was a king with questionable motives and misusing power, God would arrange one of His spokespersons to have access so His word would be heard. People like Daniel, Joseph, and Esther who were at the right place and the right time to speak.
Read MoreA young couple ask me to perform their wedding which was to be in June outside in the Prayer Garden at Oral Roberts University. I asked them if they had any contingency plans in case it rained since June is the prime time for thunderstorms in Oklahoma. They immediately informed, me that they had prayed about it and God would not allow it to rain on their wedding. I said, “You realize that every farmer in the state is praying for it to rain and that puts God in sort of a dilemma don’t you think?” They again informed me that God would not let it rain on their wedding because of their prayers of faith.
Read MoreA friend asked me to sell his Cadillac convertible for him. That was not one of my duties as a pastor, but he was out of town too often to answer adds and sell the car himself. I had several interested people look at the car and take it for a test drive. I was too busy to go with them, so I tossed them the keys without a worry. Then a black man came to see the car and showed interest. He too asked to drive the car and a bolt of fear ran through me. Should I let him take the car by himself or should I go with him?
Read MoreWhen Dr. Martin Luther King was killed my first thought was that the African Americans had lost their Moses. Then as my thoughts began to clear I realized all of us had lost our Moses. Then as my heart began to break, I realized I had lost my Moses. Who would lead me through the seeming-less inborn prejudice carried over from my childhood? Who would skin my eyes so I could see the beauty of a remarkable people and culture? When will I ever hear words with the same power as the “I have a dream” speech?
Read MoreI can think of nothing harder or more frightening than trying to talk with someone who is dying. If we live long enough there will be those times when a loved one or close friend is facing the end of their lives while we stand paralyzed with fear with no idea about what to say or even if we should say anything at all. Maybe they don’t want to talk about it. Maybe they don’t know they are dying or want to live in denial. What if we say the wrong thing?
The first time I listened to a person tell me about their death I had to hold on to the chair to keep from running from the room…
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