What's on your mind?

A writer whose work I greatly value, Dr. Dale Meyer, often refers to TOMA – top of the mind awareness. He encourages those of us in the ministry to be cognizant of the thoughts that are atop the minds of those who come for worship or a Bible class or a small group get-together.

What’s been on the top of the minds of those who belong to God and to one another at Redeemer? Well, to judge from correspondence the coronavirus is one such item. While the authorities addressing this on our behalf in the United States assure us that (1) our nation is in good shape with respect to precautions, and (2) regularly washing our hands is one of the best strategies we can practice, what else might we consider? 

We could also, perhaps, shake hands less. We could reintroduce the elbow bumps that were the practice a few years ago, or the foot taps that we see on social media. Common sense could well go along with those.

But we may be led to doubt human ability to solve such a crisis, whatever strategies are put in place. That’s a naturally occurring pessimism.

 Thankfully, we also have a way of looking at such a threat or scare theologically. Psalm 91 reassures us: “When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him…No plague shall come near your tent….” Still, with all the fearmongering going on, there is the temptation to wonder: “Does God answer our every prayer? Does He rescue us from the trouble of the day? Can we truly count on long life, or no plague coming to our house?”  

The key is to read the psalm, and all of Scripture, in light of Christ Jesus, as a gospel-centered Christian. That’s the method Dr. Timothy E. Saleska described and encouraged in the recent issue of Concordia Journal. A way to do just that is to consider/remember: God answered Jesus’ prayers and sustained Him in a world of hurt. Jesus has a long-life, thanks to His resurrection from the dead. While Jesus as a true man would have experienced illness, no illness took Him down. 

So, reading scripture through Jesus calms our TOMA. Top of the mind awareness meets Jesus, Who, thanks be to God, gives us the victory (1 Corinthians 15:57).  

Many thanks!

Thank you to all of you who have asked about the health of both my mother, Carla, and my wife, Jami. Jami and I were able to visit my parents in Colorado last week (hence the absence of this blog). Carla is making progress and all appreciate the prayers for her continued healing.

This weekend Jami had an appendectomy. Her discomfort began on Saturday morning and culminated with surgery mid-morning on Sunday. She is recuperating at home and doing very well.

Thanks be to God for the medical teams and the care of our brothers and sisters in Christ!

Motivation

            This morning I got up to weigh myself before getting on with my exercise. Having a goal of dropping some weight is not uncommon at this time of year and I’m certainly in that crowd. Much to my pleasant surprise, I saw that even after watching the Super Bowl, with the attendant snacks and beverages, I’d lost weight over the weekend. All right!

            That being the case I set a personal best in my workout. I’d have to credit that to motivation. I’m seeing success in what Jami and I are hoping is a change in lifestyle (vis-à-vis eating), and it encourages me in the other things that I’m doing.

            A great deal of St. Paul’s purpose in writing to the Romans was to get them motivated. He was going to need their help and support as he planned to reach further east in his missionary travels. And how was he going to motivate them? He was simply going to share God’s Word with them.

            Romans is not necessarily a compendium of Christian Doctrine, but I don’t know of any other book that would come closer to it. St. Paul convicts us of our need for a Savior: “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23. He spells out the dire situation in which sin leaves us: “the wages of sin is death” Romans 6:23. And he then assures us of God’s gracious plan to redeem us “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1.

            Simply being in God’s Word will help you live each day as His dearly loved child. Get into it. And then, get on with it!