Author: rogerbothwell_kiywit

Robert Burns said it best. “The best laid plans of mice and men aft go awry.” It was two weeks until Christmas. She had carefully put the charge for her husband’s Christmas present on a credit card they seldom used. She ordered the present delivered to the neighbor’s house instead of her own. There was no way he was even going to see a box and guess the contents before Christmas. Then it happened. The husband received a telephone call. The voice on the other end said he was calling from the credit card company to check on possible fraudulent use of the card. Had they made a credit card purchase at Adventures Unlimited on a specific date? He said, “No.” The wife was listening from the other room. She had to tell her husband the charge was legitimate and he filled in the missing details. She was in tears. Her surprise was blown.

Giving nice things and surprising loved ones is such an enjoyable thing. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him….”

There it is—the promise of wonders we cannot imagine. I cannot imagine our Lord’s keen disappointment if we do not allow Him the joy of giving them to us. The process begins by our accepting His forgiveness.

Written in 2000

We enjoy poetry and prose that best resonates with our inner feelings. Such work draws us to reread or even memorize so we can carry it with us to give words to our inner feelings, longings, desires and anxieties. How often do we have a half-formed idea or thought only to read something that brings it instantly to life? Great poets and great writers have the same feelings as the rest of us. What makes them great is their ability to find expression for us.

Paul’s comment in Romans 8:26 is intriguing. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

How often have you longed to pray the right prayer but did not really know what to say? It was not that you did not know what you wanted or needed. It was an inability to find words. We do not want to bother God with a string of worn out cliches; nor do we want to bother God with repetitious phrases. That is why Romans 8:26 is so important. It reassures us that we do not have to find the “right” words. The greatest author of all finds expression for us

One of the rewards of aging is the ever-increasing inventory of memories. Housed inside our heads is a marvelous archive of people and places. The real joy of having memories is our ability to recall them in vivid color with surround sound. No matter where our body is our mind can instantly transport us to any place we have ever been. And the memories can be filled with incredible ambiance.

The power of the human mind is awesome. It has infinite capacity unlike any computer. Have you ever heard adolescents complain that they are bored? Despite a house full of media devices and a library of videotapes they can’t find anything to do. The problem is they have not lived long enough. They often don’t have enough memories and their choices of thought are limited.

Choice is God’ gift to each of us. At any moment we can choose our thoughts. We can turn off the radio and television and think our own thoughts. We can be creative. We can blend memories of one place with another weaving the tapestry of a good life. If you want your past to be good or if you want it to be horrible, it is your choice. The creation of life is the product of our choice.

Written in 2001

Do you every wonder how it is that evil people and good people are members of the same species? The human mind is by far the most mysterious thing on earth. It sits behind the eyes and holds within its folds the universe. It receives a continuous stream of data and processes it into consciousness and self-awareness. That consciousness transforms into an “I.” “I” then make highly selective choices as to how “I” will respond to all that sensory stimuli.

There are some who believe that what we do with self is already determined and we have no real freedom. There are others who have concluded that we have absolute freedom and power to choose what we will be. Perhaps reality is somewhere in the middle. A Volkswagen brain cannot will itself to become a Mercedes. But it can will itself to be the very best Volkswagen brain ever. We are limited by our physical inheritance. But we can train, we can alter, we can discipline, we can hone our minds as a body builder strengthens and defines his biceps. We can feed our brain quality thoughts and exercise it by contemplating character-building ideas.

Paul says, “Let this mind be in you that was in Jesus Christ.” Philippians 2:5. Paul also says, “I in Christ and Christ in me.” Jesus wants to be our personal trainer. He wants to guide us into a more excellent state of thought and consciousness. He wants us to think heavenly ideas and intellectually soar above the crowd. The freedom to be such is ours to choose.

Written in 2001

When Robert E. Lee surrendered to U.S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse the Southern army had 200,000 well armed, well fed, well equipped soldiers. The Union army had not delivered a final fatal blow on the battlefield. Historical scholars maintain the war came to an end because the will to continue was broken. Confederate soldiers were receiving letters from home encouraging them to desert. General Lee saw a strengthening Northern army and decided there had been enough blood shed. It was time to quit.

Surrender is a difficult thing. Surrender rips the heart out of pride. Surrender acknowledges someone or something is bigger or stronger. Surrender says, “I can’t do it.” While surrender is often the logical, sensible thing to do often times pride keeps people from doing it and useless senseless carnage continues.

It is so fascinating that surrender is the key to victory in the Christian walk. We finally acknowledge we cannot be perfect. If we understand the depth of sin we own up to the cold hard truth that we cannot even go a day or an hour without sinning. At this point Jesus is eager to step in and grant us victory. He proclaims us faultless and sends the Holy Spirit into our lives and real growth finally begins.

Written in 2000

There is an old shell of what was once a triple story house in Worcester, Massachusetts. There is not much left of the third floor and the two lower floors have been gutted. In front there is a large sign that reads, “Quality Reconstruction” along with the company name and telephone number. Attached to the sign is a smaller sign that reads, “Help Wanted.”

Do people live all of their lives constructing their characters or reconstructing them? What one thinks about this probably depends on one’s philosophic or theological position on the nature of man. But whether one is constructing or reconstructing, the small sign is very appropriate, “Help Wanted.”

For all those “do-it-yourselfers” think about seeking help. In Romans 6, 7, and 8 Paul describes his frustration at trying to make himself into the kind of man he believed God desired. By himself it just did not work. But there is hope. His name is Jesus and He will respond to any “Help Wanted” sign. And what is more, we do end up with “Quality Reconstruction.” We are the temple of the living God and He is not about to continue living in a dump

Written in 2000

A neighbor down the street who has a professionally cared for lawn stopped to chat with another neighbor who has intensely labored to also have a beautiful lawn. During the course of a short conversation the one from down the street told the hard working neighbor that his lawn was the wrong color green.

Can you imagine? The wrong color green!! How audacious!

Reality is that most likely several times a week we also say the wrong things to people and are too dumb to realize it. However, sometimes we do know it. As soon as it comes off the tongue, we know it. Then begins the game of trying to politely back track. It is well nigh impossible to do that.

In light of real truth known only to God, I wonder if we ever say anything that is on the mark. God must shake His head and wonder at our audacity to speak with such confidence about so many things. Maybe the only thing we really do know for sure is that we are sinners in need, and we have a wonderful Savior named Jesus Christ. That is enough.

Written in 2000

In the classic film A Man for All Seasons a young man asks Sir Thomas More for an honored position. Sir Thomas tells him to “be a teacher.” The young man objects. If he becomes a teacher no one will ever think of him as a great man no matter how good he is in the classroom. He asks who would know he was a great teacher. Sir Thomas answered, “You will know. Your pupils, your friends. God will know. Not a bad public.”

Emily Dickinson once wrote, “I’m a nobody. Are you nobody, too?” For many people it is hard to be nobody. The quiet life has a multitude of qualities but it does not satisfy the inner hunger to be important. Each day we are bombarded with the names and faces of the famous. We see supposed privileges that go with notoriety failing to think of the good things that are sacrificed when the light shines on someone.

For thirty year Jesus worked quietly in his woodworking shop. Fame and publicity brought an end to His tranquility and filled not only His life with pain but also the lives of those who loved Him. Ironically His fame came because He did become a teacher.

It is good to remind ourselves that doing a task well brings its own reward. We will know and God will know and that is not a bad public.

Written in 2001

The sounds of words are wonderful when the very sounds of them describe their object or intent. Words like “roar” or “bark.” Or the word “maliferous.” It just sounds dark and evil to say it. Then there is another, “insalubrious.” That one sounds unwholesome just to let it come out of one’s mouth. There are some wonderful Swahili words. One of them is the word for bugs. It is “dudu.” The word for kill is “kufu.” So “insecticide” becomes “dudukufu.” Just say it. It rolls off the tongue so much easier than “insecticide.” Say it fast and it is even more fun.

The names of people we love are wonderful to say. Our spouses’ names are music to our ears. The names of our children and grandchildren are magical. In the musical “West Side Story” there is a song, “Maria.” It says it so well.

Now for the best, most marvelous, fabulous, extraordinary set of sounds in the world. Here goes. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but shall have everlasting life.” That is music to our hearts.

Written in 2000

Writing letters of recommendation is a wonderful opportunity to say good things about people. It is an opportunity to help others continue to grow.

Have you ever wondered what kind of recommendation we would need if we had to apply for salvation? Would we need to vouch for our perfect characters? That would be hard to come by. Would we need someone to say what hard workers we are? The problem with that is works are not a ticket to heaven. It is given by grace.

Actually what we need is not someone to write a letter of recommendation; rather we need to proclaim the impossibility of obtaining a recommendation adequate enough to get us in. We need an attorney. And that is exactly what we have. In I John 2:1 we read, “…if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:” He is a great attorney. He has earned the right to do something for us we cannot do for ourselves. He can declare us innocent. Now that is what will get us into heaven.

Written in 2000