Losing Words

A odd truth reveals itself every year about this time, it seems that the task for writing something meaningful about Easter grows larger and larger. It is not the bare facts of the Cross\Resurrection events or the baseline meaning of them that is hard. It's not a lessening of the appreciation for and the joy which continue to grow at the thought of Jesus' resurrection.  But as I grow older and become more aware of my own sin and the enormity of the sacrifice Jesus took to save me from myself  and the world from itself, then the meaning behind the facts of Easter leave me more and more speechless. I can say the same for the Incarnation, for that matter. Consider that God- Holy, Creator, and Ruler of the Universe loves His creation to the point of sacrifice; withholds judgment to the point of absurdity in hope of eliciting a loving response, and opens His greatest treasure (knowing Him deeply) to former rebels who can by faith, become lovers of Him and His Kingdom- Remarkable! How do mere words from a finite creature begin to capture one scintilla of the love and grace of God?!?

They can't. And the truth is I seem to be losing words even while the appreciation grows deeper. In writing about Easter one tries to explain the unimaginable, come to grips with the unfathomable, understand the infinite and communicate it all with words and sentences that are all too ordinary. The longer I am a Christian and the longer I contemplate what Christ has done the bigger Easter grows. It doesn't become something that grows smaller and more understandable with time and study and living. Jesus' awe, beauty, wonder and sacrificial love only multiply. Words fail me.

Another problem encountered in seeking out the Unsearchable is the frame of reference. We have never lived in a world that hasn't known resurrection power. We have ignored it, misused it, and abused it but we have never lived in a world that hasn't had someone, somewhere proclaiming that Jesus lived, died for mankind's sin, and rose from the grace defeating death. You and I can't imagine a world without hope. We have all faced or known situations and circumstance that gave no hope for that slice of time. Maybe it was hunger in Somalia,  fires in west Texas, tornadoes in the south, war in the middle east, bears on Wall Street, shootings on the border, war, job loss,  cancer or a thousand other evils in this broken world that took away hope for that moment in time.  But even in the most horrific circumstances that focus our fear on the hands of the clock in front of us, we have always, since the resurrection, had nailed scarred hands pointing us toward eternity . John Lennon wrote, "... imagine there no heaven...it's easy if you try..." No, John, I'm sorry, but for the Christian that fluffy sentiment has become impossible. Everything we are, have and hope for is framed with eternity. A well know lady with very agnostic views was once heard by a magazine editor to have uttered these two phrases while their airliner encountered engine trouble: "Oh, God, please, no!"and later when the plane landed safely, "thank-God!" When the editor asked her about those utterances later she said it meant nothing, they were just expressions. Some expressions. The cross and the resurrection are also just expressions: the expressions of a loving God who reaches from heaven into the temporal by means of the incarnation to give a glimpse of and a taste of His eternity. That glimpse and that taste give us a hunger for Him and His life. That is hope. The cross\resurrection give us the promise that hope will be realized. Imaginations fail me.

Words fail me. Imagination fails me. The resurrections declares that Christ doesn't fail me. The hope and the promise live because He does. Maybe a fitting epitaph for folks trying to capture Easter in words and utterly failing could be this:


                       Lost my words in His wounds,
                      Lost my wounds in His Word.

To the day we find our voices in the King's song,
Cos

i

According to the eminent scholars, 3 Dog Night, one is the loneliest number. So what's the loneliest letter? I submit for your consideration the letter "i."

Although I must admit that at first glance "i" seems to be doing just fine these days. It has had a huge surge in the electronics sector with the advent of iphone, itouch, and ipads. You can hardly call yourself connected without an "i" something and those of us who don't have an "i" something are always feeling inferior to those who do. That in itself puts focus back on "i." And truthfully, "i" has always done well in the entertainment industry. With the exponential growth of sports stars, reality shows stars, and individuals who are famous for no talent at all, they are just famous, "i" has never been bigger. So how in the world can I claim that "i" is the loneliest letter when it is flying all over the universe with the speed of jets, film, emails, sound, and light. Well, that is my point: it flies but never seems to land, put down roots, and grow into a good solid "we."

I remember a few years ago walking on the University of Texas' campus with one of the directors of a Christian ministry with a headquarters across the street from the old student union. I loved the vibe of the campus. He showed me the bowling lanes, the bookstore (it was a short cut from his office to go through that building), and the commons area outside the Tower. Young people of every shape, color, size and personality were sitting and flitting and talking everywhere. We walked along and he asked me to notice what all these different people had in common. "They hate Aggies?" I pondered. Beside that he engaged. I looked again and I think I saw what he was talking about. In five minutes we must have encountered what seemed like a couple of thousand kids. I looked at hundreds of them for several seconds each. No one ever made eye contact with me unless they were inviting me to something or advertising something for their organization. A huge percentage of them were on cell phones, listening to mp3 players or engaged with a laptop. Jimmy told me, ''these kids are the most connected generation in the history of the world, and the most lonely." I looked again and my heart just broke. They can google, tweet, im, text, and facebook with thousands across the planet but they have yet , in so many cases, to learn what it means to have true connection with God and one another.

We are wired, spiritually, not electronically to connect with God and one another. It seems we try to connect with any and everyone else first and end up isolated and alone way too much of the time in our culture. With all the screens we view daily isn't is ironic that we have actually "screened" off one another? The screens are just modern ways we use to keep some distance between us. We fear spiritually intimacy and substitute electronic connectedness. It turns out that our biggest fear, that of knowing and being truly known, is also our greatest need. And the word of God is replete with His admonition to "fear not" and His assurance that He already knows us and loves us completely anyway.

What do we do in a well-connected yet disconnected, lonely, isolated world filled with busy people all around us? We offer the power that the church has had for years: communion. No, not just the wine and bread every week or month (although that might be a good place to start), but the union we have with Christ. This union we have with Him by faith; this union we have in His word and in prayer; this is lived out in the co-union, the com-union we have with one another. So we worship together and invite those around us to join us. We pray together and ask those lost, hurting and lonely around us if we might pray for them. We serve together in a dozen different ways but always with an eye to those around us who are needing a place to serve but haven't found satisfaction in merely serving "i." We do what Jesus told us to do: love one another even as I have love you.

Then watch what He does. A barrier will come down. A friendship will be made. A phone will be turned off and eye contact made. A conversation about real issues will take place over a cup of coffee. Even a tweet might ask a real question about what you know about Jesus. A lost person will come to faith in Christ. A church will be renewed in loving fellowship. And eyes that could not come off a screen will behold the glory of God in the faces of the people of God and "i" as the loneliest letter will lose its place.

Turn your "i's" upon Jesus,

 Cos

The Hard Part of Lent

What's the hardest part of Lent? Some would say getting started, especially if they are of a persuasion that gives up something they really enjoy, like chocolate, golf, or March madness basketball. But that is also why the meaning of Lent sometimes is lost on us since we get to pick what we give up in order to concentrate on a higher calling and remember the sacrifice Christ made. We usually pick an "add-on" to our lives rather than essential parts to "give up" for Lent. If we are not careful, God Himself can become an "add-on" rather than the Center and Life itself. Others may claim that the end of Lent is the hardest. It has been six weeks since the beginning and if you are planning on going back to eating, using, and enjoying some part of your life that you put on hold for six weeks the last few days can be agonizing. For those, the thought of ______ can overwhelm the senses and the imagination and thoughts of Jesus and His agony fall victim to our own, which is in itself a pretty good teaching point itself. But for many, if not most, the middle days of Lent are the hardest. You are half-way but not quite. The routine sameness has taken hold and meaning can easily be lost in the mundane. This is seen in the worship routine, the marriage routine, and the work routine. Humans long for stimulation of mind, body, and soul. The dreaded middle is a part of any relationship or system or calendar when the beginning can hardly be remembered and the end can't been seen. This is why some worshippers fall away after reaching the middle and the excitement of conversion has been replaced with a call to steadily walk in quiet submission with Jesus. That's why many marriages break up in the middle. The partners call it an end and find a more exciting beginning with someone else only to find in a few years they are right back in the middle again. In the case of Lent everyone arrives at the half way point at the same so there are no pilgrims coming back to say the end is up ahead and it's worth the journey. There are no stragglers to whom those farther along might call back words of encouragement. All are on the same journey and at the same place: the middle of Lent. But some of the greatest lessons occur during the middle. What is true in Lent is true in life. There are experiences and lessons that one can actually recall that got you to this point. The maturity of the middle and the journey to this point helps us to imagine joys at the end and remember that there is an end. Though not unique to Christianity, Christianity has more nearly perfected the art of remembering what hasn't yet happened. This "memory" encourages the middle pilgrim. The Bible calls these promises, and Jesus to Paul to Peter to John recommended their usage. So look around you. People all over are in the middle of something. They are in the middle of an argument; the middle of treatment; the middle of a project; the middle of a book; the middle of the week. It's just as far back as it is forward, so you might as well go forward, that's where the fulfillment of the promise is found. So weak by weak (there's no misspelling there) we muddle along through the middle. There's no false bravado about the middle being the best. The best in Christ is truly yet to come. But there is also no despair needed in our being about half way through anything for when you look really well you find Jesus right in the middle with us. Hopefully He finds us right in the middle of His will. And that is always a good place......... Cos

The Lent Ness Monster

The legend of the Loch Ness Monster dates back at least to the seventh century. The tales of a prehistoric creature inhabiting Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands was popularized in 1933 with sightings that purportedly came from honest, upstanding individuals. The story was subsequently published in London. Whether true or hoax, publicity stunt, or a practical joke that got away from someone, the legend persists. The old gal even has a nickname, Nessie. Some say Nessie is alive, some give "proof" that Nessie existed but has died within the last 20 years, others say it was all just a good story. What do you say? We seem to treat Lent a lot like the Loch Ness Monster. Some say it does exist and look intently for truth and meaning in a period of reflection during its six weeks. Others say Lent served its purpose but really died years ago except as a quaint remembrance of simpler days gone by. A few may say Lent was a good story but finds little or no basis in Scripture. What do you say? There are indeed some monsters that can chew up people and even their faith associated with the church. These were not only in her past but persist in modern forms that need to become extinct or at least be relegated to ancient folklore and not allowed to feast on the unsuspecting lambs within the church or the society around the church that expected something different but got the same wolves in religious clothing. Jesus fought these spiritual monsters who used the Pharisee's legalism to do their bidding. The early church fought these monsters of racial and class divisions, rituals, traditions, and often forms of heresy about who Jesus is and how He relates to humanity. Our modern monsters are no less real but appear sometimes subtle and sometimes blatant in their disregard for grace, mercy and the love of God. I'd nominate a few to be aware of that might me hiding in the lochs of our own lives. One is the dual-headed monster of Mean-ness and Control-ness. These shouldn't be named in the church but they are there. They always have been, maybe they always will be, but do they have to be named in me or you? So many things in this fallen world we have little or no control over but in our lives we can slay these fiery dragons of needing to control everyone and every situation. And when we don't get our way, we don't have to be mean about it. No, this monster probably doesn't rate with the debate concerning the hypostatic union of Christ but it shows up in living rooms, bedrooms, and meeting rooms in homes and churches. I hope it becomes extinct. Let's fight it with humble submission to the sovereign Lordship of Jesus in every aspect of our lives. Another "Nessie" is modern at least in form. There is a "Princess-ness" run amok in the daughters of the American church. We need solid doses of Corrie ten Boom, Joni Erikson-Tada, Tillie Bergin, Susanna Wesley and Lottie Moon applied to the Pink Culture. Who are little girl's heroines? Sarah, Abe's wife? How about Naomi or Ruth? Mary or Martha? Priscilla perhaps? Rahab was cool but kinda hard to explain but surely Jesus' mother Mary could offer a few lessons on trust and obedience. Disney gave us Cinderella and Snow White. Even the greater society knows something is amiss. (see Peggy Orenstein's Cinderella Ate My Daughter, HaperCollins) What does the church have to say to this movement away from sacrifice and servanthood? What do you and I say? (I know, the letters are coming.............) Equal time please? Ok, who is addressing the "Disingaged -Ness" of the American male in spiritual matters. I realize our churches are filled with men trying to worship, serve and do the right thing. But over and over I read and often see men, good men, who are disengaged spiritually, especially with their mates, families, and each other. When is the last time you had a good spiritual discussion with another guy? Don't get me wrong, servanthood is spiritual. Doing things, fixing things, building things is spiritual. No false dichotomies please between material and spiritual. But come on guys: prayed with another guy lately? Your wives? Your kids? Have you even for a few minutes confessed a sin, wondered about God's working in your life, shared a verse of encouragement to a family member or another Christian male? Did you feel as uncomfortable reading this paragraph as I did writing it? What do you say? Start easy if you need to. Ask a trusted friend to pray about something for you. In a month or two, ask him to pray with you about it. Join a bible study. In a month, ask a question. Get engaged. One more and I'll quit. Has the monster of "Same-ness with the World-ness" been seen in your neighborhood? This one is sneaky. He manages very slippery slopes yet when I spot him and try to attack him, I fall down those very slopes on which he lopes. If you tell me I eat too many twinkies, I may want to tell you you drink too much beer. We may both be right but we let things slide lest we start falling down the slippery slope of judgementalism. If I tell you Christians shouldn't watch dirty movies and then you hear me quote from "Saving Private Ryan" in a Memorial Day sermon and call me on my R rated patriotism, I start having to make exceptions and down the slippery slope I go. So "Same-ness with the World-ness" goes on unchecked and we wonder why more of our culture doesn't want to follow our Savior. Tell me, who do you respect enough to let them tell you "no," that's not good for you or society or your walk with Jesus? Have you had it with my monsters ball? Did I make all these up or have you seen them yourselves? Maybe these are all just minor myths or visions produced by an overactive, twinkie induced imagination. Or possibly we need more Lent-ness monsters: contemplative-ness on the truths of scripture, open-ness to the possibility of a greater life of faith, repentence from the sinful-ness in our own hearts, a deeper devoted-ness to Christ that the Lenten season is intended to encourage in our lives to help us face the other "Nesses" we may encounter. What do you say? Cos-ness

Random Thoughts on What Church Newsletter Should Contain

--Pastor and former trustee president George the 1st were caught spreading mulch last week. Unfortunately it was spread from Rob Tennison's drive way into the back of Pastor Cosby's pick-up while it was still in the bag. Pastor Cosby acted as the getaway driver. George the 1st said it didn't look like Tennison was using it. The pastor's wife made him return it. Rob, a Shakespeare scholar, said it was "mulch a-do about nothing." --Executive Assistant (title used to be secretary but since we didn't give her a raise we changed her title) Glenna has plans to travel some over the upcoming spring break. She and Danny are going to see Uncle Al in Albuquerque, Aunt Ginger in Denver, cousin Maud in Claude, and the Tines in Turpin, OK. Well, sure, everyone knows the Turpin Tines. --As our church begins the process of finding a new minister of music we accidentally found ourselves having something in common with Italian opera lore. They have the three tenors, we have the three interims, Tom, Dwayne, and John. One of their first moves, in light of the recent attack on member's hearts, knees, prostates, lungs, hips, backs, and other body parts that has folks from chapel receiving treatment from Houston to Dallas to Cleburne to Arlington to Ft. Worth to Waco to Whitney is to adopt a new church theme song. The new church song the three interims desire all to learn by memory (in case of cataracts) is "Is There a Balm in Gilead?" You want to read a couple of books that might wind your clock? Then try Radical by David Platt or Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Radical might have been called normal Christian thinking two generations ago. It's not all that radical in concept but points out the western church's radical departure in many areas from belief to practice. Francis Chan's book was harder for me. It was tough toned but maybe I needed to hear what he had to say. Maybe you do to. I was glad to know that these young pastor's have to courage to talk tough principles to their principally young audiences. Mindsets, habits, entertainment, selfishness, spending, and devotion are called into question in these books with a view toward moving the church deeper in love and response to Jesus and away from materialism and lack of Biblical convictions. I'm not saying I enjoyed these books but I'm glad I read them. Try them yourself. Along those lines here is a quote from G. K. Chesterton... well first let me tell you a bit about Chesterton. he was an English writer, poet and professor. He was born about 1874 and lived until just before WWII. He was a big man with a bigger wit. He loved to laugh and was unorganized but brilliant. In America you may know him from the Father Brown detective series of books which were later made into a tv movies. He had some influence on someone you know better C S Lewis. Now for the quote: "Tolerance is the virtue of the man without conviction." Chesterton might not be tolerated in our post-modern, post Christian world where all truth is relative, where the supreme good is my enjoyment, and the spiritual gives way to the flesh. If we're not careful the church in America may start tolerating sexual sins, gay marriage, gambling, and spending more on fertilizer for our yards than we do on missions and evangelism. Nah, that will never happen. Would it? Anyway, read more Chesterton and Jesus who said, where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Cos

Pellets, Power and Pony Tails

Brennan Manning in his Ragamuffin Gospel recounts a story about the old Rabbi Abraham Heschel. Heschel speaks from his weakness after a heart attack, "Sam, never once in my life did I ask God for success or wisdom or power or fame. I asked for wonder, and he gave it to me." Manning goes on to say "a Philistine will stand before a Claude Monet painting and pick his nose; a person filled with wonder will stand there fighting back the tears." The paragraph caught me up short: do I notice the wonder of God around me? Have I gotten so busy with living life that there is little life in my living? So I paused and said a prayer myself: "God, I've asked for everything Heschel didn't ask for and didn't get the measure I was expecting, which has been a good thing mostly. I too often failed to live life with a sense a of wonder. Would you please grant this to me, at least in ways I might see it and thank You for it?" So here are a few things that have captured my imagination, my sense of wonder, curiosity, and at times even awe. They are no doubt small things and I hope to see greater wonders but maybe being able to see a few wonders in small things is a wonder itself. Pam and I were leaving Sonic after a night on the town, especially a night when the burgers are half price, when I saw her. "She" is not the right term, for I never actually saw the girl. But "she" was riding in the pick-up in front of us sitting close to her boyfriend when "it" caught my eye. Her pony tail was swishing back and forth with every look to her boyfriend and every turn and bump of the truck. It fascinated me, but honestly, and you will just have to believe me here, not in a lecherous sort of way but more of a life affirming sort of way. The pony tail was oblivious to leading economic factors, who was favored for the Super Bowl or the Oscars, or how the latest legislative agendas were progressing in Austin or Washington. It seemed to have a life of it's own as it kept its almost metronomic rhythm whether she was turning to her friend or going straight down the rode. I thought the dear girl has no idea what a good time she is having. She, because she is human, has cares and worries but the pony tail told a different story from everything else in life at that moment. Independence, life, joy, spontaneity bounded along at thirty miles an hour and it tickled me like a grandchild's laugh. I enjoyed the 30 second show and I wondered how many other things around us have their own rhythm that display freedom, joy, and life but I miss them in my trying too hard to find them?' Another "wonder-full" moment occurred when the Super bowl storm of 2011 hit. I looked out into the back yard after the storm hit and saw them. There they were dancing, bouncing, rolling and blowing: snow pellets. They weren't snow flakes, they weren't hail, they weren't sleet but snow pellets. I went out to play. I rolled them on my fingers. I squished them with my thumb. I caught them on my tongue. I scooped a handful and threw them into the air again to watch them fall and bounce off the sidewalk. It looked like the Dippin' Dots ice cream cart had overturned in the mall. How could they be so symmetrical? How did they get so perfectly round? How did these soft pellets not flatten when they hit the ground? 'How' gave way to "how long" and in a few minutes the pellets were changed. Did the temperature one hundred yards in the air change a half of a degree so that pellets no longer formed? Did the humidity change two percent and turn pellets into flakes? There are scientific and meteorological reasons for snow pellets to form but the reasons don't replace the wonder that in the right conditions 372 snowflakes got together and said "let's snuggle" and rolled themselves into a ball. Nature is dazzling in its beauty and variety even when you know the "reason." Reason doesn't replace wonder, in fact, it can enhance it when you realize that the reasons aren't always going to be perfect to form snow pellets. So every once in a while the reasons come together and the wonder of snow pellets dance, bounce, and roll through you own yard and 56 year old cynics turn playful. Maybe that's the real wonder. The stadium alone costs over a billion dollars. The preparations for the super bowl, the advertisements, the security, the entertainment, the food, the hotels, and a thousand other details probably added up to another billion dollars or at least in the tens of millions. Man power, Wall street power, electric power, Madison Ave. power, Hollywood power, celebrity power, you name the power it was focused on Cowboys stadium for the Super Bowl game. Then a half-inch of ice and temps in the teens turn the billion dollar dream into a nightmare. There are some "powers" even the NFL and Jerry Jones can't control. In the early scientific days it was believed that there existed four elements: wind, fire, earth, and water. The Super Bowl storm organization didn't invite 'fire' and the combination of the other three was devastating to man-made systems everywhere. To humanity that values its own omnipotence the reminder of stronger powers was a wonder to behold. "We are masters of our own destiny!" Tell that to the ice. God of Wonders beyond our galaxy, You are Holy, Holy. The universe declares your Majesty; Your are Holy, Holy. Lord of Heaven and Earth; Lord of Heaven and Earth. Chris Tomlin Still Being Wowed, Cos

Life in the Shadows

The hors d'oeuvers on the tray were having a grand time at the party. The string quartet was playing beautiful music. The champagne was France's finest. With 'ahhs' and 'oohs' another tray was set on the beautiful table. It was exquisitely graced with Russian caviar and shaved truffles from Spain. All the guests seemed to gravitate at once to the new offerings. At that point the pate' turns to the stuffed olive and asks, "what am I, chopped liver?" It may be that you've felt that way at one point or another in your life. It seems that you have had to live in the shadow of greater lights. The smarter brother, the prettier sister, the needier aunt, the demanding parent, were always in your life and always called the light to themselves. Once out of the childhood home it often continues for some folks. Next the outgoing roommate, the creative lab partner, the faster football teammate and the kid with the good hair puts you back again in the shadows. Surely life in the working world would work out better. Ofttimes it does but other times the boss likes that guy's work better, the boss likes that lady's smile better, or there's a genius in the next cubicle but he's not there for long because he gets the promotion. Surely home is a respite. But it turns out that your publicly adored spouse gets the limelight and you're in the kitchen cutting the limes for the margaritas for her parties. More shadows. Sometimes, in truth, those folks probably earned it or deserved it, other times they or life's fickle circumstances simply stole your thunder. Either way you were left in the shadow of another and that part of life is not much fun. If you ever felt that way let me tell you, you've got company. Not surprisingly, you will find company in the Bible. Might these in scripture who spend life in the shadow of others give us some insight as to how we should react when we are out of the spotlight? Where can we find these biblical examples of how to handle the second chair in life's orchestra? There are several places really. I'll name a few and you can then see the pattern and find other examples yourselves. Here's the first one: John 3:17-18. Now these are good verses. When you read them you will recognize them but only a handful of folks ever memorized them. It's always John 3:16 that gets the glory and all the attention. It's the first Bible verse folks memorize and the one folks carry with them that they can peal off at a moment's notice. Not 3:17 or 18 or even 3:15, but 3:16 is the attention getter in this group. It doesn't seem fair to John 3:17-18 but that is just the way it is. Shoot, when John, the man, wrote John, the gospel, he didn't even designate the chapter and verses. Cardinal Caro added his around 1244-1248 and the Archbishop of Canterbury Stephen Langton, started a versed Bible in 1227. I'll let the Catholics and Anglicans figure that one out (although I am partial to the Cardinal's syrup). All I know is that John 3:17-18 never stood a chance of being famous after that. Let me give you another example: take the case of Romans 8:27. Now there's a heck of a good verse but everyone hones in on Rom. 8:28-29. But who could blame them, after all it is terribly reassuring to know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose. But poor old 27 only tells us that the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. That's good stuff but hardly 28-29 material. Consider the plight of poor old Psalm 24. His may be the worst of the bunch. Handel certainly recognized 24's beauty and depth but you never hear folks asking for Psalm 24 to be read at a funeral. It's a shame, but 24 just got himself stuck by 23. What can you do? One of my favorites is Ephesians 2:7 which says, " in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of this grace expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus." What a marvelous thought that God is sharing incomparable riches of grace expressed through kindness to us in our relationship with Jesus. But I guarantee you that if you go into a Christian bookstore and buy one of those little kits of flash cards to help you memorize scripture, you won't find Eph. 2:7 but you will find Eph. 2:8-9: "for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that on one can boast." It's hard to disagree with putting that one in isn't it, but I can't but feel a little sorry for Eph. 2:7. It has to feel a bit like it must like to stand next to the next Miss America when she is called out and you don't even make the finals. I feel a bit sad for these verses having to "live" in the shadow of more well known verses. But notice how they handle it. I've never heard one complain. They stand and deliver the truth that has been given them and serve where they are planted. No complaints or requests for transfers have ever been noted from these verses. They soldier on in the shadows. Maybe they know something we tend to forget in a self-absorbed culture: if they are in the shadows then there must be a great Light somewhere. I'd bet they know that one day we will all be in the Light as He is in the light for He is Light. They know that "every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no shadow of turning"(James 1:17). Maybe good old Rom 8:27 simply rests in the truth of 8:28-9. One day you may be asked to come from the shadows and shine your light for the glory of God. Pray you are not tarnished by the cares of the world to the point that the light can't shine. In the meantime, and the times are mean, practice the truth from one of the first songs you memorized, probably even before John 3:16: this little light of mine, I'm gonna let shine, let shine, let it shine, let it shine. One day it will, and even this day a little light goes a long way. Keep polished, Cos