The word I'm looking for here is perspective. This past week I had a life-changing experience...I'll tell you more about that in a blog a few weeks from now. But life changing experiences can alter our perspective on so many things in life.

I look at my wife, my goals, my dreams, even my temptations and shortcomings in a different light...a different perspective in view of what happened last week. I understand so much more now than I did before.

That's how life is. No high schooler can really understand the real world, no single the married life, no well person the sick, no young person the old, no sinner a saint, until we have the experience or undergo the movement that changes our perspective. But the reality is, we can never, in our lifetime, get the view from every perspective. There's always some future view that we must plan in faith for, without the luxury of knowing how reality will look when we finally get to that point. And even at our last breath, we will only understand the point of view of eternity when we arrive at its observation point.

That is why it is so vital that we walk by faith, not by sight (II Co. 5:7). Only an infinite God can view the past, the present, and the future from every conceivable angle. Only He can assuredly give direction, make plans, proclaim truth because He has already seen it all from every viewpoint possible. My life changed last week, as I gained a new perspective. But He can never see a new perspective, and thus, He never changes. How much better to trust Him now, when we can't yet see, than to doubt Him only to discover that He was right when we, too late, gain a different perspective.

Lord, I can't see as you do. Help me to trust when I can't understand, knowing that someday, in your time, I'll see with your perspective and my blind faith will dissolve into the seeing knowledge that you do all things well.

~Pastor Brian

June 20, 2006: Learning to Live Mightily

My aunt Dot is actually my grandaunt, my mom's mom's sister. She will be 91 next month. A little over a year ago she was having some health problems. I visited her at her apartment in Louisville, and she was very depressed. In fact, I think she was ready to give up on life--she figured she'd be going into a nursing home, and then would soon die. Enter my aunt Betty--my mom's sister. Betty and her husband, Paul, had retired and moved to Florida way back in the early 90s. My uncle passed away a couple of years ago.

When Betty came home to visit folks, and saw how Aunt Dot was doing, she got an idea. She would take Dot with her back to her house in Florida. Dot agreed to go.

So, Aunt Dot took her first plane ride, saw the ocean for the first time, saw orange trees and palm trees and started going out to eat and out to the beach and joined the church where my aunt goes, which she attended every time there were services.

Last month Dot, who flew up to visit, said, first of all, that she loves airplane rides, and secondly, that she is happier now than she's ever been in her life. Next month, this lady who had only once been out of the Louisville vicinity will be traveling out west.

The story of my Aunt Dot reminds me of George Bailey in "Its a Wonderful Life." All her life, Dot cared for her older relatives, and their kids (she had none of her own), and now she is finally being taken care of herself--by one of those kids. Her story also reminds me of what a difference we can make in someone else's life when we take our eyes off our own problems--instead of wallowing in self pity over the loss of her husband of 50 years, my Aunt Betty, though heartbroken, looked to meet the need of someone in need, and as a result, she has had the joy of seeing my Aunt Dot's joy and wonder of discovering new things of life at 90 years of age. Another lesson is that we may be at a point where we're ready to give up, like Aunt Dot was, only to be on the brink of the best times we've ever known. And the final lesson from my Aunt Dot is, you're never too old to try something new--as the writer of Ecclesiastes says, live "with your might!" (Eccl. 9:7-10) As long as God gives us life, we should really live!

I don't know how long my Aunt Dot has left in life...but I know she's making the most of every minute. I only hope when I'm 91 I will be doing the same.

~Pastor Brian

June 14, 2006: Are you resting from your work?

My uncle just recently retired from his job in the baggage department at Continental Airlines, O'Hare International Airport. He was a very busy worker who rose each day about 2:30 in the morning for many years. I have to admit, I didn't know how he would handle retirement...I thought he'd be one of those typical retirees who, after three weeks, goes and gets a job as a Wal-mart Greater.

But, its been around a year now and he recently told me he has no plans to go to work...he loves just relaxing and taking it easy. And I think that's great!

It kind of reminds me of our faith. There are two kinds of Christians. One believes he has to work in order to earn the right to go to heaven...so he works and works and works and never knows if his good works will guarantee him passage. And then there's the Sabbath Christian, who realizes that ALL the work is already done. That Jesus did it all, and then said, "It is finished." That kind of Christian enjoys the rest and retirement of knowing his eternal pension plan is already guaranteed by grace.

Now, my uncle doesn't just sit around--he does do things like working in the yard, doing research, shopping for groceries, and helping his wife around the house, etc.--but he doesn't do these things to earn a wage--he does them out of joy. And a Sabbath Christian who is resting in Christ also does great things for God not to earn His favor, but because he is now free to serve.

The old song says, "Jesus I am resting, resting, in the delight of who thou art!" Have you anchored your soul in "the haven of rest?"

~Pastor Brian

June 6, 2006: America, America, God shed His grace on thee

 I've been reading A History of the American People by conservative British historian Paul Johnson. I love America and I love history, and it's great to read a book by a historian who is not part of the "blame America first" crowd, but rather one who celebrates the unique moral greatness of our nation.

But having said that, Johnson does a good job, writing without the bias of being an American, of "painting us warts and all."

There are two different delusions about America that are believed today. One is that this has always been a secular culture, that America's founders were merely Deists, atheists, or humanists who wanted God out of the government and the public square. The other delusion is that our leaders and our citizens have consistently been great, holy, God-fearing Christians. Neither of these is true.

Instead, as I've been reading the book, I've been reminded of the truth about our land that is most consistent with the Bible. Not because of our goodness, or the righteousness of our leaders, but rather, for some hidden purpose known only to Him, God has chosen to shed His grace on this land and her people. "Not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according to His mercy" He has chosen to put His providential hand upon us...allowing us to stumble into good decisions from bad motives, giving us men of character to balance men of baseness, sending us just enough adversity to humble us, but not enough to break us, making us, despite our failings, a beacon of liberty, and a reservoir of faith for the whole world.

On 9/11 we got a glimpse of what would happen to us if God ever removed His hand. From our newspapers, radios, and TVs we hear the agenda of evil men who would make this country a moral wasteland if they could just keep power long enough...but so far, they haven't. Despite the crimes of abortion and child abuse and covetousness that ravage our land, there is still a faithful resistance that wins victories here and there, simply because God's providential hand is still upon us.

For no other reason than His own. If we got what we deserved, we would be gone from world history...as would all sinful humans. But for some reason, God has chosen us, at this time, for His purpose. And we enjoy the benefits of His election and grace.

"America, America, God shed His grace on thee"...indeed, He has. I pray He will continue to do so...not because we are worthy, but because He chooses to do so through no merit of our own...un-merited favor, the very definition of grace.

~Pastor Brian

Weblog Archives of Pastor Brian Tibbs of Charlestown Independent Church
Return to the main weblog

If you have any questions or comments for the pastor, please visit the Ask the Pastor section of this site.