Running Away from it all

If only it were that easy. Imagine all the grief that could be avoided if you, if you wanted to run away from all your problems, could do it without having to resort to drug and alcohol addictions, extra-marital relationships and all of the various and sundry ways people use to get away from life. Some even resort to death to avoid the problems.

Jesus never promised that our problems would go away. In fact, he warned us to expect more because of our faith. But he did promise to give us a more abundant life in John 10:10. No matter how hard we try, we cannot run away from our problems. Jacob tried it. Elijah laid down and asked to die. But we can turn to the One who will always be there for us to help us do what is the best for us and in God's plan.

The comic is cute, but the issue is very real. Pray hard for those who seem in danger of being overwhelmed. All running does is make you tired and put you farther away from where you need to be.

Pure Joy

Over the weekend we attended the Spirit Song festival at King's Island near Cincinnati, Ohio. Spirit Song is a three day Christian music festival that is sold with an admission to the amusement park. On the last night there was a family with two little girls, about 6 and 3, sitting behind us. The older child loves TobyMac and had never seen him live. Throughout the hour-long TobyMac show, she was waving her arms, singing along and had a look of radiant joy on her face. She was in the presence of someone that she admired and adored. And it was a pleasure to watch her.

Her joy reminded me that what I saw was but a pale imitation of the joy we will have when we see Christ. We will adore and be in awe of the One who redeemed us. That is heaven to me. And I had a little piece of it this weekend.

Here is the video to "Extreme Days" by TobyMac, a song she just rocked out to.