The tragedy of the earthquakes that have hit Haiti and left many children orphaned as been overwhelming.   Several days ago Indianapolis received news that it may have the opportunity to care for or even adopt 300 of these Haitian children.  Within minutes there were over a thousand in the Indianapolis area requesting to care for or adopt these children.  That kind of a response is encouraging.  That compassion is lifting.

As I was checking back into the possibility of these children arriving in Indianapolis I discovered that the government red tape may hold things up for quite some time.  But at the end of an article from WISHTV I was hit by the closing sentences:

He says many bureaucratic hurdles must be cleared before any Haitian orphans are flown to Indiana. Might it still happen? Perhaps. But he says it’s unlikely to be soon. But the Director of the Indiana Department of Child Services says there are still many opportunities for Hoosiers to help a child.

“We have 250 children today who are adoptable – who are ready and waiting for a family to step forward and adopt them,” he said.

250 Children that have been sitting right here in Indiana all this time, that have had a need that has not seen a response.  Sometimes we need tragedy to open our eyes, and our desire should be to help.  Many tragedies happen half way around the world, and this does not mean that if we have opportunity that would should not help, but they can also be a a challenge for us to question whether we are responding to needs that God has placed right in our own community?   We won’t all be able to adopt, but we are all called as Christians to show the love of Christ.  Are we looking for ways to express that in our own communities?

Matthew 10:42

The best judges of your humility are those in authority over you, rather than your peers or those you consider beneath you.  If you cannot trust the opinion or judgment from those in authority over you, you probably need humility.

“If I discover within myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world”

Here is a great article on the injured college Quarterback for Texas, Colt McCoy.  With all the hype and TV coverage, sometimes we have to be reminded these are just young men in college who still need their dads for the tough times.

So Colt gripped the ball, stared at his dad and thought, “It’s just a simple throw.” He threw. The ball went soft and wide. Everyone grimaced. “Give it to me again,” Colt demanded. Brad got the ball and gave it back to his son. The next throw was the same, bouncing harmlessly away. “Give it to me again,” Colt said, again. Brad did.

It was the same. It was over. Colt couldn’t throw it 7 yards to his own father. “My arm was dead,” he said. The dad hugged his son. The son broke down and cried.

Brit Hume has gotten quite a reaction for stating on a Fox News Broadcast that Tiger Woods needs to turn to Christ in this difficult time in his life.  In this age of tolerance this has been viewed as insensitive and intolerant.  I found this quote from the Washington Post found on Justin Taylor’s blog very helpful.

From Michael Gerson’s article on the Brit Hume kerfuffle:

True tolerance consists in engaging deep disagreements respectfully — through persuasion — not in banning certain categories of argument and belief from public debate.

In this controversy, we are presented with two models of discourse. Hume, in an angry sea of loss and tragedy — his son’s death in 1998 — found a life preserver in faith. He offered that life preserver to another drowning man. Whatever your view of Hume’s beliefs, he could have no motive other than concern for Woods himself.

The other model has come from critics such as Shales, in a spittle-flinging rage at the mention of religion in public, comparing Hume to “Mary Poppins on the joys of a tidy room, or Ron Popeil on the glories of some amazing potato peeler.” Shales, of course, is engaged in proselytism of his own — for a secular fundamentalism that trivializes and banishes all other faiths. He distributes the sacrament of the sneer.

Who in this picture is more intolerant?

As a church body we watched a documentary on the life of Eric Liddell during our New Year’s Eve Service. We watched an additional 30 minute film on his life and commitment to Christ with the Teens during youth group Sunday night. His life and commitment to Christ continue to convict today.  Much of this is due to the fact that his stand to not run on the Sabbath in the 1924 Olympics was not a singular conviction but rather simply obedience and commitment to follow Christ and His law of love in all of his life.

Today we rarely hear of Christian athletes with such conviction, but Scotland has given us another modern day example in rugby player Euan Murray.  Here is his explanation for not playing for Scotland on the Lord’s Day.

Euan said: “It’s basically all or nothing, following Jesus. I don’t believe in pick ‘n’ mix Christianity. I believe the bible is the word of God, so who am I to ignore something from it?

“I might as well tear out that page then keep tearing out pages as and when it suits me. If I started out like that there would soon be nothing left.”

Euan’s recent decision to keep Sunday as a day of worship means he will miss Scotland’s opening Six Nations game against France on February 7 and, potentially, some key matches with his club, Northampton.

Despite his religious stand, Euan has played for Scotland before on a Sunday – in the 2008 Six Nations against France.

But he said turning out on the Sabbath grew increasingly painful.

Euan, who has 28 caps, said: “I was going against my conscience and it became impossible to enjoy.

“I realised it’s quite simple, really.

“Jesus said, ‘If you love me, keep my commandments’ and there are 10 commandments – not nine.”

It is understood a clause in Euan’s new club contract, stating he does not have to play on Sundays, is unique in top-flight rugby

He added: “I’ve talked about the ‘call to excellence’ I perceive in the bible, being the best you can be and I try to present myself as a living sacrifice to the Lord.

“I want to excel in rugby because that’s where I’ve been given the opportunity to serve my God – but it has to fit with the way I want to live my life.

“The most important thing in my life will always be serving Christ.

“I want to live my life believing and doing the things he wants and the Sabbath day is a full day.

“It’s not a case of a couple of hours in church then playing rugby or going down the pub, it’s the full day.”

(ht:tc)

Here are some Bible reading programs and plans for 2010

Bethlehem Baptist Reading Plan
Mc’Cheyne Reading Plan

Here is a site that lets you develop a reading plan and will even email it to you in various versions.
ESV also offers a variety of plans and helps.

There is even a Bible plan for slackers! It is actually a very helpful reading plan that keeps one from getting discouraged and giving up.

For the more ambitions you can read through the New Testament in 90 Days.

Or read through it in 30 days.

Happy New Year!