Redemption R' Us

I can't tell you how many times I wish God had made another way into heaven. This idea of giving up my life sometimes seems way to difficult. I mean yes, I sinned. Everybody sins. Are you telling me that we are all missing the mark? That the only way to gain access into heaven is to believe and give my life over to Jesus Christ? To trust in His grace and the sacrifice that He gave for my sin?

What if there was another way?

Imagine that God has setup an account for everyone at Redemption R' Us. You simply make an appointment when you reach the age of accountability discuss your eternal situation with your infinity adviser. 

Here is how I imagine that conversation might go.

If You Come Back

I can tell it by the look that's in your eyes

You've been hurt many times before

When I say this time that it's real

You're gonna say you're just not sure

Countless nights wrestling with your fear

Pain and tears are your closest friends

Reliving the past, it's all you really know

While your future hangs out at the door

I know now you just don't need me

Go ahead and fly away

And if someday you come back

I’ll be here hoping you stay

Murder In God's House

The name Thomas Becket may not be familiar to you but he is part of a fascinating and gruesome story that culminated in his death in the Canterbury Cathedral.

The year is 1155 and Thomas Becket was on the fast track to riches and power. Henry II, King of England, had just promoted him to the role of Chancellor and he had become one of the King's trusted advisers. In 1162, Theobald, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury died. Henry saw this as his chance to promote one of his own men to this powerful position and so he selected his Chancellor, Thomas Becket.

I think it is important to this story to realize that Thomas Becket was not born into royalty, he was the son of a merchant. His talents and work ethic had enabled him to the reach the position of Chancellor to the King and all the power, riches, and fame that this position included. This is a man who owed his king all that he had. His loyalty was expected after his rapid rise to power.

Dead Man's Hand

Who didn't love playing Cowboys and Indians when they were young? My brother and I would spend hours with our friends, hiding behind trees and rocks or finding the perfect hiding place, (which would then prove to be so boring that you had to announce your presence to someone!) but the goal remained the same - kill before being killed.

It's funny to try to describe to children of this generation how we used to take sticks, divide into teams, pick a side (Cowboys or Indians) and then proceed to hunt each other down by shooting the other person with our wooden branch.

Let me stop here and emphasize the honesty aspect in this game for those who have had no real experience playing this game. No one wanted to play with someone who never admitted they had been shot. The ethics of the game relied on the sportsmanship of all who were playing. It was a very precise way of determining the character of the neighborhood kids who were participating. And this proved to be an handy metric for our future relationships . . .