Ryan's Ramblings

A dried up creek bed or a river of living water—which will I be?

 

You are the look on Christ’s face. You are the tone of his voice. You are the touch of his hands. —Paul Tripp.

 

 

 

The phrase, “as undependable as intermittent streams,” jumped out at me from my daily Bible reading.  Actually, it did more than jump. 

It described me.

The line comes from the center of Job 6:14-17 (NIV) where Job is responding to the way he is being treated by those around him, most notably, his “friends.”

A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends,

   even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,

    as the streams that overflow

when darkened by thawing ice

    and swollen with melting snow,

but that stop flowing in the dry season,

    and in the heat vanish from their channels.

Job is struggling. He has endured great loss and disappointment in life. He is in the depths of despair, so much so that he is engaging in the unthinkable—he is questioning and doubting God.

Right or wrong, Job is in need. He doesn’t want answers, guidance, correction, sympathy, pity, or opinion from those around him. All he wants and needs is a little kindness.

But Job’s friends are fickle. In season they gush and out of season they sear.  At Job’s point of need they are nothing but undependable, dried up streams.

And like I said, this described me.

Kindness is an exception in our world today. It is so extraordinary that movies are being made about it (e.g., Same Kind of Different as Me and Wonder). Why is it such an anomaly? Why is it so hard for us to exude? Why is kindness the last thing on our minds and in our hearts as we go about life?

The news feeds are full of finger-pointing, finding fault, assigning blame and . . . being right.  In the midst of it all, kindness is scarce. Being right is good, and doing right is even better, but how we get there is most important.

Being right and doing right should never be realized through pride, sarcasm, a mean-sprit, a judgmental attitude or a harsh word. And if by chance we are right, it does not necessitate that we also “make a point,” and a strong one at that.

Even when it comes to the things of God, things that we feel strongly about, the gravitas of an issue never supersedes a kind response and interaction with another. In instances of correction and discipline it is feared that kindness will be misconstrued as a condoning of the undesired choices or behaviors, but this is a lie. Kindness is never out of place.

Christians can be right, but if we are not kind, we are wrong.       

                                —Sean Palmer, Unarmed Empire

Kindness emanates from the very heart of God. It is listed as a fruit of the Spirit—one of the key characteristics and evidences of God in this world. It is a means by which God calls people unto salvation.

“God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4, ESV).

Kindness is what we see in the life of Jesus as he touches lepers, welcomes sinners and loves the unlovely. Even on the cross, in the face of extreme injustice, kindness imbues Jesus’ words, “Father forgive them . . .”

Kindness is a choice, but after years of falling short, I realize that I can’t do it on my own. I need help with this dried up stream that is my heart. So, I look to Jesus, who says,

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” (John 7:38, ESV)

A dried up creek bed or a river of living water—which will I be? The difference is life-changing and is made manifest through kindness. If God’s kindness leads us to repentance what might my kindness do?

As a Christ-follower, I am an ambassador. I am the look on Christ’s face, the tone of his voice and the touch of his hand to the world around me. No amount of brow beating, guilt, coercion or shaming will turn a wayward heart, but God’s kindness calls us all home. So what am I to do? 

I will pray for God’s help and heed the words of Henry James,

Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.

I want this to describe me.

He Is

Andrew Peterson, one of my favorite artists (musician, writer), is coming out with a new album in a few days and the first early release track is titled, "Is He Worthy?" It is drawn from the context of Revelation 5 where at the end (or the beginning?) of all things, all of creation is asking, "Where is the hope?" "In whom do we trust?" "Who is able to save us?" "Who is worthy?"

In music and beautiful lyric Peterson answers these questions:

Is anyone worthy?

Is anyone whole?

Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?

The Lion of Judah, who conquered the grave;

He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave.

Is He worthy?

Is He worthy of all blessing and honor and glory?

Is He worthy of this?

He is.

Below is a video of Andrew Peterson singing, "Is He Worthy?"

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is Leona Roberts' 70th birthday!

To her friends and family she is a fun, crazy, beautiful, passionate, hilarious, talented, caring person who is a joy, a hoot, a gift and a blessing to all.

She is a lady filled with lots of love and compassion for the world around her.  Her love is strong for her Lord, her husband, her kids, her grandkids, her cats and her shoes.

Today we celebrate her!

Happy Birthday Mom. 

I thank God for your life, your love and your faith in God.

Happy Birthday Dina!

 

The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear of God.(Prov. 31:30, MSG)

 

Today is Dina’s birthday. What a blessing she is to her family, friends, students and colleagues. The fruit of her life fills the world around her with beauty, care, fun, comfort and love. She is a gift from God and it is a joy to celebrate her today. 

 

Happy Birthday to the one I love with all my heart. —Ryan

lay blame with care

 

 

“There are some upon this earth of yours,” returned the Spirit, “who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name, who are as strange to us and all our kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their goings on themselves, not us

 –The Ghost of Christmas Present,                    A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens

The Dark Before the Dawn by Andrew Peterson

 

 

 

I just came across this video and had to share it. 

 

Andrew Peterson is one of my favorites.

 

 

 

 

 

 

30 years, together

 

 

 

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. –Annie Dillard

 

 

 

 

My Dearest Dina, 

Look at us in this picture—just a couple of kids starting out on the adventure of life together.  Wow, I loved you lots then, but nothing compared to how much I love you now. We have shared some wonderful adventures together, and some tough ones too.  

The alchemy in it all is the word: together.

What a joy it is to live each day with you; to make memories together, to laugh together, to learn together, to pray together, and to love together.

Today is our 30th wedding anniversary. Thirty years have come and gone all too quickly, but I thank God for every single moment, because I have spent my days with you.

With all my love,

Ryan

73 years!! Praise His Name!

We all have songs that make up the soundtrack of our lives. They remind us of "moments" in time—like that first junior high dance, or the day we left home for college. Each song connects us with a memory, a person, a feeling or an emotion.

The song, "Everybody Ought to Praise His Name" holds a treasured place in the jukebox of my mind and heart.  In the early 90's it was a tune that my Dad would sing and dance to around the house as an expression of his joy and thankfulness unto God.  He would crank up the volume and in a spirit of exuberance and fun he would belt out the chorus,

Everybody ought to praise his name,

Be thankful and praise his name.

Everybody ought to praise his name,

'Cause if a robin can say thank you, you can do it too.

There was a double entendre in my Dad's singing of the song that made it extra special.  My Dad's first name is Robin.  If the red-breasted robin can chirp out a song of thanksgiving and joy to God, how much more can "Robin" Roberts, "a sinner saved by grace," proclaim, from a heart of gratitude, "Praise His Name!"

Today is Robin Roberts' 73rd birthday!

Happy Birthday Dad. 

I thank God for your life, your love, your faith in God and in your example of living with a heart of gratitude. 

You are an inspiration to me, 'cause if a Robin can say thank you,                        I can do it too. 

***

Check out the song below!  

 

A School Yard in Autumn

 

 

A School Yard in Autum

by Ryan M. Roberts

 

Fall blankets the way;

         adorning the path as

                  little feet scuffle off to class.

Beauty abounds;

         in brilliance, color, leaves,

                                            and children.

the dark flames into light

 

The Dark Flames Into Light

by Ryan M. Roberts

 

As the sun rises it transforms

night into day.

The dark

flames into light.

 

So do the mercies of God;

new again,

they color our darkened lives.

 

The result is

beauty,

hope,

life,

and God's glory.