Your Best Abs Now


"For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted." --Hebrews 2:18, NASB

I was out at my brother's and his family this weekend. He has Verizon FIOS with hundreds of channels, unlike me who has Comcast's Basic Cable which is like the same channel 12 times. I swear Comcast is trying to break me.

A CNN host had an interview with Joel Osteen and flashed this picture of mega-church and mega-abs pastor Joel Osteen. That came at the end of the chat where the host was interviewing Osteen about a new book that he has written which is hardly worth mentioning. I know that Osteen appeals to millions, half of whom proably attend his Houston church. He seems like a nice enough guy and I think that is part of the problem with his theology if we can call it that.

During the interview, Osteen said that we have to find something to be grateful for every day but then I think he botched the obvious biblical answer: We should be thankful for Jesus dying for ungrateful sinners. Everything else is rubbish. What the interview seemed to be was a sanctified "Law of Attraction" claptrap that made the rounds on Oprah and Co. a couple of years ago. Crap.

Oddly, yesterday I was thankful for everything. The delicious breakfast sandwich my sister-in-law out in Pittsburgh made for me, the extra strong Starbucks Anniversary brew coffee in the mug that she made, the warm bed, listening to a sermon on  my iPhone, my nieces, hanging out with my brother, listening to the new Sixpence None the Richer CD for four hours in the car on the way home, not being busted by the cop for speeding on the Pa. Turnpike, getting to the service area restroom in time before I peed myself, the changing trees, shining sun, Autumn weather, having a day off of work, having a job to have a day off of work from, and everything else. It was a perfect day. One for the books.

But, you know what, everything could have gone to Hell yesterday and God would still be good and I should still be grateful that Jesus took the hit for me.

"Frequently it is when we are crushed and devastated that the cross speaks most powerfully to us. The wounds of Christ then become Christ's credentials. The world mocks, but we are assured of God's love by Christ's wounds." --D. A. Carson in "How Long, O Lord?"

 
       

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