MONDAY MORNING REFLECTIONS: DANGEROUS DISTRACTIONS

By Steve Dunn

I love this little photo.  I have posted it before on my Facebook page and in my church’s newsletter. It is clear that our fascination with our cell phones and texting while driving has developed some seriously deadly implications.  Although I use the hands-free Bluetooth feature of my Toyota Camry from time to time, I do not use it in traffic but only when I am alone on the high (i.e., no other cars nearby).  Doing anything but driving can be a dangerous distraction—to you if to no one else.

Now look at this cartoon.

 

One of the phenomenon of worship in churches today is the texting during worship.  Except for those churches that encourage tweeting with the preach mid-sermon, texting is a distraction from the most important activity—worshiping the Lord.  It often keeps people from giving their attention and their hearts fully to God and what He wants to communicate to them.  A steady diet of this can have some dangerous eternal consequences.

But it’s not just texting.  People who inspect other worshipers for what they are wearing, doing or not doing are not giving themselves fully to worship.  And I tell my parishioners, “If you can tell me how many mistakes there were in worship or in the bulletin, you are permitting those distractions from truly worshiping.

Take these words to heart from I Samuel.

© 2018  by Stephen L. Dunn.  You have permission to reprint this provided it is unchanged, proper authorship is cited, it is in a publication not for sale, and a link is provided to this site or to www.drstevedunn.com. For all other uses, contact Steve at sdunnpastor@gmail.com 

MONDAY MORNING REFLECTIONS--NEW BABIES

BY STEVE DUNN

Today, if all goes well, one of the young couples in the church in which I serve will become first-time parents.   The doctors are going to induce labor and if everything goes smoothly and quickly, they may even be parents by the time that you read this post.  We had special prayer for them and their new daughter in church yesterday and they are at the top of my prayer list today.

Dianne and I have been parents four times and in November will become grandparents for the eighth time.  I can think few greater joys than the birth of a new baby.  They are indeed gifts of God to us who have the privilege of being parents. It is my firm belief that they had been people since the day of their conception.  The Psalmist David declares, 

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be. - Psalm 139.13-16 NIV

The life of a baby, as with all human life, is sacred.  No laws of any land, nor preferences of a mother or father, can change that reality.  The act of conception is not merely a sexual act, it is partnership with our Creator.  Even if our intention is not so noble does not make it simply a choice.  And even if that life will be a special needs life does not diminish that it is human life and therefore sacred indeed.

I pray that my young couple will indeed treat the life of their daughter as sacred and see their role in parenting is a sacred partnership with God.  If so, their daughter will be blessed beyond measure.

© 2018  by Stephen L. Dunn.  You have permission to reprint this provided it is unchanged, proper authorship is cited, it is in a publication not for sale, and a link is provided to this site or to www.drstevedunn.com. For all other uses, contact Steve at sdunnpastor@gmail.com