Walking with God

The story of Enoch intrigues me. He walked with God and was not, because God took him (Genesis 5:18-24). This walk was a unique walk of faith that so pleased God, that God took Enoch up, so that he did not die (Hebrews 11:5). How does a person walk with this quality of faith that so pleases God that God commends and rewards the faith (Hebrews 11:1-6). The message of Hebrews 11 is meant to admonish all Christians in this same walk of rewarding faith. Each example provides insight into the way of faith, but Enoch’s faith is a walk with God. How simple, beautiful and profound.

What is walking with God? With people walking is a means of conducting the daily business of getting around, going places and getting things done. When people walk together they have the opportunity to share in a common purpose, knowledge and fellowship. Even before Enoch pleased God with a walk of faith, the first description of how humans everywhere pleased God by faith is by calling upon the name of the Lord (Genesis 4:26). Walking develops the invoking of God’s name in sacrificial worship even more; by showing that those who really pleased God by faith walked with God with a profound reverence — fear of God — as they sought to know God’s nature, to inquire of God’s ways, and to fellowship in the presence or face of God.

God invites us to walk with Him, and I think, for the believer walking with God is much more than worship with a congregation and trying to live what most people would eulogize as a good life. Certainly the most basic and practical means of walking with God in faith is through trust and obedience; but this quality of life is supported by daily practicing God’s presence, hearing and reflecting upon God’s word, and praying in the fellowship of the Spirit of Christ. This kind of godly devotion produces a spiritually mature believer when practiced individually and in fellowship with other believers.

Buttram, Bryan.  “Walking with God.”  WordPress.com:  2007/05/25.

There’s a Baby on the Way!

[In celebration of Mother’s Day, I share with you a poem, written by my mother, who often shared these words on a card or plaque as a gift to expecting parents – Bryan]

 

We’re so delighted

To the intent,

We wish to share

In your blessed event.

 

Now there’s nothing sweeter

Than baby to be;

And we certainly hope

It’s a He or a She.

 

But regardless of whether

It’s a girl or a boy,

It will always be

Your bundle of joy.

 

So we’re pleased to tell you

In so many ways,

We hope your future

Brings exciting days!

 

We feel we must warn you

What lies in store;

Besides battles and bills,

There are surprises galore!

 

Baby will sleep to cradle chimes.

You will read from nursery rhymes.

There’ll be diapers, doctors, dolls and dishes;

Measles, mumps, frogs and fishes.

 

Bruises and scratches,

Clothes that need patches;

Screams and shouts,

Then suddenly — the pouts.

 

Better take it from us Cons

And experienced Pros;

They’ll walk on your heart,

And step on your toes.

 

Now beware of the busy

Little brother or sis;

When all is quiet,

Something is amiss!

 

You’ll repeat over and over,

You mustn’t do that;

Then you’ll wonder why

You even wanted the brat.

 

But no matter what

He has said or done;

You’ll be the first to proclaim,

He’s still number one.

 

Play days, school days –

DuPont, you know –

We’ll feed him well;

You’ll watch him grow.

 

Little league, football,

All sorts of sports;

Skating, swimming,

And tennis courts.

 

Girlfriends, boyfriends,

Cokes and Big Macs;

Then comes the learning,

Of the life of facts.

 

He’ll want a car or motorbike;

New clothes, new shoes, and such like.

Remember to include the monetary rate,

To finance those late great dates.

 

Alas, the diploma has been earned;

For this you have prayed and yearned.

But all is not over yet!

There’s the ‘call of the wild’;

He’s no longer a child.

And wedlock prevails, you can bet.

 

Tears of sadness, tears of joy;

You’ll think you’ve lost that girl or boy.

Cheer up, my friend, this isn’t the end.

It’s another beginning for you.

Just wait ‘til they say,

“There’s a baby on the way!”

 

And you’ll live your life anew.

 

These are memories that will linger and last;

You’ll treasure them all, reliving the past.

 

By LWB

Buttram, Louise. There’s a Baby on the Way. Posted by Bryan Buttram. WordPress.com. 05/09/2007.

Liking the Buzz

Even as I struggle against allergies I like the buzz of springtime. Chipmunks, woodpeckers and bumble bees have débuted. I try to approach moments in my backyard with expectation and wonder. Last year I spotted a garden snake slowly slithering through the ivy, leaves, rocks and twigs until it froze, sensing the presence of a bumble bee. I also froze, feeling like I was watching an episode of Wild Kingdom. The bee bumbled too close to the snake for my comfort. As he hovered near the still head of the snake I wondered if the bee would be a snack. I felt concern for the bee, but then I thought, “Maybe the snake is afraid of the bee, because bumble bees do pack a ferocious sting.” I could not believe I witnessed this moment. The bee landed beside the snake, at the base of the snake’s mouth. The bee then meandered around the snake’s head – the snake making no movement although presented with an opportunity. The bee then seemed to waltz gracefully around that serpent’s head — I gasped; then at the base that daring bumble bee shuffled underneath the snake to the other side. Now I wanted an encore. I felt the birds, squirrels and chipmunks were all clapping with me as we watched the bumble bee take a bow and fly away, bumbling in the wind.

The bumble bee experience gave me a buzz and I enjoyed it. It was a truly enchanting moment. I lifted my heart in praise to God and thanked him for His wonderful creation. I thanked Him for His providence and for His wonderful design and purpose for life. Yes, it is true that scripture reveals that He subjected this creation to futility. Yet scripture also adds that He did this in the hope that creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and thereby receive the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Therefore, God’s creation waits eagerly and longingly for the unveiling of the sons of God (See Romans 8). That was some enchanting moment!

I felt the bumble bee’s courage and grace around the snake must contain some spiritual lesson. Snakes must be dangerous predators to most insects; but the snake was probably wise to keep still around the bumble bee. In spiritual lore snakes represent shrewdness, temptation, sin, evil and the devil. In nature bumble bees that have stingers, can sting more than once and live to sting again. Skunks are willing to endure the pain of repeated stings; but this snake, at least, did not make a move. Movement might have angered the bee – why risk it. Scripture admonishes God’s children to resist temptation and endure testing; for if believers resist the devil he will flee. Moreover, the scripture encourages Christians with the hope that the serpent of old, the devil, will be crushed by their salvation and faithfulness in Christ. So, even though Christians should never be foolish around the serpent; when we derive wisdom and strength from God’s grace, we can be bold and overcome evil by good. (Passages of the Bible for your enlightenment: Genesis 2-3, Job, Matthew 4, Romans 12 and 15:20, Ephesians 6, James 4 and Revelation 12).

Buttram, Bryan. “Liking the Buzz.” WordPress.com: 2007/05/08.

Making Divine Stew from Stone Soup

Stone Soup is a child’s story that has a few different versions, but the gist and main lesson of the story is the same. One version I like is about three soldiers passing through a village after a time of war when food was scarce and people were suspicious. The villagers refused to provide the soldiers with a meal, so the soldiers declared they will make stone soup. The curious villagers wanted to see this and wondered how it would taste. The soldiers asserted that it would taste good, but it would be even better if potatoes were added with the stone. A certain villager happily revealed, “I have potatoes.” The soldiers continued to entice the imagination of the villagers, adding a new ingredient each time, declaring that the soup would taste good, but would be so much better only if it had another ingredient. Each time a different villager would volunteer that they could provide that ingredient. As a result the soldiers had prepared a wonderful stew that all the villagers were able to eat together with the soldiers. (Brown, Marcia. Stone Soup. Aladdin Paperbacks: NY, NY 1947, second edition 1997).

In a time when things were scarce and people were suspicious, the villagers of Stone Soup discovered the way to peace, fellowship and abundance by sharing together in the making and eating of stone soup. Suppose one of the villagers brought an ingredient to the soup to give it flavor, but by mistake it was poison. The result would be sickness, perhaps death; so suspicion and hostility would prevail. There is a story in the Bible about an effort among the community of prophets to relieve their hunger in a time of famine by gathering the ingredients for a pot of stew. See 2 Kings 4:38-44. One of the sons of the prophets selected gourds that looked good but poisoned the pot. It was ignorant and unintentional, but still deadly. He was one of them and not against them, but still the meal prepared for their survival would have brought death. People, even good people, cannot escape that no matter how hard we try, no matter how sincere we are, we still manage to bring sin and death into our lives and relationships. So we need a constant cure and source of life through God’s own provision. In this incident, God’s provision of life came from the prophet Elisha who mixed flour into the pot in order to neutralize the poison. Then later another son of the prophets brought 20 loaves of barley bread made from the firstfruits of the harvest of grain. Through God’s miracle of increase this bread brought life and abundance to the prophets.

Grain, flour, bread and firstfruits are symbols of life, fellowship and the start of something new and wonderful. God provides the sustenance of life, bread. When we eat the bread together with thankfulness to God, we enjoy a wonderful fellowship. More profoundly I think the works of God through Elisha the prophet anticipate God’s provision of the spiritual bread of life, the firstfruits of eternal life, the blessings of abundant life, and the creation of a worldwide stew pot of peace and fellowship in the kingdom of God. (See e.g. Luke 13:29, John 6, Romans 8:18-25, 1 Corinthians 10:17 and 15:20-28).

Buttram, Bryan. “Making Divine Stew from Stone Soup.” WordPress.com: 2007/05/04.

You the Man

“You the man!” I liked hearing those words from my friend, Sam. It was probably just a minor accomplishment that compelled such fleeting praise; but I appreciated it. What really is a man? I wonder if the two young men who murdered another young man in a recent drive-by hit received praise from their gang. How do young men come to think of their manhood in ways of violence?

Psalm 1 warns that bad associations lead to bad things. Associations are a powerful source of thoughts. Good thoughts come from God and those who walk in the steps of God’s thoughts. God’s thoughts abound if you will meditate on them. The person who reflects deeply on God’s thoughts and ways will be blessed like a well-watered and nourished fruit tree. The life and fruit of the tree makes God happy because it brings nourishment, but the barren tree brings starvation. So the person nourished in the wisdom of God’s law and example of God’s people brings good rather than trouble.

Would young adults become corrupt and violent if church, school and family taught and guided them in the art of meditation (thoughtful reflection) and good, positive associations? Psalm 1 offers this as a method to a truly productive life. Learn how to reflect on life, your life, and what is good about life. This can be taught — not by bad associations and entertaining, mind polluting distractions. Learn how to choose associations that are good and positive, providing mutual encouragement and praiseworthy behavior. These can be taught, reinforcing ways that are good and positive. Listen now. The opposite must also be done. The bad associations and mind polluting distractions must be marked, exposed and rendered impotent. The good in community, school, family and church must organize, fight and compete for the attention, time, mind and hearts of the youth.

Who is equipped to do this? You the man! You can do this and God will bless you.

Buttram, Bryan.  “You the Man.”  WordPress.com:  2007/05/03.