Spring 2023 has sprung in Broken Arrow, OK

Friday, May 29, 2015

Are You a GEEK?


When we came home from grocery shopping yesterday, my wife and I were greeted with standing water in the hallway and living room that seemed to be coming under the wall from the air conditioner closet!  So after I grabbed a couple of towels and moved one of our floor standing speakers which was absorbing the water, I went online and submitted a work order and then called the complex office.  Within ten minutes there was a knock on our door and one of our new maintenance men began to troubleshoot the problem.
I was impressed with some the equipment he used in the process.  He had different kinds of gauges and a little tool with a small tube and an attached CO2 cartridge to blow out any potential clogs in the drain lines.  It seems that modern technology has been introduced to just about everything in our world!   I enjoyed talking with Brian as we discovered a mutual interest in old rock and roll bands.  In observing our new book shelf door curtain, he mentioned a curtain he had with the picture of a well-known band leader who I had actually seen in person back in Junior High!  After that we were in bliss reminiscing about familiar musical artists.
And speaking of technology improvement… When we were out for a walk earlier in the day, I noticed an older large screen TV that someone left in the recycling area near the community trash compactor.  It was a tube television that still looked to be in pretty good shape.  I had to laugh as I mentioned to Piper that it was the product of a bygone technology since most folks have flat screen TV’s today.
I began my Bible study this morning reviewing where I had left off yesterday in Romans 1:16.  It was on my trail of research concerning the word “salvation” that had led me to this particular verse.  Here the Apostle Paul is telling his readers “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth: to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (KJV)  As is part of my usual study method, I wrote down the scripture after reading it, but instead of writing “Greek” I mistakenly penned the word “Geek!”
That also made me chuckle but then I began to see some significance to my error… or was it an error?  As I thought about it, I began to think about how the character of a “Techno Geek” is a well-known and accepted part of our culture.  Years ago he or she was represented as the “Murray ‘Boz’ Bosinsky” character in the old “Riptide” TV show back in the mid-eighties, with the taped glasses, pen holder stuffed with pens, white socks and black shoes.  Today the “Techno Geek” is more glamorously accepted as an important position in modern society. 
Both of my sons-in-law could be considered “Techno Geeks” as they are deeply in tune and committed to new technology and integrate it into just about every aspect of their lives.  By looking at them though, neither one of them would give you the older image of a “Geek.”  Anytime I have an electronics and/or computer problem that is beyond my technical scope I call on them… and it’s great for me!
The idea of a “Geek” in today’s world having the saving power of Christ available to them brought me back to the modern gospel.  In some respects I could see a religious “Geek” as being one who is so in tune and committed to the world’s way of seeing and doing things, that they are not real open to the truth of God’s Word. 
It bothers me to admit it, but I’ve also seen some aspects of these worldly “Geeks” in Christian circles.  When I read from Romans I recognized some of them through their tactics to us early on in our fight for my wife’s health.  They were the ones who almost immediately set out to shame us because of the decisions we were making in following what we believed was God’s unfolding, biblically based road for us to travel on.
In my wife's and my minds, every decision we took was in harmony with and directly connected to our BELIEVING in the power of God to save (Greek: soteria: to deliver, or protect [literally or physically], heal, preserve, do well, make whole) Piper.  To begin with, our decisions to them looked to be foolish and ill-timed as they seemed to not be able to go beyond the fear of the potential financial implications of my leaving my secular job that took me out of our home for 10 or more hours a day and re-start my own business so I could personally take care of my wife or see past the worldly guidelines established by medical science or Naturopathic medicine… and it just snow-balled from then on!
Paul boldly declared that he was “not ashamed of the gospel of Christ” for he KNEW it to be the very “power (Greek: dunamis: force, strength, ability, a miracle itself) of God” in him, for him and through him BECAUSE he BELIEVED it to be!  And you know… the more those folks attempted to make us ashamed for our faith-based actions, the more adamant we became in following and EXPECTING God’s miraculous power to work in and for my wife… and it has and we fully BELIEVE it will continue to do so through (as I like to say it…) His Word of LIFE in my Pipe(r)!
So… let me inquire of you as we come to the end of this week.  Are you a BELIEVER?  If so, I would encourage you to do and stand on what we as BELIEVER’s should do best… and BELIEVE in the power of Christ to save you in the midst of any situation that you may face at any time of the day or night.  Like Paul said, there is NOTHING to be ashamed about for the power of the gospel of Christ is working for you and me.  We just have to be in active faith to initiate it’s saving abilities in and through us!  Have a fun weekend.  Stay in tune to God’s powerful Word and keep asking yourself… “What or Who’s saving power am I expecting to have work in me today?”

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