Wonder what God thinks?

As I sit on my porch this evening, I am enjoying a beautiful (cool) August, North Georgia evening. My thoughts have drifted to a question. I wonder what God thinks about our national debate on health care? I cannot speak for God nor know His thoughts. But I wonder if He perhaps is amused by the passion we have on both sides of this issue? God knows the number of our days and He has a plan for each of us. I believe that His children are in His hands and that He is faithful in His promises to each of us that He will never leave us or forsake us.

I personally can see agree with opinions from both sides of the issue and I can also agree that it is a complex problem we face. I think back to my childhood and I wonder if my parents had health insurance? When I was a young boy I can remember the family doctor making house calls. Most of the time his remedy was a shot of penicillin. I don't remember him asking for our insurance card or even discussing payment. He was a model servant working tirelessly to meet the needs of his patients. There was no discussion of whether the insurance company would approve our treatments, etc. It is amazing where we have gone in the health care world. I also feel that we as a community and we as a church have failed in our care and concern for those in need. We as a society have become dependent upon our government to solve all of our problems.

The issues are complex, but I as a simple citizen can see obvious things that are wrong in our society. I'll try to list a few of these things below:

• We need tort reform. Those in the health care community are very concerned about not being served with a lawsuit for malpractice. To the point of doing unnecessary tests to protect their practice.
• We need to be able to purchase health insurance across state lines. It is ridiculous that we do not have the freedom to do this.
• I read where about eleven million folks that earn $75,000 + per year choose not to purchase health insurance.
• I also read that about eleven million illegal aliens are part of the uninsured folks in our country...many of these show up in emergency rooms for care (we pay for this already)
• Many self employed people pay up to $20,000 per year for insurance, that features a deductible of $5,000 or more...this is ridiculous.
• I cannot change jobs today for fear of losing my health insurance or facing a waiting period on the new job before I am eligible.
• If I have a prexisting condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure or the worst case cancer, even in remission...I will probably be denied coverage.
• Today, I must get permission from my insurance company for some tests/treatments. Many of these will be denied.
• My doctor or hospital will not be paid anywhere near the charges for treatment.....again the insurance company denies the payment.
• Medicare is broke along with medicaid and social security (government furnished and managed)
• I am spending a fortune on taxes for the above
• My company and I spend a fortune for health insurance and the price increases every year.
• I wonder how many doctors today recognize a calling to their profession or are they seeking only a high income? I can't fault the income part due to the cost of education but feel they should be a group of folks who truly care first and foremost for the patient.
• I notice my doctor rushes through check ups in order to minimize the time spent on each patient (insurance company driven)?
• Finally, I once owned a small business and felt an obligation to provide insurance for my employees. The cost to my business was over $800 per month, per family. This was in 1999-2000. There was no way we could do this and stay in business. The current proposed plan would fine my business if I did not.

In my heart I realize that something must be done. In my heart the last thing I want is for the government to manage any part of health insurance and health care. I think both sides of this debate are sincere in their opinions and feel they have all the answers. I feel that neither side has all if any of the answers. The shouting in the town hall meetings does not provide an answer. I truly enjoy a group of people from all sides of the issue who sit down and honestly discuss the problems and the possible answers. Until we have more clarity I feel we should all move very slowly. There are unintended consequences to all actions and to move with haste will surely produce waste if not catastrophe.

Again I go to the question....what does God think about all of this? I think He may be amused at our uproar over this issue. Again I cannot speak for God but He must wonder about our dependence on answers from our government to this complex issue. Life is truly a short season and He numbers our days and He has promised that He will never leave us or forsake us. Our hope is in Him alone. In the meantime we will all sit and watch the debate....but it is comforting to know that He is in control.

OBITS

I have always had a fascination with Obituaries posted in newspapers. Not sure why but since I was a young man I have read them with interest. Of course some of it is to make sure my name is not listed but also I try to keep up with those I know personally. Hopefully their names will not appear anytime soon. I confess that I go online everyday to my hometown newspaper...the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas. On many days I recognize one of my old friends or friends of friends or friends of my family. On a few days I have read of the passing of my own family members. It is also interesting that since moving to Georgia some five years ago I know few if any persons that make the obits page. I guess it comes down to living in a place for several decades before you actually know folks who make the page.

Now to what has intrigued me lately in obits from papers locally as well as my hometown newspaper. It is that with the passing of many folks there is no service planned. Most are cremated and they say there will be a service held at a later date. I really wonder if they ever have a service to commemorate the passing of a loved one. I also wonder if it is the economy that has caused this frequent choice of how to handle a deceased loved one? No casket, so service, no plot....just an urn placed on the fireplace or the ashes thrown to the four winds. In any case it makes one stop and think about what we should do when the death of one close to us occurs?

Many of the elderly (I don't count myself as one yet) go to extreme means to plan their funerals. They pick the hymns, what they will wear, who will preach the funeral, the pallbearers, the flowers, etc.... they call this a prudent practice, in that your bereaved loved ones will not have to make all these hard decisions. Having gone through this with my mom I can somewhat agree. I know my dad wants one song played at his funeral "It's party time" I can't quite bring myself to request this song and in fact I am not sure who sings this song.

On a more serious note, I have participated as a speaker at both of my grandmothers funerals as well as the funeral for my mom. It is interesting that I was never asked to speak at the funeral of my grandfathers? I have spoken at the funeral of a dear friend of mine. I am in the camp that feels we should hold a service for the deceased. I am not really sure about the cremation thing....I know that the spirit is not present with the body and that the body is simply an empty shell but I don't find anywhere in my reading of scripture that defines what we are to do. I do know that in the day of Christ that bodies were placed in a tomb and that they were wrapped in burial cloths and fragrances. I am not sure that there is anything at all wrong with cremation as it somewhat gives closure to the loved one we mourn. I know that when my mom died I thought many times about her in a cold grave and it truly bothered me though I know it shouldn't have as I know she was in heaven and the body was truly a shell. Still it bothers you to think about it.

I have noticed here in the south that visitations are huge and that funerals can have as many as four or five pastors to deliver one to the final resting place ( I don't really think of the grave as a resting place). I have also noted that decoration day is huge here in the south. Back home in Arkansas it is a little less elaborate but is still celebrated. There is a lot of grave visiting by my relatives in Arkansas and I too have visited my mom's grave on more than one occasion. I am not sure of the benefit other than to one's own soul.

I'll close here with my thoughts on funerals....many pastors think that this should be a time to present the gospel and scare the "hell" out of people. I believe that it should be a celebration of a life. It should be held to bring comfort to a family and help them remember the good times. It should include joyous music and even some laughter. At the same time it should recall the good things the person who has passed accomplished. It should note the Christian attributes in the persons life as well as the story of how they found God and there is nothing at all wrong with urging those in attendance to find this same peace. It is a sad occasion when the one who passed never knew God and it is difficult to celebrate at this service. It is important that all men come to know the Saviour as we all must face this day at some point. I do feel saddened when I read that no services are planned as I feel the folks involved have nothing to celebrate. I do know the maker of life, the preserver of life, the redeemer of life and while I in no way hasten my death I think I can face it realizing that it is a part of living.

North Point Online

North Point Online hey guys....go to link and view the new upcoming event for our church. We will begin a church on line beginning August 16th. The online church will be from our Buckhead campus and be an actual live worship service beginning at 6:00 PM every Sunday. It will include worship etc...it will be great for anyone including small groups etc.....we invite you to give it a try.

I missed it.....

Almost two weeks in Florida and finally back home and back to my normal routine. I realized this morning while attending church that I had not been in a worship service for two weeks. Little did I know how much I missed it. It is so easy to drift away from our daily walk with God. We get busy with vacations, work and even family activities. As I sat in church this morning I was overwhelmed with emotions as I eased back into communication with my God. He was there with me while I was gone though it seemed I was a million miles away from Him.

I have heard it said by many people that they do not have to attend church to worship God. This may very well be true for some but I am one who needs to be amongst other believers in a place of worship. It is so true for me that if I attend worship my week just seems to go much better. This morning at my church....Browns Bridge Community Church...we had a first. We were linked by satellite to our other churches. Northpoint Community Church, Buckhead Church and Browns Bridge. We saw and heard our sister churches in live worship...they heard us. I am amazed by the technology involved but more amazed by our kindred spirits linked by an eye in the sky. Our worship today led by Corrie Moon was simply a time of blessing. Corrie led us in Laura Story's song.."Indescribable" along with "Breathe on Me". I was back home again and I was drawn closer to the Lord. Emotion was swelling up in my heart...my eyes were filled with tears...it was good to be home.

Andy Stanley as always just simply brought it to us today. He communicated the mission of our church and why we do what we do. On August 16th at 6:00 PM we launch a new ministry...a church online. Our church will begin an online, live worship service from our church in Buckhead. It will include the worship music and the sermon each week. I reflect on the fact that my God has blessed me with the privilege of being a member of this ministry. I could be anywhere but God chose me to be here for such a time as this. Thank you Lord for this blessing. You should be able to connect on the 16th by going to NorthpointTV.org. If this does not work go to Northpoint Church.org and you should be led to the service.

I thank God today that I am back home. I also realized that it had been many weeks since we gathered with our small group and I truly miss this time. The summer has been loaded with activities to the point that we could not meet for our weekly time of fellowship and prayer. This also creates within me a void. By coming together with my brothers and sisters in Christ and sharing our trials and our victories we are drawn closer to the Lord. I do not believe that God ever intended for man to be alone. He has a place for each of us to join with others in worship of Him. I want to say a word to those in my small group....you are loved and you are missed. We must work hard to come together as often as possible as when we are together God is there amongst us. Don't know about you but I am ready for summer to end so that we can get back to our normal routines.

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