Author: Tom

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Vacation

It was time for vacation
     so we got on a plane.
And prayed like Elijah,
     that it would not rain!
A week on the beach
     can get really old.
If it rains every day
     and the weather gets cold. 

God gave us a great place
     to spend all together.
So we prayed that He also
     would give us great weather!
It started quite rocky
     with a storm in the night.
That delayed for an hour
     our rescheduled flight. 

We made it to Florida
     where we got a car.
And were very thankful,
     our lodging was not far.
We finally arrived
     and we got our key.
That morning we settled
     somewhere around three! 

We slept in a little,
     but not for too long.
We went for a walk
     but something went wrong.
A mile away
    from the place we did start.
The wheels on the wheelchair
     simply fell all apart. 

We headed to town,
     hoping for a repair.
Instead, we replaced it
     at a price that was fair.
We stocked up on groceries
     and food for the grill.
So the rest of the week,
     we would all eat our fill. 

Each day called for rain,
     and a chance of a storm.
But at our location,
     it was sunny and warm!
The clouds built up nearby,
     the rain fell in town.
But where we were at,
     it did not come down.

We went to the beach,
    we walked all around.
No better weather,
     anywhere could be found.
A trip to the zoo
     and a walk through a park.
Each day was quite sunny,
     until it got dark. 

The pool was quite warm,
     the gulf warmer yet.
We walked and we swam,
     with no reason to fret.
Vacation’s been great,
     but soon it must end.
But I am so thankful,
     God calls me His friend! 

© 2014 by Tom Lemler

As another day comes to a close with rain and thunder all around, and clear skies where we are at, I’m reminded yet again of the incredible blessing God is giving my family during this vacation.  I pray that my praise of God is just as forthcoming during times of rain and darkness as it is during days of sunshine and warmth.

In prayer,
Tom

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Focus

It is amazing
     just what I can see.
When I slow down my life
     and I look beyond me.
Life goes by quickly,
     it soon will be past.
Just what am I doing
     will anything last?

It is so easy
     to live for a job.
To go through the motions
     ‘til your mind is a blob.
Your work’s automatic,
     but that’s all there is.
There’s no sparkle left,
     no pop and no fizz.

I need some help
     to see a new view.
So I take lots of pictures
     and I share them with you.
I look through the camera
     for what catches my eye.
It is quite amazing
     what all I can spy.

I take many pictures,
     some far and some near.
Some flowers, some birds,
     and even some deer.
I zoom in, I zoom out;
     I stand and I kneel.
They become more than pictures,
     they express what I feel.

It’s through this expression,
     I hope I do start.
A season of worship
     in somebody’s heart.
I know that has happened,
     for me it is true.
I pray that you’re blessed
     and worship God too!

So whether I’m writing,
     these poems that I share.
Or posting some pictures
     I take everywhere.
The goal is the same,
     I hope you will see.
It’s all about God
     and His work in me.

So whatever you’re doing,
     whoever you are.
Take time to slow down
     if you want to go far.
For your life to matter
     beyond what you live.
You must do for others
     in the way that you give.

Take time to relax
     and get a new view.
Reflect every day
     on how God sees you.
When you understand
     God deserves first place.
You’re well on your way
    to winning the race!

© 2014 by Tom Lemler

As I’ve been blessed with a great vacation opportunity, I’ve been using my camera as a tool of worship as I look at things from a different perspective and praise God for His incredible handiwork. As I was taking pictures today and thinking about the detailed work that God does, He began to form this poem in my mind. I pray that you make the time in your life to slow down and recognize the work of God so that you may share it with others.

In prayer,
Tom

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Great Sacrifice

Many have served,
     this much I know.
But how much honor
     do we really show?
One day a year
     we think of the brave.
Who fought in a war
     that led to their grave.
On yet another,
     we thank those alive.
Who served our great country
     so freedom could thrive. 

But as I consider
     the price that was paid.
The honor returned
     seems quickly to fade.
Do we really care
     the rest of the year?
For a child with no dad
     and a parent’s worst fear?
A son or a daughter
     who paid with their life.
Is the worst kind of news,
     it will cut like a knife. 

Do we stand there with them
     in the days filled with pain?
Or do we run and hide
     when the tears flow like rain?
Do we give of ourselves
     what their loved one cannot?
Or do we walk away
     when the heat gets too hot?
We say we are thankful,
     but does it really show?
To those who have given,
     do they really  know? 

What would it look like
     to honor sacrifice?
It requires our actions,
     beyond, “Oh, that is nice!”.
To simply say, “Thank you.”
     is not nearly enough.
We show our true thanks
     when the going gets rough.
To give of ourselves
     is an honor indeed.
To care for the hurting
     at their point of need. 

It is so very easy,
     when we don’t see a face.
To treat those who gave
     with utter disgrace.
So how will you thank
     those left behind?
Of the one who has died
     so that peace you may find?
To honor those serving,
     from now and the past.
And pray that they know,
     your gratitude will last. 

While we are talking,
     about great sacrifice.
There is One who did die
     while His guards rolled the dice.
He gave His life for me
     so that I could be free.
He bought my redemption
     as He hung on a tree.
The freedom He offers
     is not just for today.
Past, present, and future
     as I follow His way! 

 © 2014 by Tom Lemler

As I was thinking about Memorial Day and praying for families who experience pain and emptiness because of the sacrifice a loved one has made, this poem filled my mind.  Because those who serve deserve honor, we have a tendency to merge Memorial Day and Veterans  Day together.  The tragedy isn’t that we give too much honor to those who have served, it is that we often only think about them on one or two days of the year!  The much publicized scandals within our nations Veterans Administration should be an outrage to every American.  But if each of us were to do our part in honoring and remembering every day those who have served, so many of these veterans and their families would be cared for in meaningful ways beyond what can be accomplished by the government.  If we were to truly honor and remember the sacrifice Jesus made for each of us, we would be doing the things that express love and care for our fellow-man.  I pray that our life in Christ would be visible in the way we treat others.

In prayer,
Tom

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2 Kings: Lesson 20 — A Wasted Opportunity!

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 2 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

The Unraveling of a Nation

A Study of the Book of 2 Kings

Lesson 20 (A Wasted Opportunity!)
2 Kings 20
May 21, 2014

The Text:

  1. What happened to Hezekiah in “those days”?  What message did God send to him?  How did Hezekiah respond?
    –
  2. As Isaiah is leaving Hezekiah’s presence, what does God tell him to do?  What message does God give?  What does Hezekiah ask for?  What is given? 
    –
  3. Who came to see Hezekiah when they heard of his illness?  How did Hezekiah receive them?  What did Hezekiah show them?    
    –
  4. What did Isaiah ask Hezekiah?  How did Hezekiah respond?  What does Isaiah say will happen? 
    –
  5. What did Hezekiah think of the word of the Lord spoken to him by Isaiah?  Why?  Who succeeded Hezekiah as king?  As you look at the beginning of chapter 21, how did his son live?  When was he born?

The Application:

  1. How long do you think you will live?  What would it take to “put your house in order”?  How would you respond if God somehow delivered a message that you were about to die? 
    –
  2. Have you ever been given a second chance?  Why do we tend to believe bad news but want proof about good news?  Do you take full advantage of second chances you are given?  Why/why not?   
    –
  3. Do you ever find yourself “showing off” for the benefit of others?  Why do people like others to know what they have?  Who do people often credit for their possessions?      
    –    
  4. Who would the people around you say you try to please most?  Is there anything wrong with telling and showing people all that you possess?  What is there about seeing something that makes people want to have it?           
    –
  5. How willing are you to accept current peace at the cost of future turmoil?  Are you more concerned about your life or for those who come after you?  Would you want extra time if you knew that it would result in eventual disaster?
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Amazing GRACE

Today marks the completion of one year, and the beginning of another year, of my being back on the staff of the Deer Run Church of Christ.  It has been an incredible year — a year best described by the words “amazing grace”!  My return to Deer Run was nothing short of the gracious hand of my God upon me, to favor me with His compassion.

My brain seems to be wired in a way that makes verbal conversation difficult — though many believe God has gifted me with an ability to write that can make up for the verbal inadequacies.  As a side note, it is amazing to me that God continues to show up in my preaching and teaching with the ability to speak powerfully through me.  For me, writing is therapeutic — it helps me to see where I’ve been and how far God has carried me.  While I still carry scars and hurts that continue to heal, God has taught me much over the past year.

I know I have a long way to go, but His mercy has helped me be more merciful.  His grace has taught me to be more gracious.  His compassion has led me to be more compassionate.  And perhaps the most difficult of all for me, His love is helping me know how to love.

So, how does this all happen?  What’s the secret?  I think the key to all of these lessons is that God continues to draw me to Himself and surrounds me with people who have a genuine concern for me as a person and as a child of God.  So, what’s so amazing about the grace God has shown me over the past year?

  • Generosity — God has given me the grace of generosity.  A lot can be discovered about a business or organization by looking at the way they treat employees and staff.  While your first thought is likely about financial compensation, an attitude of generosity can be seen in so many details of the way a person is treated.  God has blessed me with an environment that cares about my needs being met.  I am valued by people who are generous with their resources, time, and abilities.  The people around me help me to see the grace of God through their generosity.
  • Rest — God has given me the grace of rest.  Our need for rest was called for and designed by God, yet it is a need that we often ignore.  The year began with God providing the opportunity for a vacation with my family.  For the first time in a very long time, perhaps ever, I was able to sit on a sandy beach and actually fall asleep!  But the rest didn’t stop there.  Throughout the year, God has surrounded me with people who help me to rest when I am away by taking care of things as they happen rather than save them all up for my return.
  • Acceptance — God has given me the grace of acceptance.  Most people have heard that God accepts them just as they are but loves them too much to leave them that way.  Many people doubt God’s acceptance of them because people who claim to represent God will only accept them if they fully conform first.  My family at Deer Run has seen the good, the bad, and they ugly in me and they still accept me.   They see me not only as being valuable to them, but more importantly, they accept me as simply having value for who I am.
  • Compassion — God has given me the grace of compassion.  When we struggle with the pain and sorrow that is part of life, we want to know someone not only understands, but they really feel what we are going through.  God has surrounded me with people who are willing to share together what we are going through — not for the purpose of a pity party, but for the building up of one another through a heart of compassion.  I am part of a team that is walking this road together and we all feel the same bumps and scrapes as we take this journey.
  • Encouragement — God has given me the grace of encouragement.  The people around me at Deer Run are a great encouragement as they allow me to use the various gifts God has put in my life.  Whether I am cleaning, mowing, writing, teaching, preaching, or anything else, I am surrounded by people who encourage me through their words of appreciation.  The willingness of people to help in so many areas and a multitude of ways is also a great encouragement as I know I don’t have to accomplish the necessary tasks alone.

This has been a very brief summary of some of the ways God, and His amazing people at Deer Run, has extended His grace to me over the past year.  While the descriptions of this amazing GRACE that I have experienced over the past year focuses on what God has been doing for me, the real point is that God is using all of it to teach me how to extend His GRACE to others!  

God surrounds me with generous people so that I learn to be more generous.  He gives me times of great rest so I have a greater understanding of the need for others to rest.  He showers me with His acceptance, when I deserve it least, so that I would accept others more freely.  He surrounds me with His compassion so that I will be a more compassionate person in my preaching and teaching, as well as in all of my interaction with people.  He encourages me daily so that I would be better prepared to encourage the people around me.  

As God teaches me these lessons of His amazing grace, I pray that I learn to practice them so that others would learn of His amazing grace through me.

In prayer,
Tom

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Cleaning

My eyes have grown tired
     as I work today.
I try to stay focused
     as I clean and pray.
The cleaning’s not hard,
     it just never ends.
Can the same thing be true
     as I pray for my friends?
As long as we live,
     there is cleaning to do.
Not just of a building,
     but of me and of you.

I stop at each desk
     as I go through the room.
I pray for each student
     as I push a broom.
The job takes me longer,
     when I stop to pray.
But I can’t imagine
     not doing it this way.
The results can’t be measured,
     they are hard to see.
But prayer makes a difference
     because it changes me.

Can I keep watch 
     for an hour or more?
Or do I give up,
     thinking this is a bore?
Would things be different
     if I took the time?
To pray for a person
     when I want to whine.
Perhaps it will change them,
     as God does His thing.
Or a new perspective,
     to me He will bring.

Prayer is effective,
     more than we know.
If we really believed it,
     I’m sure it would show.
To spend time with God,
     seeking His face.
Is what makes a difference
     as I work in this place.
If you want changes,
     in how you see your day.
Whatever you’re doing,
     include time to pray!

© 2014 by Tom Lemler

I’m going through the building getting it ready for Sunday with a combination of cleaning and praying. As I was doing both, and finding my eyes becoming heavy, this poem showed up in my mind.  I pray that it encourages you to pray in all circumstances and surroundings.

In prayer,
Tom

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2 Kings: Lesson 19 — Praying to a Powerful God!

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 2 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

The Unraveling of a Nation

A Study of the Book of 2 Kings

Lesson 19 (Praying to a Powerful God!)
2 Kings 19
May 14, 2014

The Text:

  1. How did Hezekiah respond to the reports of what was said by the Assyrian field commander?  What was the message he sent to Isaiah?  How did Isaiah respond?
    –
  2. What report did the Assyrian field commander hear?  What did he do?  What did Sennacherib hear?  What message did he send to Hezekiah?
    –
  3. What did Hezekiah do with the letter brought to him from Sennacherib?  How does he address God?  What does he say about Sennacherib?  What does he ask God to do?
    –
  4. How does God respond to Hezekiah’s prayer?  What does God say about Sennacherib’s messages to Hezekiah?  What does God say about the things Sennacherib had accomplished?  What promise does God give Hezekiah?
    –
  5. What does God promise regarding Sennacherib’s intended attack on Jerusalem?  What did God do in the Assyrian camp?  What did this cause Sennacherib to do?  What happened to him?

The Application:

  1. How do you respond to news of what seems to be insurmountable difficulty?  When you feel attacked because of your faith, are you more concerned that people are talking poorly about you or about God?  How does your life reflect the victory God has promised?
    –
  2. What does it take to get you to change your course of action?  How often does pride keep you from backing down from your words — even when more pressing matters ought to be attended to?
    –
  3. What do you do with attacks and complaints against you?  Is it easy or difficult to address God appropriately when you feel threatened?  How do you view those who speak and act against God?  What does it take for you to ask God to deliver you?
    –
  4. Do you always feel like God hears your prayers?  Why/why not?  Do you think your words have ever insulted God?  What are some of your successes in life?  How have they happened?
    –
  5. What can separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus?  Does knowing that mean that you always live like it is true?  Do you believe God has the power and desire to defeat all that seeks to destroy you?  How will you live because of that?

Next Week:   A Wasted Opportunity
2 Kings 20

 

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2 Kings: Lesson 18 — Standing Your Ground!

The following are discussion questions from a weekly study I am leading through the book of 2 Kings.  We meet each Wednesday evening at the Deer Run Church of Christ.

The Unraveling of a Nation

A Study of the Book of 2 Kings

Lesson 18 (Standing Your Ground!)
2 Kings 18
May 7, 2014

The Text:

  1. How was Hezekiah’s life like that of the kings before him?  How was it different — what did he do that others hadn’t?  How does God describe him?
    –
  2. What was Hezekiah able to accomplish?  What was his interaction with the Assyrians and the Philistines?  What was happening in Israel while Hezekiah reigned in Judah?
    –
  3. In Hezekiah’s fourteenth year of reign, what did the king of Assyria do?  How did Hezekiah respond?  Did Hezekiah’s actions satisfy Sennacherib, king of Assyria?  
    –
  4. What message did Sennacherib send to Hezekiah?  What did Sennacherib’s message say about his view of Hezekiah’s actions in removing the high places and altars throughout Judah?  What did Hezekiah’s men ask the messenger to do?  Why?  What was the response? 
    –
  5. What message did Sennacherib’s commander want the people of Jerusalem to hear?  What did he offer them?  What did he say about Hezekiah’s message to the people that “The Lord will deliver us.”?  What did the people do?  Why?

The Application:

  1. Are there things in your life, or the life of your family, which have become accepted that God would want you to remove?  How do/would you know?  What would it take in your life for God to say (in a good way) that there is none like you? 
    –
  2. How much credit do you give to God for any success that you have?  Would you do anything different in/with your life if you believed God would make those efforts successful?  How do you feel when you see people around you fall to the enemy? 
    –
  3. When you face attack or hardship, do you consider you may have done something wrong?  How likely are you to make an attempt of peace with those you have wronged?  Does your best efforts of peace mean peace will happen?         
    –
  4. Have people ever misunderstood your worship of God?  Are there times when people seem to think you ought to worship God in a way that is different that what God says?  Have you ever spoken things publicly in order to intimidate/humiliate someone when you should have talked to them privately?      
    –    
  5. Are there people around you who try to make you doubt God’s ability to save?  Are there times the enemy tempts us today with ease and comfort if we just go along with him?  How do you respond?

Next Week:   Praying to a Powerful God
2 Kings 19