Warning: The introduction to this blog is a bit long (sort of like many of my sermons), but there's always a reason for that. Actually, the entire blog is long, but some of you have a bit more time to read, as I have a bit more time to write.

Blog title: What do you wish for and why?

Cathi and I have never been big TV viewers. I've never seen an episode of Cheers, Friends, Seinfeld, or the Office, much less anything else that has come out in the past 20 years. I am a pop culture Neanderthal. We do watch some sports (at least I do), but even that tends to be later in the evening, and of course, now, well, what's the point? So, without any sports to watch, we (I, mostly) wonder, "What exactly is there to watch?" In scrolling through some of the options, I've noticed an absurd amount of shows, series, and documentaries on royal families--the Royal Family, in particular. So, we started to watch one, and to be completely honest with

you, I'm not really sure why.

The writing, acting, directing, sets, and filming are all excellent, and there is clearly some value for a history nerd like me. But privately watching the lives of others, who were born to be thrust into these public positions, makes me feel like I'm someplace I shouldn't be. So, what is the draw? Obviously, there are hundreds of these episodes because millions of people watch them. Why? Is it because we all wonder what it would be like to be born into royalty, to be able to do what you want, yet in reality not being able to be who you are? It all got me to thinking. What do I wish for and why? What do you wish for and why?

I remember not all that long ago wishing for a day when I could just stay home. (Yea, I'm laughing now too.) Any kids in our church still praying for a snow day so they can stay home from school? I think that is part (but only part) of what attracts people to shows about lives they

imagine themselves to live. Wouldn't it be great if.... How do you fill in the blank? Now, let's think

about that.

Right now, some of us are getting what we've wanted. Life has slowed down. People aren't going anywhere. The kids are home--all the time. School's out for the summer (I'm not so Neanderthal that I don't remember that one). And what is the result? Kids WANT to go to

school. We WANT to get out of the house. In fact, I think given a couple more weeks, my staff may actually WANT to have a staff meeting! (That may be wishful thinking on my part.) But you get the point. Isn't that like life to actually get something that we've wanted only to be doubly disappointed. I say doubly because 1) You realize that what you thought would be great really

isn't, and 2) You missed out on so many valuable things in your own life because you wasted so much time wondering what someone else's life would be like.

God does not give you grace to live someone else's life. He gives you grace to live yours, and the grace that he gives you is perfectly suited in quality, quantity, and timing for your life, every single day. So, rather than waste another second wondering, "What would life be like if...?", start asking yourself, "What has God set before me, right now? What do I need to do, right now? What is my life to be about today?" Then, stop with me, and right now, ask God for the grace to step into that and do it because you love God and you love others. He will give you grace to do that, and those seemingly private choices are the ones that bring the loudest applause on the big screens in heaven.

I think there is another danger that we need to reckon with when watching the lives of others. Invariably, we are told how human, how weak, how fickle, how hateful, hurtful, inconsistent, etc. the family, or people are. The British word is scandalous. There are so many scandals in the royal family that it seems to me that it would be scandalous if there wasn't one.

But isn't that part of the draw? Watching these famous lives make so many sinful choices can be a strange assurance that we really aren't so bad after all. Are these lives the pattern for others? Is this how everyone is supposed to live? Can I feel better about my own sin now?

In a sense, these shows are only modern examples of what we have read over and over in the Bible. People are sinners who make sinful choices and try to cover them up. But there is always collateral damage. However, there is One who truly is Royal. But he was not born with a golden spoon in his mouth. He was set into a wooden manger. He was not raised by nannies, nor sent to elite private schools, but was "the carpenter's son." This lowly, humble boy raised on "the other side of the tracks" in Nazareth had no secrets to hide, no skeletons in the closet, no scandals he had to cover. The closer you get to him, the more you see, but that itself becomes the problem. The more you see about him, the more it actually exposes about us, which will lead to one of

two things: Either you will hate Christ because in him you see your sin and you see him as Judge, or you will love Christ because in him you see your sin and you see him as Judge AND Savior.

This King, this Savior, this Royalty provides grace for forgiveness and grace to live the life he has called you to live for this day and to face and accomplish your mission today. Don't waste that wishing for another, when you can affect eternity, today.

Now, unto the King!

Bob