A Meditation on Sunsets by Bruce Fong

There is always an excitement on the Pacific Coast.  It has been a part of my many past experiences.  For years I would make a trek to the shores of the great ocean to the West and join good friends and family for a lingering tradition.

We would rarely be alone for those forays.  Throngs of people would gather on the sandy beaches, gentle sand dunes or jagged cliffs to take in the free show that God puts on at the end of every day.  It did not matter if life was rough or filled with sheer happiness.  This show was for everyone.

What is amazing is that everyone thoroughly enjoys the stunning display no matter what is going on their life.  For those who are enjoying life, this entertainment heightens their glee.  At the same time for those who are facing hardship, they find in His creation a respite, a moment to breathe easily or a slice of freedom where their troubles seem smaller or at least put on hold for a few minutes in an otherwise horrendous day.

Breathing slows down at these times.  A deep sigh releases more than air devoid of oxygen.  Worry, fear and even doubt leak out into the ending of the day.

There is something therapeutic about watching the sun set for the day.  Each of us can blow out the final breath of a long day.  It is refreshing to our human bodies, relaxing to our simple minds and rejuvenating to our souls.

Once it seemed to make sense to me that every sunset of every day is a stunning reminder that God gives us all second chances every day.  A good night's sleep and a new day appears with the rising of the sun.

For now, the bright ball of fire sizzles into a radiant red and orange beacon.  Slowly the darkness pushes the sun down below the horizon.  Blackness is about to claim the world.

The air calms down and seagulls call.  There is the drumming of the ocean waves beating the shore line.  An ebb and flow of the surf added to the calm of the growing night.

My mind is resting along with my weary body.  It has been a good day.  Work was demanding but it is now over for now.  A small smile erupts on my face.  Good people filled my day.  Now, the Good God of creation is saying "Good night" like only He can with a splendid sunset.

photo credit: brucefong photography

Chad O on "Commercials"

"But wait! There is more, still!" - ever seen that on TV?

Isaiah 40
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."

Multiple times every day I plead with God, "Give me strength to lead!" 

• Sometimes, it's when my 12 year old is having one of his stubborn moments and thinks the world revolves around him. 
• Sometimes it's when everyone and everything is sucking the life and leadership out of me leaving my tank empty, my mind spinning, and my to-do-list without a single thing crossed off. 
• Sometimes...Sometimes...Sometimes...

The promise found in today's dose of scripture is enough infusion of strength in itself. And yet there is more. Just like those ads on TV that promise "And if you buy today, you will also receive, absolutely free..." We are promised that we will "soar on wings of eagles." Wait! there is more, still! We will also "run and not grow weary." Listen! For calling today, while supplies last (which we soon find out from Isaiah that the supply of strength is everlasting) we will also receive the promise that we shall "walk and not faint."

I need these additional products of hope in the Lord because I need to live like the eagles - above and beyond the chaos of those around me. I need to run and not grow weary. I have too much on my "to do list" than I can accomplish in myself. I also am renewed by the promise of being able to "walk and not faint".

I am reminded that my hope is in the Lord and not in my circumstances. This hope is not a false hope when it is placed in the Lord who does not grow weary and has a reservoir of strength and power which He freely gives to those who hope in Him.

Where Are You Going?

What are you running after?

I think it has to do with what gets you excited. What's your ultimate goal and ambition? What do you want to see happen more than anything else?

We all know the "right" answer…but what is the true answer?

The true answer has been different for me in different seasons of my life.

• I've run after the elusive "cool" status amongst my peers.
• I've run after the thrill of getting that cute girl in school or church to realize just how awesome of a boyfriend I would make.
• I ran and worked hard to obtain the position of "Lufkin High School Drum Major." For those of you that don't know…drum major is equal to "biggest band nerd." This thoroughly demolished my ability to obtain the "cool" status. (To those of you band nerds out there, more power to ya! I loved it!)
• Even still, at different times, I'm tempted all the time to run after various things like fame, money, pleasure, title…

I've been in a relationship with Jesus for a while now, but I feel that in the last couple of years I'm just starting to truly run after the "right" thing.

What is the "right" thing really?

But one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 3:14

Here is what the upward call is:

• Running to truly abide and delight in Christ (John 15)
• Running to truly see Him glorified and beautifully displayed in all that I do (1 Timothy 1:16)
• Running to truly love others (John 13:34-25)
• Running to be a minister of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)
• Running to see His kingdom come and will be done in this world (2 Corinthians 5:20)
• Running to deny and let go of my sin and my flesh (Luke 9:23-24)

When I press on towards this call, some of the "prizes" I've experienced are wholeness, genuine satisfaction, relief and rest, joy in work, and contentment that allows me to enjoy the good, sweet gifts from God such as my wife.

And all this happens while running!

I can hardly image what the prize is going to be like once I cross over my finish line. I can hardly imagine what it is going to be like to see Jesus. I can hardly imagine what it's going to be like to be 100% whole, perfect, complete in body, spirit, relationally, and emotionally. (cue Mercy Me song)

We all get sidetracked. We all get distracted. We all have to work to throw aside the things that weigh us down or get us off course (Hebrews 12:2). Even Paul said that he had not yet obtained what he'd like to obtain. (Phil.3:12)

I'm writing this to encourage you to really evaluate what you are running towards.

I'm writing this to encourage you to press on in pursuing the upward call. Press on, not because you're supposed to…but because you GET to.

Press on because the ultimate prize is worth it. Press on because the prizes along the way are worth it.

Know what you are running after.

There are a lot of great things to obtain along the way. Success isn't a bad thing. Pleasure isn't a bad thing. Relationships that give you butterflies aren't bad things. They are just SO much better if you obtain them while running after the greatest thing.

Some of these guys say it better than me:

Put first things first and second things are thrown in. Put second things first and you lose both first and second things. When first things are put first, second things are not suppressed but increased. 

-C.S. Lewis

The believer must devote himself to “running the Christian race.” No athlete succeeds by doing everything; he succeeds by specializing. There are those few athletes who seem proficient in many sports, but they are the exception. The winners are those who concentrate, who keep their eyes on the goal and let nothing distract them. 

- Wiersbe 

Have you ever experienced gaining something you wanted only to realize it wasn't as great as you thought? 

The Sounding version 2.0...What's our purpose?

Welcome to "The Sounding"...Version 2.0.

A Brief History
The Sounding started 9 years ago following a conversation between two friends who were trying to regain consistency in reading Scripture daily. They lived in different time zones and found phone calls difficult between work and family responsibilities. Having a place to post scripture and respond was a simple solution they came up with.

Slowly The Sounding expanded to about 20 men who were invited to have a little encouragement and accountability to read the Bible too. The men lived everywhere from the New England area, to Texas, to California, even overseas. Our jobs covered the gamut of non-profit work, the pharmaceutical industry, professional sports, the financial sector and more. The Sounding was a great inspiration to a small group of men. Sadly over the past 3 years, we have all let The Sounding sit idle.

Version 2.0
As the original creator of The Sounding, I never felt led to delete the blog, but I always wanted to see it become what it was really meant to be. Today, The Sounding is back, only with a slightly different twist. Call it "Version 2.0." There are two basic shifts you will discover:

1) The new purpose of The Sounding is different but pretty simple:

• to provide a source of encouragement to men in short 3-5 minute segments 
• to challenge each man to take the next obedient step in their journey
• to help draw our minds and hearts back to the ultimate hope and reality of Christ...even in the midst of the chaos of our normal days

2) The new team for The Sounding is a diverse group of men from different backgrounds, cities, and vocations. We do share, however, a love for Christ, the Bible, discipleship and life. We are all "in process" and, therefore, extend grace to one another each day. We hope you will do the same. You will get to hear more about the individuals through their writings over the next several months.

 Again, on behalf of the team, I want to welcome you to The Sounding! We invite your feedback, suggestions and participation.

One more note, if you have an iPhone you can download an app that will pull from this blog automatically. That is a simple way to connect with this site.

May you discover all that God has in store for you one faithful step at a time!

Blessings,
Eric