Comments on: A moment’s sacredness http://online.worldmag.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/ A forum for discussion of news that arises at the intersection of Christianity and culture. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:35:52 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Tony Woodlief http://online.worldmag.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/comment-page-1/#comment-242979 Tony Woodlief Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:38:00 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/#comment-242979 Victoria, Thank you for your lovely post, and for sharing your remembrance of your father. God's blessings to you as well. Victoria,
Thank you for your lovely post, and for sharing your remembrance of your father. God’s blessings to you as well.

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: janie http://online.worldmag.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/comment-page-1/#comment-242933 janie Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:53:41 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/#comment-242933 I'm thankful to have been directed to your blog, Tony. I'm sure I will enjoy it. I was very moved by this piece. Thank you. I’m thankful to have been directed to your blog, Tony. I’m sure I will enjoy it. I was very moved by this piece. Thank you.

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: Marc V http://online.worldmag.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/comment-page-1/#comment-242929 Marc V Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:39:16 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/#comment-242929 Adding to VS's thought, if ye search ye can find more of Tony's writings about his daughter at Sand in the Gears. "I thought about all the times I’ve complained ... yet how little I’ve prayed for him. As he dipped his hand into the baptismal font, and scooped out the cold, ordinary water that was now to serve an extraordinary purpose, I prayed for Isaiah, that he would grow to be a man like our pastor." Oh that we all can take that first line to heart and pray for our pastors more! They surely do pray for us. I would add, though, that we can skip the middle man and pray for our children to grow and be like Jesus. Adding to VS’s thought, if ye search ye can find more of Tony’s writings about his daughter at Sand in the Gears.

“I thought about all the times I’ve complained … yet how little I’ve prayed for him. As he dipped his hand into the baptismal font, and scooped out the cold, ordinary water that was now to serve an extraordinary purpose, I prayed for Isaiah, that he would grow to be a man like our pastor.”

Oh that we all can take that first line to heart and pray for our pastors more! They surely do pray for us. I would add, though, that we can skip the middle man and pray for our children to grow and be like Jesus.

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: Victoria http://online.worldmag.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/comment-page-1/#comment-242906 Victoria Tue, 27 Nov 2007 06:58:48 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/#comment-242906 Tony, It's getting late here, its almost 11 PM. You have been on my mind off and on all day. We seemed to butt heads a few weeks ago, but reading your 'topic post' made me realize that we don't know one another at all. I can see that I was hasty, not knowing your background, and you took what I said the wrong way, and then there was this terrible wall which we both built to cause a misunderstanding, because you don't know my life either. When you talked about your children in church, and the way your small son said “Where is the bath time?” ..... but then I read the rest of your story. My father sat next to the bed of many who would soon be held in the arms of our Savior, or who had just left this life, delivered to the Savior of the world, ..... safe now, content, without pain. My father would come home, sit in his chair, quite, blue eyes with a steady gaze but sadness in his face. I sat many times, saying nothing, my mind wondering how things had went, how he felt, but never asking, knowing that pain was deep within his heart for those he had tried to comfort. His Bible was next to his chair, as his eyes would close for awhile taking a short nap, and I would watch him. When you told your tragic story of little Caroline, all I could think of was my father, and how he would have tried to comfort you and your wife, how he would have cared for you and loved all of you. Children sense things from God which we don't understand. Not that Caroline really thought the pastor was God, but she knew he knew GOD. God's blessings to you and your family, Victoria Tony,

It’s getting late here, its almost 11 PM. You have been on my mind off and on all day.

We seemed to butt heads a few weeks ago, but reading your ‘topic post’ made me realize that we don’t know one another at all. I can see that I was hasty, not knowing your background, and you took what I said the wrong way, and then there was this terrible wall which we both built to cause a misunderstanding, because you don’t know my life either.

When you talked about your children in church, and the way your small son said “Where is the bath time?” ….. but then I read the rest of your story.

My father sat next to the bed of many who would soon be held in the arms of our Savior, or who had just left this life, delivered to the Savior of the world, ….. safe now, content, without pain. My father would come home, sit in his chair, quite, blue eyes with a steady gaze but sadness in his face. I sat many times, saying nothing, my mind wondering how things had went, how he felt, but never asking, knowing that pain was deep within his heart for those he had tried to comfort. His Bible was next to his chair, as his eyes would close for awhile taking a short nap, and I would watch him.

When you told your tragic story of little Caroline, all I could think of was my father, and how he would have tried to comfort you and your wife, how he would have cared for you and loved all of you.

Children sense things from God which we don’t understand. Not that Caroline really thought the pastor was God, but she knew he knew GOD.

God’s blessings to you and your family,

Victoria

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: michelle http://online.worldmag.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/comment-page-1/#comment-242797 michelle Tue, 27 Nov 2007 00:53:15 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/#comment-242797 Our grandson was baptized yesterday as well. The first baby in a long time in the small congregation, our grandson has been blessed many times by the prayers of a loving congregation both in and outer utero. Best wishes to Isaiah and the other members of your church family. Our grandson was baptized yesterday as well. The first baby in a long time in the small congregation, our grandson has been blessed many times by the prayers of a loving congregation both in and outer utero. Best wishes to Isaiah and the other members of your church family.

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: Anlir http://online.worldmag.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/comment-page-1/#comment-242750 Anlir Mon, 26 Nov 2007 22:21:17 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/#comment-242750 Tony, Thank you for sharing about your daughter and the baptism of your son. Peace and comfort to you and your family! Tony,

Thank you for sharing about your daughter and the baptism of your son. Peace and comfort to you and your family!

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: Genie http://online.worldmag.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/comment-page-1/#comment-242720 Genie Mon, 26 Nov 2007 21:09:02 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/#comment-242720 Tony,thank you so much for that wonderful, personal glimpse into the mystery of sanctification. Beautifully put... Tony,thank you so much for that wonderful, personal glimpse into the mystery of sanctification. Beautifully put…

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: VS http://online.worldmag.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/comment-page-1/#comment-242697 VS Mon, 26 Nov 2007 20:29:25 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/#comment-242697 Beautiful and moving post, Tony. Thank you for sharing such a special family moment with us. May I recommend Tony's blog to those of you not yet familiar with it? It's one of my very favorites. www.tonywoodlief.com Beautiful and moving post, Tony. Thank you for sharing such a special family moment with us.

May I recommend Tony’s blog to those of you not yet familiar with it? It’s one of my very favorites. http://www.tonywoodlief.com

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: Joel Mark http://online.worldmag.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/comment-page-1/#comment-242615 Joel Mark Mon, 26 Nov 2007 19:14:22 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/#comment-242615 Since Jesus was willing to come to earth, and visibly demonstrate God's love for us in that while we were yet sinners, he (Jesus) died for us (Romans 5:8); we likewise are willing to demonstrate our love for Him by visibly and obediently dying in a water grave (baptism) and being raised out of that grave to a new life by the pure grace of God to the glory of the Father (Romans 6:1-8). What a beautiful and profound way to embrace God's free gift of forgiveness (through the blood of Christ), even though we know we do not deserve it. Baptism neither creates or earns that gift of grace, but it sure does demonstrate it profoundly--on God's glorious and joyful terms. The water itself is not magic or sacred, but the humble contrite heart we bring to the water and our trust in God's forgiveness as we participate with Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection, inside and out, is sacred. What a great gospel! What awesome grace! All the best to Tony and his family. Since Jesus was willing to come to earth, and visibly demonstrate God’s love for us in that while we were yet sinners, he (Jesus) died for us (Romans 5:8); we likewise are willing to demonstrate our love for Him by visibly and obediently dying in a water grave (baptism) and being raised out of that grave to a new life by the pure grace of God to the glory of the Father (Romans 6:1-8).

What a beautiful and profound way to embrace God’s free gift of forgiveness (through the blood of Christ), even though we know we do not deserve it. Baptism neither creates or earns that gift of grace, but it sure does demonstrate it profoundly–on God’s glorious and joyful terms.

The water itself is not magic or sacred, but the humble contrite heart we bring to the water and our trust in God’s forgiveness as we participate with Jesus in His death, burial and resurrection, inside and out, is sacred.

What a great gospel! What awesome grace!

All the best to Tony and his family.

Report comment to moderator

]]> By: John M. http://online.worldmag.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/comment-page-1/#comment-242605 John M. Mon, 26 Nov 2007 19:02:37 +0000 http://www.worldontheweb.com/2007/11/26/a-moments-sacredness/#comment-242605 Moving indeed. That's the kind of relationship with a pastor that only a lucky few will develop in a mega-church setting. Moving indeed. That’s the kind of relationship with a pastor that only a lucky few will develop in a mega-church setting.

Report comment to moderator

]]>