5 November, 2024

The Thread that Leads to God

by | 27 August, 2014 | 0 comments

By Jim Tune

In Modern Man in Search of a Soul, Carl Jung wrote these penetrating words: “About a third of my cases are suffering from no clinically definable neurosis, but from the senselessness and the emptiness in their lives. This can be described as the general neurosis of our time.”

The late philosopher and author Francis Schaeffer said, “The damnation of this generation is that it doesn’t know that it has any meaning at all.”

Solomon put it this way: “Everything is meaningless. . . . I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:2, 4).

Rabbi Harold Kushner tells a story of a man who came to see him for counseling. After they had talked for a few moments, Kushner said the man described an incident that had left him troubled. Two weeks earlier he had attended the funeral of a man he worked with. He was shaken by the man’s sudden death because they were both the same age””relatively young men with families.

The man elaborated: “They have already replaced him at the office. I hear his wife is moving out of state to live with her parents. Two weeks ago he was working 50 feet away from me, and now it”s as if he never existed. It”s like a rock falling into a pool of water, and then the water is the same as it was before, but the rock isn”t there anymore. I”ve hardly slept at all since then. I can”t stop thinking that it could happen to me and a few days later I will be forgotten as if I had never lived. Shouldn”t a man”s life be more than that?”

Most of us probably harbor similar thoughts. Isn”t there more to life than the same daily spin cycle of work-sleep-work-sleep, followed by death?

Solomon had known true significance at one time in his life. He walked with God when he started out. But the Bible tells us as Solomon grew old he contaminated his life with visions of the world, and he fell away from God.

Aug27_JT_JNSolomon is like a European fable about a spider. It descended one day on a single thread from a barn”s lofty rafters, and it alighted near the corner of a window and built its web. The corner of the barn was very busy, and soon the spider had waxed fat and prosperous. One day he was looking at his web and he noticed the strand that reached up to the loft above. He had forgotten its significance, and, thinking it was a stray thread, he snapped it and his whole world fell apart.

We are created for significance. And there”s only one thread that will bring us true joy, the thread that leads us to God.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Articles

Ministry Help Wanted

Recent postings: A director of campus ministry is needed at the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign). Stillwater (Pa.) Christian Church is looking for both a lead pastor and a youth pastor. Lexington (Ohio) Church of Christ is seeking a full-time senior minister. Norwin Christian Church in North Huntingdon, Pa., needs a full-time worship minister. Lycoming Christian Church in Linden, Pa., is seeking a minister of children, youth, and young adults. Michigan City (Ind.) Christian Church needs a senior minister. And more . . .

Stories

By taking these symbols of Jesus’ body and blood, we announce we believe there really was a Jesus, and he really did die for us and carried all our sins down to a grave . . .

Documentary Highlights Christian Response to Pandemics

Southeast Christian Church’s “Purpose in Pandemics” is a documentary that follows the response of the church to pandemics throughout history. The “Purpose in Pandemics” website also includes a study guide for small groups and individuals.

Used of God

I soaked up Sam Stone’s wit and wisdom during our lunches together. Afterward, I’d take notes about our conversations. After hearing of his passing, inspired by his wordsmithing, I felt compelled to share just a small part of his story.

Sam E. Stone: ‘He Tried to Speak the Truth in Love’

In memory and appreciation of our former editor, Sam E. Stone, who died early this week, we share this 2011 column from Christian Standard’s archives in which Sam discussed four Scripture verses significant to his life.

Elliott Library ‘Cornerstone’ Laid

Three Bibles of historical significance to Cincinnati Christian University were the first books place on the shelves during relocation of the George Mark Elliott Library.

The Death of Evil

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. saw in minority groups’ struggles for social equality in America a parallel with Israel’s bondage in Egypt. King envisioned God’s goodness would deliver the U.S. from the evil of segregation.

Mark Scott’s Greatest Kingdom Impact

Since I first enrolled at Ozark Christian College, Mark Scott has been my kingdom hero, and I’m not the only young preacher Mark has shaped. Over his 35 years at OCC, Mark has inspired generations of students.

‘Have We Plans for 1921?’

“All the Standard asks is the opportunity to serve, and it yearns to render in 1921 the greatest, finest, and best service of its history. . . .”

CCLF Concluding Strong First Year in Greater Cincinnati

In its first full year, the Christian Church Leadership Foundation has accomplished much to ensure Christian education and resources would continue to be available to people in the Greater Cincinnati area.

News Briefs for Dec. 9

Items from Timber Lake Christian Church (Moberly, Mo.), Choateville Christian Church (Frankfort, Ky.), Johnson University, and more.

My Counsel for Young Preachers

If I were counseling an aspiring young preacher fresh out of Bible college or seminary, champing at the bit to lead in the church, I would offer these three bits of advice.

My Memories of Marshall Leggett

By Ben Merold
As I think about Marshall Leggett, who passed away on March 2 at age 90, two personal experiences keep coming to my mind . . .

Powell Quintuplets Graduating from High School

When the Powell quintuplets were born in 2001, all of Kentucky celebrated, including Southeast Christian Church, where the Powells are longtime members. Now the quints are 18 and are all headed to the same university.

Reentry: It May Be Harder Than We Think

When the COVID-19 crisis eases, I anticipate that reentry is going to be harder than some people think. Churches, especially, need to prepare for this.

November 10 Study | I Pledge Allegiance

God’s people should be crystal clear about their allegiance. They play to an audience of one. So they must be very careful of other allegiances. For the believers in the seven churches, that meant coming out from the pagan influences of the culture.

November 10 | Discovery Questions

These Discovery Questions are for use with this week’s Lookout Bible Lesson, “The Battle is the Lord’s” (Revelation 17:1-2, 6, 18; 18:1-10), by Mark Scott.

Rescued

Each of us is an individual Titanic. We may, in our pride and self-sufficiency, think that we are uniquely grand and unsinkable. But each of us has already struck the iceberg of sin. It’s only a matter of time. But wait. God has provided a lifeboat for anyone who wants to be rescued.

Reasons to Be Grateful

Let’s honor God in this season as we give thanks for our blessings, as we celebrate our salvation, and as we take the gospel to the world.

Follow Us