The phrase “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” entered our culture when Star Wars was released in 1977. Since that first release, there have been multiple movies and television series based on the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Other phrases have become ubiquitous, such as “May the force be with you.”

There is not much in this life we can be sure of. Uncertainty rules our lives. I’m not sure if my car will crank in the morning. I’m not sure if I’ll feel well tomorrow. I’m not sure if I’ll be alive next week. We can't be certain of our future plans because we do not know what God has ordained for us.

I find the book of Revelation to be highly encouraging. Although the book informs us about future events, that is not its primary goal. Its main goal is to encourage us and spur us to worship the King of kings and Lord of lords.

A few years ago, while driving home from out of state, we passed a billboard with the message “Lust will drag you down to hell – James 1:15.” As one who does not want to go to hell, I found the billboard’s message interesting. In particular, I wondered what was the goal or intent of the billboard.

Recently, I passed by a house with a multicolored sign in the front yard. There were horizontal lines of different colors, each with a short message. One of those messages was, “Love is Love.” This is a popular statement these days. Some churches display that message, and you often find it on social media. “Love is love” is true but is also useless.

Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), and his most destructive lie is the lie of autonomy. Autonomy is the combination of auto, which comes from Greek and means self. For example, an automobile is self-moving. The last part of autonomy (nomy) comes from the Greek word nomos, which means law. So autonomy is self-law.

Let me state up front that I do not have any tattoos. Having lived through so many fads, I know how something can seem so popular for a while, and then in a few years, you wonder what was the big deal. I do not know if tattoos are a fad. They are certainly nothing new, but when I was much younger, I knew of no one with a tattoo.

Have you ever noticed how often precision is required? For example, phone numbers in the United States consist of 10 digits. To call or text a particular person you must have those 10 digits, and you must have exactly 10 digits. Eleven will not work. Nine will not work. Also, not only must you have the correct 10 digits, you must enter them in the proper order.

I am one of those who have always been in church. My parents took me to church as an infant; I grew up in church, and now that I am well over a half-century in age I am still in church. By God’s grace, I was adopted by Christian parents, and God has given my family and me grace upon grace ever since. However, recognizing that I am who I am by God’s grace has been a bit of a challenge. I grew up with performance-based Christianity.

One common conflict throughout Christian history is between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. Many like to focus on man’s role in our salvation at the expense of God’s role in our salvation. Others so emphasize God’s sovereignty that man is left with no responsibility. For those who emphasize human responsibility, I sometimes wonder if they reflect on whether God is pleased with the way things are going.

Many churches have signs that display messages. Sometimes the message is the scripture passage and title for next Sunday’s sermon. Other times the message is announcing an event at the church. Many times, though, the message is meant to inspire or encourage the reader. Unfortunately, these messages often cause me to sigh and shake my head.

Why does God do what he does? What is his motivation for his plans, purposes, and actions? Is God motivated primarily by love? God’s love is certainly emphasized in Scripture. John 3:16, the most famous verse in the bible, speaks of God’s love.

When viewed in the light of Scripture, human arrogance is quite astounding. To think that ignoring God, disagreeing with God, or trying to manipulate God is a rational thing to do simply displays the depth of our depravity.

Years ago when I was still a boy I remember hearing a particular sermon illustration. I don’t remember what the sermon was about, and I don’t remember exactly how the illustration was presented, but I do remember the gist of it. Two grandsons were talking about their grandfather. The first grandson says, “It’s amazing that grandpa is 90 years old and he still doesn’t use glasses.”

I imagine just about everyone has heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” This saying is common because often it is true. I have been to the Grand Canyon many times. I could describe it by saying the canyon is vast and colorful, and it is very deep, long, and wide. That is a valid description but, because the description is so subjective and vague, it is not helpful.

Every year around Christmas I enjoy hearing Handel’s Messiah. A few years ago a week or so before Christmas, our family had the privilege of hearing the Christmas portion of this glorious work at the Bruton Parish Church in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia.

Recently my wife and I were on a road trip to visit family. While traveling through the Deep South we passed a sign by the side of the interstate that said, “Go to church or the devil will get you!” Several questions went through my mind, but the question I pondered was, “What is wrong with the message on this sign?”

Not long ago I was contemplating creation. I was not thinking about the age of the earth or the foolishness of evolution. Rather, I was thinking about God’s creation, from the vastness of the universe to the minutest particle that has been discovered.

What is really important? What things do you consider to be a big deal? Have you ever considered these questions?