Tommy Mann

God is a God of love. 1 John 4 verses 8 and 16 both say so in as few words as possible: God is love.  John did not waste any words in informing us of God's love, and yet mankind has spent thousands of years writing as many words as we can muster to try to come to terms with the God of the universe loving humanity.  In his wonderful book Deeper, Dane Ortlund added his words to the many others that have attempted to capture the concept of God's love. He told us to "allow [God's] heart to plunge you into his oceanic love more deeply than he ever has before...you who are in Christ have never stepped outside the cascading waterfall of divine love." But next he said something amazing. "God would have to un-God himself for that deluge to run dry."  This is impossible for a number of reasons. First, un-God isn't a word, so God can't un-God Himself. Ortlund had to make up a word to make his point.  Also, God cannot un-God Himself because He can never stop...

 When I was in elementary school I was startled by the fact that I caught myself reciting the pledge of allegiance without even thinking about it. I have done that with many other things since that day, but that was the day I learned that was possible. Our class stood up, just like we did each morning, and we said the words to the pledge. I was daydreaming, but snapped back into reality and realized I had been saying the words completely on autopilot.  I also have driven home and realized I didn't remember any of it. My mind can be so spaced out, but my body does things purely from memory.  We might also do that when we sing, but that could be a sign of spiritual apathy. Richard Owen Roberts, in his book titled Revival! , identified twenty-five indicators of a Christian who has lost his passion for the things of God. Number eleven on his list is "When you can mouth religious songs and words without heart." Instead of the pledge of allegiance, maybe you have caught yoursel...

Have you heard of the flamingo parasite? It actually has a long Latin name, but it is commonly known as the flamingo parasite because of its close relationship with the pink bird. This particular parasite, which is a tapeworm, needs to find its way into the stomach of the flamingo in order to live. So how does it get there? The flamingo has no desire to eat this tapeworm, and even if it did, it would be next to impossible to even see them. No problem. The tapeworm has a plan. They make their way inside shrimp, and using a system of hooks, attaches itself into the brain of the new host. The parasite then takes control of the shrimp, first causing them huddle up in packs, and then changing their color from transparent to pink. This makes the shrimp easy to spot, and since flamingos enjoy eating shrimp, problem solved. As the bird’s digestive tract breaks down the shrimp, the tapeworm is free to continue its life cycle inside the flamingo. How does the tapeworm know how to do any of this?...

Christians should be joyful people. Unfortunately we often present ourselves to the world as angry or sourpusses, and the world understandably will not find our faith attractive.  We should be joyful because God has been good to us. We will certainly face hardships just like everyone else, but God has supplied us with eternal blessings. On our worst day we still have our sins forgiven, God's Holy Spirit within us, and a future home with the Lord.  So we should be joyful. And if we are joyful, we should make a noise. Psalm 100 begins with these words: "Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!" We typically associate this "noise" with singing.  Some people act as if the instruction is to make a solemn noise to the Lord. Church, they say, is a place of quiet reverence. No instruments, no clapping, no raising of the hands. But the Bible frequently tells us to praise God with shouts, with clapping, and with instruments (even percussion!). Around God's thro...

Ulysses S Grant was not really the 18th President of the United States.  No, I'm not talking about a rigged election, or denying the results of the 1868 election. I'm talking about his name. His parents named him Hiram Ulysses Grant, and that was his name throughout his childhood and teenage years. But when Hiram (who actually preferred his middle name) received his appointment to West Point, a clerical error had him enlisted under the name Ulysses S Grant. There is no record of Grant objecting to the mistake, and he embraced his new name. He went by the initials U.S. for a time, but since those letters also stood for Uncle Sam, his military friends dubbed him "Sam." So Grant went by a variety of names over the course of his life, but history remembers him for a name that was not truly his--Ulysses S Grant. The war hero-turned-President and eventual author brought fame to a name that did not belong to him.  That is what Christians are called to do. We are tasked with ...

The writer of Psalm 137 was singing the blues. This is a sad song, a melancholy tune from a man who was missing the good old days. His country had been defeated, and the survivors were rounded up and taken from their homes. At the beginning of his song he says they sat down and wept by the river in Babylon, and there they hung their instruments in the trees. He may have been one of the temple musicians, the ones who played all the festive worship music. He didn’t see the need in hanging onto his lyre, because, as he put it, “How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land (v.4)?” It wasn’t just that they were in a different place, but that they were no longer in the Promised Land. The symbol of God’s blessing was that His people would dwell in safety in their land, but God said if they chose to worship other gods, He would ensure they were defeated and kicked out of the land. Now that has happened, so our author wasn’t in the mood for signing. Picking up on this, his captors mocked...

  Where we sit says a lot about us. Or I should say, who we sit with says a lot about us. Do you prefer the company of the wicked or the righteous?   In Psalm 26 David prayed for God to vindicate him because he was being falsely accused of something. To David, the problem wasn’t just that he was accused of something he didn’t do, but that he was accused of something he wouldn’t do because he hated it.  (Although we don’t know for sure, this psalm may be in reference to the assassination of Ishbosheth, the son of Saul who installed himself as king even though David had been anointed as successor. People likely accused David of ordering the hit, and he didn’t want people think he condoned the murder.) In v.4-5 of the psalm the king said, “I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.” If hate seems like a strong word, to David it wasn’t strong enough. What else could he say? He loa...

In 1572 an engraver named Philips Galle created a series of works that would become known as the Seven Wonders of the World. Among the scenes highlighted were the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Over time many different natural and manmade locations have been canonized as so-called Wonders of the World.  But long before Galle compiled a list of wonders in the world, the writer of Psalm 119 referred to the Wonders of the Word. In verse 18 of the psalm he prays, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” Few of us would think any law is wondrous. Has anyone ever trembled in anticipation of reading the latest bill being debated in Congress? Man’s law is rarely wonderful, but God’s law is only wonderful.  We also need to keep in mind that the author is using a figure of speech (called synecdoche) in which a part of something is used to speak of the whole. He isn’t just talking about the law, but all of God’...

In Psalm 21 David is praising God for delivering him from his enemies in battle. In the ninth verse he says, “You will make them as a blazing oven when you appear. The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them.”   That is terrifying imagery, as the previous verse said God would “find out” all His enemies. I know some people do not believe in a literal hell, and while it is true that word does not appear in this psalm, the idea of unbelievers in the afterlife is always associated with fire, as they are depicted here in a blazing oven. When I hear this phrase, blazing oven, I can’t help but think of the three bold young men Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who were thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s golden idol. But they were not harmed by the fire because there was a Fourth Man in the furnace with them, none other than Jesus, the Son of God. They were protected from the flames, even though they technically deserved it for br...

One of the great gifts God has given humanity is the ability to hear. Hearing and deciphering sound really is quite remarkable when you study the workings of our inner ear. If given the choice between being deaf or being able to hear, no person would opt for not hearing.   Except for David. In Psalm 38 that was the choice he made. In fact, he went even further, choosing also to not be able to speak. In verse 13-14 said, “But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth. I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes.” Why would he choose to be deaf and mute? It was in response to what his enemies were saying about him. The preceding verse says, “Those who seek my life lay their snares; those who seek my hurt speak of ruin and meditate treachery all day long.” The king’s adversaries were speaking of his ruin, plotting ways in which to remove him from power. So David chose not to listen. He acted as if he were deaf. H...

  In Washington State a 17-year-old would be thief decided to vandalize a Louis Vuitton store. This was going to be his first heist, so perhaps he was a little nervous. Security cameras caught the whole thing: the masked teenager frantically grabbing as many of the high-priced bags as he could, stuffing them into a larger bag, and then bolting for the exit. That’s when he made a critical mistake that led to his capture. He sprinted towards the glass doors that stood between him and a clean getaway, but he ran into the doors. Either he didn’t see the glass (hats off the to the custodian) or he thought it would open automatically. Either way, he ran into the glass so hard that he knocked himself unconscious, and was still out cold when the police came and cuffed him.  This young man fell into his own trap. He was so focused on making a speedy exit that he literally ran into the exit. And of course, if he weren’t breaking the law, he would not have had any problems.  In the ...

The Florida Gators put together a memorable March Madness tournament as they clinched the national championship. Although they were ranked as a #1 seed, they trailed in multiple games late in the second half, including being down 6 to UConn, 9 to Auburn, and 12 to Houston in the final game.   During the final media timeouts, which occurs when there are four minutes left, Florida seemed to find another gear in the form of senior guard Walter Clayton, Jr. Clayton stepped up throughout the tournament, making big shot after big shot. He was the epitome of clutch, the guy you want to have the ball in his hands when time is running out and you need a big play.  The team had confidence in Clayton because he had confidence in himself. He is only human, and will certainly miss shots in the future, but I can’t help but think about someone who is even more faithful.  Speaking of the Lord in Psalm 91, the anonymous author said, “He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings...

Micah was crying in Nashville again. One year ago the University of Florida’s 7’1 center Micah Handlogten suffered a devastating injury in the championship game of the Southeastern Conference Tournament. The sophomore endured a compound fracture to his lower leg, a gruesome sight on live TV. His teammates gathered around him as he cried in pain, knowing he may never return to the sport he loved.  Over the course of the season Handlogten recovered and rehabilitated his leg, with hopes to play again, not this year, but next. He was medically cleared to play in February, but the plan remained to sit out this season. After Florida lost two other big men to injuries, Micah decided to forgo his medical redshirt and suit up for the Gators. That meant he would be returning to the scene of his horrific injury: Nashville, and the SEC Tournament.  Not only did he play on the same court where he got hurt, Handlogten’s Gators returned to the championship game and hoisted the trophy in vict...

  The United States Constitution is referred to as a living document because it can be amended. Some people use the phrase living document to say the Constitution adapts with society, so that we broaden or narrow the meaning of old language based on current events or understanding.    I’m not here to weigh in on just how living the U.S. Constitution may be. I have my beliefs, but this isn’t the place for them. Instead, I want to weigh in on another, much more important, living document.    The author of Hebrews wrote, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart (4:12).”    If the Constitution is living because it can be amended, then the Bible is absolutely NOT living in that sense. If the Constitution is living because it adapts to a changing society, then the Bible is absolutely NOT living i...

  The anonymous writer of Psalm 119 asked and answered this question in v.9: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your Word.”   Guarding does not mean haphazardly. Think about a soldier on guard duty; he must be vigilant or else many people can suffer. The King James Version renders this verse as, “By taking heed” according to God’s Word. Guarding, or taking heed, is a thoughtful, intentional process.    It is kind of like following a map. These days I rely on my GPS, but there was a time when we had to unfold a paper map and plot out our course like we were Louis and Clark. I hate getting lost, so I used to make sure I had solid directions before I went somewhere for the first time. One time I had to go into Fort Worth, and I wrote down each step for the journey, but I had an old map. Roads had been updated, but the map didn’t reflect it. I learned that no matter how carefully I followed the map, the wrong map will not get me where I n...

  Do you remember how much fun it was to play hide and seek when we were kids? It was especially great when I knew I had the best hiding place. There were times I was completely hidden from my friends, and I could hear them asking, “Where is he?” Those were the words that let me know I was going to win. Now that I am grown I don’t play much hide and seek. Adults don’t typically look for hiding places, although sometimes we might wish we could hide away. But there is a hiding place we all need. Psalm 119:114 says, “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.”   This psalm is similar to one of David, which contains the line, “For He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent (27:5).”   Why would this writer need a hiding place? He was neither a child nor playing with his children. He needed a hiding place because of the people who bookend this verse. Psalm 119:113 mentions the doubleminded, and v.115 spe...

  Angels are mentioned throughout Scripture, and they are described in a variety of ways. Some are mentioned by name (Michael and Gabriel), and some are referred to in groups (living creatures, sons of God). But there are two specific types of angels mentioned in the Bible, cherubim and seraphim.     Cherubim are found far more frequently. In fact, the word seraphim is only found once. Isaiah 6:1-3 contains this vision from the prophet:   In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”    “Seraphim” in Hebrew means “burning (or fiery) ones.” Many people have taken this to mean the angels themselves have a burning or glowing...

About a half dozen times the Psalms speak of someone being shaken. Typically the psalmist is saying that, because of God’s protection, he will not be shaken. For example, in Psalm 16:8 David wrote, “I have set the LORD always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.”   Why do the psalm writers seem so concerned about being shaken? What does that mean? Were they prone to earthquakes or something?     The word translated as shaken means to slip. Walking through life is hard, as there are many things that can cause us to trip and fall. When the authors say they will not be shaken, they mean God will protect them and keep them upright.    On our honeymoon Alicia and I went horseback riding in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. We were going around some sharp curves as we were winding our way up the mountain, and the horses seemed to be about an inch from the edge. It was a little nerve wracking, to say the least. The tour guide rather n...

  When I was in junior high the Orlando Magic signed Spud Webb. At 5 feet 6 inches, Webb is one of the shortest players in NBA history, and the fact that he was successful made him a sensation. To introduce him to the community, Webb held an autograph signing at a local shoe store, so I joined a group of my friends to go meet the little legend.    There were signs posted everywhere that told us there was a one autograph per person limit. I came with a basketball card from Webb’s days with the Sacramento Kings, and they were giving away 5x7 card stock pictures of Webb in his Magic uniform. I wanted to get both signed, so I decided to try.    When it was my turn to approach the table I put my card down and he signed it without looking up. I casually slid the other card his way, and without skipping a beat he flipped it back to me and reached for the next person’s card. The security guard told me to keep moving, and reminded me of the one autograph maximum.  ...

    Psalm 95 is a song of praise to God for His goodness. It is believed that as the ancient Jews recited this psalm they would prostrate themselves in a posture of worship, as the sixth verse contains this instruction: “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!”   But the chapter begins with these words: “Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise (v.1-2)!”   We should certainly sing to the Lord with thanksgiving because of all that He has done for us. Psalm 95 takes a sharp turn by looking back at the Jews in the Exodus who were not grateful. They put the Lord to the test and complained, even when God was providing water from a rock and manna for breakfast each morning.    We do not want to repeat their mistakes, but it is easy to do that when we focus on our wants inst...