Insights from a Snowy Day

What a beautiful gift God gave us in the blanket of snow that gently covered our area several days ago. Faith and Luke were amazed at everything about the snow – the way it crunched under their feet, the way it muffled the sound and made the world look and sound differently, and the way they could fly down the hill in our neighborhood on their inner tubes. This was their first real experience with sledding and we celebrated by going in the evening and the next morning (I admit that Dad enjoyed it too). Our favorite part of the first day when it was snowing so heavily was a trip into the woods behind our house. The woods had become a magical place of wonder, each tree seemingly painted white by God. Through the dimming light and with the muffled sound, it seemed as if we had truly entered a different world – Faith exclaimed that it was like Narnia. In pondering how a blanket of snow can change a barren woods into a wonderland, I remembered one of the most mystifying teachings in the Bible. The Apostle Peter charges us to live as stewards of God’s grace, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8). I struggle sometimes to balance my convictions of justice and righteousness with my desire to be compassionate and merciful. While I know that this will be a life-long process of understanding true Christian discipleship, it is enlightening to look out at the transformative beauty of a snowfall on a wintry landscape and remember that love covers over a multitude of sins. Selah.

Preparing for Christmas

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We are entering into one of the most important times in the year; a time that is so important for the Church to celebrate properly – especially in our fast-paced culture. The season that I am talking about is Advent – the season of waiting for the celebration of the coming of the Lord at Christmas. We are living in a culture that is increasingly negative to the concept of waiting which makes the season of Advent uniquely pertinent for teaching and reminding us of the value of waiting for God. I have discovered that I can easily become irritated with having to wait in lines, wait for food at a restaurant, or wait for information to load up on my computer. The irony of this is that as the processes of life become quicker and more available, my expectation level of speed and efficiency goes up in proportion. While this is a reasonable reaction, I also know that the time I spent in the jungles of South America I had to learn the practice of patience. I also learned something even more valuable -- that in slowing down and spending time alone with God and my thoughts, I grew more in wisdom, knowledge, and faith than I did at any other time in my life. In a culture where I was forced to become more deliberate in my living, I learned the wisdom of “be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Advent is the season of the year when the Church speaks a different word than the culture. Our culture leads us to frenetic activity to prepare for Christmas as we think about gifts, parties, activities and schedules in the month of December. While these things are good and help us to celebrate Christmas, Advent also reminds us that we need times of quiet, solitude and meditation to grow spiritually to fully understand the meaning of Christmas. The meaning of Advent is in the waiting. Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; ‘great is Your faithfulness’. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:22-26). Selah
Steve

One Nation Under God

We live in a time of tremendous change and upheaval in our society. While it is both exciting and frightening to live in these times of uncertainty and possibility, I hope that we as a people never forget the importance of morality and a religious voice as we seek our way toward the future. We live in a democratic republic based on the belief that all people are created by God as equal, therefore we each have a voice in the shaping of our society. James Madison, in writing several of the Federalist Papers, understood that in giving so much power to the people there was a strong peril that the nature of the government would be largely determined by the morals of the people. Democratic action can easily devolve into decadence if the majority of the people are guided by self-interest rather than moral vision. In his Presidential Farewell Address in 1796, George Washington prophetically warned all Americans against this, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government.” We must remember that the Bible also teaches, “The plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD . . .” (Psalm 33:11-12). Selah.
Steve

The Mystery of Alligators

Since I was a small boy I have been fascinated with alligators. How could a creature so large and strong both run and swim with such agility to capture prey? Several weeks ago my wife, children and I went to the Okefenokee Swamp in South Georgia to see alligators in their natural habitat. We got on a boat to travel several miles into the Swamp, and as my daughter Faith was driving the boat we suddenly saw a gator rising out of the black water in front of us. Upon seeing this ferocious beast swimming beside our boat, I was reminded of the many great unknown aspects of life. I was reminded of God using crocodiles as an example of the limits of human understanding in his response to Job’s questioning (see Job 41-42). Many of the most important aspects of life require us to take a courageous step into the mystery of the unknown: marriage, child-rearing, job choice, committing our lives to Christ, etc. As Paul writes of both marriage and our relationship with Christ, “As the Scriptures say, ‘A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’ This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.” (Ephesians 5:31-33). In order to live with mystery, we need faith in order to live. There is an importance of faith in many aspects of our lives; but the most important is our relationship with God. Ask God to give you the courage to step boldly into the unknown of life, because “we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Selah

"How To Love Difficult People in Our Lives"

Written for September 22nd
When dealing with difficult people in our lives, many of us resort to anger, resentment or isolation – we don’t appreciate how we are being treated by persons and our “fight or flight instinct” is triggered. Yet if we don’t learn how to deal with conflicts with others in a healthy way, our lives become agitated as animosities build up in our souls. As a Christian, I have tried over the years to remind myself that every person is created by God in His image and that all persons are someone for whom Christ died. That has helped me in my behavior towards difficult people in my life, but it was lacking in helping me to love these persons. After all, Jesus commanded us, "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies] and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48). This seems an impossible standard -- we are merely human after all -- therefore many people make no attempt to move toward Jesus’ command of relating to difficult people with love. The truth is that it is impossible for us to do so as human beings, but there is a power that can help us go beyond politeness to difficult people toward actively loving them. In my recent studies, I discovered a passage of scripture that has provoked my thinking and given me a new understanding of loving my enemies. When we confess that Jesus is Lord, we receive the Holy Spirit within us and “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). When we react with anger, resentment and isolation toward difficult people, we are like the Apostles James and John when they became violently angry with the Samaritans after some conflict, we “do not know what kind of Spirit” we have within us. (Luke 9:55). We need to realize that how we relate to people is not dependent on their character or actions, but on who we are – children of a Heavenly Father who pours love on the righteous and unrighteous alike. He has given us His Spirit to transform us into His likeness throughout our lives. Selah.

"Finding Hope in Despair”

Last weekend I was in New York City to see some friends and we visited the 9/11 Memorial Site. Each of us became quiet as we remembered the feeling we each had on that day almost eight years ago when the towers fell and so many people were killed. We then walked less than a block into the small Anglican Church, St. Paul’s Trinity, which served as the place of refuge and rest for the firefighters, rescue workers and aid workers. My eyes filled with tears as I saw the photos and messages left by desperate family members frantically searching for loved ones they would never see again. In another area were photos of church members and other people who came into the area to bring water, necessities, and compassion to those who were digging through the wreckage or waiting to hear word about their loved ones. I was heartened to see that there were many who followed the call of Jesus to “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galations 6:2). As I looked around at the many people walking through this church, I praised God for the hope and love that He was continuing to inspire through the gracious gifts of the persons in that Church during that painful time for many families and our nation. One of the greatest witnesses that we can have for Christ is to help those who are hurting. As Jesus commanded, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). Selah

I have just finished participating in Dallas First Methodist’s 12th annual River of Life mission where we spend four days working on different families’ homes in Paulding County and worshipping every evening. It is a marvelous time when almost everything else in life seems suspended and we get a glimpse of the Kingdom of Heaven. Youth and adults from churches all over Georgia and Tennessee who barely know each other form bonds as they work together in Christian love. We are welcomed into people’s homes and lives because we come in the name of Jesus. After working all day we share stories, sing songs of praise and hear the word of God in a new and powerful way. This is the way that we should be growing as Christians at all times in our lives and we must seek out ways in which to serve thusly. We remember that Scripture teaches us, “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (Galatians 5:6). Look for opportunities in your life to use your spiritual gifts and graces to serve others and grow in faith and thus experience real life in God – faith expressed through love. In our salvation by faith we are freed by Christ from our self-centered lives to experience this life: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery . . . You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:1,13). Christ will bless you tremendously as you live out your faith in serving others in love. Selah
Steve