11/10/2024

As I write this, we are one day beyond election day. Some things are now clear: We have a new president. Not since Grover Cleveland has a former president been elected after losing a second term. Control in the U.S. Senate has passed from Democrat to Republican control. Control of the U.S. House of Representatives is still to be determined. As in every U.S. election, some people will be pleased and other people will be disappointed.

   As I have in every year since I became a voter, I voted for my choices. As I have always done, I will pray for the president and all the members of Congress that they may have wisdom from God that is beyond their human capacity. I am pleased that it appears there will be a smooth transition of power from one administration to another, which is in keeping with long-term American practice.

   We are still a very divided country along many lines. Only the future will show whether we can find a realistic unity. Many of the same questions are still in the minds and emotions of the American people. Can we find ways to address these questions together or will we stay divided about the decisions and details of American life and policy? At the very least, I hope we can cool the inflammatory rhetoric and have more rational conversations about what we should be doing as a nation together under God. May God bless America even in spite of our divisive tendencies.

11/03/2024

II Samuel 23 contains a listing of King David’s champions of war. Three are noted: Josheb-Basshebeth; Eleazar, son of Dodai the Ahohite; and Shammah, son of Agee. Along with their names are short accounts of their mighty deeds in battle. In the same chapter, there are the names of other mighty warriors. These war accounts are not comfortable to me with their lists of the number of Philistines killed by each. I realize that the Israelites were being oppressed by the Philistines, but it still makes uncomfortable reading. It did make me wonder, could we make a list of the great women and men who were noteworthy because of their success at waging peace rather than war? For example, one of the stories of St. Francis of Assisi claims that during a battle between two Italian cities, Francis went out into the midst of the battle and shut it down. Apparently, the respect and veneration with which he was held quelled the battle. There certainly have been others who have “battled” for peace in the midst of conflict, often at risk of their own safety. Is it possible to work as hard for peace as it is to work hard for war? The commitment that it takes to bring about peace and reconciliation also takes courage and commitment. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” Jesus said, “for they will be called the children of God.”  We might even call them God’s mighty women and men.

10/27/2024

Ever since I heard the old song, “Shine On, Harvest Moon,” I have wondered what is the significance of the harvest moon. The time of the harvest moon can be in either September or October. This year it was September 17 and next year, it will be October 6. It is the full moon nearest the autumnal (fall) equinox. On that day the moon is at its closest to the earth of any time in the year. As a result, it appears larger and brighter to us on earth. It is often called a super moon.

    It is the mark of harvest time when the abundance of earth’s bounty is most apparent. It is thought of as a time of gratitude for the blessing of harvest. Some think of it as a time for self-reflection and change. The brightness and larger appearance seems ideal for romantic thoughts.

    The early date in September is before some of us are really focused on harvest, but we know it is coming. Harvest time has always been especially significant for rural and village life. A good harvest assumes plenty over the lean days of winter before the spring fruits arrive.

    For people of faith, the harvest is a mark of God’s blessing and care.  So, we sing, “Come, ye thankful people, come; raise the song of harvest home. All is safely gathered in e’re the winter storms begin.”

    Thanks be to God for each year’s bountiful harvest!

10/20/2024

On my online newsfeed from Apple from time to time there is a series of objects pictured. The reader is encouraged to identify what the objects are. Most often they are older objects which are no longer in common usage. Usually because of my age, I can identify what the objects are, but there are always one or two that stump me.

   As a young teen it was one of my jobs to do the laundry. This involved an old wringer washing machine (a great advance over the scrub board). The tub was filled with hot water and soap was added and the agitator was turned on to clean the clothes. After the soapy water was drained, the clothes were put through the wringer to remove most of the water.

   At that time, standard wear for school was jeans, which we referred to as “Levis” regardless of the brand. They were heavy and slow to dry, so pants stretchers were used to avoid having to iron the jeans. The stretchers worked well and could even provide a bit of a crease, if done correctly. It has been 65 years since I have seen those pants stretchers, but I recently went online and they are still available. They did the job, but they were a lot more work than chucking the jeans in a clothes dryer. My nostalgia is not sufficient to buy them now, even though they were cost effective.

   I wonder how many of the old objects and old ways may have had advantages over more modern ways.  Could it be that sometimes the old ways might be best?

10/13/2024

     I remember many years ago when I encountered a book titled, Why Johnny Can’t Read.  It was a best-seller for 37  weeks in 1955. That is nearly 70 years ago. As a life-long reader, I found this shocking at the time.  My life has been so influenced by reading that it seems impossible to imagine that education could happen without reading.

     Recently the magazine, The Atlantic, for October 1, 2024, contained an article titled, “The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books.” Interviews with professors in several top universities detailed the problems students have reading a whole book. Apparently, long books (anything over a hundred pages?) are too challenging for university students.  High School teachers are using short excerpts and anthologies, as well as other short forms, because the students can’t sustain reading. 

     Reading problems have been around for a long time as the “Johnny” book illustrates, but the problem has gotten increasingly worse. One professor confessed that students have trouble reading a sonnet (a 14-line poem) without becoming distracted and losing the train of thought.

     Perhaps this explains why some of my students when I taught at university level had trouble following biblical materials and often showed virtually no familiarity with the Old or New Testament.  Surely it is a problem to follow the teachings and actions of Jesus, if you can’t concentrate for more than 14 verses.  Keep on reading for both your mind and your soul.

10/06/2024

   One of God’s great gifts to humankind is the gift of imagination. Without this gift there would be no innovation; it is unlikely that many of the advances in human life would have come to pass. Without the wheel we would still be dragging things from place to place by sheer brute force. Without mathematics we might be limited to our ten fingers and “a big bunch.” Without the alphabet there would be no written literature. Without medical imagination, would we have discovered penicillin or other antibiotics? Without physics we would still be limited to the surface of our world.

    It is informative to notice how many things first described in fantasy and science fiction later became possible and even a part of everyday life. The ubiquitous presence of cell phones seemed a total fantasy when I was a child.

    Even in areas of the faith, how would we see the significance of Biblical stories without imaging how they might apply today? Scripture states, “Eye has not seen, ear has not heard neither has it entered into the heart of man what God has prepared for those who love him.” Our imaginations rise up to wonder what those things might be.

    We imagine all the goodness that Heaven will bring and it gives us hope even though we recognize that it will be even better than we can imagine.

09/29/2024

I have some sympathy for people learning English language for the first time. There are so many confusing elements.  Take the simple two letter word “up.” It makes total sense when we say “look up” because that involves looking up by raising our head unless we mean look up the answer in a book. We had a column of figures to sum up which involves going down adding the figures until we get to the bottom of the column. It is enough to crack you up when you think about it. And what about minute and minute spelled the same but pronounced differently with one meaning the sixtieth part of an hour and the other meaning something quite small. Or why is “gh” pronounced as an “f” in cough, but as “g” in ghost? How is it possible that “flammable and inflammable” mean the same thing? There are technical explanations for all of these but they must be confusing to the new learner. Other languages have their own traps and weird quirks as students of other language learn. If I receive a call and the caller asks to speak to “Leen”, I am pretty sure the caller is not a native American English speaker or they would probably know to pronounce “Lynn” as “Lin.” Languages also changes. When the King James or authorized version was translated in 1611 the word “prevent” had the meaning of “precede” as in the line in the Psalms which says, “prevent the dawn” which means “precede the dawn.” The most common example of the change in language we regularly use is when we sing the doxology: “Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” In Elizabethan times, spirit and ghost were used interchangeably. In modern usage, they carry a different meaning so we now translate with “Holy Spirit” rather than “Holy Ghost.” We know what we mean either way, but it does sound a bit strange to modern ears.

09/22/2024

Time is an illusive thing. Typically children do not understand the passage of time until about nine years of age. They may be able to tell the numbers on the clock or recite the digital clock numbers, but they really don’t grasp what that means. Baby-sitting for one youngster, we were startled when the child asked for “orange juice all day.” “All day” had become a measure for a large amount. Even as adults we often notice that time seems to move differently at certain moments. While at a restaurant recently I thought the service was very slow until I looked at the clock and realized that it was quite speedy.  The problem was that I had an appointment and was worried about being late to arrive. Most of us have experienced how “time flies” when we are enjoying the moment. Our level of engagement affects our perception of time. How different from us must be God’s perception of time in the light of His eternality. As scripture puts it, “A day with You is as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day.”  When we are waiting for the answer to our prayers the time can seem to be slow beyond endurance, but God’s timing is always perfect. With our limited vision of time, we humans have expressions like “how time flies” or “we just need more time.” Perhaps that is why patience is such a difficult virtue for human beings. Even as adults, we want all our needs met now. Perhaps we are not as mature as we might think. It is almost like we are praying, “Lord, give me patience and give it to me right now!” while scripture admonishes us to “wait for the Lord” and “Be still and know that I am God.”  So let us practice patience until as the book of Revelation puts it: God says, “time shall be no more.”

09/15/2024

A popular Christian magazine for many years had a recurring column where noted Christian leaders responded to the prompt “How my mind has changed.” Each leader explored changes in their thinking in important areas of life. Sometimes the changes were in areas of social concern. At other times there was broadening of ethical concerns, but the most common were changes in belief often in regard to specific theological ideas. A sub-theme frequently included areas which had not changed. In teaching university and seminary students, I asked for them to re-examine their beliefs. Some had fairly undeveloped ideas about God. This was revealed when they were challenged to explain the theological or religious terms they were using. The goal was not to tear down or damage their faith, but to help them think through their faith so that it might become their own faith rather than repeating what they had heard.  Most of us who have been long in the Christian faith have had those moments of new insight that we had not considered before. This may come as the result of a traumatic experience or it may come as the result of growing maturity. Things that we read, Sunday School lessons, Bible studies or sermons may prompt us to adjust our thinking. This is a normal part of growing in the faith. St. Paul talked about this with the metaphor of childhood moving from milk to an adult diet. It is not wrong that our earlier views may need adjustment. It certainly happens in other areas of life or we might still be expressing our affection by hitting the object of our interest with our bookbag as we might have done when we were seven years old. We learn and grow and sometimes that means that we change our minds.

09/08/2024

September 2nd this year was Labor Day. It first became a national holiday in June of 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed the Labor Day bill into law. Earlier in 1830, manufacturing workers were working 70 hours per week on average. By 1890, work hours in manufacturing dropped down to 60 hours a week on average. Later, a six-day, eight-hours a day week was the norm. Now, a five-day, 40-hour working week is the norm. Labor Day was intended to honor workers and their contributions to American life. While it is a national holiday, it is largely voluntary in observance. In earlier times, there were labor union parades and other official observances. Some observances still remain, but for most U.S. citizens, the observance is more likely to be a cook-out or picnic. It may be the last trip of the summer, even though most children nowadays are already in school before September. It is worthwhile to remember how valuable meaningful work is. Anyone who has been out of a job for any extended period knows how debilitating the experience can be. Most of us remember our first paid job. It can be a matter of pride and a taste of responsibility. We even describe our life of faith as doing the work of the Kingdom of God. Our willingness to give our best to all our work, secular or religious, has often been viewed as a Christian virtue. I have often been struck by the verse in scripture that says, “…we are workmen together with God.” Perhaps that grants a spiritual tone to our celebration of Labor Day.

09/01/2024

Among the good feelings in life is the sense of accomplishment of a job completed. Sometimes it is a relief like when we complete our taxes. At other times, it’s a joy like we have found the perfect gift for someone whom we love. It is especially rich when we have had a goal and have brought it to realization. It must be something like what Olympic athletes feel when they stand on the podium to receive a gold medal and hear their national anthem played. St. Paul uses such a metaphor to describe his journey of faith, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:8) To see the faith journey in such terms is inspiring.  It echoes Jesus’ parable words, “Well done good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.” What can be greater praise than “well done”? What child would not love to hear those words from a parent? To come to the end of our earthly life and hear “well done” from our heavenly Lord surely would make our trials and temptation trivial in comparison. I know that sometimes saying, “It is finished,” can be the word of pain ending. Perhaps it was so when Jesus said those words from the cross, but I think he also knew that he had achieved what he was sent to do and could find joy even in the midst of his pain. I believe in that moment that he heard the voice of the Heavenly Father say, “Well done, my Son, I am well pleased with you.”

08/25/2024

When I am making a major purchase, I always sit down and estimate what the cost will be.  I am concerned that I will have enough to pay the bill. I did this with my most recent car purchase, but I have been known to do this with lesser purchases, as well. I confess that when I go to a restaurant, I always read the menu from the right to the left. I do not always choose the cheapest, but I do always consider the cost.

    In Luke 14:28, Jesus said, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?”  He goes on to describe how a king going to war must consider the cost of his smaller force against the enemy’s larger force.  All this is to illustrate the cost of discipleship.  The cost of discipleship may involve taking up his or her cross in order to be a follower of Jesus, who took up his own cross.

    All of us as Christians should consider what the cost of following Jesus might mean.  To follow Jesus will at least mean that what we want or what serves ourselves best can never be the first consideration.  Sometimes following Jesus may mean sacrifices, big and small.  It may be inconvenient, challenging, and even at times, dangerous.

    It was so for Jesus and it may well be for us, also. Sure, there will be rewards, but there will be costs, as well. In our Christian behavior, great and small, we are well-served if we count the cost.

08/18/2024

While we use terms like factual and true as if they were synonyms, they can have different meanings.  When we read something like Shakespeare’s plays, we know that they were fictional creations even if they are about actual historical figures. Other pieces of fiction may be totally imaginary. Sometimes, when we read a piece of fiction we may discover that it is true-to-life as we have experienced it. At other times, we may learn a new, true idea expressed in the fictional piece. We may find truth in a bit of writing which is not literally factual at all. A similar thing can happen with a movie or TV show. We know that “Happy Days” was just a good script with some talented actors, but we may learn some true things about family and friendship within the comedy. In the Harry Potter books and later, movies, we may learn about bravery, sacrifice, and courage among other values. These can be true insights even in an enjoyable fantasy. Even ancient fables like those of Aesop may startle us by their continued relevance. The story of the dog who laid in the manger on the hay to prevent the cows from eating because the hungry dog couldn’t eat hay reveals much to us about envy and jealousy. The mouse who was released by the lion and later chewed through the lion’s captive ropes can show us the benefit of gratitude. Even the made-up tale can speak truth to us if we are perceptive. The question is not “did it actually happen,” but “what is true in the story from which we can learn?”

08/11/2024

How do we know when events that happen in life are good things or bad things? When something comes at us “out of the blue”, catching us off-guard, can we view these happenings from an eternal perspective, as God sees them? His perspective is first of all based in His immense love for us, but in the end His goal is to “work ALL THINGS together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”  Are we so bound to our humanity that we are short-sighted, blind-sided, devastated, unable to see beyond the “happening” to the long-term consequences, even if the cloud has a silver lining?  When my grandmother was dying of terminal cancer, our family stayed near her hospital bed, not allowing her to be alone for the 5 weeks from her diagnosis to her passing.  Out of our love for her, we did our best to put aside our impending grief and love her home to Heaven.  Of course, we did not want to lose her from our earthly presence but there was something bigger happening behind the scenes as God worked even in this heart-breaking situation…Nurse Cathy, who gave most of the wonderful care to Grandma Dorothy while she was in Community Hospital Anderson, gave her heart to the Lord as a result of watching how things were handled by a very present family. She was not used to seeing love personified. She remains a dear family friend & faithful believer to this day, 30 years later. So, was Grandma’s death a bad thing or a good thing?   Luke 15:7 says, “ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” What a glorious reminder!  May we trust His heart in the hard times of life. He is up to something good and eternal…you can bet your life on it!!

08/04/2024

Every year towards the end of September, there is a notice in my desk calendar that it is time to order a calendar notebook for the new year. I confess that I need the reminder, because in September I am not thinking much about the new year. In fact, with over three months to go I am pretty oblivious about the new year. Without the reminder it would probably be February before I thought to order a new desk calendar book. Often we need reminders in other parts of our lives. I can remember things that I read many years ago but can easily forget to post the letter in my pocket. Part of the function of worship in church is to remind us of the things that are most important. In a world full of various, and often false opinions, it is significant to be reminded of the true and righteous things which we should hold on to. The hymns and songs we sing can call back ideas and themes we may have neglected. The scriptures may remind us of the great truths of the gospel. The prayers of God’s people may inspire our own fervent prayers. Even preaching at its best may reintroduce us to the great themes of the faith. The cross, the candles, the open Bible may prompt us to remember Jesus’ sacrifice, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the power of the Word of God. If we need reminders in order to function well in our everyday life, how much more may we need reminders in our life of faith? Dear Lord, remind us again of the central ideas of the gospel that we may be effective Christians in your world.

07/28/2024

It is often said that time seems to move faster as we grow older. It does seem to me that the statement is accurate. There are some objective measures of hos fast things move in our world. I have a collection of 33 ½ rpm vinyl records, multiple cassette tapes, cd’s by the score, just when more music is online with various services. I even have some 8-track tapes which were once the ”in” thing. There are also my movies cassette tapes, and DVDs, while now I do streaming on the TV through the internet. I still have an email account, but if I want to make contact with my daughters, I text to their phone numbers. Contact with the grandchildren is even more complicated. I don’t even know what media systems they prefer. Every new thing I think might work is one that they used to use before the new “in” thing. Fortunately, the phone still works for them. I do wonder at times if the pace of change might be too fast for human adjustment. During much of human history things did not change so quickly. Some people might never have left their small villages or experienced the larger world around them except in story. What have we gained and what have we lost in our fast-paced world? Is there still a place for being led by still waters? Can we find a place of quiet within when there is so much frantic activity around us? Can we still sing “Drop thy still dews of quietness ‘til all our strivings cease. Take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of thy peace…”?

07/21/2024

Many of us worry about climate change. Any strange weather prompts us to wonder if that is a sign of such. There are many differing opinions about potential causes & cures. As a society we haven’t come to a unified conclusion. While all this worries me, I am even more immediately concerned about the political climate of our country. Recent events have thrown this into bold relief. Here, too, there are many differing views with very little scientific or historical data to help us sort it out. Common sense would seem to indicate that the situation will not be helped by angry words, insults, & accusations. This is not the first time such extreme rhetoric has existed in America. Reading the newspaper accounts of the Lincoln – Douglas election shows an earlier example of attack speech & writing. Maybe it is just a longing for a gentler time, but it feels like there have been times when we assumed that people on differing sides of national issues generally had the best interest of America at heart even when we disagreed about what that “best” would be. Increasingly now, there is a questioning of everyone’s motives. People often cast their opponents in the role of villains rather than colleagues in the work of the country. I do not know the solutions to our present conflicts, but a first step might be to lower the volume & tone of our disagreements. To use an extreme example, it is not free speech to yell “fire” in a crowded theater when there is no fire. Perhaps we need to substitute responsible speech for the extremes of free speech.

07/14/2024

For the next several weeks, we will be looking at the first four chapters of the book of Ephesians. We will be taking it slow because there is so much packed in this small book. Some of the early manuscripts of the book do not contain the words, “in Ephesus”, so we are not certain of where it was sent. Perhaps it was a circular letter meant to be shared with Ephesus and other congregations. We know that Paul suggested that his letters be shared with other churches beyond the designated church. The circular form may explain why the letter is so packed with vital religious information.

    Ephesus was a noted center in the Greco-Roman world. Paul’s visits there, as Acts records, indicate its significance. It was located in Asia across the Aegean Sea from Athens. The letter speaks often of Gentiles as the primary audience. The content does not seem to relate to the church in Ephesus alone but addresses the world-wide church.

    The unity of the church is emphasized as part of the plan of God in Christ. There are hymns and doxologies scattered throughout the book along with practical advice about proper righteous living. There is very little of a personal nature in the text.

     Paul’s special role in the church is clearly expressed, but so are the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to the members of the church. As might be expected, Christ’s role is highly exalted throughout the text. All this is brought to bear on the mission of the church to the whole world.

07/07/2024

I Corinthians 4:9 says, “…for we are made a spectacle unto the world and to angels and to men.” A sincere but somewhat uneducated pastor said to his congregation, “My spectacles help me see better and we as spectacles help the world see Jesus better when they look through us.” His point was a valid and meaningful one, but it had nothing to do with the passage in question. Here, spectacle means a “show” or perhaps “demonstration”. Looking foolish to the world, Paul and his companion were wise in Christ.  It is possible to make a good point if our faith is sincere even when we misunderstand the scripture. While we should always strive for clear understanding, if our hearts are right, God might even use our mistakes for good purpose. We are not perfect and may make many mistakes, but we can acknowledge our insufficiency and depend on God’s strength and wisdom. The work of God’s kingdom is not just up to us. In the history of the faith, God has made use of many imperfect men and women. Our halting words and clumsy actions may still be used by God to accomplish divine purpose. The kingdom of God does not rest on our skill and talent but on the power of God. Jesus knew this. He knew that the source of the power to heal, to help, to teach and preach, to serve and enable came not from within ourselves, but from God. Someone has written, “The ‘Acts of the Apostles’ should have been called the ‘Acts of the Holy Spirit Through the Apostles’.” It was true then, and I am sure it is still true.

06/30/2024

Winter or summer, I like to have ice in my cold drinks. One of my sons-in-law doesn’t want ice in his cold drinks. This could just be a personal preference, but it seems strange to me since he grew up in Florida while I grew up in South Dakota. Given the heat index in Florida all year long and the winter cold index in South Dakota, it seems like it should be the other way around. How often what we expect doesn’t match what is real. Sometimes this is a problem in human relationships. We may have expectations of another person that they have no idea about. How often, even in married life, do we discover that there are expectations (often unspoken) which our spouse may not match. Just because we love someone does not mean that we always anticipate what they expect from us. Our differing experiences growing up and observing marital interaction can set us up for misunderstanding. A forgiving attitude can do much to smooth relationships. Even in the church, we may have expectations that no set of flawed human beings can ever quite match. Perhaps even in our relationship with God our expectations may be out of touch with God’s will and purposes. It can be painful when life does not live up to our expectations. TV, movies, and advertising may have so raised our expectation that reality may never be able to measure up to our fantasy. We are wise when we do not let our desire for perfection blind us to miss the good because of exaggerated expectations. We are blessed if we look at our life and say, like God at creation, “It is good!”