Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people                                                         Luke 2:10

You know the Christmas song – It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. It is a song of a festive time, a time of celebration and joy. The Christmas music, the parties, the lights and decorations, the gathering of family- yes, it is a most wonderful time.

Yes, there has been much cultural appropriation of the Christian holiday that Christmas most certainly is. That’s fine with me though. As Christians, we are to help spread joy and goodwill to a world in desperate need of it. If the Christmas season helps people get a little sense of relief in a beleaguered world, that’s OK.

Yes, the real reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We must always keep that in mind. But if the cultural trappings of the season also bring joy to folks, good!

Prayer: Lord, help us to bring joy to a world in great need of it, Amen

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver                                                        Proverbs 25:11

I was just listening to a podcast while walking today. The podcaster interviewed a social science researcher about “little kindnesses”. She remarked that while on a plane trip with her daughter, they were very tight in their schedule for a connecting flight. They needed to exit the plane quickly, get to their gate, and pray that they had made it in time. I am guessing that at one time or another, we all have been in that situation.

She noted that she and her daughter pushed ahead of other rows in the plane’s aisle, begging forgiveness of those in seats ahead of them, explaining the situation. Almost all were very accommodating and let them pass. But one older gentleman ahead of them would have none of it. He reminded them that “people wait their turn for those in rows ahead of them”. He did not let them pass.

This of course was infuriating for the woman relating the story. Then she talked it out with her podcast guest, and he told her of the research which indicates that we tend to remember the incidences of discourtesy or a sense of injustice dealt by others much more than the series of kindnesses we experience.

He pointed out the research of John Gottman, a noted authority on marriage counseling and restoration. Gottman indicates it may take about five acts of kindness and active positive interactions in order to overcome the effects of one or two rude or insensitive interactions.   

When we are dealing with strangers- store clerks, people on planes, phone operators, etc. small acts of kindness are very powerful. It might be one of those five or so that they need to overcome one of those insensitive interactions from others.

During this Christmas season, I am especially keeping that in mind.  

Prayer: Lord, keep us in mind of those little things that are big helps, Amen

“For you have no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”                         Psalm 51:16-17

If you are interested in reading Psalm 51 in its entirety, it is helpful in understanding David’s mindset here. The Psalm has only 19 verses , so it is not a long endeavor. We see in this Psalm the heart of David, but also the heart of God, who forgives us freely, no matter where we are or what we may have done.

            David wrote this psalm of contrition after his affair with Bathsheba. He was, quite literally, a broken man. He says in verse 8 that his “bones had been broken”, an allusion to the depths of emotional pain and suffering caused by his abject guilt.

            This psalm speaks of David’s sin, his contrition, and ultimately, his restoration by a loving God. David knows that, as he stated in verse 10, he needed God to create in him a clean heart, and to renew a right spirit within him. David knew that this was not something that he himself could do. Only God can create a clean heart and right spirit.

            David concluded that the things which really please God are not our burnt offerings and our sacrifices. Rather, God would have us to confess our brokenness to Him, so that He can create in us that clean heart and right spirit.

            We see the progression here in the psalm: God judges sin, and David begins the psalm acknowledging the sin; forgiveness through the “purging of the hyssop (an allusion to the Passover and forgiveness through Christ’s blood; cleansing; renewal of the Spirit; service to the Lord; worship; and restoration.

            All of us come to Christ in the same way- broken sinners asking for forgiveness, which God freely gives. This is followed by joy, power, worship, and service. David sinned greatly and was forgiven greatly. The same forgiveness is ours through Christ.

Prayer: Father, thank you for the lessons you gave to David. You want our relationship renewed with you, and we thank you for loving us enough to want to communicate with us. We ask forgiveness for our sins, and rejoice in your answers. Amen.

I want to wish a very warm and blessed Thanksgiving to my faithful readers! Your kind support and feedback has been so refreshing over the years. I hope that you will be surrounded by friends and family this day. That may be our greatest blessing of the many that we have!

John

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.                                                                                                                             Ephesians 6:12

It is once again Thanksgiving time in the United States. Most countries have some version of this particular holiday, and rightly so. We have so much to be thankful for!

Yet there are those around the world who will be faced with suffering, war, persecution, and starvation. I think of people in Ukraine, suffering from a war imposed upon them by Vladimir Putin. It seems that his specialty is attacking schools, hospitals and other civilian targets with long-range rockets. So, the verse in Ephesians which talks about struggling against evil is demonstrated here.

Paul, in this verse above, was discussing evil which is brought into the world through wicked rulers and authorities, acting perhaps in the thrall of the “evil one” himself. As representatives of Jesus in our role to bring peace, health, and unity to a broken world, we must identify evil and stand up against it. This concept is described well in the book by N.T. Wright titled The Vision of Ephesians: The Task of the Church and the Glory of God.

So, my friends, we are called to identify evil, resist it, and continue in prayer for vigilance and strength. Jesus has won the battle against evil through his presence on Earth and the gift of the Holy Spirit. But we too are called upon to be witness to the ongoing resistance of that evil as it hurts and affects our fellow travelers.  

Prayer: …and deliver us from evil, Amen

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.                                                                                                                             Ephesians 6:12

It is once again Thanksgiving time in the United States. Most countries have some version of this particular holiday, and rightly so. We have so much to be thankful for!

Yet there are those around the world who will be faced with suffering, war, persecution, and starvation. I think of people in Ukraine, suffering from a war imposed upon them by Vladimir Putin. It seems that his specialty is attacking schools, hospitals and other civilian targets with long-range rockets. So, the verse in Ephesians which talks about struggling against evil is demonstrated here.

Paul, in this verse above, was discussing evil which is brought into the world through wicked rulers and authorities, acting perhaps in the thrall of the “evil one” himself. As representatives of Jesus in our role to bring peace, health, and unity to a broken world, we must identify evil and stand up against it. This concept is described well in the book by N.T. Wright titled The Vision of Ephesians: The Task of the Church and the Glory of God.

So, my friends, we are called to identify evil, resist it, and continue in prayer for vigilance and strength. Jesus has won the battle against evil through his presence on Earth and the gift of the Holy Spirit. But we too are called upon to be witness to the ongoing resistance of that evil as it hurts and affects our fellow travelers.  

Prayer: …and deliver us from evil, Amen

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens                    Ecclesiastes 3:1

Just a quick observation today. I was recently watching a commercial that featured Kareem Abdul Jabar (whom I originally knew as Lew Alcindor), and he looked old. That is because Kareem Abdul Jabar is old. He is advertising a product that fits my demographic.  Yes, apparently, I am old too.

It does not seem like that long ago that Lew Alcindor broke onto the national scene at UCLA under coach John Wooden, and his freshman team beat the defending national champion upperclassmen Bruins. In those days, freshmen were not eligible to play varsity. Had Alcindor been allowed to play, UCLA would have won the national championship his freshman year.

Alcindor literally changed the game of college basketball. Because of his dominance, dunking the basketball was disallowed for several years- just to level the playing field due to his talent. Later, Alcindor led UCLA to national titles, and later, as Kareem Abdul Jabar, he had earned several NBA championships.

But now, he is an old man, like me. The memories are great, but reality remains. Another generation takes over. I don’t really, in some ways, see myself as old, but when I am in meetings and some other social gatherings, I am the oldest guy in the room.

Funny how we see ourselves just a bit differently than reality, right?

Prayer: Lord, you have been so good to allow us to see seasons of change over our lifetime, Amen

 Then he turned to the host. “The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You’ll be—and experience—a blessing. They won’t be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned!—at the resurrection of God’s people.”     Luke 11:12-14 (The Message)

This painting was displayed on Sunday at our church as the pastor was talking about who is invited to the table. This was such an appropriate message as Thanksgiving week is begun. Many of us will be sitting around a table filled with great food. We may be fortunate enough to be surrounded as well by family and friends that we cherish. This picture is a reminder that Jesus has called everyone to the table.

The Gospel was proclaimed to all, and it is the job of Christians to ensure that no one is left out. The poor, the immigrant, the outcast- ALL have been invited to the table to eat with and be comforted by the Savior, Jesus.

So, my friends, as we begin Thanksgiving week, let us keep in mind our calling – to invite all to the fellowship with Jesus as head of the table.

Prayer: Lord, we are grateful for your generous invitation to us to be with you, Amen

Yesterday was November 22. For many of us, just like Franklin Roosevelt called December 7th, 1941, a day that would live in infamy, November 22, 1963, is that day for much of my generation.

I remember my first New Year of the change of a decade. It was the end of the 1950’s – December 31, 1959. We had great anticipation for 1960. Lots of hype about “Go like 60!” That was even a slogan for some advertisers. There was a hamburger place in Cincinnati called the “Sixty Second Shop” and they too tagged on to the new decade with the jingle. The 1960’s were going to be an exciting time! The 1950’s were going to be over.

Little did we know what the 1960’s were really going to be like, but when you were 9, going on 10 years old, it was really very cool time to be alive. There was a Presidential election coming up, and it looked like this young, good-looking fellow named John F. Kennedy, a Catholic Democrat, would be running for the office. My family was totally behind this guy.

Of course, he was elected in November, 1960, and he served until that fateful day- November 22, 1963. That was the real end of the 1950’s.

Much has been written about the historical effects of his assassination, and I can tell you that the impact of that act affected our country in ways we cannot really comprehend or document. It was the end of an innocent age. The 1950’s were the days of post-war America where we defined ourselves as a country. Post-war periods seem to have peculiar effects on countries. The economy, the international worldview, the desire for a new start, all combined to define an era that cannot ever be recaptured- only looked at wistfully.

The day that John F. Kennedy was slain, people of a certain age can tell you exactly what they were doing when they heard the news. They can tell you what they were feeling, what they were thinking, and how their lives were changed. Everything changed. The world was no longer the safe predictable place we had grown up in. Yes, the Cold War had been on for years, but Kennedy had helped steer us through the Cuban missile crisis, and life was again safe and predictable. But on November 22, 1963, that all changed. That was the day the 1950’s really ended. It was the end of the “feel good”, carefree era. Technically, the 1950’s ended on December 31, 1959.

 But for many of us, looking back, the 1950’s ended that terrible day in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963.

…God blessed them:
  “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!
Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,
    for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”                                                    Genesis 1:28 (The Message)

Yes, you read that right- talk to your plants. This idea has been around for quite a while, and I think it might be a good idea, but maybe not for the reasons you think. In the past, people have claimed that the plants grow better when someone talks to them. Actually, the reasons that plants who are “spoken to” thrive is because they have attentive owners. Those plant owners will more likely water regularly, prune as needed, feed them, and make sure proper sunlight is available. The plants are not sentient, and they cannot “understand” what you are saying. They do, however, prosper from the Carbon Dioxide that you are breathing on them while you chat.

There is also another reason to talk to the plants. It is good for you. When you get in touch with any of God’s creation to the point of interaction, you are doing your soul some good. Further, when we talk to the plants, we are getting in touch with ourselves. We are actually searching ourselves and giving some vent to thoughts and ideas- even evoking kindness and caring- which are all good for us.

So, if you feel like it, talk to those plants. Sure, you might want to wait until you are alone so one else can misconstrue the situation, but go ahead- it might be good for you and your plants.

Prayer: Lord, you have given us the joy of tending to your creation, and we are grateful, Amen