June 23, 2025
Renewing Your Strength!
“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those whose hope is in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:30-31
If you have read any of my musings previously, you may already know that I find many television advertisements to be of the absurd nature. One of my recent favorites is for an item called the Ellipse LegXcercise Trainer. In the commercial we see a gentleman who can baring rise from his chair with the use of a cane. It is excruciating to even contemplate how much agony this poor fellow is in. However, just a few moments later he is shown on his front stoop picking up his newspaper and clicking his heels in joy. What can we attribute this miracle to? Why it is because of his Ellipse LegXercise Trainer! But wait, for just another $25 you can get the deluxe model!
What does this foolishness have to do with the words of Isaiah, you may ask? Well, it seems to me that Isaiah is offering the same type of miraculous recovery to those who have hope in the Lord. Perhaps I am holding Isaiah, and the Ellipse LegXercise Trainer, to too harsh a standard. I would like to walk, run, or even drive my car, without growing weary. Does this mean I lack in hope for the Lord?
Perhaps Isaiah, like Jesus would also do centuries later, is speaking metaphorically. Everyone grows weary at some point. We all could use time for rest and renewal. But maybe, instead of critiquing silly television commercials, I might find a more satisfying respite by focusing on the Lord. In fact, that is one of the positive side effects of preparing these musings a few times a week. By forcing myself to choose and reflect on a verse of two, I can avert my thoughts from less productive endeavors and attempt to gain a deeper connection to the almighty. Let each one of us take time to reflect how we might best exercise our faith on this day!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck
June 18, 2025
Exasperated Children!
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
Ephesians 6:4
We have spent some time with Proverbs verses of late, so I decided to do something different on Wednesday this week. When I found the above words from Ephesians was the verse of the day on Biblegateway.com I knew I had struck gold. I only wish I had thought of this verse for the sermon text on Father’s Day. I mean, I thought it was the job of a father (stepfather, grandfather, etc.) to exasperate their children. After all, that is what Dad jokes are for, right?
I cannot say that I recall my father exasperating me all that much, at least until I became a teenager. Then it was more of tennis match of exasperation as we strove to irritate each other as a payback for the previous day’s annoyances. If you were to ask my children, especially my daughter, she might be able to dial in certain moments when I frustrated her to no end. Sorry, just trying to fulfill my duties as a father!
It appears that the Apostle Paul, the author of Ephesians, did not have any children. There is no mention in Scripture of any off-spring, and it is never stated that he had a wife. But he did have a clear idea of the role of a father in a religious sense. As reflected in the verse above, Paul believed that a father needed to ensure that his children learned about the Lord. One would imply here that when he uses the word, “Lord” he is speaking of Jesus as well as God. For the faith to thrive, the children needed to have a foundation of belief that found its genesis in the home.
I was raised in a home that was not overly religious. However, I did attend Sunday school until I was old enough to decide for myself if I wanted to attend or not. But, for children of my generation, it was quite common to have a church connection. As times have changed so has the landscape of the education of children in church. While the numbers of children who attend our services has gotten smaller, the commitment and desire of our congregation has not. Whether we have two or twenty-two children in worship, we still do our best to make them feel that they are a valued part of our church community. Even as we do this, we pray that the Lord would bless us with growth in our congregation, both in spirit and in numbers. If we continue to do the good work of the Lord, we will succeed!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck
June 17, 2025
The Eye of a Needle
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Mark 10:25
Recently, one of our devotionals was based upon Jesus’ words about the wide and narrow gates. The basic message there is that the narrow gate is difficult to pass through. Thus, the majority of people chose the wide gate, which is easier to enter. However, the easy way is not the way that leads to life. So, even though the narrow way is more difficult to navigate, it is way we should chose.
Following that devotional several people mentioned to me the passage from the Gospels that is quoted above. This reference to the camel passing through the eye of the needle appears in Luke and Matthew as well as in Mark. So, I thought I might reflect on that verse this morning.
The setting for this verse follows on the heels of Jesus discussion with a wealthy man. The man asks Jesus, what must he do to inherit eternal life. Jesus begins by telling him that he must obey the commandments of the Lord given to Moses. The man assures Jesus that he has done so since his childhood. Then Jesus gives the wealthy man one final instruction. He must sell everything he possesses, give to the poor, and follow Jesus. We are told the wealthy man became downcast and went away. The implication was that he could not part with his material goods.
Jesus decides to turn this encounter, which was witnessed by the disciples, into a theology lesson. He asks his followers, “How hard is it for the rich to enter the kingdom of God?” When the disciples cannot answer his question, Jesus tells them it is easier for a camel to slip through the eye of a needle that for a wealthy person to enter the kingdom of heaven. This turns the world view of the disciples on its side. They believed that the wealthy were part of the Lord’s elect, that their wealth was a sign of the Lord’s favor. They ask Jesus, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus then tells them that while this journey might be impossible for a human, it is possible for the Lord.
Many take these verses as a statement by Christ that earthly wealth is roadblock to eternal life. However, if we expand our perspective beyond the words about how difficult this passage may be, we find that the Lord will not exclude people simply because of their economic status. If a wealthy person lives a righteous life, if they use their wealth to glorify the Lord instead of hoarding it for their own glory, they too can be members of the eternal home. Wealth itself is not the excluding factor. Instead, it is how one responds to God’s call to use their resources to make the world around them a better place for all. Greed, not wealth, is the defining influence that might cause the Lord to close the gate in someone’s face. May we seek to be generous with each other, whether we are rich, poor, or somewhere in between. The Lord measures the wealth of our spirit, not the size of our portfolio!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck
June 16, 2025
A Scary God?
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.”
Psalm 103:13
This morning’s devotional verse was the verse of the day on Biblegateway.com. No doubt this is their slightly belated nod to the fact that yesterday was Father’s Day. The easy way to approach this verse would be to zero in on the relationship that a father has with their children. However, I feel like addressing the second part of the verse that speaks about the Lord having compassion on those who “fear” the Lord.
We read the phrase, “fear the Lord” quite often in Scripture, especially in the Old Testament. If we take a closer look at the OT, we find lots of reasons to be afraid of God. The God of ancient Israel served out a lot of punishment on those who did not adhere to the Word of the Lord. But, as with much of what we read in Scripture, sometimes we need to look a bit deeper. Fear of the Lord can mean outright terror, but often it means something else. It can mean proper respect, reverence, and awe of the Lord.
Think about it this way. We can have a love and awe of nature, but we also need to have a healthy respect for nature. Thunderstorms are awesome but it is not advisable to wave a golf club above your head when lighting is flashing. The ocean is beautiful and spectacular, but it can also be unforgiving and even deadly of you do not respect the power of the sea. It is wise to treat our relationship with the Lord with awe and reverence as well.
Come to think of it, that might be a good way to approach our other relationships too! Think of how different the world would be if each personal interaction were approached with respect and some degree of reverence. Of course, reality and experience might tell us that this is not how things are. There will always be people who lack the basic respect for other people that should be the foundation of our human connection. Perhaps we can be the catalyst of the growth of respect and care in our circles of influence, demonstrating the Lord’s compassion in the way we relate to each other on this day!
Peace,
Pastor Chuck