The Day After

Everywhere you go, christmas (lower case by intention) is now 50% off its full value a little less than 24 hours later. Tomorrow and thereafter, christmas will be reduced even more. Then the lights will dim and trees wither and wait on the curb. Our recycle bins now overflow. It will be a while until someone asks where the Scotch tape is. Good riddance to the monotony of holiday cheer (ka-ching) and merry melodies (repeats and remixes). Even churches take a break from christmas while the cones lose its scents, poinsettias shrivel, and choristers sigh with relief. 364 more days before the next reflection on that 2,000 plus years ago event. For now, goodbye Bing. So long Nat. Farewell senor Feliciano. Ta-ta Santa and Rudolph. Oh yes, and back into the storage manger babe together with your extras. As sure as the Clapper and Chia-pets will return, so will we seek you out again next time around.

Hopefully by then, we'll learn to realize there's a relationship in Christmas between sinner and Savior. And, what Christmas really means and why Christmas is a lot more of what's missing and a lot less of what keeps getting added.

Now, Get It Right!

The church must not preach to promote love for reasons of being prideful with our ability to love.

Hence the enticement through headlines like "We are a friendly church", or "We are not the churchy type", "or "Come and make your momma proud", or "No shoes - no problem", and on and on. Is that love?

Hence the division among parishioners because 'love' is being idolized - i.e. measured on sincerity, sufficiency, even sacrificiality.

Hence the distortion in our focus. The "me-ism" continues to prosper and the Gospel is just a fill to supplement our motives which we rather call our mission. Nonsense!

The church must preach the love of Christ and Christ alone. God the Father is the SOURCE, Christ is the SACRIFICE, and the Holy Spirit is the SUPPLIER.

LOVE is:

1. Our Purpose (Who, me?)

2. For other People (Who, them?)

3. God's Project (Who, us?)

A thought fomularized in the face of recent trials

True faith if harnessed in the TRUTH is not easily repudiated at the absence of _________ (fill in the blank). The keyword is TRUTH. Replace "faith" with "joy", "peace", etc...

'Tis the season ...

A few thoughts ... I have to admit a slight feeling of annoyance at the arrival of the "holidays". You too, I'd suppose. It's almost always the same around this time of the year. The calendar on the wall is thinned to one page. The sights and sounds attempt to steer us off-course from the real reason for the season. Turkey and trees, toys and traffic - what's so great about the "holidays"?

While some retailers advertise "Christmas" over "Holidays", the banner choice is more of stunt than sincerity; tease than truth; promotion than proclamation.

A question was raised at the Feast of the Tabernacles when Jesus took the courts and started teaching. Amazed and astonished, the people asked, "Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Christ?" (John 7:26b) Jesus later replied (v34), "You will look for me, but you will not find me." 


Today as we partake in the festivities, our celebration should be of KNOWING and FINDING Him. Only then will the stress of a distorted celebration be lifted. Happy Thanksgiving!