Happy Anniversary!

Do you remember what you were doing 43 years ago today?  Well I do. At 9 a.m. that morning I walked into a classroom at Shorter College to take my final exam in “Old English Literature.” 

            I have to admit a couple of things. First, this was definitely not my favorite subject.  “Whan that aprille with his shoures soote?”  Yeah. That line is from the prologue to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.  Not my cup of tea.

            But it was even worse on this day. A final examination on December 21 is bad enough alone.  But my wedding rehearsal was at 6 p.m. that very same evening.  To say that I did poorly on that test would be an understatement.  When I returned to classes following Christmas break I learned that I managed a B- for the class thanks to the mercy of Dr. Wingard.  As she later said to me, “I thought you were a bit stressed that morning.”

            What an understatement!  Tina and I have had more than one laugh about what we did to family and friends during the Christmas season of 1979. Who gets married on December 22?  And if things weren’t bad enough, my grandmother was in intensive care in the hospital. She actually passed the day we returned from our honeymoon. 

            Well, tomorrow we celebrate our 43rd anniversary. There were those who said it wouldn’t last. We are quite different, coming from dissimilar backgrounds.  She’s a musician. I’m a jock.  She’s from the city.  I grew up in the country.  I could go on, but you get the picture. 

            What we have had in common, more than anything else, is an abiding faith in Christ and in each other.  We believe that God brought us together, and we made a commitment both to Him and to each other on that dreary winter day 43 years ago. 

            We have discovered that the Lord walks with His children and helps them along the way, through both tragedy and triumph. And we are determined to continue the journey of walking with Him wherever He leads. 

            That’s why Jesus came…to save us and lead us to become who He created us to be.  Merry Christmas to all of you. And to Tina – Happy Anniversary.  I’d do it all over again. 

Jesus Is Coming

By now your tree has been up for a while.  There may be a handful of gifts under it. And if there are children at your home the question has been asked more than once. How many more days?

            When our boys were younger we had a calendar where we moved a mouse every morning to countdown the days to Christmas morning. Very often one boy would run down the stairs and move Mr. Mouse even before visiting the bathroom.  Then the other one would move him again when we went down for breakfast.

            I discovered this one year as I realized Christmas was still a week away, but Mr. Mouse was only three slots from the big day.  You don’t want to see the face of a little boy as you move that mouse backwards and have to explain that he will just have to wait. Waiting is hard.

            I remember the excitement of waiting for Christmas.  One year I was hoping to get a mini-bike.  I was pretty sure that box under the tree was the right size for a helmet.  But I had to wait…and wait…and wait.  I didn’t know if I could do it.

I still love Christmas, and I look forward to it more than most adults. But there is something else that I await with anxious anticipation today, far more than ever before. The Bible reports the first coming of Jesus. The full account is found in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. But then it promises the second coming of Jesus.  You can find those promises from the beginning to the end.

            The Bible goes so far as to predict that some will scoff at the idea, making fun of those who believe. But Jesus said. “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there you may be also.” 

            There is one thing that you can know for sure. Jesus never lied.  Some of His promises have been delayed. But He has never lied, and we can trust Him. He has always been faithful. If He said He would come again, you can count on it. He will come again.

            Between now and the 25th someone is almost certain to ask you, “Are you ready for Christmas?”  But I have an even more important question for you. Are you ready for Jesus to come back?  I pray that you are. 

"God Became Flesh"

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.”  You can almost hear the echo from your childhood when playing hide-and-seek. “Ready or not, here I come.”  And indeed, Christmas will be here in just a little under three weeks.

            Christmas is such an integral part of the Christian faith.  The teaching is that God stepped into His world in a brand new way.  “God became flesh and dwelt among us.” And that changes everything.

            Consider all the things that God did, or could have done, to reach us.  He could have sent messengers.  Indeed He did send the prophets. He could have written us messages. And that is what the Old Testament is.  He could have created a world that reflects His glory, and again He did just that.

            But at the right time, and in the right way, God did even more. He came to earth and lived a perfect sinless life so that we might know that it could be done. But then He did more. He walked up that lonely hill to the cross and died in our place.  He bore our sins when we could carry them no longer.

            The message of Christmas is a wonderful message. God entered our world as had never been done before.  But the message of Christmas must always be coupled with that of Easter. Let us always remember this truth. Baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem for this very purpose; to die in our place for the forgiveness of sin.

            As you celebrate the baby in the manger, remember to worship the Savior on the cross. And always recognize that the cross was not the final word. No, Jesus is alive! And because He is alive, we too can live. To God be the glory.

God Became Flesh

The calendar turns to December tomorrow.  Black Friday, and Cyber Monday are behind us. Some of you may have completed your Christmas shopping by now. My Dad used to do all of his shopping in the same place…the local bank.   $100 bills were a perfect fit for all of his grandchildren. 

            We do lots of things to prepare for Christmas.  Decorations are put up. Gifts are bought. Shows are attended.  No Christmas is complete until I have attended “A Christmas Tradition” at the Savannah Theatre downtown, and the Christmas cantata from our church choir. Those two musical events, outside of the gathering of family, are highlights for me. 

            I am so grateful for the reason that we celebrate at this time of year.  God broke into our world in a way that was unique, and is quite difficult for us to grasp. “God became flesh, and dwelt among us,” is the way that John described it. 

            The teachings of the New Testament are radical, and yet clear.  Jesus is God in the flesh, and yet He is also fully human.  In order to save us He had to be greater than we are. Thus He is truly God. And in order to take our place and receive the punishment for our sin, He had to be one of us.  In His great power and love, God made Him both. 

            I cannot fully explain the incarnation (God becoming flesh). I cannot fully explain the concept of the Trinity.  And yet, by faith, I accept these wondrous concepts.  And I know that the God of all the universe is also the One who was born in a stable, placed in a manger, and who then lived a sinless and perfect life. 

            And I realize that this perfect God-Man was born for one purpose.  He came to die for our sins.  As you celebrate the reality and the joy of Christmas, remember both the grief of Good Friday, and the glory of Resurrection Sunday.  Jesus was born for us. “Glory to God in the highest.” 

Thanks Giving

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  I am reminded of the story in Luke 17 where Jesus healed ten men who were lepers.  There is no way to overemphasize the tragedy that was leprosy in the first century. Not only was one’s health taken away.  They most often lost family, friends, homes, and jobs.  They were quarantined to live with others in the same condition.  And as they watched those whose disease was advanced beyond their own, they saw what they could expect next in their own lives.  It was a horrible way to exist.

            Luke tells us that these men saw Jesus and cried out to Him for mercy.  Jesus instructed them to go to the priests, an act that would take faith on their part. And as they obeyed His command they were instantly and miraculously healed. 

            You cannot imagine the joy that must have filled the hearts of all ten men.  They would be able to hug their children, kiss their wives, return to their jobs, and live life normally. Naturally they were excited and made their way quickly and collectively to see the priests. They had to be declared clean before they could do any of that.

            But then it hit one of the men. “I have to say thanks.” And so he returned to Jesus, fell on his face at the Lord’s feet, and offered gratitude.  Jesus was disappointed, but I doubt He was surprised.  Why did only one return? Where were the other nine?

            Why is it so difficult for us to be thankful? Perhaps we think we have earned, and that we deserve, the good things that we have. Maybe we are just forgetful. Whatever the case, I pray that we will learn to be thankful, and not just one day a year. Let’s live thankful lives.  God has been good.  Give thanks to Him.

I Will Trust

As a pastor I hear a variety of questions, but some come more frequently than others.  One question is fairly common, though it comes with many twists.  “Why did God make (and you fill in the blank)?”  Recently I am hearing quite often, “Why did God make mosquitoes?”

            My answer is very simple. I don’t know.  In fact, I have thought the same thing more than once.  I’ve been fishing, playing golf, and doing yard work when I have been surrounded by those things, sometimes wondering if I might need to hold onto a tree so as not to be carried away.  Ok, I exaggerate.   

            But here’s the deal.  There are things that God does (and has done) that I simply do not understand.  And yet I trust Him.  Why? Because He has proven Himself to be faithful, time after time after time. And not just to me!  He has proven faithful to all generations.  God is good, and He acts on our behalf.  We can trust Him because He has always been true to Himself.

Lauren Daigle, a Christian singer, says it beautifully in the refrain of one of her songs. Speaking to the Lord she says, “When you don’t move the mountains I’m needing you to move; when you don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through; when you don’t give me answers as I cry out to you; I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in you.” Notice she repeats those words three times. Do you suppose it is because she needs that three-fold reminder for herself? 

            There are those times when we don’t have the answers, and we don’t see hope. And still we trust, because we know that God is good. He loves and He wants the best for us. So we trust, even when it might not make sense to some. 

            The psalmist wrote, “Why are you cast down, O my soul…Hope in God…my salvation and my God,” (Psalm 42:11).  No matter the circumstances you are facing, the Lord is with you. You can trust in Him.

Be Diligent. Give Thanks.

Are you enjoying it yet? I’m talking about Christmas music and decorations. You’ve heard it and seen it, right?

            You need to know something about me.  There is not a 63-year-old man in the world who enjoys Christmas more than I do.  I will help put up the trees (yes, plural), hang wreaths, and put up my manger scene in the front yard. 

            And on Friday, November 25 my radio station will be set to Christmas music for the next month. 

But….and this is big.  I plan to wait until the day after Thanksgiving.  As much as I love Christmas, Thanksgiving remains my favorite holiday.  First of all, there is the food.  I do love me some fried turkey, and my wife makes a mean pan of dressing.  And then there are the desserts. Tina makes a derby pie, which is a combination of pecan and chocolate in the same pie. Just wow.

Clearly my appetite can cloud my judgment.  But the thing about the fourth Thursday in Thanksgiving that sets it apart is that we all take the time to give thanks to the One who made us and sustains us.  God has been so good to us all. He is worthy of our praise, of our service, and of our gratitude.

I know that many get their Black Friday shopping started late on Thanksgiving Day.  But please allow me to encourage you in this way. Don’t jump the gun. Don’t forget to give thanks.  God is good. He deserves our thanks. In fact, Paul wrote, “In everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” So be careful. Be diligent. Give thanks. 

Faithful and True

We have, earlier this week, turned the page on another month in the calendar. We are only 60 days away from the year, 2023.  Depending on your perspective, this year has flown by, or it has slowly crept along.  I know this. I find it difficult to comprehend that another year is just around the corner.

            I was born in 1959. I lived almost half of the 20th century.  I suppose it is possible that I could live for half of the 21st century, but I would have to beat several odds to do so.  I am not trying to be morbid.  It is simply that I would be 91 years-old were that to happen.  I’ve had one aunt on my mom’s side, and one uncle on my dad’s side to do that. 

            So, as I consider all of these thoughts, I return to this idea that I saw as the title of a book written by a gentleman who had just retired. “Finishing Well.”  The premise of the book was simple. This man had been a pastor for more than 40 years (I relate to that, having just passed my 40th anniversary as a pastor last month).  He was planning to serve as interim pastor, or supply preacher in the days to come, but he knew that other things would occupy his day to day living. 

            But throughout the book he returned to this idea. He wanted to finish well.  Again, that thought resonates with me.  I have lived for 63 years, have been a Christian for 54 years, was called to ministry 46  years ago, and have been a pastor for the last 40 years.  To this point I have sought to be faithful and true to the Lord. I have been far from perfect. But the Lord has been gracious, and I have been privileged to serve Him in many ways and many places.

            Still, I am discomfited by this thought. One foolish decision could wipe out 40 years of faithful service. I will continue to pray that the Lord will help me to finish well.  I pray the same for you.

Have You Finished Your Christmas Shopping Yet Or Are You Giving Thanks?

Halloween is next week.  And beginning the day after that, the Christmas rush is on.  Oh, I know it’s too early.  We ought to wait until the first week of December. But we have to get ahead and stay ahead of the crowd. So off we go.

            I recall a conversation I had with my mother one July years ago.  “I finished my Christmas shopping today,” she happily declared. “You did what?” I asked.  She repeated, “I finished my Christmas shopping today.”

            Keep in mind that she had her husband (my dad), two children and their spouses, and five grandchildren for whom to shop.  And she was done.  No worries about Black Friday. She had found the deals, and had even wrapped her gifts and placed them in a closet.

            Meekly I said, “But you didn’t even ask me what I wanted.” She quickly replied, “You’ll like it.” I’m still not sure if that was a promise or a threat.  But I didn’t argue.  She was so proud of herself.

            I like to do my Christmas shopping early myself. But by early I mean the first week or so in December. I do not fight the crowds the day after Thanksgiving.  But I am not going to be in the mall on Christmas Eve either. 

            Well, there is a point to my tale.  What are we supposed to do between now and the first of December? Every store you enter for the next two months will have its Christmas displays out front.  It won’t be long before the Yuletide music is playing. I know many will complain. 

            But here is my plan.  No whining. No griping. No!  Until December I am going to allow every Christmas decoration I see be a reminder to me to give thanks.  You see, I love Christmas, but I think that Thanksgiving is a holiday that ought to characterize the true follower of Jesus.  Paul wrote, “In everything give thanks.”  And I want to be that kind of believer. 

            Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes I hurt. But through it all I have learned that God is good, and He has done good things for me. And so I will give thanks.  It may be brief prayer, “Thank you, God.” Or it may be a catalogue of His good actions, “Count Your Many Blessings.” 

            But no matter the case, I’m going to give thanks.  It’s always good for the soul.  Could I encourage you to do the same? 

Truisms and The Truth

It’s funny the things that we believe.  I am often amazed, amused, and alarmed at what some people believe the Bible teaches.  For instance, “God helps those who help themselves.”  Not found in the Bible. Not a biblical concept.  In fact, the Bible teaches the exact opposite. God helps those who realize that they are helpless, and need a Savior. 

            I’ve heard many other statements attributed to the Bible. “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”  “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”  And then there is my all-time favorite. “Let your conscience be your guide.”

            I know many people who quote Jiminy Crickets’ line to say that they will listen to their conscience, and follow their heart. Yes, that’s correct. That quote does not come from the Bible, but from the lips of Jiminy Crickets.  A fun story, but not a source of true theology.

In fact, this line is far removed from what the Bible says. Consider the words from Jeremiah 17:9.“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”  Do you get that?  The prophet says that we cannot trust our hearts. Our hearts will lead us astray. Our consciences can be seared to the point that we will justify all kinds of behavior.

            We are living in a time when a philosophy known as “relativism” has taken center stage in so many lives. You confront that philosophy when you hear someone say, “Well, that may be true for you, but it’s not true for me.”  No. The fact is if something is true, it is true.

            We believe that in science.  The law of gravity is always true.  Other laws of physics always apply. But the fact is that God’s moral laws do not change either.  Don’t let your conscience be your guide. It will lead you astray. Rather, let God’s Word guide you. It will always take you where you need to go.

The Heaven's Declare

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, my wife and I just completed a trip.  We have talked for years about traveling, but up to now we have done very little. Actually, we have traveled more separately than together. I’ve been on mission trips to Ukraine, Nigeria, and several times to Haiti. She has made three trips to Europe with a singing group.  We did go to Guatemala together last year.

            But we have a goal of visiting every state in our country together, and our recent trip helped us move toward that goal.  All total we drove through parts of 15 states as we drove 3200 miles. We saw historical sites and other places of interest.  We stood at the top, and then rode a boat to the bottom of the majestic Niagara Falls.  We saw the Atlantic Ocean, or inlets therefrom, in Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Maine.  And we saw the beginnings of the turning of the leaves from Maine to upstate New York.

            The psalmist said it for us. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”  May I just be as blunt as I can be? How one can view the magnificence of the painted trees in New England, or the thunderous power of the Falls outside of Buffalo, and come to the conclusion that it is all merely a “cosmic accident” befuddles me.  I don’t get it.

            Even if you do not trust in the Christian God, it only makes sense to me that a “higher power” of some sort, one with great intelligence and resourcefulness, created this.  The book of Genesis tells us that God, after each stage of creation, looked down on what He had made and declared, “Behold, it is good.”

            And in that same story the Lord, after creating mankind, considered what He had made and said, “Behold, it is very good.” Then God gave to humans the right and the authority to watch over this world. 

            What a great and powerful God we worship and serve! He is worthy of our praise and honor.   I pray that you will be faithful to give Him the glory He so richly deserves. Give Him your life. It truly belongs to Him.

The Calling

This past Sunday marked a milestone for me.  I began my first ministry as the pastor of Evans Creek Baptist Church in Pearl River, Louisiana on October 3, 1982.  So as of this past Sunday I have been a pastor for 40 years.  And I wasn’t even at my own church! My wife and I worshiped in upstate New York as we were on vacation. 

            I remember the words of one of my seminary professors around the same time I started at Evans Creek. “Fewer than 50% of you will still be in the ministry when you retire.”  And the sad truth is that he was correct.  I am grateful for the grace of God that has allowed me to continue in the work to which He called me.

            At the age of 17, I received an unmistakable calling to be a pastor. It’s not something I wanted to do. I had planned to teach math and coach basketball.  That was my dream, and even as I wrestled with God through my senior year in high school, my main argument with Him was simple. “We need good Christian teachers and coaches.” And indeed, we do. But God had a different plan for me.

            In college I had a double major: philosophy and history.  I don’t even want an estimate as to the value of that on the open market.  I tell you that simply to say that I’m not qualified to do, or be, anything else.  There have been times when I wanted to quit. Ministry can be hard. 

            But oh the blessings of the calling are many.  At this point in my life my greatest blessing in ministry is the privilege to serve the church at Shellman Bluff.  I am so grateful for my calling, and for the Lord’s care over the last 40 years.  I don’t know how many more years I have to serve Him, but I continue to pray for this one thing.  It is my desire to, “finish well.” Would you pray that I might do that? And I will pray the same for you. 

The Journey

If all goes according to the plan, by now Tina and I will be well up the coast in the midst of our vacation.  We are going places we’ve never been, as well as visiting some we have seen before.  There was a baseball game in Washington, D.C. on Monday.  Then there will be stops in Baltimore and Boston, as well as visits to Niagara Falls, the baseball hall of fame, and Gettysburg.  Along the way we hope to see the fall foliage in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire.  We expect to put 3500 or more miles on the car in 10-11 days.  We may need a few days to rest from our vacation.

            In the midst of this trip, I will visit seven states I’ve never visited before.  I am truly excited about it.  We hope to see the place where The Star-Spangled Banner was written, as well as some of the famous sites and ships in and around Boston.  And we look forward to eating some of the local cuisine in each place.

            We’ve been planning this trip for several months now.  Seeing the Braves play in Washington, as well as Cooperstown are mainly for me. Fort McHenry and lobster in Maine are highlights for Tina. 

            For years we’ve talked about traveling.  Since Tina has retired from teaching, we are able to follow a completely different schedule.  We hope this is just the first of many journeys around this country, along with perhaps trip to Europe at some point.  It really is exciting to consider.

            But I know that I’m on another journey today as well. The ultimate destination is the great house of God in heaven.  I started that voyage at the age of nine, and I will complete it when the Lord calls me home. Along the way there have been all kinds of sights and sounds.  The day will come when the journey ends.  Are you ready for your final destination?  God is calling you.  It is up to you to answer.  Don’t miss it.

Consistency Versus Inconsistency

I enjoy golf. I suppose it is my favorite hobby at this time in my life. I have always been competitive, playing baseball, basketball and softball in my younger days.  I am far from an accomplished golfer, but I enjoy it, even if it is the hardest game I’ve played.

            Golf is fascinating.  I can hit a great shot, one that is equal to any hit by the best pro in the world.  That’s not bragging.  I have made three holes in one.  That is as good as anyone else can do!

            But then…oh, I can hit some awful shots.  Two of my favorites are the shank and the “duck hook.” The shank goes right off the club at two o’clock, usually less than 50 yards.  I’ve been told the cause, but I try not to listen to the explanation. It’s too painful to hear. For me, the “duck hook” looks like a small plane coming in for a landing at a hard left angle.  Most of the time those balls are never retrieved from either the pond or the woods. 

            Here’s the deal with golf and me.  My greatest consistency is my lack of consistency.  I will smack one ball right on target, high and majestic, and everyone in my group will say, “Good shot.”  And then I will hit one of those shots, and everyone in the group will say, “Oh,” or they will simply look away so as not to make eye contact.  Good shot, bad shot, good shot, horrible shot…it’s really not the best way to play the game.

            My golf game is similar to what James describes as the way some talk.  He writes, “Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing.” And then he concludes, “Brothers, it ought not to be so.”  James is telling us that we should not speak out of both sides of our mouths. We need to be consistent. 

            I would love to be more consistent on the golf course. It would make the game more enjoyable.  But even more I want to be more consistent in my conversation.  I want to true.  I want to be kind.  I want to be godly.  I pray the same for you. Let us be careful to be more consistent in our walk with the Lord.  Keep this in mind. People are watching.

9-11

9-11.  Just the numbers alone remind us of that day some 21 years ago this past Sunday.  Two planes flew into the two towers of the World Trade Center, a third crashed into the Pentagon, and a fourth fell into a field in Pennsylvania thanks to the heroic efforts of several passengers. 

            Do you remember where you were that day?  I was sitting in a restaurant just north of Detroit, having breakfast with a group of pastors. That was our regular Tuesday morning practice. We had no idea how our world was about to change that day.

            I remember the owner of the restaurant coming to the back room where we were eating and laughing. With an ashen look on his face he said, “They are attacking us.”  In just a moment we were crowded around a 13-inch black and white TV, along with 20 or 30 other customers.  Even then we were not sure what was taking place. Before long we were all praying together for our country.

            In the weeks that followed, churches across America were full.  People were praying.  People were seeking God.  What has happened since then?

            The truth is, we often cry out to God in times of crisis.  When life is falling apart around us, we seek for Someone who can truly help us. Instinctively we realize that only God can fill that bill. And yet, when life gets easier, we have a tendency to forget Him. 

            May I encourage you to place your trust in the Lord, and to call on Him, both in times of trouble and times of peace?  We need Him, no matter.  And He is always available to us.  “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This is the promise of God to which you can cling. He will never leave you.  Thank you, Lord, for that promise.

The Best-Selling Book

“Do you understand what you are reading?” These were the words that Philip asked the man from Ethiopia.  “How can I, unless someone guides me,” was the response, and from that point Philip began to explain to him the meaning of the Scriptures.

            When I read those verses I am reminded of conversations I have had with folks along the way. “I’ve tried reading the Bible, but I just can’t understand it.”  And I get that.  Even Peter wrote about Paul, “There are some things in his letters that are hard to understand.” 

            On the other hand, theologians have a word to describe the Bible. It is perspicuity.  In English the word means plain to understand, or free from obscurity. So theologians speak of the perspicuity of the Scriptures.

            What is meant is simple.  The Bible can be understood.  There are places that are not obvious to all. There are passages that are challenging to discern. But the overall message of the Bible is clear, and can be comprehended.

            Do you understand what the Bible says? Or is it a challenging book that you consider to be beyond your comprehension. I would like to offer you a challenge.

            Commit yourself to reading the Bible, seeking better to understand what it is saying to you.  That is something that will benefit every person reading his column.

            Find a modern, readable translation. Set aside a specific time each day for reading. Pray before you start, asking God for wisdom and help. Pray when you are done, asking God to help you apply what you have learned.  Don’t hurry. Take your time and meditate on what you have read.

            And finally, consider this. The point of Bible study/reading is not more knowledge. It is life change.  We all need to have a better understanding of what the Bible says. But the purpose for reading is to do what it says. The Bible is not meant simply to be read and enjoyed. It is to be lived. 

            The Bible, by every measure, is the best-selling book of all time.  My prayer is that it will become the best-lived book of all time.

Closure

Today is a day of closure…literally.  Today my sister and I will close on the sale of my dad’s home.  It’s been just a little over a year since dad passed away. This will be the last thing we do to complete the division of his estate. Closure.

            The house we are selling is not our childhood home.  Mom and Dad sold that, and moved into this place in 2000.  We had teenage children by this time. So there is not the type of raw emotion of letting go of the place where we grew up. I never went to this home following a date, or a breakup, or after my final high school basketball game. This is not where I spent the summers of my college years, nor the place I put on my tuxedo on my wedding day. 

            Still, many memories were made at the home on Fortune Drive in Dacula, Georgia.  Christmases when Mom and Dad were still healthy.  Trips to visit when my family lived in the upper Midwest.  And then, this is where Mom spent her final days. She passed away peacefully in her sleep in a hospital bed in the family room.  And, of course, it’s where Dad lived until he could no longer walk, and had to move in with my sister and her husband.

            Yes, there are many memories there. And by the end of the day, it will belong to another family. I imagine more memories will be made in the future, just not for my family. 

            God has allowed us the privilege to live in relationship with each other.  He created us, “in His image,” which, in part, means that we have the ability to relate to others.  And He has called us to love one another. 

            Love is hard. Love can lead to a broken heart. But love is worth it.  Today, I am a bit sentimental as I remember my family. I am grateful for the legacy, and I pray that perhaps my own sons and granddaughters will one day look back with fondness at the legacy I have left. I pray, in the meantime, that I will finish well. And I pray the same for you. 

First College Test and Perseverance

Last week I told you a little about my first week at college.  Today I tell you another true story that happened that first month.  First a little background. High school came easy for me.  I inherited my dad’s ability to read and remember, so I always did well in the classroom.  When I moved to college I expected the same.

            And so when the professor announced that we would have, “a little quiz,” at the next class session, I was not alarmed. She told us to read chapters 3-5, and so that afternoon I “thoroughly skimmed” those chapters, and headed to the gym to play basketball.

            Thursday afternoon came and the professor handed out a 75 question, fill-in-the-blank test. Every sentence was a direct quote from the textbook.  I quickly realized I was in over my head.  What a disaster!

            At the next class section she had our tests graded, and announced that she would return them in order, worst to the best score.  I started gaining confidence as my name was not called for some time. Finally she said, “Congratulations, Mr. Butler. Yours was the third highest grade.” And then she handed me a paper with a large 40 written in red at the top.  Another guy scored a 62. And then there was Ruth. She made a 98. 

            That was my official welcome to college.  It was worse for some of my classmates. I learned eight of them packed up their stuff and went home that week.  When we returned for second semester, twenty were no longer enrolled. 

            I knew I couldn’t quit.  I made a B in the class, and I did graduate on Mother’s Day of 1981.  I didn’t tell my parents about that test until the end of the semester. I had to persevere.  Quitting was not an option. 

            In the Christian life quitting is not an option either. God has called us to stay with it. Think of the Old Testament heroes. They kept going in the face of adversity. And certainly our Lord and Savior, Jesus, walked up Calvary’s hill to face the ultimate punishment for our sins.

            The Scriptures say, “He who perseveres to the end will be saved.” That’s not a prescription for works salvation, but a reminder that those truly saved will stay with it. You will face adversity and trouble. You will be tempted to give up. God calls you to stay at it, and promises to help. I close today with the same admonition as last week. Trust Him, even when you cannot see Him at work.

Going to College

It was 45 years ago this Fall that we loaded up my clothes and most of my possessions and made the drive from Dacula to Rome, Georgia. I was going to college.  That was a big deal back in the day.  I was the first from my extended family to move away to school.  My parents were so proud. I was both excited and frightened at the same time.

  I remember well my first week in Rome.  To begin with, my assigned roommate failed to show.  My first two nights on campus were the loneliest times I had faced to that point. I was blessed to find a roommate who would become a lifelong friend, but those first two days were discouraging.

Freshman orientation lasted through Wednesday morning, and we were finally allowed to register for classes that afternoon.  I somehow managed to be late, and was unable to get any of the classes I planned to take.  And then I spent double what I expected in the bookstore.  I have to admit that I thought about going home and looking for work in a factory.

I’m so glad I resisted that urge. Turns out that the schedule I thought I wanted would have been overwhelming.  The classes that I took had the breaks I would need to acclimate to college life.  I had time to study, rest, and eat lunch.

The truth is that God was keeping His promises to me even when I did not realize it.  He had promised to lead me in the paths I needed to go, and He had promised never to leave me nor forsake me.  By guiding me (at times against my will) through the process of class registration, He kept me from being overwhelmed by the first couple of weeks of school.

I want to remind you that God has promised to care for His children.  He will not leave you. You are never alone. And there are times when He will change your plans in ways that you protect you even from yourself. 

How often do you get frustrated when things do not go your way? Remember that the Lord is in control.  He is always there. Trust Him, even when you can’t see Him at work.

“I Can Do It Myself. . . Not!”

You may have noticed this, but just in case not, let me inform you. It’s hot!  Yeah. I have an extreme grasp of the obvious.  Listen, I know it’s August in southeast coastal Georgia. It’s supposed to be hot here. 

            And I know this, too. We all talk about the weather, but we never do anything about it. But there is an obvious reason for that. We can’t do anything about it. Oh, I can pray for rain when my garden and grass are withering.  But I cannot make it rain.  I can pray for sun when the picnic is planned. But I cannot make the sun shine. And neither can you.

            I think we all know this. But isn’t it funny. Many people have convinced themselves that they can do something much harder than changing the weather, to make themselves right with God. “If I just pray more, or work harder, or attend church more often, then God will accept me.” But the Bible is so clear on this issue. It is by grace alone, through faith alone that we come to God. 
            Paul wrote, “For by grace are you saved, through faith…it is a gift of God.”  Why is it difficult for us to accept that truth? Why is it that so many people spend much time and effort seeking to do it on their own?  Well, that’s just our nature.

            I had one son who played most of his younger days of baseball and soccer with untied shoes, because in his words, “I can do it myself.” And indeed, he could get his shoelaces tied in semi-knot that would not hold. But two trips down the soccer field, or one time running to first base, and those shoes were now loose.  But let me tie them? “No, I can do it myself.”

            God offers the gift of grace to all who will trust in Him.  Too many people respond to Him, “No, I can do it myself.” God is good enough to continue to offer us His love.  I pray that you will receive it, if you have not yet. After all, you can’t do it yourself. Please look at our Home page and scroll to the bottom of the page to “How to Become a Christian” for more information.