The Christmas celebration has come to an end and if you live in the north you are looking forward to several weeks of abbreviated frosty days and seemingly endless cold, dark nights. There is one bright spot as we look to the dreary days of January, the obnoxious "Christmas" songs ore gone for a another year. I am not speaking of the traditional hymns or even some of the new celebration songs surrounding the Christ child. There is always room for another composition of adoration for the new born King and Messiah of Israel. I am speaking primarily of those songs that have invaded the season and are broadcast from so many radio stations and plague your sensibilities in every retail outlet and shopping mall. Songs with horrible messages that wound the spirit and suck life out of one's soul. It is done so covertly we barely take notice. It appears the years of exposure have left us immune or insensitive to the attack. We simply absorb the lyrics without considering the messages of the pseudo Christmas songs. I am beginning to think "Santa Baby" is a conspiratorial plot to penetrate our cerebral cortex leaving us with the odd desire to add "get a lobotomy" to our Christmas wish list.
These holiday songs carry a quiet message of destruction. Take the Rudolf song. A song to teach our children that you must fit the norm to be accepted. Any abnormality means no one will play with you. Your only hope of acceptance is if your "handicap" is now of benefit to the collective. And then it is what you can do for them that they love, not for you or for who you are. Welcome years of therapy or a life time of trying to earn acceptance. Frosty the Snowman teaches our kids the valuable lesson that you better be quick to play with a friend for in a few short weeks they will be dead. All you have left is a puddle, an old silk hat and a corn cob pipe you should not be smoking. Yes, my child, death awaits when the sun comes out. What a happy Christmas thought. Speaking of therapy, What of the child who sees his mother having and affair with Santa Claus? There she is making out with Santa under the mistletoe while dad is away. Wink, wink, nod, nod, we are to assume that Santa really is dad but how do we know? The child certainly does not. What a traumatic thing for a child to deal with, thinking his mom is unfaithful, and at Christmas time.
Having brought up Santa, does it bother you that at any other time of year a jolly fat guy with a white beard would be charged with breaking and entering but now we leave him cookies? Like he needs the calories. Then there is the warning that Santa is coming to town and he doesn't like people who cry, so come on kids, suppress those emotions. Santa also seeing you when you are sleeping, so what about the shower? That is down right creepy. He also has conditional love so if you fall into the naughty list, no presents for you. And what makes you naughty? This determination comes from a guy who sneaks a peek at you while you are sleeping. Is it any wonder the kid just gives up and boldly declares, "I'm gettin nothin for Christmas, caus I ain't been nottin but bad." Why try when you might end up on the arbitrary naughty list and get nothing anyway? Inspiring messages to our children indeed. Oh, and don't forget Santa's snow dependence. If it doesn't snow on Christmas, how will Santa ever get to us. No wounder Bing was dreaming of a white Christmas. No snow, no Santa. It appears Santa only comes to the northern hemisphere. Wish all you want, there is no snow coming to Kenya, Sao Paulo, or Sydney. So, apparently no Santa either.
Just a couple of more thoughts as we learn that Elvis will have a Blue Christmas and another lonely soul will be home for Christmas, but "only in my dreams". How is that for depressing? Christmas is a time to highlight being abandoned, alone, and isolated. Add to this the "Christmas Shoes" song. One of those songs that would make Mr. Scrooge and the Grinch share a hanky. The song of a dying mom and a devoted son who leaves her bedside to go buy her shoes. Why? So she will look pretty for Jesus. Add in the heartless retail villain who won't cut the kid a break as the boy pours out every bit of change he owns to get the shoes. Love that Christmas spirit. Should someone tell the kid shoes nether get you to glory nor can they go with you? Still a stranger comes to the rescue and mom gets the shoes. And I get as teary eyed as I do when Linus recites Luke Chapter 2. Not a bad story, just a bit weepy, with a heartless guy, and some odd theology that troubles me a bit.
I conclude my Christmas song rant with a song that simply confuses me."Do you hear what I hear" has more questions than one would ever want to deal with at Christmas time. We simply sing it with our brains in neutral. We begin with the "Night Wind" talking to the little lamb. If you accept that the word for wind in both Greek and Hebrew can mean "spirit" we have a message from the Spirit concerning the birth of the Child. This is a reasonable thought, however, why is He talking to a lamb? Is there no one else who will listen? From there we go to the lamb talking to the shepherd boy. I guess this is like that Baalm and the donkey story where the donkey speaks. Here the shepherd boy has a conversation with a sheep and that is normal? How long has this been going on? The shepherd boy believes the little sheep and bounds off to the mighty king living in a palace warm. We are to believe that a shepherd boy with a message from a sheep has immediate access to the mighty king. How likely is that, really? The message from the shepherd boy is that the child "shivers in the cold". What does that say about Joseph and Mary? Give the kid some covers, throw a log on the fire, pick Him up and cuddle Him to your chest. What kind of parents are these? The shepherd's solution to avoid hypothermia? A wool blanket, a fleece? No, tuck some silver and gold around the shivering baby. A bunch of mettle will raise his body temperature I am sure. Hearing the news that the Child shivers in the cold, the mighty king, in his palace warm, says, "Pray for peace people everywhere!" How helpful is that? It is a reflection of James 2:16, "Be warmed and filled" as you walk away and do nothing to help. This wonderful Christmas song tells us Joseph, Mary, a shepherd boy, who knows what it is like to be out in the night watching sheep, have no clue as how to keep a child warm and the mighty king sits in his warm palace and does nothing to help. What a message. Kind of makes you feel warm all over, doesn't it?
Perhaps, I would be better off to just mindlessly sing the songs and suppress the teacher that lies within. I would write a little more but with warm weather on its way. Frosty will soon be puddling on his death bed so I'd best go play while I can.
Have a Happy New Year!
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Monday, December 25, 2017
Forgotten Heroes or God's Mercy on Mary.
I honestly love this time of year. I am aware of the commercialism and the fact that this is the celebration of the first advent, the birth of our Lord and not His precise birth date. However, I enjoy the lights and the trees and the crisp air. For at least twenty-five years I have done an Advent series leading up to Christmas Day. As an aside, I also do a resurrection series leading up to the Resurrection so there is balance in my preaching. I have had a few of these seventy-five to eighty lessons share a common theme, but I have never reused a message. There is always something new to consider. This year I spoke on the forgotten Heroes, the background folks from the Christmas story. People like Zacharias,Elizabeth, Simeon, and the messengers God sent to alert a few chosen people of the birth of His Son. In the process I spent some time looking at the visit of the angel, Gabriel, to the young maiden, Mary. It was in this exchange that I was given a fresh appreciation for the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father. Tucked into Gabriel's message is a profound message for us as well. Just a reminder of the tenderness of the God who loved us an sent His Son, Emmanuel, God with us, on that first Christmas Day.
In order to appreciate the power of the angel's message you must do two things. First, you must remove Mary's halo and allow her to be just a young Jewish girl who is looking forward to becoming the wife of Joseph, the town carpenter. Second, you must drop out of your American Culture and become a Jew form 2000 years ago. and for good measure, pretend you never read this account before. You are now Mary. A teen-aged young woman.Your marriage was arranged, as all marriages were, by your parents some time ago. A binding covenant had been publicly signed and a dowry paid. All that remained was for you to become of marriageable age and for Joseph to have a home and business to support you and the family you would build together. That time was drawing near. Today begins like any other day until you have an angelic visitation. The account is recorded as follows:
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her (Luke 1:26-38).
Mary is a Godly young woman. She is remarkably well versed in Scripture. Just consider how many verses and books she quotes from when she shares her praise with Elizabeth. She has just been told that she will give birth to the long awaited Messiah. Her son will reign on David's throne forever and ever. Quite a bit to take in as a teenage girl. She asked her obvious question. "How can this be as I have never known (had sexual relations with) a man?" Gabriel explains that this will be a supernatural God thing. And the child she bears will be called the Son of God. Mary accepts the assignment and the angel Gabriel departs. An amazing story of an amazing young woman.
As you read the story were you touched by the tender thing that God does for this young virgin? Did you see the depth of God's compassion and concern for a unwed girl who is to be found with child before her wedding night? She is a human woman. She is not "Super Girl" or some special genetically enhanced being. She is a young woman about to go through her first pregnancy as an unwed mother with a story that no one in town has been made aware of. And then there is Joseph. How could he ever accept her story? With all that in mind God does the most tender and compassionate thing He can do. Were your emotions stirred as you read verse 36? Let me highlight it for you as it may have been lost in the text and with the familiarity you may have with the story, "Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren." If you did not catch what God did, Mary did. See Luke 1:39-40, "Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth."
God tells Mary there is a place to go. There are only two people on the whole planet who know who the Angel Gabriel is. There are only two people on the planet who know of the soon arrival, of the birth of Messiah. And one of the two cannot talk. Gabriel's message from God the Father is, Mary, you are not alone. You have a close relative who knows of the power of God, especially in matters of conception. She is a short distance away. Mary obviously knows of the couple, The Godly priest and his wife living close by in the hill country of Judah. Mary understands and heads to the house of Zacharias and Elizabeth. She is greeted with exuberance and confirmation that the child she now bears is Emmanuel. She spends three months there with no questions to answer and time to get through those first months of pregnancy. Now, I do not know if Mary had morning sickness, odd cravings, or got nausea from the smell of gefilte fish. However, Our Lord did enter this would as a baby and He grew inside Mary's womb like any other child. So, just maybe Mary shared in some of the joys and challenges of those first months. The point is, God in His tender compassion did not have her go through this alone. She and Elizabeth shared a sacred bond that no one else could. Each carrying a son announced by God's Angel Gabriel, before they even conceived. Each aware of the hurtful things people can say. Each aware that the truth about their pregnancy would not be believed by those around them.
Mary returns home, after three months of comfort, encouragement, understanding, and the blessings of being with the older Elizabeth to face the town that would not understand. To face the man who was under a covenant to take her as his wife. To know an answer that could not be explained. God's mercy stretches to Joseph with a dream of an Angelic messenger telling him why Mary is with child. He does not hesitate to believe the angel and quickly takes Mary as his wife, knowing the questions would not go away.
We could play the "what if" game here. What if God had not directed Mary to Elizabeth? How challenging would those three months have been? Instead, in His great compassion and mercy the Lord gives Mary and Elizabeth each other. Mary had the comfort of an older woman who absolutely believed her, without question. And Elizabeth had a friend who understood the importance of her little one coming in the power and spirit of Elijah. It also gave her someone to talk to, Remember, Zacharias wasn't saying much.
The Story of our Lord's birth has a number of forgotten or overlooked heroes if we read the familiar passages too quickly. Take some time this Christmas Day, or even in the days to come, and reread the stories, Read them a bit more slowly. Think about the people and the times they lived in. Perhaps you will see the wonder of God's tenderness and grace in a new or surprising way. Merry Christmas and may the peace of God keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.
In order to appreciate the power of the angel's message you must do two things. First, you must remove Mary's halo and allow her to be just a young Jewish girl who is looking forward to becoming the wife of Joseph, the town carpenter. Second, you must drop out of your American Culture and become a Jew form 2000 years ago. and for good measure, pretend you never read this account before. You are now Mary. A teen-aged young woman.Your marriage was arranged, as all marriages were, by your parents some time ago. A binding covenant had been publicly signed and a dowry paid. All that remained was for you to become of marriageable age and for Joseph to have a home and business to support you and the family you would build together. That time was drawing near. Today begins like any other day until you have an angelic visitation. The account is recorded as follows:
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!" But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her (Luke 1:26-38).
Mary is a Godly young woman. She is remarkably well versed in Scripture. Just consider how many verses and books she quotes from when she shares her praise with Elizabeth. She has just been told that she will give birth to the long awaited Messiah. Her son will reign on David's throne forever and ever. Quite a bit to take in as a teenage girl. She asked her obvious question. "How can this be as I have never known (had sexual relations with) a man?" Gabriel explains that this will be a supernatural God thing. And the child she bears will be called the Son of God. Mary accepts the assignment and the angel Gabriel departs. An amazing story of an amazing young woman.
As you read the story were you touched by the tender thing that God does for this young virgin? Did you see the depth of God's compassion and concern for a unwed girl who is to be found with child before her wedding night? She is a human woman. She is not "Super Girl" or some special genetically enhanced being. She is a young woman about to go through her first pregnancy as an unwed mother with a story that no one in town has been made aware of. And then there is Joseph. How could he ever accept her story? With all that in mind God does the most tender and compassionate thing He can do. Were your emotions stirred as you read verse 36? Let me highlight it for you as it may have been lost in the text and with the familiarity you may have with the story, "Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren." If you did not catch what God did, Mary did. See Luke 1:39-40, "Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth."
God tells Mary there is a place to go. There are only two people on the whole planet who know who the Angel Gabriel is. There are only two people on the planet who know of the soon arrival, of the birth of Messiah. And one of the two cannot talk. Gabriel's message from God the Father is, Mary, you are not alone. You have a close relative who knows of the power of God, especially in matters of conception. She is a short distance away. Mary obviously knows of the couple, The Godly priest and his wife living close by in the hill country of Judah. Mary understands and heads to the house of Zacharias and Elizabeth. She is greeted with exuberance and confirmation that the child she now bears is Emmanuel. She spends three months there with no questions to answer and time to get through those first months of pregnancy. Now, I do not know if Mary had morning sickness, odd cravings, or got nausea from the smell of gefilte fish. However, Our Lord did enter this would as a baby and He grew inside Mary's womb like any other child. So, just maybe Mary shared in some of the joys and challenges of those first months. The point is, God in His tender compassion did not have her go through this alone. She and Elizabeth shared a sacred bond that no one else could. Each carrying a son announced by God's Angel Gabriel, before they even conceived. Each aware of the hurtful things people can say. Each aware that the truth about their pregnancy would not be believed by those around them.
Mary returns home, after three months of comfort, encouragement, understanding, and the blessings of being with the older Elizabeth to face the town that would not understand. To face the man who was under a covenant to take her as his wife. To know an answer that could not be explained. God's mercy stretches to Joseph with a dream of an Angelic messenger telling him why Mary is with child. He does not hesitate to believe the angel and quickly takes Mary as his wife, knowing the questions would not go away.
We could play the "what if" game here. What if God had not directed Mary to Elizabeth? How challenging would those three months have been? Instead, in His great compassion and mercy the Lord gives Mary and Elizabeth each other. Mary had the comfort of an older woman who absolutely believed her, without question. And Elizabeth had a friend who understood the importance of her little one coming in the power and spirit of Elijah. It also gave her someone to talk to, Remember, Zacharias wasn't saying much.
The Story of our Lord's birth has a number of forgotten or overlooked heroes if we read the familiar passages too quickly. Take some time this Christmas Day, or even in the days to come, and reread the stories, Read them a bit more slowly. Think about the people and the times they lived in. Perhaps you will see the wonder of God's tenderness and grace in a new or surprising way. Merry Christmas and may the peace of God keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Monday, December 18, 2017
"Tom and the Trust Factor"
Even though I have done a few posts on my friendship and remembrance of Tom Earl I feel a bit compelled to write one more. To be honest, it stems from the odd question of "why" that has haunted me a bit. I think fondly of Tom and really do miss him. I miss what we shared together as two guys trying to walk along with Jesus and finding ourselves, all to often, a bit off of the straight and narrow only to be drawn back by the grace of God. What haunted me was the truth that I was not sure why I felt such a bond with this man. Sure we were Elders together. Served together. We loved our wives and children and shared some of the frustrations and challenges that go with being human. Yet, I knew that there was something more than that. I just could not settle what it was in my mind or spirit. I believe the Lord knew of this unsettled feeling and the disquiet that touched my soul. He found an unusual way to help resolve this odd heart issue.
Strangely enough, the answer came from the last episode of the television series, "Enterprise". I am a bit of a Star Trek addict. I own all the movies. I have viewed the original series numerous times. I moved on to the "Next Generation", "Voyager", and "Deep Space Nine". There was Captain Kirk, Captain Picard, Captain Janeway, and Captain Sisko. I have viewed the bulk of all these episodes. However, Captain Archer never caught my attention. Then we dumped TV and subscribed to Netflix. There before me was the complete series "Enterprise". My Star Trek addiction returned. How does any of this have to do with my friend Tom? Well, it brought into focus the difference between a trusted friend verses a friend I can trust. Let me explain.
I have shared with a number of people that I shared a trust with Tom that let both of us be real. It was not that we met weekly to share in that trust but simply knew, without a doubt, it was there. In the last episode of "Enterprise" the writers combined the cast of "Next Generation" with the "Enterprise" crew. Forgive me if you are unfamiliar with the Star Trek series, however, that will not be necessary when I get to the odd point of God's revelation to me through this episode. In the story Commander Riker is faced with a difficult decision to make. Counselor Troy suggests he visit the crew of the first Starship Enterprise to gain some perspective. He does so via the holodeck where he can interact with the original crew. In one of the last scenes Riker poses as the ship's cook and has a conversation with Chief Engineer Charles "Trip" Tucker, who is also best friends with the Enterprise Captain, Jonathan Archer. Trip is sharing his admiration for his captain when he tells Commander Riker just why he feels this way. This quote captures and answers the question that has hidden in the shadows of the "why" for Tom Earl. Trip says, "I can count on one hand the number of people I trust. [not like] I only trust you like you aren't lying to me or I trust you won't steal my money. But, I'm talking about the kind of trust where you know someone's not going to hurt you no matter what. Where you know they will always be there for you no matter how bad things get, You ever know anybody like that?"
Yes, Trip, I knew a man like that. There have been and are a number of people I trust. People that I know would never lie or take something from me. People that would support me and even come to my defense. But very few that would never leave no matter how bad things got. I have been in church ministry for over forty years and most of that time it has been pretty positive and rewarding. However, there have been a few times when the leadership of the church was assaulted and I among them. In many of these instances, men I trusted, walked away. They didn't desert me in particular, they had just had enough of the battle and left the conflict behind. Leaving me, and the flock they were called to care for, behind as well. Tom didn't do that. There were times when those who disagreed came after me with a vengeance that few knew. On the surface they played nice, but in private and covertly, they came after me and even my children with little thought to the damage they accomplished. In the midst of these times it would have been easy to walk away, but my trusted friend never did. He actually made the suggestion, on an occasion, that I find a new ministry and leave the conflict behind. But, I could never leave and break that trust with him either.
Trusted friends are not easy to find. Actually, it seems you just find each other. You never intend to, God just extends grace to let you know there is someone who, like Him, will never leave or forsake you. They do not ignore your faults. They help you become better than you were. Like Trip, I can count these on one hand and the hand got smaller with Tom's passing.
So thanks to Star Trek, I understand a little better what I have lost. Perhaps, it is better and more honest to say, it helped me know what I had found. A trusted friend who helped me move upward on the path to glory. He just got a bit of a head start on me. I'll catch up in God's timing. Until them I just have one more thing to be thankful for. A trusted friend, no matter how long it lasts, is a gift from God. Merry Christmas Tom. See you soon.
Strangely enough, the answer came from the last episode of the television series, "Enterprise". I am a bit of a Star Trek addict. I own all the movies. I have viewed the original series numerous times. I moved on to the "Next Generation", "Voyager", and "Deep Space Nine". There was Captain Kirk, Captain Picard, Captain Janeway, and Captain Sisko. I have viewed the bulk of all these episodes. However, Captain Archer never caught my attention. Then we dumped TV and subscribed to Netflix. There before me was the complete series "Enterprise". My Star Trek addiction returned. How does any of this have to do with my friend Tom? Well, it brought into focus the difference between a trusted friend verses a friend I can trust. Let me explain.
I have shared with a number of people that I shared a trust with Tom that let both of us be real. It was not that we met weekly to share in that trust but simply knew, without a doubt, it was there. In the last episode of "Enterprise" the writers combined the cast of "Next Generation" with the "Enterprise" crew. Forgive me if you are unfamiliar with the Star Trek series, however, that will not be necessary when I get to the odd point of God's revelation to me through this episode. In the story Commander Riker is faced with a difficult decision to make. Counselor Troy suggests he visit the crew of the first Starship Enterprise to gain some perspective. He does so via the holodeck where he can interact with the original crew. In one of the last scenes Riker poses as the ship's cook and has a conversation with Chief Engineer Charles "Trip" Tucker, who is also best friends with the Enterprise Captain, Jonathan Archer. Trip is sharing his admiration for his captain when he tells Commander Riker just why he feels this way. This quote captures and answers the question that has hidden in the shadows of the "why" for Tom Earl. Trip says, "I can count on one hand the number of people I trust. [not like] I only trust you like you aren't lying to me or I trust you won't steal my money. But, I'm talking about the kind of trust where you know someone's not going to hurt you no matter what. Where you know they will always be there for you no matter how bad things get, You ever know anybody like that?"
Yes, Trip, I knew a man like that. There have been and are a number of people I trust. People that I know would never lie or take something from me. People that would support me and even come to my defense. But very few that would never leave no matter how bad things got. I have been in church ministry for over forty years and most of that time it has been pretty positive and rewarding. However, there have been a few times when the leadership of the church was assaulted and I among them. In many of these instances, men I trusted, walked away. They didn't desert me in particular, they had just had enough of the battle and left the conflict behind. Leaving me, and the flock they were called to care for, behind as well. Tom didn't do that. There were times when those who disagreed came after me with a vengeance that few knew. On the surface they played nice, but in private and covertly, they came after me and even my children with little thought to the damage they accomplished. In the midst of these times it would have been easy to walk away, but my trusted friend never did. He actually made the suggestion, on an occasion, that I find a new ministry and leave the conflict behind. But, I could never leave and break that trust with him either.
Trusted friends are not easy to find. Actually, it seems you just find each other. You never intend to, God just extends grace to let you know there is someone who, like Him, will never leave or forsake you. They do not ignore your faults. They help you become better than you were. Like Trip, I can count these on one hand and the hand got smaller with Tom's passing.
So thanks to Star Trek, I understand a little better what I have lost. Perhaps, it is better and more honest to say, it helped me know what I had found. A trusted friend who helped me move upward on the path to glory. He just got a bit of a head start on me. I'll catch up in God's timing. Until them I just have one more thing to be thankful for. A trusted friend, no matter how long it lasts, is a gift from God. Merry Christmas Tom. See you soon.
Monday, December 4, 2017
Should We Leave the Leaves Alone?
Is it Biblical to be raking the leaves out of your yard? Is it more an act of futility or a subtle sign of rebellion against God? I know some of you are reading this and wondering if I have suffered some minor brain damage or if this is one of those odd sarcastic posts that occasionally find their way to my blog. However, I think we might want to give this a little thought and see if there are lessons under the surface that we have missed before we leave the subject of leaves behind.
Leaves were designed by God to decorate trees, provide shade, and give the trees an opportunity to photosynthesize and survive. We could go into a tangent on the wonders of creation or the remarkable faith of evolutionist who believe trees and leaves came to us by random chance. For the sake of this argument we will go with the "God of all creation made trees of diverse kinds". Some of them came equipped with leaves. By the Lord's design many trees shed their leaves come fall. I have lived in the states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Kansas, Maryland, Virginia, and New York. They all have trees and leaves, admittedly some more than others. Sorry Kansas. Most of the trees drop their leaves come autumn. True, there are a few obstinate oaks that hang on to theirs until spring, but they are clearly the minority. One might ask why this is so. Some theorize that it is due to their sap retreating to the root systems when the weather turns chilly so the leaves lose their grip. Perhaps, it is to form a natural blanket to keep the roots warm. I think it may be a defense mechanism to avoid having wet snow stick to the leaves causing limbs to break off and get tangled in electric lines. I cannot think of anyone who would want their limbs to break and get zapped by electric lines. The trees are wise enough to shed their leaves and avoid the pain.
From my early years leaves were to be raked and carted away to be burned or dumped into the woods behind our house. I have come to question this practice. It seems to go against nature, against the divine design. I mean, God intended the leaves to fall off on purpose. They rot and add nutrients to the soil. We remove them and then add artificial fertilizer to the ground after the leaves are taken away. Leaf removal has become quite the process. We can purchase rakes, leaf blowers, nifty sweeping mechanisms to push or drag along behind a lawn tractor. Then there are the industrial strength vacuums to just suck the majestic colors into a box truck. We are conflicted as we marvel at the colors God paints across the landscapes of autumn and then gather the beauty for burning. Still, every year God grows the leaves back and then drops them in your yard. Perhaps this is an exercise in futility or going against that which is the natural order of things. I assume the leaves have value where they fall, though, as a steward of God's planet, I do bear some responsibility to the vegetation in my yard. A heavy layer of leaves could compromise the survival of my lush green crabgrass. So I have compromised by mulching leaves with my mower. True, neighbors wonder about my mowing the lawn in December; however, the leaves stay where they fall, they are just ground up to more easily return to the soil from wence they came.
I am guessing that there is a divine balance in leaf management. Left in undisturbed piles they not only rot but kill the grass under them. Left on a porch or deck they can, in time, compromise the integrity of the wood. However, investing significant time and resources for their removal does not seem to be the best answer either. I suppose it is one of those ambiguous areas of spirituality where the Scriptures leave room for differing opinions, No need to break fellowship over the doctrine of raking verses mulching.
For all our efforts to remove the leaves from our yards we may be less concerned with removing spiritual leaves from our lives. Wounds and disappointments can blow into the corners of our minds and slowly smother the very life that keeps us vibrant in our walk with the Lord. We may refuse to mulch up the thoughts that can fester into bitterness and darkness in our souls. On the other side we may spend time trying to reattach the leaves that God chose to cast off years ago. Old things are to pass away and new things will come. As painful as it might be, that can be true with relationships and dreams we once held dear. Clinging to the past can trap us in the autumns and winters of life. The God ordained spring may never be realized as the leaves of the past cover the promise of new growth. Perhaps, like leaves, we need to sort of grind up the past and allow it to improve the future. Laying aside that which drains life and absorb the nutrients that come from loss that only the Spirit of God can allow.
Life, like the trees around us, has its cycles. Times of remarkable growth, when the vision of leaves bursts forth in unexpected glory. And times of rest that comes from the shedding of those very leaves that used to fill life with meaning. For, in God's spring time, new growth will come. New visions, new dreams, new life. As the Apostle Paul told those in Philippi, "one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead" (Phil 3:13). It is hard to move forward when we are anchored to the past.
Are there some leaves in your life that need to be cast off? Some leaves that need to be mulched by the Spirit of God so new growth can come? Some past leaves, whose brilliant colors need to be released, so spring can begin? Maybe we all can benefit from the lessons of the leaves.
Leaves were designed by God to decorate trees, provide shade, and give the trees an opportunity to photosynthesize and survive. We could go into a tangent on the wonders of creation or the remarkable faith of evolutionist who believe trees and leaves came to us by random chance. For the sake of this argument we will go with the "God of all creation made trees of diverse kinds". Some of them came equipped with leaves. By the Lord's design many trees shed their leaves come fall. I have lived in the states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Kansas, Maryland, Virginia, and New York. They all have trees and leaves, admittedly some more than others. Sorry Kansas. Most of the trees drop their leaves come autumn. True, there are a few obstinate oaks that hang on to theirs until spring, but they are clearly the minority. One might ask why this is so. Some theorize that it is due to their sap retreating to the root systems when the weather turns chilly so the leaves lose their grip. Perhaps, it is to form a natural blanket to keep the roots warm. I think it may be a defense mechanism to avoid having wet snow stick to the leaves causing limbs to break off and get tangled in electric lines. I cannot think of anyone who would want their limbs to break and get zapped by electric lines. The trees are wise enough to shed their leaves and avoid the pain.
From my early years leaves were to be raked and carted away to be burned or dumped into the woods behind our house. I have come to question this practice. It seems to go against nature, against the divine design. I mean, God intended the leaves to fall off on purpose. They rot and add nutrients to the soil. We remove them and then add artificial fertilizer to the ground after the leaves are taken away. Leaf removal has become quite the process. We can purchase rakes, leaf blowers, nifty sweeping mechanisms to push or drag along behind a lawn tractor. Then there are the industrial strength vacuums to just suck the majestic colors into a box truck. We are conflicted as we marvel at the colors God paints across the landscapes of autumn and then gather the beauty for burning. Still, every year God grows the leaves back and then drops them in your yard. Perhaps this is an exercise in futility or going against that which is the natural order of things. I assume the leaves have value where they fall, though, as a steward of God's planet, I do bear some responsibility to the vegetation in my yard. A heavy layer of leaves could compromise the survival of my lush green crabgrass. So I have compromised by mulching leaves with my mower. True, neighbors wonder about my mowing the lawn in December; however, the leaves stay where they fall, they are just ground up to more easily return to the soil from wence they came.
I am guessing that there is a divine balance in leaf management. Left in undisturbed piles they not only rot but kill the grass under them. Left on a porch or deck they can, in time, compromise the integrity of the wood. However, investing significant time and resources for their removal does not seem to be the best answer either. I suppose it is one of those ambiguous areas of spirituality where the Scriptures leave room for differing opinions, No need to break fellowship over the doctrine of raking verses mulching.
For all our efforts to remove the leaves from our yards we may be less concerned with removing spiritual leaves from our lives. Wounds and disappointments can blow into the corners of our minds and slowly smother the very life that keeps us vibrant in our walk with the Lord. We may refuse to mulch up the thoughts that can fester into bitterness and darkness in our souls. On the other side we may spend time trying to reattach the leaves that God chose to cast off years ago. Old things are to pass away and new things will come. As painful as it might be, that can be true with relationships and dreams we once held dear. Clinging to the past can trap us in the autumns and winters of life. The God ordained spring may never be realized as the leaves of the past cover the promise of new growth. Perhaps, like leaves, we need to sort of grind up the past and allow it to improve the future. Laying aside that which drains life and absorb the nutrients that come from loss that only the Spirit of God can allow.
Life, like the trees around us, has its cycles. Times of remarkable growth, when the vision of leaves bursts forth in unexpected glory. And times of rest that comes from the shedding of those very leaves that used to fill life with meaning. For, in God's spring time, new growth will come. New visions, new dreams, new life. As the Apostle Paul told those in Philippi, "one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead" (Phil 3:13). It is hard to move forward when we are anchored to the past.
Are there some leaves in your life that need to be cast off? Some leaves that need to be mulched by the Spirit of God so new growth can come? Some past leaves, whose brilliant colors need to be released, so spring can begin? Maybe we all can benefit from the lessons of the leaves.
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