More Rain! Hallelujah!

More Rain! Hallelujah!

The Lord has showered His blessed rain upon our unjust land according to His merciful grace yet again.  Earlier this past week we received about 1 1/2 inches and another 1/4 inch this morning.

The Lord promises that He sends His rain both upon the just and the unjust.  Thankfully, even this statement is one of pure grace, for no one is truly just except by the Lord's declared righteousness imputed to those who have been generated into His kingdom of righteousness through Baptism.

How wonderful this association is, that with this statement concerning His gracious outpouring of life giving water from the heavens to refresh the earth for both the just and the unjust, so also this reminds us of His gracious outpouring of life anew in His kingdom through Water and Spirit.  In Titus 3 St. Paul calls this a bath or washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.  And for the soul that hungers for the Lord's righteousness, this is refreshment indeed!

Nevertheless, the rains are cause for immediate thanksgiving.  TB2G!

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Blessed Lent

Lent truly is a blessed time in the Church Year.  In my own appreciation of the seasons of the Church Year, I find Lent to be the most powerful.  My heart finds its way back to the thoughts and especially the hymns of Lententide throughout the year.  The comfort of the Lententide proclamation of my deep need for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified is very powerfully beneficial to me in my daily struggles in this sin-filled world.  Without that comfort I would surely despair.  Thus I treasure this message of comfort.

Today I saw a video that troubled me greatly.  It is a presentation from the current president of my former church body, the LC-MS.  This video presentation reminds me of what a dear friend was recently told by one or our former peers, by a current pastor in the LC-MS.  He was told:

Do you know what your problem is?  Your problem is that you actually believe this stuff.

My heart breaks every time that I think of this.  I most assuredly experienced this myself regarding the “faithful” pastors of this church body.  This is why I am distressed by the following video presentation.



This style of mild mannered preaching is not new.  In the past I was more easily duped by such a style, where the very kind and gentle manner of the synodical president gives the impression that a grandfatherly approach is being displayed.  However, grandfathers who truly love their children and grandchildren do not calmly allow their families to continue in dysfunction and discord.  Rather they take a strong position in calling those whom they love to be turned from the things that cause problems.

In this video Matthew 6 is quoted to make the point that Jesus loves prayer.  Mention is made of Luther’s wonderful explanation of the Our Father.  These are wonderful points to make.  These surely are to be preached and with loving gentleness.

Harrison further notes the value of the Litany.  The portion that he quotes is on pages 288-289 of the Lutheran Service Book and is available online here.  The LSB has slightly altered this responsive prayer from the earlier versions, but it still teaches the same basic points.  It still is a very good example of true prayer.

Harrison directs his hearers to the Litany as a wonderful help in praying as the Lord Jesus and His apostles teach that prayers should be made.  This is wonderful advice.

Then Harrison says at 3:35 on the time line:

Sometimes, when I get to this part, “We poor sinners implore You to hear us, O Lord.  To rule and govern Your holy Christian Church; to preserve all pastors and ministers of Your Church in the true knowledge and understanding of Your wholesome Word and to sustain them in holy living;” I stop.

At this point he shares the need for a person to pray for and support one’s pastor.  He instructs on the need to be aware of one’s failure to honor God’s gift of faithful pastors and to repent of this, calling upon God to forgive this failure and to move the people to pray for their faithful pastors.

He concludes urging, “Thank You for giving me a faithful pastor.”  Indeed, this is true cause for thanksgiving.

However, can this prayer rightly be urged in a church body where there are pastors who say things like: “Do you know what your problem is?  Your problem is that you actually believe this stuff.”

Is it loving to ignore the fact that congregations in this church body have pastors who are not faithful?  Should this Lenten admonition ignore the urgency for praying that the Lord of the Church rule and govern His holy Christian Church so that the pastors are only those who are preserved in the true knowledge and understanding of God’s wholesome Word and in holy living?

Should this Lenten admonition not also to include the rest of this section of the Litany?

To put an end to all schisms and causes of offense; to bring into the way of truth all who have erred and are deceived; To beat down Satan under our feet; to send faithful laborers into Your harvest; and to accompany Your Word with Your grace and Spirit:

How can Pr. Harrison ignore the fact, especially during this time of Lent when his duty is to call the pastors and congregations to repentance of their waywardness concerning God’s Word, how can he ignore the fact that there is indeed great division in his church body concerning the doctrine and practice of that church body?

Could it be that he is actually one of those pastors who says: “Do you know what your problem is?  Your problem is that you actually believe this stuff.”?

The Epistle of James warns about this idea that faith can somehow exist without the good works that flow from faith.  He warns that such faith is dead.  If a congregation, pastor, church body, synodical president, talk about faith and faithfulness but do not agree in what this means, just making noise to be heard and seen for their words, is this not what the Lord Jesus warns against in the very text that Pr. Harrison used to teach that Jesus loves prayer?

"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. "Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  (Matthew 6:1-2 ESV)

"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.  (Matthew 6:5-9 ESV)

Surely Jesus does love true prayer that flows from hearts that have been baptized into Him and the new life breathed into them by the Holy Spirit.  This new life is one of true unity in the confession of the one true faith, a life of worship in the doctrine and practice of the apostles.

But does Jesus love prayer that stops short of actually embracing this unity in the true faith of Jesus?  Does Jesus love prayer that says, “Thank you for giving me a faithful pastor” when this pastor does not demonstrate this faithfulness?  Does Jesus love prayer that pretends that a pastor is given by God when in fact this pastor is chosen and ordained without true concern for what the Lord has clearly declared as the definition of a true pastor and congregation and worship?

Can the season of Lent be a truly Blessed Lent without recognizing the gifts through which the season is made to be blessed?  If Lent is a penitential season, should this penitence not begin with acknowledging and turning from the trespasses of the church body and congregations and pastors so that the people may be rightly instructed concerning the blessed preaching and administration of the means of grace?

At the end of his video Pr. Harrison says regarding what he and others have to confess regarding not praying for and supporting their pastors: “Lord forgive me, I deserve to be removed from that congregation and for my pastor to be taken away.”

This is truly ironic, for they truly have starved out hundreds of faithful pastors.  Some were driven out forcefully.  They have removed all of the pastors who were willing to stand unmoved so that now their pastors are those who on one side make a show of contemporaneity with the world and much preaching of love and tolerance, and on the other hand, those who make a show of liturgical fidelity and propriety.  Both sides urging the people to remain steadfast to the synod.

Is this the message by which Lent is blessed?

Other people could point to the church bodies most familiar to them and show the same lack of the true preaching and practice that the Lord declares to be the marks of His Church.  I speak of the one most familiar to me, the one in which most of my loves ones still abide.

Lent is certainly a good time to call out with such observations.  As we journey toward the observance of the betrayal of the Lord Jesus, and His false condemnation, suffering, crucifixion, death, and burial, this is a very good season to ask ourselves whether we are congregating with those who are truly His body, His Church on earth.  This is a good season to be asking whether or not the congregation where we seek to receive the blessings of Lent is really a congregation where these blessings are administered as Christ has ordained them.  This is a good season to be examining ourselves to know for certain that we are indeed bound to Jesus Christ in the things that we are receiving.

This is why St. Paul writes:

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

  (Philippians 2:12)

Since Lent is a season for being called to remember what is most important to us regarding our everlasting salvation, is this not what we truly need to consider?  Should we not fall to our knees with fear and trembling at the thought that we could have become misled in our beliefs?  Should be not tremble at that thought that we could have chosen for ourselves an alternative to what Christ and His apostles have proclaimed?  Should we not scrutinize everything that we embrace as true to be certain that what we believe really is true?  Should we not be moved beyond our complacency to study with the utmost care to be certain that our salvation has not slipped away from us while we sat in the pew praising God from our own imagined safety?

What one of us is truly safe?  What one of us can be absolutely sure?

Such certainly is promised.  Such certainty is declared in the Holy Scriptures.

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

  (John 20:30-31)

He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

  (1 John 5:10-13)

For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

  (1 Corinthians 11:31-32)

Jonah was sent with a very simple message to the people of Nineveh.  The people of Nineveh heard the warning and in their hearts they were turned again from their waywardness to the Lord and they were saved, at least that generation was.  But over time their children and grandchildren drifted and forgot and they lost the salvation in which their parents believed.

Isn’t it time that we begin to pray the entire Litany again, praying it from the heart and not just as part of a Lenten liturgical tradition?  Isn’t it time that we begin again to pray confessing ourselves as poor miserable sinners who desperately need the pure medicine that only in its purity has the power to save and heal us?

Surely then this would be a most blessed Lent.  Surely this would also be a truly blessed celebration of St. Valentine’s Day.

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Homelessness

     I have a number of acquaintances who are or have been homeless.  I also have a couple of friends who have been homeless for a time in their lives.  They have shared their experiences, or at least some of their experiences.

     The concept of being homeless is very disconcerting to me.  But my friends have shared that it can be survived.  One of my two friends actually chose to be homeless.  He wanted to be free to roam wherever he chose without the bonds of a home to tie him to a certain locale.  He wanted to be free to wander and to explore the country.  He had no property tax to pay.  He had no mortgage looming over his head.  He had no lawn to demand being mowed and no shrubs or trees to demand being pruned and trimmed and watered and weeded.  Sometimes he even had no automobile.

     My other friend was forced into homelessness.  Various circumstances came upon him that left him destitute.  He lived in the streets, seeking food and shelter where he could find it.  And this way of living has cost him terribly.  It has robbed him of his physical health.  Harsh winters and poor nutrition and inadequate attention to health concerns have injured him considerably.  These conditions were inflicted upon him by others.  His church body betrayed him.  Others to whom he was devoted betrayed and abandoned him and did injury to him.  His closest family all died.  The government also worked against him, especially when he was homeless.  The police issued a multitude of citations against him for paying his fare to ride the subway, and then staying onboard all night to keep from freezing.  Apparently, homeless people are not allowed to use the subway for survival, as their presence makes others uncomfortable.

     One friend chose homelessness as a lifestyle during various times of his life.  Another friend endured being pressed into a homeless condition and suffered for it and continues to suffer the effects.  But neither friend ever discounted the value of having a home.  Even though one sought a temporary freedom, and sometimes still does, through cutting the ties to a particular location to call home, the longing for what home really is remains strong.

     I have noticed that this is especially true for those who are homeless from a spiritual perspective.  Many people choose to seek an imagined freedom through cutting all ties to a religious and spiritual heritage or home.  Others find themselves pressed out and unable to find a place to call home.  In both cases the people suffer consequences of their homelessness.

     Sadly, very, very few people really ever discover the true home that God has provided for His children.  Most people have no true perception of what this home is.  They hear about it.  They read about it in the Scriptures.  They observe others who claim to belong to it.  Even among those claiming to belong to this spiritual home, very few are truly members of God’s household.  Rather, most fabricate their own versions of what they think God’s house should be and label it as His.  But the safety and security and blessings of His house are not present because it is only a facsimile of His house.  Often the facsimile is not even very close to resembling His house.  Other times it is more convincing with many of the features of His house closely mimicked, but nevertheless still not the real place of the dwelling of His name.

     The Lord Jesus explained this to the Pharisee who came to Him as John records in chapter three.

     There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

     Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

     Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

     Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?  (John 3:1-12)

     The Lord Jesus explains that unless one has been born into this household through the spiritual rebirth by which one is made to be a member of this household, one cannot even recognize it, let alone enter into it.  He first explains that this rebirth is from above.  It is not something that one does for oneself or even chooses for oneself, but it is worked from above, by the Father which is in heaven.

     Yet He furthermore explains that this miracle from heaven is worked on earth through the combination of the earthly life giving and cleansing substance of water along with the heavenly life giving and cleansing Spirit.  When the water is applied by one who is a member of this household, according to the manner ordained by the Lord, that is, in connection with His name of life and forgiveness and blessing in His eternal Communion, then it has the power to effect that which He promises.  It opens the eyes and ears and hearts of those born spiritually blind and deaf and lifeless to His kingdom.  Those who were dead are raised to the new life of His grace, mercy, and peace.  These children born of the Spirit now recognize the Kingdom of God on earth and rejoice in having been made to be members of it with all of that belongs to the coheirs of Jesus.

     The truly sad state of matters in which the world exists is that there are so many facsimiles of God’s house that hardly anyone ever encounters the real house of God so as to be able to receive the rebirth from above that God works through His true household of faith.  Thus instead there exists a multitude of diverse churches and church bodies, some of which bear about as much resemblance to the household of God as a mud ball resembles a precious jewel, and others bear a closer resemblance so that people imagine that they partake of God’s promises when all that they really receive are corrupted fragments.

     Yet still God shows Himself faithful.  He does nevertheless preserve His little Church on earth.  He does still work the miraculous rebirth from death to life through Baptism and He does still nourish and protect and nurture His beloved children through the Holy Supper.  Those who belong to Him know the true freedom of being closely bound to Him and to the brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus.  They know the freedom of being able to say

     “Yes!  I have a true home.  I am a member of God’s holy family both now and forevermore.  I share in the inheritance that Jesus purchased for all who through faith receive God’s saving and restoring grace.  I know who my Father is and I rejoice in His never-ending and limitless love.  I have a home and I sit at the Table and eat the bread of heaven and drink of the life of the blood.”

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God Bless You for Your Goodness

Saturday evening, I went to retrieve my T-post puller from the chipper truck so as to be able to replace the broken top bar/lever and as I put it into the cab of my pickup I tore a hole in the headliner. Boo hoo.

Then I went to Blockbuster to pick up a couple of free videos. From there I went to Braums to buy the gallon of milk that Stephanie requested.

As I drove into the parking lot I observed a frail looking man hobbling toward the sidewalk beside the store building. He very cautiously toppled over onto the raised sidewalk. I parked the truck and walked over toward him asking as I walked whether he was alright. He was half lying and half sitting, bracing himself with his arm. He informed me that he was not hurt. Then he looked up and said that he was staying in a motel about two blocks away. Furthermore he informed me that he had no money but could use a sandwich and milk.

I knew when I walked to him that I was setting myself up, but I had to check. I did not want to buy this man’s supper. I told him, I don’t have any spare money either . . . I cannot afford these things for myself . . . but I’ll get you something to eat.

I asked him, “Can you manage to walk into the store to pick out a sandwich.” He replied, “Yes, I can do that.”

He truly had difficulty walking. He told me that his legs cramp badly. I asked him what caused his legs to cramp. I could not tell whether he said “AIDS” or “Age.” I asked again. I still could not understand. Then he added that he was 68 years old. The cause of his cramps did not really matter, but I cared about his condition, and wondered whether anything could help him.

His hands were as thin as the rest of his body and were covered with callouses, but not the kind that my hands have from hard and abusive work. His callouses were the kind that people have from sleeping and living in harsh weather.

According to my flesh, I did not want to help this man. I have been taken advantage of many, many, many times. Now I was going to spend more on him than I spend on myself in a week. I did not really want to help him, but I had no choice. My heart, or more accurately, the one who lives in my heart, overruled my selfishness and fearfulness.

The fact is that if I did as I really want, I would do nothing else than go around helping people. But I have little resources left to utilize. I have spent myself and my resources, and also my wife’s. And so, I tend to think that I need to protect myself and my wife from what the Spirit moves me to desire. I find myself relying not upon the Lord but upon my own false presumptions.

But the Lord’s love lives in me and is greater than my lack of love, and so this man and I walked slowly to the entrance to the store/restaurant. I cannot remember whether or not I asked the man his name.

As we walked, he said, “God will bless you for your goodness.”

I responded with a bit of a smile, “God has blessed me. He blesses me even though I do not do well.”

He said, “Yes. Yes, of course.”

As we entered, the little eating booths were near and he approached the closest one and sat down. I asked what kind of sandwich he would like. He shrugged his shoulders. I asked whether he wanted a warm sandwich or a cold one, and he said that a cold one would be fine. I said that I did not know where those were kept, and again he shrugged. I inquired regarding the kind of milk that he would like me to purchase for him. We buy the skim milk, that has not been corrupted through homogenization, so I asked first whether he would like skim milk. He preferred the homogenized, and requested a half gallon. I did not find the cold sandwiches and thought, “He really does not need a cold sandwich. A hot sandwich would be much better.” And again I also shrank back at the thought that it would cost more money, too.

I went back and told him that I could not find the cold sandwiches, but perhaps he would enjoy a nice burger instead. His eyes lit up a bit and he said that would be nice. So I went and ordered him a third pound deluxe cheese burger, and then went to select the milk. By the time I paid for the milk the sweet counter clerk had given him his burger and it was half consumed. I went to him and gave him his milk.

He turned and thanked me repeatedly with statements of “God bless you” and the like. He reached out to hug me saying, “I love you,” and more blessings. As I bent over and hugged him I told him, “I love you, too.” As we hugged, I saw a dried and crumpled leaf fall to the floor, a leaf that he likely picked up from lying on the ground.

He again told me that he was staying two blocks away, from which I did not know quite what to understand. As he was not done eating, I only thought of his need for time to finish and did not even think that he may have been telling me more. Besides, I feared what more he could be implying. I “kindly” reminded him to be careful crossing the street.

At the time, it was a genuine comment of care, and I think that it was even spoken innocently. But what was he really telling me?

Afterwards I thought of much more. Here was a man who was barely able to walk into the store. Why did I not offer to wait and take him to his motel?

Moreover, whom did this man have? He apparently is all alone in the world. Was he asking for someone to be with him for a little while?

This man thanked me for what I did. But I did not even tell him about the love of God in Christ. I did not even tell him about the life that Christ purchased for him. With Christmas only week away, I did not even speak of the good news of the birth of God in the flesh to save us. Instead, I left him with thoughts of what a kind and loving man he perceived me to be.

What a load of crap!

I cried when I came home and realized more fully how selfishly I acted. Here was a hurting and lonely man who may not have lived another day. I had the bread of life and the Lord’s righteousness to give to him and I gave him the filth of my “righteousness.” I gave him a burger and some milk and hug and a mere snippet of the Gospel.

Two days later my eyes still fill with tears and I choke as I ponder this.

Over my lifetime I have helped many people. I have paid for motel bills for weeks on end. I have paid medical bills. I have taken people to the hospital and to doctors and sometimes paid their bills. I have shared the Gospel, the pure Gospel with many such people, only to have most of them become angry and some even to curse me, when I said that I had no more money to give.

And so I have become sometimes jaded and hard of heart, or at least not as eager and willing to be used and abused.

Yet I know that I cannot be the helper of the entire world. I can only give what I have received. I have God given responsibilities to my wife, to be home at a reasonable hour, to attempt to provide for our financial needs, to be available to her, etc.

In the end, a person has to say with Luther:

     If you are a preacher of grace, then preach a true and not a fictitious grace; if grace is true, you must bear a true and not a fictitious sin. God does not save people who are only fictitious sinners. Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly, for he is victorious over sin, death, and the world. As long as we are here [in this world] we have to sin. This life is not the dwelling place of righteousness, but, as Peter says, we look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. It is enough that by the riches of God’s glory we have come to know the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world. No sin will separate us from the Lamb, even though we commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day. Do you think that the purchase price that was paid for the redemption of our sins by so great a Lamb is too small? Pray boldly—you too are a mighty sinner.

People love to quote this from Luther apart from the greater context. But for those who are struggling with the reality that “all of our righteousness are as filthy rags,” this is blessed comfort. It certainly is not an excuse to choose to sin. It is, however, redemption, as we all learn that even our best intentions and best efforts are still corrupt and fall short of the glory of God. The merits of Christ are what make our deeds to be counted as righteousness.

And so we may go forth in true faith and “sin boldly” with our Spirit led consciences, doing good in as much as we are able, trusting not in these for any merit, but looking only to the merits of Christ which are accounted as ours through the faith that the Holy Spirit gives us in Baptism.

Since this is so easily misunderstood and often misapplied, a brief additional word of explanation. For example, a Christian may offer gentle and holy counsel to a hurting person of the opposite sex. That person, moved by the love that is demonstrated can begin to feel attraction to the lover. That attraction can begin to move toward sexual desire, which then tempts both persons to fornication in their hearts. And so the good and loving efforts become sinful thoughts.

Moreover, since we are by nature sinners, everything that we think, say, and do is corrupt.

Our only hope is Jesus and His merits that are accounted to us for His sake within the sanctity of His Holy Communion. To this we flee from our “good works” as well as what is more easily recognized as sin. And so we do our corrupt “good works” boldly, even though even the best of them are still impure and damning according to their own worth, trusting in Christ and His redemption alone.

And in this, while we continue to learn to trust Christ more and more fully for our redemption, we also learn to trust Him again and again as we grow fearful and jaded and thereby hindered from even those things that we would be moved by God’s love to do. We then in faith go forward, not looking back to our past failings, nor fearing our present and future failings, but trusting in God’s grace in Christ we “sin boldly,” giving thanks to God for His merciful goodness. How wonderful it is to realize that we have this doctrine declared in the Athanasian Creed, teaching us that the catholic faith is this very doctrine that at the last day our failures will be counted as good works in accord with this faith given by the Holy Spirit, even though all stand as condemned according to their own works apart from this faith in what Christ has earned for us.

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An additional realization:

This man said, likely unaware of the greater meaning, “God will bless you for your goodness.”

Actually, he was entirely correct, since Christ is my goodness. Indeed, with Christ as my goodness, God does bless me for His sake.

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Rain! Rain!

Over the last week or so we have had several rains, but I did not check the rain gauge until today following last night’s rain. I was surprised!

Blessed with Favor

For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. (Psalm 5:12)

In the Scriptures certain ones of the Lord are said to have been given favor before men by the Lord. Joseph was given favor before Potipher and Pharaoh. Samuel grew in favor before the Lord and men. This is especially said of Jesus. In Acts it is said of the disciples who gathered to the doctrine and communion preached by the apostles.

Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:41-47)

I was reminded of this yesterday as I was attempting to exit the driveway in my pickup truck to head out to tend to some errands. A man in a van slowly approached and stopped in front of the driveway in front of me, got out and walked toward me. “Do you still grind stumps?” he asked. He then explained that he had a stump that he wanted me to grind for him. I asked whether he needed for me to give him a bid or if he just wanted me to schedule the work. He said that I should just schedule the work and do it because he knew that I would do right by him.

Another of my customers insists on being present when I do work for him. He says that he wants to be sure to be home to see what I do. He says that he wants to make certain that I actually charge him for everything that I do for him. He says that if he does not watch me I will do extra things and not charge him.

Sometimes I would like to take credit for such kindly responses from my customers. But it is the Lord who gives a person favor in the eyes of others. While it is true that I do extra things for people and that I am thorough in my work and that I try to do my best always for my customers, it is the Lord who causes them to look upon me favorably.

In a discussion recently with a couple of neighbors of one of my customers, one of whom asked me to do some minor emergency pruning for him, these people also spoke very kindly to me and of me to one another. The lady also said, “I can see that God is at work in you.”

This sort of statement does not come on account of what I do, for there is far too much wrong in me and what I do for anyone to respond so favorably on that account. To find fault with me and my life and my actions would be very easy for anyone who observes me. Yet this is not the primary response of people. The Lord moves people to see not what I do, but what He is doing in me and for me and through me. Thus people generally say kind things about me and my work. They see what the Lord is doing and His goodness is so complete and powerful that they really don’t see anything else.

I am truly amazed when I observe this. I complain about the many injustices that I see in the world, injustices that I experience personally and that I see others suffer, too. Complain, complain, complain seems to be my way. I talk about the evils of the globalism and one world government movement. I warn about the things that are coming upon the world on account of sin. I point to the many betrayals of governmental leaders at every level. I complain about the destructive and oppressive ways of the central banking system. Yet even with all of this grumbling and complaining and crying out, the Gospel is so powerful that it is what people perceive as ruling my heart and mind and life.

Truly as the psalmist writes: The Lord is good and His mercy endures forever!


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Customer Service Blessing

In the post below I share frustrations regarding the abusive and evasive tactics that companies use regarding customer service issues.

In one of my very frustrating attempts at conversation with a customer service representative from another country, after it had become absolutely clear that the representative would be able to be of no help whatsoever to me, upon bringing the conversation to a close, the representative said, “Have a blessed day.”

This impressed me very powerfully. This is what I commonly say to people. When I say it, I mean it. Thus I expect that this person also meant it.

I do not know what this man believes. Neither do I know whom he confesses as his God. Was he calling upon the same God that I confess? I hope so.

Nevertheless, this served as a very powerful reminder to me that the people on the other end of the telephone conversation are real people. They are not just foreigners whom the companies are exploiting. They are not merely people seeking to earn money through a service provider that cares nothing about me.

As I said, it served as a powerful reminder. It is not as though I did not know this. It is not as though I did not care about the other people. Yet in times of frustration, I do become selfish and I forget about the other person. Not always, but sometimes I do.

It was good to hear this word of blessing from the other person. I do not often hear this even among people I see face to face. It was good to be reminded that at least some of the people from far away are like minded and perhaps even my brethren who are unknown to me.

This last thought is especially encouraging. Especially as the churches have become so polluted and dysfunctional, as the Gospel has been mingled with so many worldly thoughts and beliefs, the thought that maybe I have a brother in a far away place whom I have not met, this is an encouraging thought.

It also serves to remind me that James’ warning about bridling one’s tongue should never be ignored. (James 3) This is especially a matter of concern realizing that what one says cannot be taken back. Surely, the greatest concern should be that my tongue never place an obstacle before another person who could have heard the blessed Gospel from me. What does my cell phone service matter contrasted to this matter of everlasting importance?

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Blessed Plumbing

I wonder how many people ponder the blessing of having a toilet.

Do people stop to think about the magnitude of the blessing of indoor plumbing?

I do. I find myself thinking of what it must have been like in the days when chamber pots were common. What a messy ordeal! Having to take the pot outside to dump it and clean it after it has been used. The smell that would be present until it was emptied. Yuk.

Yes, I find myself from time to time giving specific thanks to God for our toilet.

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The Countenance of the Lord

This calendar and picture hang in our dining room. As it caught my glance and then further attention last night, I commented to my wife regarding how truly amazing God’s mercy is. After all that Jesus endured for our sake, willingly putting Himself in our place to take our guilt, our sin, our shame, our condemnation, our burdens, our suffering, our death, yet even though we turn aside from Him and mock Him with our lives, sinning and doubting and hurting ourselves and one another, yet He continues to look upon us in mercy and love. He never says, “After all that I did for you . . .!”

Rather, He calls to us through His means of grace in His Church, calling us to receive the repentance that the Holy Spirit works, so that we may hear His gracious words of forgiveness and peace and to eat and drink the blessings of His Holy Communion.

I am reminded of this at the close of every divine service in the Benediction, hearing again the amazing words, “The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and grant you peace.”

The Lord lifts up His countenance upon those who receive this blessing. Instead of looking down in disgust, instead of glaring with wrathful condemnation, instead of turning His countenance away, He lifts up His countenance in compassionate and merciful love and bestows His peace.

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And on the Seventh Day

And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. (Genesis 2:2-3)

Is it not amazing to see how God made the second work of creation to be like the first? On the first day everything was in chaos, without order, and God called forth the light to shine and established order to the world. After working all week to establish His order to His creation, having completed His creative work, He rested from all of His work. On the eighth day the new life that He created and established continued under His blessing and care.

Is it not marvelous to see how He did the same in His work of redemption and recreation? He called forth light and order out of the world’s chaos with His entrance on Palm Sunday, the first day of the week. He worked all week cleansing the temple and preaching and proclaiming sound doctrine. He brought the Old Testament to a close and instituted the New Testament in His blood, then faced the mock trial and the slander and the torture and the crucifixion, bringing to completion the work of redemption and recreation. He was buried before the beginning of the Sabbath Day and He rested from all of His work of recreation, rising again on the eighth day to rule over the world with His blessing and care.

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The New Year Began with a Surprise

The first week of the new year has been very busy and trying.

New Year’s Eve at about 11:30 pm I noticed that the water pressure was very low. “Oh no!” I thought. I knew that the old galvanized iron water pipe must have burst finally. So I checked and found water bubbling up from deep in the soil of the front yard. “Oh no!”

I turned and went back into the house and filled the sinks and a couple of small buckets with water so that we would have some for the morning. I knew that most stores would be closed the next day and that I might have trouble obtaining parts to patch the line.

Saturday, New Year’s Day, I dug the hole to find the break in the water line. The hole, the first of four that I would dig, was about 6 ft long by 2.5 ft wide by 4 ft deep. Thankfully both Ace Hardware and Lowes were open for part of the day so that I was able to purchase the PVC compression couplings that allowed me to splice the line. Our next door neighbor graciously allowed us to fill buckets from his house so that we could flush the toilet and do other immediately necessary water activities. By nightfall the patch was complete and we had water again.

Monday I called the city central inspection office to purchase the required permit. The rest of the week I dug three more holes, two the size of the first and another about half that size. I rented a trencher for the 40 or 50 feet between the holes. Sadly, this trencher trenched so narrowly that the trenching shovel was very hard to use in removing the bottom crumbs of soil. I checked to see whether any of the irrigation supply or other plumbing supply places had a tool for removing such crumbs. Of course not. I could not even find a suitable scoop that I could purchase.

So I invented one. I needed one that was about 3.5 inches wide. So I made a scoop with which I could drag the soil to the larger holes for removal with a shovel. It was even more effective than I had hoped. Dad often quoted the old saying that necessity is the mother of invention.

Such work has a period of learning connected with it. The city requires that only certain types of pipe and fittings be used. Connecting to old copper pipe/tubing deep in the ground is challenging, but someone invented a wonderful adapter called SharkBite®, that one simply shoves onto the existing pipe after cleaning it thoroughly. It bites onto it and seals the union. Wonderful product!

Of course, finding the old copper line was a challenge, not having any record of how it exited the house. That hole was actually the largest of the four, being much wider. This was also through the gate through the fence to the back yard and under a sidewalk.

This fact is the cause of my being injured. In this area we have a motion sensor light that seems to prefer to turn off at critical moments. Thursday evening was such a time. As I stepped across this large hole through the gate the light turned off, causing me to misstep and fall. Catching myself against the wall with my left arm extended I injured my shoulder quite badly. That night I was in agony all night with no position that did not feel as though my shoulder was tearing apart. Ice and hot packs and Ibuprofen seemed to be of no benefit. Relief came slowly as I pressed on for the next two days through the pain. The inspector gave his approval Friday so that the holes and trenches could be refilled. Perhaps the work actually helped with the healing. I made a tamper for my mother-in-law’s trenches a couple of years earlier. It really compacted the soil and worked my arms thoroughly.

The shoulder still hurts, but it seems to be healing so that today I can return to working in the trees. Such things continue to amaze me. How the body has been designed by God is truly something that fills me with wonder and awe. Moreover, I know that He kept my injury from being as bad as it should have been. I could have and probably should have received broken bones as well as torn ligaments. His protection far exceeds even that of which I am aware.

So, now the long needed work of replacing the water line has been completed. I was able to finish the project as the threatening snows approached, the first small flakes falling as I folded the tarps and put away the tools. Even in this I see God’s gracious activity, for the water line broke at a time when we could do without running water for a day and when I would have the next day free to make the needed repair. If I am willing to see it, God’s gracious activity is manifest in all things. Thankfully, He makes me aware, even when I often want to grumble.

This is the greatest miracle of all, that He works in the heart to convert me and preserve me as a son of the true faith. This works in me repentance from what I would be and do and think and say so that by the Holy Spirit’s tireless work, the sanctification given in my baptism is manifested in my life. What greater miracle could God work than to convert me by grace through faith so that I am saved and declared to be righteous for Christ’s sake and that this justification and sanctification are made to be manifest above and beyond what I would do according to my own reason and strength?

When the Lord brings this to my awareness, I find myself realizing that this year has begun very well for me and my house.

A Blessed Thanksgiving Day

Today has been for me a very blessed Thanksgiving Day. It has been a day that has been jam-packed full of God's goodness. It has been a day of Gospel joy.

Thanksgiving is for me a wonderful excuse for spending a day wrestling with God to receive from Him the blessing of hearing from Him more fully what He has revealed in His Holy Scriptures. Sermon preparation usually takes me about eight hours. Sometimes I cut it a bit shorter. Sometimes it goes longer. It usually takes at least 4 to 6 hours before I am content with the outline that has developed. Then only another two or three or four hours are needed for actually writing the sermon, proof reading it, and printing it. Sometimes the outline is exactly the same as the last time that I preached the text, but the sermon content has expanded. My immersion into the text has become deeper. I have been richly blessed beyond measure. Then I am privileged to preach it and hear it yet again.

Today, after preaching today's text, I felt full and content. The meal that my wife prepared was waiting, but I felt full. She prepared a wonderful meal. It was truly delicious and I enjoyed it immensely. Yet it seemed unnecessary after the feast that the Lord had prepared and fed to me. Not only the message that flowed from the text, but also, and even more satisfying, was the Feast of the Eucharist (Thanksgiving).

The meal that my wife prepared was truly wonderful, too, but it was primarily for my flesh. It was truly cause for giving thanks, too, both to my wife and to the Lord. This year she purchased and prepared a free range turkey. The stuffing was organic, with her added fixings of mixed nuts, cranberries, homemade turkey stock, celery, carrots, onions, garlic cloves, and more! She made sweet potatoes, prepared apples and grapes, and more. The only junk food was the croissants that she purchased at Sam’s Club (with many scary ingredients, but tasty).

Thankfully, even more cause for thanksgiving, my wife understands fully what I mean when I say that the Lord’s banquet is what made the day. Even though I do not believe that I have ever had a more wonderful turkey and other culinary delights, the Lord’s banquet completely satisfied me.

Now, this blessed eventide, I am pleased that the sermon has been uploaded and the turkey has been put away in the refrigerator, and we will enjoy my wife’s labors for perhaps as long as a week. How wonderful to have these treasures upon which to feast our palates! Moreover, even regarding the Lord’s feast we have His marvelous promise:

     Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. (Matthew 13:52)

Thanksgiving Plans

As I was working toward the close of the day Wednesday, the customer for whom I had been trimming trees asked me what plans we had for Thanksgiving. After asking this she turned to me and asked, “Do you have children?” I answered as I usually answer, “No, we have not been given any children.” She responded, “Oh, that’s too bad. You would be a very good father.”

I have often wondered about that myself. I have often thought that I would very much enjoy being a father. I have often thought that I would enjoy teaching my children the wonderful good news of the grace of God in Christ Jesus the Lord. I know beyond any doubt that I would relish playing with my children. I have always enjoyed playing with children and teaching the Gospel to children. I love to see the sparkle in their eyes when they realize how much God loves them. I love to hear their joyful squeals as I swing them in the air and push them on a swing and pull them in a wagon.

Yet I also have sometimes thanked God for His wisdom in not giving us children. I have not known His reasons, but I have seen the horrible anguish of broken families. I have seen the distress of dysfunction and abuse. I have seen the heartache of parents when their children turn to many harmful choices. I also know the persecutions that the Lord has led us into and through and have realized how difficult these times would have been with children in tow.

So I acknowledge that whatever His reasons are, His reasons are good and merciful and loving and I give thanks. Yet I also look upon those who have been blessed with children and I acknowledge that they are truly blessed by God. I don’t think that I envy them, but I do acknowledge the blessings. I enjoy watching them and sometimes having the privilege of interacting with them. Yes, watching others with their children, is a source of great joy.

Truly this day of national Thanksgiving is a day for parents to give thanks for their children and for children to give thanks for their parents. This is true at all ages of people. Together we give thanks for all of God’s blessings and share in the wondrous knowledge that God is not only God, but our gracious Father, who has redeemed us with the price of His only-begotten Son in order that we may give thanks without fear of judgment, rejoicing in His fatherly love and care, for Jesus’ sake.

A Birthday Blessing

Yesterday I received an unexpected and unusual birthday blessing. Beyond the unexpected phone calls from two dear friends over the past two days and beyond the beautiful card my wife made and the gifts that she gave, another blessing occurred.

Yesterday as I was cutting a stump that required some special techniques, requiring the use of two saws because of its position between landscape stones, the use of the second and larger saw presented a startling surprise. As the saw refused to keep running, firing and then stalling, I decided to check the fuel supply. When I removed the fuel cap, to my astonishment, the fuel erupted into my face.

It was 103 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade, and I was not working in the shade. I had used the saw hard earlier, so it was hot from running hard. The fuel tank holds a little less than a quart of fuel. Nearly a pint erupted and spewed onto my face, head, and neck. The fuel was hot. Thankfully, it did not catch fire from the muffler. Nevertheless, the heat accelerated the chemical reaction so that the gasoline burned my face.

I immediately ran to the nearby hydrant to flood my face, but that hydrant did not function properly. I ran to the next nearest spigot, removed the attachments from the hose, and began to flood my face with the water. Then I ran to my truck for some soap to help remove the gasoline, but the previously stored soap had been removed. So I returned to the spigot and flooded my face for several more minutes, gently rubbing to help remove the gasoline from the skin. The burning lessened. I checked my face in the truck mirror and found only slight reddening and very minor swelling. So I returned to working. Several times the burning sensation returned, and each time I flooded my face, head, and neck until it abated.

I paused briefly and instinctively made the sign of the cross and gave thanks. It was a brief pause, but the sign of the cross always provides great comfort and assurance, as does the giving of thanks for God’s gracious care and protection. To sign myself with the cross gives me great comfort as I am reminded of my baptism and all that God promises in connection with His means of grace.

I finished the cutting and loading of logs. Then I stopped at a Kwik Shop and washed my face with soap, followed by thorough rinsing.

Today my face shows some redness and very minor swelling, accompanied by very minor burning sensation.

Truly this is a birthday blessing that I had not expected. Stephanie was greatly relieved that no serious harm occurred to her husband. She, too, gave thanks to God, repeatedly, for His gracious protection.

I continue to marvel that God has designed the human body with reflexes such as the reflex closing of the eyelid. None of the fuel ever contacted my eye directly. The lid was affected but no contact occurred to the eye itself. I often think that God may even accelerate the reflexes at times like this. Either way the gracious wisdom of God is manifested in the reflex actions built into our bodies. He also blessed me with the wisdom to keep my eyelid closed until I could thoroughly flood it with water.

My Favorite Thing!

My Favorite Thing!

I received an e-mail entitled “What Pets Write IN THEIR DIARIES..........” It has a photo of a dog with excerpts from what it would write in its diary, and likewise with a cat.

What Pets Write IN THEIR DIARIES..........

Excerpts from a Dog's Diary......

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 pm - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk Bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Diary......

Are the excerpts from the Cat’s diary really necessary?

I think that for this occasion I’d rather not supply what the cat wrote.


However, the dog supplies an helpful attitude.  I have encountered a few cats that display at least a somewhat similar attitude, but very few.

The dog stands as a lesson for life in this old world of sin and corruption.  Even in this fallen world God still blesses abundantly.  God has not stopped being gracious and loving and generous.  Yet I often find myself robbed of the rich and full enjoyment of His goodness on account of my ingratitude.  How often I have been less than truly happy, many times even miserable, even though God’s blessings are innumerable.  His goodness is too great and wonderful even to be rightly accounted.

Truly there is reason for sadness, too. The continual compromises amongst those claiming to be the Church are especially grievous. Yet, where the saints gather to the pure Word and Sacraments, God’s riches continue to flow without measure. His grace, mercy, and peace are abundantly supplied in His holy Church, wherever it is found. And in this especially I find myself responding like the seemingly silly doggie. In all of the activities of the divine liturgy I find myself saying, “My favorite thing!”

God grant that this carry over into my daily walk by faith.

Happy Birthday!

Yesterday was my wife’s birthday anniversary. It was a joy to celebrate with her the gift of life that God has bestowed upon her and the gift of her life and love that He has bestowed upon me through her.

This celebration was also a reminder to me of the reality that I face every day, the reality that I can never be to her the husband that I desire to be. She does not fuss about this fact, but I do. I often ponder the frailty of my love and the impotence of my strength in providing for her.

I have often wondered how I would do if anything ever happened to her so that she truly depended upon me. Before we were married she had cancer. What if it should return someday and she depended upon me to care for her? What sort of husband would I be? When I consider the poverty of my current bestowal of love to her, I cower to consider how I could fail her if she ever really needed my love to be strong.

I am very grateful to know that my strength comes not from my internal fortitude but from the Lord. I also am very grateful that my wife knows this as well, both regarding my strength and hers.

How can I even properly account how blessed I am to have such a wife in the Lord? She tells me regularly that her greatest blessing and joy is in having a husband who preaches the Gospel. She speaks of her gratitude to God for the fact that I count the Gospel as the one thing necessary and that I spend my days searching the Scriptures so as to be able to direct her to that one necessary thing in her life and in our life together.

Can any man be more richly blessed?

Oh, what a happy birthday! Oh how wonderful that God has brought my wife into the world and has given her to me for as long as we both shall live.

Happy Birthday, Dear! Thank You, Lord!

Faith, The Two-Legged Dog

Pastor Jackson at Ichabod, The Glory Has Departed has this video posted from YouTube:



Faith and the family that adopted her are a very special demonstration of what love does. While a dog does not have a soul, it nevertheless responds to love. Faith does not care how she looks. Dogs don’t worry about such things. Faith does not care that she has faced many struggles and continues to press beyond what is normally expected of a dog. Faith has encountered the persistence of love from those who cared for her and rather than lying helplessly in a ball on the floor, she walks and runs, wagging her tail so strongly that she nearly unbalances herself.

In the beginning, God established that Man should be like Him, ruling the world for good, in the same way in which God Himself created and now rules over all things.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:26-28)

God created the world for Man and set Man over all things to dominate and to rule the world after the same manner that God Himself does. He created Man in His own image, full of goodness and love. Even after the rebellion of Adam, even after the choice to become sinful, God’s love still prevailed so that God reclaimed His fallen children and lifted them up with the promise of the ultimate display of love. He promised that salvation would come through the advent of the Son of Woman, who is God in the flesh, Jesus. With this promise, God restored love to Man once again.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:18-19)

The miracle that was worked by the love of the Stringfellow family for this doggy is a reflection of the love of God and the power that God’s love works in us and for us. How lovely to behold such a display. While sin veils the love of God in the world, still He shows us the power of His love in everyday things, even as in this special occurrence with Faith and the Stringfellow family. While such displays are not automatically evidence of the true faith in people’s lives, these displays do continually hold before us all what God intends for us to receive from Him.

As the season of Advent comes upon us again this coming Sunday, we again rejoice in the love of God manifested in the birth of His Son, who is come in order to give Himself as the restoration of God’s merciful love to the world. By His life, suffering, death, and resurrection, love is available to everyone through the pure Gospel and Sacraments. May this season of Advent serve us all the hope that is freely given and received through our Lord Jesus Christ, even as is given as a small reminder in the response of Faith to the love of the Stringfellow family.

More than Reformation Day?

Huh!

Last evening, as I drove to cut my mother-in-law’s grass, I saw someone dressed as a witch or some such thing. I was puzzled at first.

My mind had been focused on things of the nation and more importantly and absorbingly, upon the Festival of the Reformation and the blessings associated with the restoration of the preaching of the pure Gospel to the Church.

Then I saw this person celebrating Halloween.

Oh. I had forgotten.

Halloween has no place in my life, except that I do hand out candy to those who come to my door on that night.

Once upon a time this bothered me. I resisted this. But I have concluded that being kind to the little hobgoblins is far better than to turn them away from my door. The only message that this would give is one of rejection without explanation.

However, even though we purchased the candy in preparation for these costumed little beggars, it was so far from my mind on the day of the Festival of the Reformation that I had completely forgotten it.

When I arrived home I turned on the light, and in a few moments, the little costumed beggars were at the door. They continued in a modest but regular flow until about 9:00 p.m.

It is notable that the light was what signaled to them that they could come to the door. We have no Halloween decorations of any kind. Yet with the light turned on, the children came to our door.
I would love for this to be the way every day, and especially on the Lord’s Day. I would love for these little ones and their parents and guardians to know that the Light of the world dwells in our home and be drawn as beggars to partake of the safety and blessings of the Light continually. We beggars need to be gathered unto the Light together. Of course no masks or costumes are needed, even though we sinners do try to mask and disguise our sin and our beggarly appearance. Nevertheless, those who gather in the name of Jesus, have their masks and disguises stripped away as the Law drives us to our knees to cry out to the Lord to fill us with His heavenly blessings in place of our many tricks.

Ooohhh! Poor Thing!

This morning I was awakened by a sound that cut through my drowsiness and caused me to jump from bed to peer out the window leerily.

It was a squeaking, the kind of terrified squeaking that a small creature makes in the face of pain and death.

Outside the window was that old gray cat with a baby by the neck. I could not tell for certain whether it was mouse or a bunny. It held the little thing and kept biting the neck till it stopped moving and squeaking. Then it dropped it and bounded a few feet back, pausing for a few moments and then bounded into the flower bed from whence a brand new squeaking immediately ensued.

I felt sick. I hate death. I hate suffering.

I went out a bit later to confirm what I had observed. Indeed it was a baby bunny.



I felt especially badly, knowing that cats often kill just for the “fun-of-it,” leaving the “toy” after it stops functioning. Even though the silly bunnies eat our garden vegetables and cause other little problems, I still felt badly, especially thinking that it had been wasted rather than consumed by the mean old cat.

A while later I checked through the window and could not find the little carcass. I went out and checked and found that indeed the little snack bunny had not been wasted after all, but had been carried off with its sibling to be food for little baby kitties (presumably anyway).

While I was somewhat relieved to know that the food value of the bunny was not wasted after all, I nevertheless was reminded of the painful reality of the curse upon the creation and upon the ground for Mankind’s sake.

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. (Genesis 3:17-20)

Yes! A painful reminder of how the choices of Mankind have brought such terrible things into the world. Because Adam listened to his wife rather than to the Lord, sin was introduced to the world, and with sin, the separation from Life, Life which exists only in communion with God. Sin, death, and the power of the devil now would rule over mankind.

But this would not do. The Lord already had established the plan of salvation. He was ready for this tragedy.

“Cursed is the ground for thy sake!”

Mankind chose the way of accursedness. But the Lord overruled Man’s choice and cursed the ground for Man’s sake. The ground or the earth became cursed so that Man would be set free. The earth became cursed so that Man would be called to repentance and faith and receive the redemption that was promised through the Seed of Woman. Now mankind would live in hope again, as Adam immediately declared, giving a new name to his wife. Now her name was Eve, or Life. This is what the Gospel does for those who openly hear what is declared by the curse that is placed upon the earth for Man’s sake. The Gospel turns the heart away from the way of accursedness and away from the way of death, so that Life is restored through the renewal of God’s holy communion in Christ with the one in whom repentance and faith has been worked.

So little bunny, so old gray cat, thank you for the reminder. While the seasons of Lent and Easter have already come and gone in the Church Year, nevertheless, the cursed earth continually cries out so that we may hear the blessed Gospel and rejoice in God’s goodness.

Thank you little bunny. Thank you hungry kitty.

Thank you God!

Thanksgiving

“I am sooooo thankful.”

Yesterday I heard a lady on the radio, a college athletics coach, announce that as she and her team traveled that one of the planned activities is to list at least 50 things for which they are thankful.


Other people often say “Count your blessings.”

What do these generic statements of thankfulness mean?

The thing that is curiously missing from these statements is “thankful to whom”?

Both the religious and the irreligious make these statements of thankfulness. What does this mean?

One observation would be that even those who say that they do not believe in a divine being and especially not in the Lord, still realize in their innermost being that the good things that they enjoy cannot be attributed solely to their own accomplishments. Some things even the most determinedly self-reliant still cannot take credit for according to their own efforts. Thus the rather spontaneous statement, “I am sooooo thankful.”

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2:14-16)

Is this general sense of thankfulness among people of all races and religiosity really evidence that the Lord has built into our being a natural knowledge of His divine presence and providence?

One time that this seems to be an irresistible response is in the case of an unexplainable and “miraculous” rescue from danger or a “medical miracle.” Even doctors who imagine that healing is something that they make happen, ordinarily giving credit only to the science and procedures of medical expertise, will let slip the words, “I have no explanation for your recovery. It’s a miracle.” And of course, the person and/or family respond, “I am sooooo thankful.”

So what does this mean for you? Do you really know why you give thanks? Do you really know the one to whom your thanksgiving is directed?

Psalm 136

1 Thessalonians 5:18