The Bells We Wish We Did Not Hear:

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT Christmas is a season of bells, "silver," "jingle," and those you hear on "Christmas Day,"  I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day  Casting Crowns Last Friday the bell tolled 26 times.  The reverberations of its ringing still vibrates in our hearts.  Definitely not a bell we want to hear, especially not at Christmas.   The poet reminds us that we ought not to ask ". . . for whom the bell tolls?"  The sad reality is "It tolls for thee."   For me, and you. The children who were killed in Sandy Hook are our children. The adults are our neighbors. The troubled young man who killed them is one among thousands for whom we need to care.  (See here for an interesting and troubling article.)   Let's not go the wrong direction, here.  A lot of leaders are speaking about what we--as in our our nation, our society, our government--need to do.  We need, they say, morelaws, more restrictions, tighter security systems.  I'm not going to let this go very far.  I don't want to get in a shouting match across graves that are still open.  But that is what we don't need.  The answer is not primarily a stronger arm of the law.  It is a more compassionate arm that hugs and guides.  The solutions will not be arrived at in the chambers of congress and legislatures, but at breakfast tables, community picnic tables, and church pews.  We must stop saying "You," as in "You need to fix this."  Rather, we ought to say, "We," or even, "I," as in I need to help my neighbor who is struggling to raise a troubled child, or we as members of this community need to be more involved, or to put it in the words of our Lord, I will be "salt and light."   I can still hear the ". . .ong" part of the bell's toll.  Lord, may it motivate me to make my world a better place.  AMEN.   It's Something to Think About.

What do you know? Goats really can climb trees!

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT I continue to be amazed, and when I think about the fact that I'm amazed, I'm amazed again.   Let me explain. In yesterday's STTA, I mentioned going out on a limb--a metaphor for making a prediction for which I really don't have sufficient data, or authority.   I did a quick web search to look for a picture that illustrated the point, and found this shot of a goat on a tree branch. Don't ask. I have no idea! It looks so impossible--the branch is so small, and who ever heard of a goat climbing a tree--that I figured it was a really skillful photoshop job.  It illustrated my point, though, so, with the disclaimer caption, I included it. Dave Barry used to talk about "Alert readers."  I have them too.  One of those alert readers, wrote back and let me know that my picture of a goat in a tree--and again I quote D.B., "I'm not making this up."--really is a picture of a goat in a tree. 16 Goats In A Tree Here is a video of these marvelous creatures doing their limb walking and hopping.  And both the websitewhere the video is found, and another one here show not only their acrobatics, but tell about their place in the economy and ecology of Morocco.   Why should I be surprised at a tree-climbing goat?  God's world is full of wonders.  Why should I think that because I haven't seen or experienced it, it is therefore unusual?  God and His creation are certainly bigger than me, or my thinking, or even my imagination.   Last weekend Covington Bible Church was privileged to host a three day event for our community--the live Nativity.  I began the weekend with a box of expectations and limitations.  Some of the key people who have been involved in supporting and staffing the event in the past have made choices that prevented them from being involved this year. There is almost always at least one night that is too cold, too wet, too windy, too something for the event. I had watched the event for years.  I had calculated that X number of people was absolute capacity.   My box lies flat.  All four sides splayed out on the ground; the lid lying in splinters from crashing onto my hard head.  Again I ask, "Why am I surprised?  Is God limited by the limits of my expectations?" We asked for suitable weather.  God chose to give us three perfect evenings.  We needed adequate personnel.  The CBC family rose to the occasion.  We ended up handling more than 50% more people than I thought possible, and did so well. I wonder why God makes goats that climb trees, or why He chooses to bless the modest efforts of a group of people so abundantly?  My tentative conclusion is that He does such things, at least in part, to show His surpassing greatness.  For more on that hypothesis, see here, here, and here   Anyhow, It's Something to Think About--knowing you won't figure it out.

Nothing on 12/12/12, but I do have some thoughts on the last day on the Calendar:

Something To Think About

I tried to come up with something clever to go with the 12/12/12 date.  I couldn't come up with anything.  I guess I'll just have to wait for 13/13/13 to come around. There is another date on the calendar, however, that has gotten a lot of press.  12/21/12 is the last day on a famous Mayan calendar.  Some have concluded that this must mean that these Native American astronomer/prophets figured the world would end on that day.  Actually, it may simply be that they had to stop making marks in stone at some point.  I figure the carvers thought 1,000 years were enough.  Supervision kept them going until 5,000 years, when everyone said, "ENOUGH!"   For some reason the Mayans have enjoyed a place ofhonor with a rather kooky fringe of late Twentieth and early Twenty-first Century Western Culture--they are the darlings of the New-Age.  You remember they are the folk who brought us the Moronic,excuse me, Harmonic Convergence. The end of the world rumor has morphed into a three-day blackout--inflation I guess--in regions of China.  " The . . . rumor said a new era will begin on Christmas day following three days of total darkness."  (more here)  It has been a great run for those who sell candles. Personally, I have never met a Mayan that wasn't incredibly smart and wise, but if they were indeed predicting that the world will end on the 21st, I  think they had been drinking too much blache.  It isn't clear, though, that they predicted the end of the world.  It looks like to me that folk prone to intoxication by more modern substances have drawn those conclusions.  This fascination with the Mayan calendar is a part of a syndrome that we often see:  Anything but the Bible.   "We don't want to listen to the Bible because of the moral/ethical implications it contains, so we'll pay attention to anybody/anything else to satisfy the longing in our hearts.  "When people stop believing in God, they don't believe in nothing -- they believe in anything." -- GK Chesterton Don't ask. I have no idea!   I'm going to go out on a limb here.  I do so for two reasons:   1, The simple matter of odds, and  2, I figure God doesn't want to share any of His glory with an ancient corrupt culture.    The world is not ending 12/21/12.      At the bottom of this email (not to mention the bottom of this matter), however, you can find how to prepare, because whether it is through death, or the return of Christ, it is sure that this world will end for each of us.   It's STTA.   Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT   As soon as I saw it, I was disappointed.  Not that what I saw was disappointing, just the opposite.  When I saw the jar of apple-butter on the counter--a gift from some  friends--I was disappointed because I had already eatenmy muffins without any. Missed opportunity! Missed opportunity can be instructive, if we will allow it to be.  Some of us won't.  Some folk live their lives in the complacent illusion that what they do is always the best.  They support the fantasy with statements like, "I didn't want any." or, "I was going by a different plan."  Let's face it, sometimes the truth is, "I missed an excellent opportunity, here, and, now, I'm really disappointed."  I'm not sure whether disappointment is an emotion or a conclusion.  Maybe it is an emotional response to something we conclude--"This didn't work out as I wanted it to, now I feel bad."  At thatpoint, if I ask myself an important question, that bad feeling can be very helpful.  "What should I do different, next time?"  Some people never ask and answer the question.  They just go on producing disappointment, after disappointment--eating their oat-bran muffin with no apple butter--and becoming more and more discouraged, or, maybe even worse, complacent with how life treats them. Instead of looking back with "Would'a, could'a, should'a," let's look ahead with a new plan: What kept me from taking this opportunity that I just missed? What can I do to seize it next time it comes along? What benefit will I gain if I take hold of the opportunity when it come around again? The Bible says we should make the best use of our time--seize the opportunities.  (here)  When I fail to take advantage of one of the opportunities that God provides, I ought to be disappointed.  My prayer is that that bad feeling will cause me to be a better steward next time.    It's STTA.   Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.

Scenes of Christmas, #5:

Something To Think About

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT It wasn't December.  It was June.  There were no sheep, camels, or cattle anywhere close by.  Certainly no one was around that I would particularly characterize as wise.  There were no stars visible; as I remember there was a bright blue, early-summer sky overhead.   Posen Illinois, June 2012, the day Jesus came to Howard Merrell. The Bible speaks about conversions.  The most famous is that of Saul of Tarsus.  Later, in the middle of the night, Paul, as he was now known, led a Roman jailer through the transition.  Some try to make the point that the thief on the cross was already a believer.  I rather doubt it.  One of the saddest accounts in the Bible has to do with the rich young ruler who went away unconverted, and sad.   The fact that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, will not help you, unless you have been born again as a result of Jesus Christ coming to you through faith.   Sure, we conduct the Live Nativity as a way of counteracting the secularization of our society.  Santa is present wall-to-wall, 24/7.  We want to give the Gospel account of Jesus Birth a place in our community.  But we pray that there will be more than, "So that is what it is about." or, "It is good to be reminded."  reactions.  We won't twist anyone's arm,  that isn't what the Bible teaches, but we do hope and pray that folk will have that "Christmas in my heart" experience as a result of what they hear and see, and the work of the Holy Spirit in their heart.   O Come to my heart Lord Jesus There is room in my heart for Thee.     From 6:00 - 8:00 nightly  Come, bring your family, enjoy, learn.  We pray it will be part of the reason some come to believe, or find their faith strengthened.     It's STTA.   Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.

Scenes of Christmas, #4:

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT A few weeks ago, I joking said that we needed a camel and another wiseman for our Live Nativity, and that it would probably be easier to find the camel.  Actually, I know where to get a camel.  I could rent one, but it is beyond our budget.  Wisemen, on the other hand are priceless. We Three Kings of Orient are, Bearing gifts we travel afar.   Could these Magi have been the cultural descendants of those Daniel saved from sure death?  (Daniel 2)   Perhaps.  Like most things about the Wisemen, we just don't know.  Contrary to the legend that informs the popular Christmas carol, we don't know much about these guys.  From Matthew's gospel (here) we do know that they were worshipers of God, obedient to the truth they were given.  I also think it's pretty cool that they outsmarted Herod.  I'd say they definitely earned the title of "wisemen."   A popular Christmas slogan declares that "Wisemen still seek Him."     Yes! I find that concept applicable on several levels: The hunger in our hearts and the needs of the world cannot be met with the stuff of this world.  Our "gold, frankincense, and myrrh need to be devoted to a higher purpose. Those of us who know the Lord, don't know Him enough.  Constant seeking should be our quest. Having met God come down, I ought to help other seekers find Him.  Wisemen not only seek Him, they help other seekers find Him. In particular that last point is the reason Covington Bible Church presents the Live Nativity.  We want folk to meet the Savior--the new born King, grown up to be our Savior. From 6:00 - 8:00 nightly  Come, bring your family, enjoy, learn.  We pray it will be part of the reason some come to believe, or find their faith strengthened.     It's STTA.   Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.

Scenes of Christmas, #3:

Something To Think About

Tradition says it was cave.  I've been to the grotto beneath the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.  For a long time people have said that is the place where God the Son came into this world as a man.   It's hard to make a cave, so most of our creches depict the scene of Christ's birth as a shed--what we imagine a primitive tiny barn would look like.  That's how we depict the stable seen at our Live Nativity. Though, I'm sure that we are wrong, as far as the details are concerned, I'm confident we have it about right concerning the status.  Scripture says that "He humbled Himself," and that, "He became poor."     Isaiah predicts that the Lord would be despised and rejected, and, indeed, He was.   In life, He had no where to lay his head, and at death, it would appear that His possessions consisted of the clothing for which the soldiers gambled.  It is part of the wonder of Christmas.  We invite you to experience that wonder at the CBC Live Nativity. From 6:00 - 8:00 nightly  Come, bring your family, enjoy, learn.  We pray it will be part of the reason some come to believe, or find their faith strengthened.   "Oh come to my heart, Lord, Jesus.   There is room in my heart for Thee."   It's STTA.   Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.

Scenes of Christmas, #2

Something To Think About

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT It might have been in the forties that night when "shepherds watched their flocks by night."  Those of us who are familiar with sub-freezing December temperatures may not think that is particularly cold, but spend the night in the open with poor clothing and then comment.  At the CBC Live Nativity our shepherds are only out in the field for a couple of hours.  Still keeping them warm is a major concern.     From what I read about those who watched flocks, no one much cared if they were cold, or hungry, or comfortable.  Sheep were an important part of the wealth of many citizens of the time.  Shepherds cared for sheep.  The animals represented money.  Having shepherds was a necessary evil.  Shepherds were ceremonially unclean.  They were so low on the social ladder that if the only witness to a crime was a shepherd, you just couldn't make the case.  The witness of shepherds was not to be trusted. Who announces the birth of a king to the least esteemed people in the land?  God does, because the King/Savior Who was born that night was bringing good news to all the people.  The "peace" and "good will" that were proclaimed that evening were for all people--even shepherds. That universality of the Gospel is still the case.  The New Testament abounds with words like "whoever," and, "if any."  We want our presentation of the Live Nativity to be available to all as well.  That's one reason why we offer it as a gift.  "God so loved the world that He gave. . . ."  In that spirit we offer our presentation of the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus to our community. From 6:00 - 8:00 nightly  Come, bring your family, enjoy, learn.  We pray it will be part of the reason some come to believe, or find their faith strengthened.   When the shepherds heard they came, and saw, and then went and told.  As the song says, "over the hills and everywhere."   It's STTA.   Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.

Thinking about Mary:

Something To Think About

December 7-9 the Covington Bible Church will present theLive Nativity.  If I say so myself, I think it is a rather amazing presentation for a church of our size.  It is our Christmas gift to our community.  We hope you will accept it by coming.   The core of the Live Nativity experience is taking a tour of scenes portraying the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Each tour is accompanied by a guide--an actor portraying a Biblical character who tells the story from their perspective--people like Nicodemus, MaryMagdelene, the Apostle Peter, or the little girl Jesus raised from the dead. A couple of our scenes include Mary.  I have often referred to Mary as the most misunderstood person of Christmas.  The Biblical record--found primarily in the Gospel of Luke--combined with what we know of the culture of First Century Israel, paints the picture of a simple Jewish woman, young enough that we could call her a girl without any insult.   For millennia Theologians have argued about the meaning of the virgin birth, but there can be little doubt as to what it meant to this young Jewish woman.  Everything we see about Mary indicates that she was a woman of virtue and honor, the very kind of woman who would have found the insults and ugly looks, that must have come her way, painful.  When I was in high school, I knew young women about the age Mary would have been when we first meet her.  These girls were hard and course.  They couldn't be insulted.  Mary was the opposite.   Joseph must have had her tender heart in mind when, after hearing of her pregnancy, he decided not "to disgrace her, [but] planned to send her away secretly."  (Matthew 1:19)   Yet knowing the consequences when the angel Gabriel told Mary she would be the mother of the Messiah, she responded:   "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word."  (Luke 1:38)  From 6:00 - 8:00 nightly The wondrous story of Christmas begins with a young woman who was submissive to her Lord.  It is that kind of willing obedience that the Lord desires from us.  It is part of the message you will see, hear, and experience at the Live Nativity this weekend.  Please join us.   It's STTA.   Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.

A Less Crazy Christmas:

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT Lots of folk complain about Christmas.  It's still a bit early--the dog hasn't knocked over the Christmas tree, yet, and the rush at the mall is still a few weeks off--but just wait.  The problem is never have so many done so little to solve a problem that is so great.  The fact is, we are the cause of the  holiday hassle.   Having said that, a case could be made that the last thing we need is another place to go.  Hear me out, though.   (This next section is mostly for people who live within driving range of Covington VA, but the general idea can be applied, wherever.) CBC is privileged to once again put on the Live Nativity.  The LN is a fun way to spend a family evening.  You can read more about ithere. Why not make an appointment with yourself for you and your family to attend the Live Nativity, or if you are too far away identify some other way of emphasizing the true meaning of Christmas?   Here at CBC, all month long we are emphasizing the glorious Christmas message.  Whether it is with us, or with some other fellowship of believers that shares the message of God's word, I encourage you to make the most of the Christmas Season.  Let us know if we can help you.   It's STTA.   Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.

Merry? Christmas:

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT It has begun.  I speak of course of the annual--at least in recent memory--fight over whether store-clerks and such should say "Merry Christmas," or "Happy Holidays."  And, "Is that evergreen in the park, the one with all the lights on it, a Holiday Tree or a Christmas Tree?"  There are some inconvenient facts that line up on each side of the argument.   On the side of Merry Christmas: It is the name of the Holiday in question. There is our undeniable heritage as a nation--"Christian" or at the least strongly influenced by Christian thought. Most Christians don't seem to get bent out of shape when Jewish merchants recognize Hanukkah, or Muslims observe the fast of Ramadan.  "Why," we ask, "all the fuss over Christmas?" On the other side: Though not a majority, a significant element of our population belongs to a non-christian religious group.   A minority of Christians find the 21st Century Christmas celebration offensive and want no part of it.  (I'll leave aside the fact there is a significant group of Christ-followers who observe Christmas in January.) It is the task of the church, not Walmart or the US government to proclaim Christ.   Business people should be free to observe, or not observe, religious based holidays, and we should be free to steer our business to those businesses we choose to patronize. The middle ground is strewn with, "Yeah, but!"s and ugly accusations.   For the record: I have already started wishing folk "Merry Christmas."  I am seeking to use the holiday as an opportunity for spreading the name of Christ.  I appreciate it when businesses enter into that spirit.  You'll notice, I even donned a Santa hat for the season. I am, however, going to avoid any Yuletide arm-twisting, and I encourage my Christian brothers and sisters to do the same.  Rather than demanding that Merry Christmasbe on store clerks lips, let's put our energy into living and witnessing so that the Christ of Christmas is more likely to enter their heart and make them truly Merry.      It's STTA.   Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.

A Longing that Nothing Else Can Satisfy

Something To Think About

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT One of my favorite Christmas songs cause a pain in the core of being.  I'm not a masochist, but it is a good feeling. Longing is a concept that is foreign to our instant-this-instant-that, WIFI-enabled, globe-at-our-fingertips world.  Yet all of that Get-R-Done immediacy is far too often a covering--one with holes, I might add--for deep needs within. Oh, Come, Oh, Come Emmanuel   I imagine Anna and Simeon--representative of the Old O Come, O Come, Emmanuel Choir of Clare College, Cambridge Testament faithful--singing those words, no, not singing, groaning them in heart-rending words of prayer.  Israel needs to be ransomed spiritually far more than politically.  They longed to see the fulfillment of Isaiah, and the other prophets words, "Unto us a child is born . . . a son is given . . . His government and its peace will never end."  Nothing else will do.  We long, with unimaginable longing for the fulfillment of the promise.   The song goes on though and speaks of the longings that are in the hearts of all Adam's children.  We all need to be freed from Satan's tyranny.  Amusement, and Jingle-bell  happiness abounds; what the hymn describes as "cheer" for our hearts, and the Bible describes as joy, is in short supply. Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel  by The Franz Family We are very open to the coming of the softly lit babe in the manger who warms our hearts like a cup of chocolate with a marshmallow, but the song speaks of a "Lord of might, Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai's height, In ancient times did'st give the Law, In cloud, and majesty and awe."  No smiling child can meet the need of humanity, or the longing that achingly resides in the heart of every woman and man.  The "Rejoice, Rejoice," refrain of the hymn does not speak of merely an infant.  God did not send a baby to make us feel better.  He gave His Son to meet our deepest need, and change us so we could become what we were made to be--worshippers of the God of the Universe.  That, and that alone, satisfies our longings.  (Cue the choir in your mind, Hallelujah Chorus.)    It's STTA.   Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.

Twinkies in Heaven?

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT It will likely break my sweet wife's heart, but I have to tell her.  It is better that she hear it from me, than from a stranger.  Hostess Brand--the folk that make Twinkies--is going out of business.  I just heard that an ongoing labor dispute caused management to turn off the ovens. There are two reasons the news will hit Kathy hard.  When she was a little girl, she used to bring a lunch to school.  Because of her mom's health-consciousness and frugality, Kathy's lunch never included Hostess Cupcakes or Twinkies with their little girl lust inducing cream filling.  She probably hasn't eaten half-a-dozen in her life, but she still has a fondness for them, and . . .   Ever since she heard that such a thing is done, she has wanted to sink her teeth into a deep-fried Twinkie.     Now it looks like her fat-laden, cream-filled dream will have to wait for heavenly fulfillment.  Some of you will say, that surely something that bad for us won't be in heaven.  Me?  I figure that if God can make a burning bush that doesn't burn up, He can make a calorie, and cholesterol free grease-dipped pastry.   OK, from the tragic and comic, I go to the utterly serious and sublime.  The old Negro spirituals have it absolutely right.   "When I get to heaven gonna put on my robe/crown/shoes.  Gonna shout all over God's heaven." Maybe one of the changes that come to God's people when we move to our eternal abode will be that will lose our taste for things like deep-fried Twinkies.  I have no doubt that there will be delights that will put such gastronomical wonders in perspective.       But it is a place where the great longings and needs of the hearts of women and men will be filled with the blessings of God in the same way that the light of His presence will fill the New Jerusalem. It makes sense to live these few years here in such a way that we can spend eternity there. In the mean time, pray for Kathy. It's STTA. Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.

Who is coming to Thanksgiving . . . ?

Something To Think About

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT All over this land settled by the Pilgrims moms are concerned about Thanksgiving Dinner.  Not,"What they will have," but, "Who will come?"  Clearly, not all the turkeys and hams will be on Thanksgiving tables; some will be sitting around them. People make thanksgiving hard.  I know of no group of people who made gratitude more difficult than the saints who made up the Church at Corinth.  Can you imagine planning a Church-wide Thanksgiving feast for First Church in Corinth? Don't seat Charlie near Pete. Pete's suing Charlie over that land deal that went bad.  (SEE HERE) What are we going to with Bob?  He's the guy having an affair with his step-mom.  Just don't put any women near him. (SEE HERE) The rich in the church had no problem in chowing down on delicacies, and bounty while their poor brethren had none. (SEE HERE)  And there is more.  Survey 1 Corinthians to find out. Yet, in spite of all of this, the Apostle Paul begins his letter to the Corinthian Christians with thanksgiving.  If we are dealing with anyone else we might conclude that this was just one of those polite conventions.  "I'm not really thankful, but I'm supposed to offer thanks at this point in the letter, so. . . ."  The great Apostle, though, is a man of impeccable integrity.  He really was thankful.  He was thankful "concerning."  You notice in 1 Corinthians 1:4-9that Paul's thanksgiving list is made up of what God has done, not what they were doing with God's gifts. Even if I look around the table at turkeys, readyto consume turkey (Please don't quote me if you decide to confront the gobblers while consuming the gobbler.), I can offer thanks. God is good,even to those who don't deserve it.  Hey, that includes me.   Here is recipe for a better, healthier Thanksgiving.  Cut back on the "They don't deserve God's bounty" accusations, and substitute some, "God is so gracious that He pours out his goodness even on sinners"praise.   It's STTA. Find lot's of information about how God stepped into our world to meet needs we cannot meet on our own, here.