Happy (Hrmph) Holidays

In the never ending war to end Christianity in our country one of the largest battle grounds is Christmas. I still haven't heard on any media or in any store (other than my local Christian book stores) the greeting, "Merry Christmas". Now, the only politically correct season greeting is "Happy Holidays". GRRRR!

Try as one may, one simply can't take Christ out of Christmas. We are now told that it is offensive to Jews or Muslims or Athiests to wish a "Merry Christmas". I have no problem with a Jew saying, "Happy Hanukah" to me. I don't know if there is a proper Islamic greeting for the month of Ramadan, but I certainly wouldn't be offended if I were greeted with that perspective. As for the athiests? They need to hear those words of promise more than anyone. Christ even told us that the Good News is offensive to some people.

So here my solution: Every time someone wishes you "Happy Holidays", smile broadly and in a loud confident voice declare, "Merry Christmas". (At least until it becomes illegal...)

Cupped Hands

As usually happens, I had a profoundly moving experience while I was cloistered at the Academy for Spiritual Formation. In that place I am allowed to participate in worship rather than lead it. For that week, I am part of the congregation. At that time I receive, rather than give, communion.

The soft music was playing in the background. People were singing quietly to the reflective songs being played. I had heard a moving sermon and was now, myself, moving toward the altar: the table of grace. As others preceding me in the line to receive were served, I cupped my hands in order to receive the bread.

I looked at my hands and knew that I was a beggar with nothing to offer the One doling out the bread. As I moved forward, my cupped hands pled for mercy, for a crumb of blessing that I didn’t deserve. As I reached those offering the elements of communion I heard the words; “This is the body of Christ broken for YOU.” (Emphasis added.) My cupped hands didn’t just receive a crumb, but a piece, a mouthful. I then went on and was treated to the cup of Jesus’ blood poured out for the forgiveness of MY sins. (Emphasis added again.)

I couldn’t shake the idea of God’s Extravagant Generosity given to me, an undeserving sinner. I was overwhelmed with humility. Then another picture stuck in my mind. It was a picture of starving children with hands cupped just like mine. Only for them the bread they were to receive was more than a church ritual. It was a chance to survive another day.
As we receive the mercy and grace of God’s Extravagant Generosity let us cup our hands

Quote of the Day

Today is the first day of the rest of your life... Is that a good thing?

Quote of the Day

Life sucks...unless you need a vacuum cleaner!

Chasing the Wind

How do you spend your time? Does work consume you? How about the care of your family? Are you obsessed with a certain sport or a particular team? Are you driven to succeed so that you can have all you want? A good friend once told me that her view of life was, “He who dies with the most toys, wins.”

Michael Jackson died with a whole bunch of toys. The media seems to be obsessed with his death. Didn’t we know this was coming? Couldn’t someone have predicted this? All of his considerable genius in music came at a dear cost. Michael’s childhood was taken away from him. He never had a chance at normalcy. His life was thrust in front of the camera and he became a commodity rather than a human being. This abnormal life with all of its perks led to an abnormal death. Why do so many people who “have everything” wind up destroying themselves with addictions?

The author of Ecclesiastes may have the answer. This person was extremely successful. If he wanted something he went out and got it. This person had wealth and power. After wrestling with himself and with God, do you know what he wrote? Life is meaningless, chasing the wind.

When I was a child, I loved spending time outdoors, chasing the wind. Running with no place in particular to run; rolling down the hills just to see how fast I could go; climbing the apple tree in my yard to eat a few apples just because they were there. All of this taught me that the best things in life are free. Oh, how I wish Michael could have run and rolled, and climbed with me.

The truth is, “He who dies with the most toys, still dies.” The happiest people that I know are people who know they are at the end of their lives…who have little but enjoy much…who know that the best things in life (relationships, love, nature, and God) are free.

Quote of the day

I don't know if this is attributable to Jeff Foxworthy, but I think he would like it...
You know you are a redneck if you use the same tree your dog does.

I Will Stand with You
We sing these words every Sunday as we close worship. "I will stand with you; we will fight the fight. I will stand with you through the darkest night. I will stand with you as God give us might. Hand in hand, hand in hand we will stand."

Soon after the flood the UM (United Methodist) churches of Cedar Rapids stood together. We helped as we could. Some opened their buildings to the flooded churches. Other pitched in and started mucking.

As this was happening churches of all denominations stood together. We soon discovered that different denominations had different expertise in disaster recovery. There was no competition. We all did what we could. And we all stood together.

Then other UM churches in Iowa came to our aid. Soon our denomination’s disaster experts, UMCOR came with much needed supplies. Then UM’s from all over the country began to stand together in our fight.

Living Water now is blessed to provide housing for dozens of mission workers each week. Presbyterians, UM’s, Independents, Catholics, Lutherans all standing together to help.
All of the people who have come to stand with us have learned one lesson: It is better to give than to receive. The next time we close worship, let’s sing "I Will Stand with You" with prayerful thanksgiving for the Body of Christ who has come to stand with us.

Gay Marriage in Iowa – What Does it Mean

The Iowa Supreme Court ruling striking down Iowa’s law banning gay marriage was only hours old when I received my first question about its effect on churches. Whereas many have asked, here are my thoughts.

There has always been a difference between the church and the state regarding the purpose and definition of marriage. For the state, marriage deals primarily with legal issues such as property rights, inheritance rights, and child raising. There is a whole section of law called "Family Law" which concentrates solely on interpreting the rights and duties within the bonds of civil marriage.

For the church, marriage is a holy institution. It celebrates the coming together of husband and wife with Jesus Christ at the center of this union between man and woman. The purpose, duties and privileges of marriage are laid out clearly in Scripture. As Christians, we are to follow the clear teachings of Scripture over any societal influence from our culture.

However, there is also the issue of social justice. Jesus clearly calls us to fight injustice wherever we find it. A good argument can be made that people of the same sex who desire to have the same property and family rights as opposite-sex-married people are being shut out. Is there a way to seek social justice and hold to Scriptural teaching? There might be.

What do we do? Let the state to decide who should be married according to the state. Let the church decide who should be married according to the church. In this case there needs to be a real separation of church and state.

Of Chocolate Bunnies and Easter Baskets

The church I grew up in was not one to let their hair down. Communion was once a year: Good Friday. Christmas was pleasant and rich with tradition. But Easter Sunday was the one time the children literally got to bust loose.

After hearing the Easter story and singing the traditional hymns like "Up from the Grave He Arose", we were released to run and play outside as we searched for Easter Eggs. As a young child it was like Christmas all over again! There were eggs, chocolates, cookies and of course fake green grass. As an older child I became responsible to help a younger child find the well-hidden goodies. It was still a tremendous joy, a release from the daily life of the church.

What does the Easter Bunny have to do with the theology of Easter? At first glance, it would seem nothing whatsoever. But that Easter Egg hunt in many ways emulated the real meaning of Easter. The resurrection of Jesus allows us to bust loose in joy. The resurrection of Jesus opens up for us a treasure trove of new things in our lives to search for. The resurrection of Jesus produces a tremendous joy as we are released from our hum-drum lives into lives of hope and praise and love.

"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in God’s Son." 1 John 5:11

Surrounded by Death

Wow, what an amazing couple of weeks. My step mother died two weeks ago. My uncle was rushed to hospital intensive care earlier this week. A friend's father passed away yesterday. The Apostle Paul told us that we are "Constantly surrounded by death."

Death at any time is rough on the survivors. But death before Easter helps us remember that Jesus died so that we might live. The gift Jesus gave us was the gift of hope and confidence in life after death in the presence of God.

There is a total difference between the funerals of those who have placed their lives in the hands of the resurrected Jesus and those who refuse to believe. The funerals of believers are filled with hope amidst the grief. The funerals of those rejecting Jesus are filled with grief that cannot be assuaged.

Before I became a Christian I was terrified of death. I had a few childhood experiences that left me paralyzed at the thought of going to a funeral. When I finally understood the Good News of Jesus Christ, my view of death was transformed. I now embrace the death of believers as one of God's greatest gift of grace. In death we are released from the pain sorrow and suffering of this life. The Easter message is a message of hope for the darkest times in our lives.

I love life. Christ allows me to do that. We have recently placed my mother in the care of a local Hospice organization. She is near the end of a long battle with COPD. She has longed to die for more than a year. She has treasured her life. She has treasured her family. She has treasured the friends she met along the way. Yet she treasures the coming of the fulfillment of the promises of God through our Savior Jesus Christ.

May you live in the promises of Christ,
Marty

Getting Started

This is the start of a new adventure for me. I have been writing for many years. Friends and relatives have suggested that I share more of my thoughts, scattered though they may be. As a pastor I get many questions about many subjects. I will seek to share insights from Scripture, common sense, modern authors, and personal experiences.



Let me know if there is anything we can discuss.