You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me… John 5:39

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." Romans 1:20

A few weeks ago in Sunday School we had a brief chat about using nature and the world around us to try to explain the mysteries of God to us humans who are bound in a physical reality and unfamiliar with the spiritual realm. It all started with God and burning bushes, earthquakes and whispers and continued with Jesus and seeds, vines and sheep. Our church fathers continued the tradition in order to reach gentiles and illiterate populations. What would Ireland be without it’s shamrock trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

The truth is that from the very beginning, God’s world and God’s Word were pointing to the Messiah, Jesus. From the first prophecy in the Garden of Eden, to Noah’s salvation by water, to the sacrifice of Abraham’s son, to Noah’s three days in a whale and much, much more, God was pointing us to eternal truths about His plan of salvation. But concepts like eternal life, sin and agape love are just hard to comprehend.

Christmas, in particular, is full of symbols that attempt to bring the reality of Christ into our hearts and minds. Every year at our Hanging of the Greens service, we read about many of these symbols as we decorate the Sanctuary. I picked a few of my favorites when I put together my Christmas Quilt illustration.

THE CANDY CANE – The newest of the symbols is the candy cane, created in the shape of a ‘J’ for Jesus, or a shepherd’s crook to remind us of the first witnesses to Jesus’ birth. The red and white remind us of Jesus’ purity and the shedding of His blood. The peppermint symbolizes the sting of sin, while the sugar symbolizes the sweetness of forgiveness.

HOLLY – An evergreen, holly symbolizes eternal life in Christ. The thorns remind us of Christ’s suffering and the red berries remind us of His blood shed for us. Romans used holly extensively during the Saturnalia festival, offering holly wreaths to honor the god Saturn during the winter solstice, and so it was easy to adopt these traditions to celebrate the True King and God, Jesus.

GIFTS – It’s a bit strange to receive gifts on someone else’s birthday, but Jesus himself is the greatest gift humankind could ever have. The gifts the Magi brought to Him show us just what He means to us: gold for a King of Kings, Frankincense for a Great High Priest and Myrrh for a sacrificial Savior who would die so that we can live.

SNOW – Although we are born stained with sin, Jesus washes us white as snow. Snow is also used as a metaphor in describing the hair and clothing of heavenly beings. Because snow is crystals, it bounces the light around at different angles so that all colors of light are bounced back out. All colors of light mixed together appear bright white.

LIGHTS – What would Christmas be without candles and twinkling lights? These remind us that Jesus is the light of the world. In a bigger sense, light symbolizes good, and darkness symbolizes evil. One tiny candle can illuminate a room and chase the darkness away, just as Jesus brought hope to the world. This symbolism is evident in the date chosen for Christmas. Christmas falls close to the Winter Solstice when the days are the shortest and the dark nights the longest causing the death of plants and cold temperatures. It’s easy to associate this time with our spiritual death without Christ. When Jesus comes at Christmas, light comes to humanity and the days become longer and brighter culminating in the coming of Springtime and new life at the Vernal Equinox when Easter is traditionally placed. Light is also still very much a mystery to us. Coming as both a wave and a particle, it gives heat and illumination. Its speed seems to be the universe’s speed limit, and its concentrated beam (laser) can cut through diamonds. Without it, all life on earth would end. It’s easy to see why Jesus is Light!

This Advent Season, as you move through your shopping, decorating and preparations for the arrival of our Savior, look for the signs and symbols of Jesus and His Kingdom. It’s easy to feel that Christmas has become too secularized but note the symbols all around you! Take a moment to share them with others. It doesn’t have to be hard to keep Christ in Christmas – He’s already there!

Advent blessings,

Jen

I love to dress up for Halloween (and any other occasion which could possibly require a costume!) It’s fun to pretend to be someone or something else, and to imagine fantastical creatures. However, I was amazed to see just how many of the creatures from fantasy stories actually had their origins in the Bible!

This year, if any of these weird and wonderful creatures show up at your door looking for candy, you can smile knowing that these all had their origins in God’s word. And perhaps it’s worth pondering the awesome mystery and power of God to bring these things into creation, even if some of them are just metaphors and visions.

DANCING SKELETONS

So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. (Ezekiel 37:7)

RESURRECTED MUMMY

Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!” (John 11:43-44)

GIANTS

A race of giants called the Emites had once lived in the area of Ar. They were as strong and numerous and tall as the Anakites, another race of giants. (Deuteronomy 2:10)

TALKING DONKEY

Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. “What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?” it asked Balaam. (Numbers 22:28)

UNICORN

But my horn shalt Thou exalt like the horn of a unicorn; I shall be anointed with fresh oil. (Psalm 92:10, 21st Century King James Version)

COCKATRICE (a two-legged dragon, wyvern, or serpent-like creature with a rooster's head)

Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent. (Isaiah 14:29 KJV)

BEAST MAN

That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws. (Daniel 4:33)

SEA MONSTER

In that day the Lord will take his terrible, swift sword and punish Leviathan, the swiftly moving serpent, the coiling, writhing serpent. He will kill the dragon of the sea. (Isaiah 27:1)

DRAGON

Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads… The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. (Revelation 12:3,9)

DINOSAUR

“Take a look at Behemoth, which I made, just as I made you. It eats grass like an ox. See its powerful loins and the muscles of its belly. Its tail is as strong as a cedar. The sinews of its thighs are knit tightly together. Its bones are tubes of bronze. Its limbs are bars of iron. It is a prime example of God’s handiwork, and only its Creator can threaten it.” (Job 40:15-19)

WITCHES & WIZARDS

The woman said to him, “Behold, you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off those who have familiar spirits and the wizards out of the land. Why then do you lay a snare for my life, to cause me to die?”

Then the woman said, “Whom shall I bring up to you?”

He said, “Bring Samuel up for me.” (1 Samuel 28:9-11)

GHOST

The king said to her, “Don’t be afraid. What do you see?”

The woman said, “I see a ghostly figure coming up out of the earth.”

 “What does he look like?” he asked.

“An old man wearing a robe is coming up,” she said. (1 Samuel 28:13-14)

ANGEL

I looked up and saw someone who was wearing linen clothes and a belt of fine gold. His body shone like a jewel. His face was as bright as a flash of lightning, and his eyes blazed like fire. His arms and legs shone like polished bronze, and his voice sounded like the roar of a great crowd. (Daniel 10:5-6)

Wow! There’s a lot of weird and wonderful stuff in the Bible. Who needs Harry Potter? We’ve got enough beasts and supernatural creatures right in God’s Word!

Happy All Hallow’s Eve,

Jen 🎃

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)

I’m not a fan of horror films, but I’ve always been interested in the ones with religious themes. I guess it’s a study in the wrong ways this world portrays the other world – the world of angels, demons, devils, hell, and what happens after we die.

It’s easy to scoff at these movies and their villains and pronounce them garbage. But to that I say, not so fast. The Bible is very clear, especially in the New Testament, that demons exist and can possess a person. We learn from Luke 8:30 that more than one demon can possess a person. We see in Acts 19:16 that demons can use superhuman strength. Acts 16:16 tells us that demons can have fortune-telling power. In Luke 9:39 we find that demons can cause the possessed person to convulse and hurt themselves.

The Bible is also clear that Hell exists. “…God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;” (2 Peter 2:4) And speaking of Sodom and Gomorrah, Jude 1:7 says, “Those cities were destroyed by fire. They still speak to us of the fire of hell that lasts forever.” And Revelation 20:14 reveals, “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.”

So, no worries, we won’t end up as zombies or vampires roaming the earth eternally. But we can end up extinguished eternally, along with Satan and the demons. Heed the warning in Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” That One is God Almighty.

This would be terrifying if there were no way to be saved. Many people in our world today dread death because they see it as the end of everything – and without the saving grace of Jesus Christ, it is! But we know and need to share the Good News. As Paul says, “the love of Christ puts us into action. We are sure that Christ died for everyone. So, because of that, everyone has a part in His death. Christ died for everyone so that they would live for Him. They should not live to please themselves but for Christ Who died on a cross and was raised from the dead for them.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NLV) And even more than that, Jesus tells us in Revelation 1:18, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”

Christ has risen from the dead and controls death and Hell. It gets better: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) We can have eternal life if we believe in and live for Jesus Christ!

But wait, should we fear mortal death and Satan and those demons? Well, here’s one of the most reassuring verses in all of Scripture:

“And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  (Romans 8:38-39)

So yes, demons, Satan and hell really do exist. And sadly, people can be tormented by them, even people in our neighborhoods and families. But the love of Christ compels us to share Jesus like Halloween candy – generously and with everyone! Once we have Jesus as our Savior, NOTHING can separate us from God’s love and an eternity in Heaven. THAT is something to celebrate!

Have a Kit-Kat, Jesus loves you!

Jen

**Don’t miss our annual Trunk or Treat So Others Can Eat at Hereford Faith & Life Church on Sunday, October 27 from 2-4pm.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” (Matthew 5:14-15)

I love lighthouses. I’m not sure why, but I always have and now visiting them is one of my many ‘collections.’ Perhaps it’s because a lighthouse’s mission is so much like our Christian mission – to illuminate, to guide, to give hope, to save.

Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever. Daniel 12:3

Like a lighthouse, we can bring light to dark places. Part of our duty as Christians is to shine. Our light stands in stark contrast to the darkness of the world and points the way to Christ and God’s salvation. We can illuminate the goodness of living for Christ, and the Truth found in God’s Word.

Send out your light and your truth;
    let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
    to the place where you live.
There I will go to the altar of God,
    to God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
    O God, my God!

Psalm 43:3-4

To sailors arriving at port, the sight of lighthouses guided them to a safe harbor. To the Hebrews wandering in the desert, God provided a pillar of fire at night to guide them. And Jesus asks us to guide others to Him. The first step in making disciples is to bid them come and meet Jesus. He is our safe harbor, our secure anchor, our refuge from the storms of life. Once people are guided into safety, they can begin to experience what it means to find their rest in Him.

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

Ephesians 1:18

For sailors caught in a tempest, a lighthouse is a beacon of hope. They know that the safety of the shore is nearby. The light of the Holy Spirit gives us the confident hope of the safety of eternity in God’s Kingdom. Hope is such an amazing thing for people facing trials. Just a small ember of hope can be the difference between hanging on and slipping under the water. We carry this precious hope with us every day, and we should be ready to share it with those barely keeping their heads above water. The sure safety of the Solid Rock is always nearby!

This is what the Lord commanded us: I have made you a light for the Gentiles, so that you could bring salvation to the end of the earth.” Acts 13:47

And there it is – our ultimate mission is to shine, guide, and give hope so that unbelievers will ‘see the light’ and find Jesus and salvation. The weary, the lost, the abused, those that feel unworthy and unloved can all find fulfilment in the loving arms of God the Father, eternal life in the friendship of Jesus the Son and guidance and correction in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

This mission of salvation and guiding light has never been far from the American imagination. Not only are we called to it as individuals, but our country adopted it as our national mission from its inception. Now we have our own colossal lighthouse of liberty guiding all pilgrims to the Land of the Free.

…A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

 –Emma Lazarus

Have a wonderful, blessed Independence Day, remembering that all our blessings of liberty, all our vast lands and resources, all the wealth and resilience of our people are gifts from God because God HAS blessed America. I pray He will continue to, as we continue to serve and glorify Him.

God bless America, Land that I love, Stand beside her and guide her ‘Thru the night with a light from above; --Irving Berlin

Shine on,

Jen 

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!  Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11

I heard a story today that made me stop and ponder. A woman was recounting how when her grandmother passed away, her uncle had forgotten to bring shoes to the funeral home, and so grandma would be buried barefooted. The woman’s mom was adamant that she had to travel 3 hours back home to bring shoes so that her mother “wouldn’t have cold feet in heaven.” Others hearing that story nodded and found it sweet. And I suppose from a purely human standpoint it was. It was borne from her grief and wanting to do one last kind thing for her mother.

But as a Christian, it bothered me. Like comments I hear all the time that peoples’ loved one is now ‘an angel in Heaven,’ or arguments against cremation because God wouldn’t be able to resurrect you, they display a lack of understanding that might be sweet if it weren’t so dangerous.

While it is certainly true that the Christian faith is not merely a ‘get out of Hell free’ card, let’s be real – that IS the primary reason that Jesus came to earth, suffered and died. We tend not to want to talk about death, but Jesus spent a lot of His ministry talking about death. He was very clear that sin leads to death and that it is an incurable condition, punishable by torment in Hell. The Law of Moses was perfect; however, it only served to show how impossible it was for us sinful humans to keep it. After thousands of years of trying and failing, God ended that Covenant with Israel and began a New Covenant in Jesus’ blood with every person in the world. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

In Sunday School last week, I had the unenviable task of telling the kids that Jesus was killed on a cross. “Death is scary,” the littlest one said. Yes, it is. It is the fear of the unknown that can be really unsettling. But just like that first trip in an airplane can be frightening, once you touch down in Disney World, you’ll be so happy you made the trip. Heaven is so much better than Disney World (no lines 😉), and so much better than anything we can dare to imagine. We’ll be face to face with Jesus, wrapped in love, full of peace, and fully healed and whole.

Our God is SO much bigger than we can comprehend. Our feet will never be cold in Heaven. We get all new robes of righteous anyway! We will never become angels, but we will likely meet some. And God will absolutely be able to resurrect every believer whether they were lost at sea, buried, cremated or placed in an ossuary, like back in first century Israel. Consider how much energy would have been required to resurrect Jesus. Research on the Shroud of Turin, now believed to be the actual burial cloth of Jesus, reveals that “the formation of the Shroud’s image would take several billion watts of light radiation, which exceeds the maximum output of any source of UV radiation known today. If the accompanying heat energy had been present, the cloth would have vaporized in less than 1/40 billionth of a second.”^* This is the same God who created the entire universe! As Jesus, himself, told us, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27

So, when we consider death, we need to put away sentimental ideas of the afterlife, especially the ubiquitous belief that everyone goes to heaven if they’re ‘good.’ As Christians we know that eternity in Heaven is guaranteed only by faith in Jesus who died to pay our sin debt and restore our relationship with Almighty God. Don’t worry about grandma’s shoes – worry about grandma’s soul! Concern yourself with saving others from hellfire. Jesus suffered and sacrificed too much for us to keep this GOOD NEWS all to ourselves. We can live eternally! Hallelujah!

Eternally yours,

Jen

^* https://www.magiscenter.com/blog/how-did-shroud-turin-get-image

It’s almost Jesus’ birthday! What did you get for Him? What?! You bought something for Barney and Ben, Janice and Jen but forgot Lord Jesus Christ? Well…there’s still a few more shopping days left… But if Jesus had a 3-octave range like Mariah Carey, I’m sure he’d also sing, “all I want for Christmas is you!”

In fact, from the very dawn of creation, all that Almighty God has ever wanted from us is our full devotion evidenced by faith and obedience. We can trace this theme right through the Old Testament:

12:1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

² “I will make you into a great nation,
    and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
    and you will be a blessing.
³ I will bless those who bless you,
    and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
    will be blessed through you.”

⁴ So Abram went, as the Lord had told him;

15:6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 12:1-4 &15:6

Barry Cooper writes, “This is a stunning moment: God’s revelation that faith in Him is the mechanism by which people are accepted by Him and become heirs of His promises. As Paul says in Romans chapter 4 and Galatians chapter 3, Abraham was justified by faith alone—faith in the promises of God. Promises which found their fulfilment in Christ.”

Thousands of years later, God’s people continued to stray, worshiping idols and living lives of wealth and entitlement while letting others suffer poverty and injustice. Through the Prophet Hosea, God says: “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” Hosea 6:6 

Once again, God wants devotion, not mere obedience to law. He wants our devotion to flow from our faith and trust in Him which manifests as obedience. “Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you.” Hosea 10:12.

Finally, Jesus came from Heaven to deliver this message in person:  He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”  “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” Luke 10:27-28 Almighty God wants our whole heart, not a half-hearted faith, not worship just on Sunday. It is our deep abiding faith that saves us.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Apostle Paul made this even more clear in his letter to the Romans:

⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ¹¹ As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” Romans 10:9-11

That God operates like this is overwhelmingly GOOD NEWS—not just for Abraham and the ancient Israelites, but also for us. So let me say it again: salvation is given to us not because of anything we have done or could do or ever will do, but purely on the basis of what God has done. And we receive the benefits of what God has done simply by trusting Him, as Abraham did.

So, what does Jesus really want for His birthday? Just your whole heart, soul, strength and mind. I’m not sure if you can find a box for that. But Jesus doesn’t care about the wrapping and bows. He will accept your gift in any condition at any time. Why not now?

What can I give him?
Poor as I am
If I were a shepherd
I would give a lamb
If I were a wise man
I would do my part
But what I can I give him
Give him my heart
Give him my heart

(In the Bleak Midwinter, Rossetti/Holst)

Merry Christmas,

Jen

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14

I’ve been listening to a lot of Christmas music lately. It’s the soundtrack to my housework, decorating, cooking, and general downtime. But I have to say, I am less than impressed with most of the newer holiday songs. I love romance, time with the family, and giving presents, but that is NOT what Christmas is about. Not to sound like a Grinch, but somewhere along the line, the messaging around Christmas got co-opted and corrupted by a world that is happy to sell trees, decorations, gifts and records, but couldn’t care a wit about the saving of mankind. In fact, several of my least favorite holiday songs promote greed, lust, gluttony and other kinds of sin.

We should never underestimate the power of music and messaging. Anything set to a tune is easier to remember, hence the use of jingles in ads. I’m sure you have a few learning songs rattling around in your brain still, like the Alphabet Song, I before E, or maybe the entire Preamble to the Constitution like I do. And there are plenty of catchy Christian tunes for kids and adults that help us remember key verses, Bible books and more. In the days before widespread literacy, psalms and hymns brought the Bible to the people, especially the Gospel message. Most of the Christmas hymns include the entire Gospel presentation in just 3 or 4 verses.

Back in the early 1970s, my family celebrated Christmas with all the trimmings - but no church, no manger, no Jesus. I suspect this is more the rule than the exception these days. However, my music-loving parents and grandparents had a large collection of Christmas albums: Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis and more. And about half the songs on those albums were Christmas hymns. I sat next to our record player listening and learning the words, wondering what it meant to ‘come and adore Him,’ or ‘prepare Him room.’ I especially pondered ‘…to save us all from Satan’s power when we had gone astray.’ These beautiful hymns were reaching my unchurched heart and mind and laying a foundation for seeking Him later in life.

Additionally, my most beloved Christmas special of all, Charlie Brown’s Christmas, spoke directly to my confused and wondering heart. Is Christmas really about trees and decorations and stuff? Or is there more? Then Linus quoted Luke 2:8-14, about angels, God, Heavenly host and a baby in a manger. “That’s what Christmas is all about…” The Grinch and A Christmas Carol shared a message about personal transformation and an understanding that Christmas is not about the ‘stuff,’ but that the stuff is the outward representation of the inward joy and celebration of a heart transformed by love. They stop just short of saying God’s love in the form of Jesus Christ.

So, my recommendation is to share these songs and shows with your loved ones, especially the kids. Always lean towards the Christmas Carols and Hymns. For hundreds of years, they have been planting seeds of faith wrapped in beautiful, catchy tunes. They join us with a long line of faithful believers all over the world, celebrating the birth of Christ in the good times and bad, during war and peace, famine and plague, persecution and pilgrimage.

Christmas is a miraculous mystery filled with wonder and splendor and the supernatural. No amount of tinsel, shiny lights and fake magic can outshine the marvelous story of God’s amazing love for us which wove together two miracle babies, five angelic visitations, ancient prophecies, celestial wonders, five kings, strange visitors, visions in dreams, and a Roman census. It’s a story that deserves to be told. It’s a story the world needs to hear. It’s a story that God wants us to share.

O Come All Ye Faithful and share your Joy to the World! Go Tell it on the Mountain, that story of the Little Town of Bethlehem and Mary’s Boy Child Away in a Manger. Tell everyone about that Silent Night that Came Upon a Midnight Clear when Angels From the Realms of Glory announced His birth While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks. Tell how they hurried to see, asking What Child Is This? Tell the whole, wide, world about The First Noel, and how Love Came Down at Christmas.

Musical Holiday Blessings,

Jen

¹⁵ One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶ He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

¹⁷ Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸ Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:15-19

We don’t often think of Jesus as being annoyed. Perhaps we even think it’s a sin to be annoyed, but here in this account of the ten lepers who Jesus healed, He does seem a bit miffed. And with good reason. Ingratitude for all that God has done, is doing and will do for us is really the Original Sin. It’s the sin that got Lucifer cast out of Heaven. It’s the sin that got God fuming mad according to all the prophets. With all that God gives us, although we deserve nothing, how ungrateful is it to want more, different, better?

Jesus restored these ten lepers without hesitation at one request from a distance. This restoration was not merely health – it was a whole life transformation. Leprosy had forced them to leave their families and move to a leper colony separated from everyone else. No shopping, no school, no work, no play, just pain and isolation – in fact, they had to announce their presence at a distance so others could scurry out of the way: “Unclean, unclean!” And no cure, so no hope.

So when, in desperation, these men begged for a miracle and GOT IT, Jesus felt it was only right that prayers of gratitude and thanksgiving should be offered. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! But only the reviled Samaritan ran back full of worship and praise.

This was our Sunday School lesson this week. I think the kids got it. Most of us are raised to say please and thank you. Yet, there are times when our thanks are just half-hearted – Aunt Ethel’s fruitcake perhaps. And times when we should give thanks and we don’t – everyday blessings or even perceived misfortunes.

And then. Then there is the World, ruled by Satan, sowing dissatisfaction and selling entitlement at every turn. As the holidays arrive, the commercials lead the parade chanting ‘bigger, newer, better, designer, custom!’ They stroke our egos convincing us we ‘deserve’ more. They coax the covet, fueling our desire to have what our friends or neighbors or rivals have.

Last week, the Sunday School watched my favorite Veggie Tales episode, Madame Blueberry. It’s a whimsical story of a ‘blue’ berry who is sad because her friends’ things are better than hers. Then, a new Stuff Mart comes to town offering everything she can dream of at discount prices on credit. However, she learns from two small children that happiness doesn’t come from a box, but from a heart of gratitude.

I’ll leave you with my favorite song about gratitude from that episode. It’s been 25 years, my kids are grown, and I still sing this song to myself and to the Lord when I feel the lure of ‘stuff’ coming on.

It isn’t sinful to want things, or even to present our desires to the Lord. He wants to give us the desire of our hearts. And He wants our hearts to desire what He desires. And in all things, He wants us to give thanks. Give thanks to the Lord with a grateful heart, ready to pass on the blessings we’ve received to others. Give thanks and praise the Lord. “The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh.” Job 1:21

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving,

Jen

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

I’ll admit it. I’m scared of the dark…still. I’m not alone either, and with good reason. Wild beasts and creepy crawly things lurk around in the dark. It’s confusing. Things look different and it’s easy to stumble and fall. And perhaps most frightening, people with evil intentions are skulking out there!

Way back in pre-medieval days people had similar fears. It led to some strange myths and behaviors, like carving jack-o’-lanterns. 

Their origin comes from an Irish myth about Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil for his own monetary gain. When Jack died, God didn’t allow him into heaven, and the Devil didn’t let him into hell, so Jack was sentenced to roam the earth for eternity. In Ireland, people started to carve demonic faces out of turnips to frighten away Jack’s wandering soul. When Irish immigrants moved to the U.S., they began carving jack-o’-lanterns from pumpkins, as these were native to the region.

Halloween is based on the Celtic festival Samhain, a celebration in ancient Britain and Ireland that marked the beginning of the new year on November 1. It was believed that during Samhain the souls of those who had died that year traveled to the otherworld and that other souls would return to visit their homes.

In the 8th century CE, the Roman Catholic Church moved All Saints’ Day, a day celebrating the church’s saints, to November 1. This meant that All Hallows’ Eve (or Halloween) fell on October 31. Traditions from Samhain remained, such as wearing disguises to hide yourself from the souls wandering around your home. The folklore about Stingy Jack was quickly incorporated into Halloween, and we’ve been carving pumpkins—or turnips—ever since.

(Grannan, Cydney. "Why Do We Carve Pumpkins at Halloween?". Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Oct. 2017, https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-we-carve-pumpkins-at-halloween.)

That may all seem a bit silly or superstitious, but they got one thing right: light chases away the darkness. And while this is good for physical safety and security, it is imperative for spiritual health and safety! Jesus is our Light. He said as much himself in John 8:12. In fact, the entire Gospel message can be summed up with verses about light.

We lived in an Eden of light and protection: “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5. But we chose the darkness of sin and death: “He is driven from light into the realm of darkness and is banished from the world.” Job 18:18

But God did not abandon us. He gave us a guide back to Him: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105. And those who followed found the light of His love: “Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.” Psalm 112:4

But generation after generation chose darkness, so the Lord promised a light so big it would light the whole world: “the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” Matthew 4:16 (quoting Isaiah 9:2) This Light is so big and so victorious that it cannot be extinguished: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 This Light is Christ who reconciles us to God: “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6

And still, there are those who refuse the warmth of this light: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19.

Now it’s up to us to be a light for others as God’s Word and Jesus Christ are a light unto us. “I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ Acts 26:17-18.

We are called to holiness: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Ephesians 5:8. And we are to pray that God’s will is done and leave the judgement to Him: “Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.” 1 Corinthians 4:5.

And one fine, glorious day we will dwell with the Lord forever: “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.” Revelation 21:23-24.

So be a Jack-O-Lantern this Halloween, shining the love and light of your saintliness on everyone you meet. Perhaps the warmth of your glow will make them want to come in out of the dark for good.

With love and light,

Jen

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. -- Matthew 5:14-16

I had an unusual experience recently which doesn’t happen that often. In both Adult Bible Study and Sunday School we studied the same passage in the same week. It was the above passage from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. One of the things I love about the Bible is that it stands up to the most rigorous academic study while still communicating Truth in a way a child can understand. From ‘Hide it under a bushel – NO! I’m gonna let it shine,’ to a Shining City on a Hill used in a Presidential Farewell Address.

At the end of the 1980’s when President Regan left office, I was not a Christian, not a Republican, and my mind had just been exposed to History and Politics of the World Since 1945. My ideas of America and what she stood for were changing. And so, coming back to Regan’s Farewell Speech has been a bit of an interesting twist for me. With the passage of years, I think this speech really does stand the test of time, no matter how your particular politics may run these days. Personally, I was humbled to find so much agreement with the sentiments. So, I thought I’d leave you with the best part as a devotional to our country and our God who continues to bless it.

“An informed patriotism is what we want. And are we doing a good enough job teaching our children what America is and what she represents in the long history of the world?

Those of us who are over 35 or so years of age grew up in a different America. We were taught, very directly, what it means to be an American, and we absorbed almost in the air a love of country and an appreciation of its institutions. If you didn't get these things from your family you got them from the neighborhood, from the father down the street who fought in Korea or the family who lost someone at Anzio. Or you could get a sense of patriotism from school. And if all else failed, you could get a sense of patriotism from the popular culture. The movies celebrated democratic values and implicitly reinforced the idea that America was special. TV was like that, too, through the mid-Sixties.

But now we're about to enter the Nineties, and some things have changed. Younger parents aren't sure that an unambivalent appreciation of America is the right thing to teach modern children. And as for those who create the popular culture, well-grounded patriotism is no longer the style.

Our spirit is back, but we haven't reinstitutionalized it. We've got to do a better job of getting across that America is freedom - freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of enterprise - and freedom is special and rare. It's fragile; it needs protection.

We've got to teach history based not on what's in fashion but what's important: Why the pilgrims came here, who Jimmy Doolittle was, and what those 30 seconds over Tokyo meant. You know, four years ago, on the 40th anniversary of D-Day. I read a letter from a young woman writing to her late father, who'd fought on Omaha Beach. Her name was Lisa Zanatta Henn, and she said, we will always remember, we will never forget what the boys of Normandy did. Well, let's help her keep her word.

If we forget what we did, we won't know who we are. I am warning of an eradication of that - of the American memory that could result, ultimately, in an erosion of the American spirit.

Let's start with some basics - more attention to American history and a greater emphasis of civic ritual. And let me offer lesson No. 1 about America : All great change in America begins at the dinner table. So tomorrow night in the kitchen I hope the talking begins. And children, if your parents haven't been teaching you what it means to be an American - let 'em know and nail 'em on it. That would be a very American thing to do.

And that's about all I have to say tonight. Except for one thing.

The past few days when I've been at that window upstairs, I've thought a bit of the shining "city upon a hill." The phrase comes from John Winthrop, who wrote it to describe the America he imagined. What he imagined was important, because he was an early Pilgrim - an early "Freedom Man." He journeyed here on what today we'd call a little wooden boat, and, like the other pilgrims, he was looking for a home that would be free.

I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind, it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind swept, God blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace - a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors, and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.

That's how I saw it, and see it still.

And how stands the city on this winter night? More prosperous, more secure and happier than it was eight years ago. But more than that: after 200 years, two centuries, she still stands strong and true on the granite ridge, and her glow has held steady no matter what storm.

And she's still a beacon, still a magnet for all who must have freedom, for all the Pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home….”

*A version of this article appears in print on Jan. 12, 1989 of the National edition with the headline: Transcript of Reagan's Farewell Address to American People, The New York Times.

Keep on Shining my fellow Americans,

Jen